Nonstop Numbers

For years, large companies have used auto-dialing systems for sales calls and customer satisfaction surveys. The systems, which integrate your computer system and office telephone network, are programmed with a list of numbers and generate calls continually. When a customer answers the phone, he or she is automatically routed to a live sales agent, who then handles the transaction.

In the past, such systems have cost upwards of $300,000 for larger call centers. But as with other electronic technologies, prices are coming down--good news for entrepreneurs. Companies like Genesys Telecommunications Laboratories Inc. (http://www.telemkt.com/genesys) and Call Center Solutions (http://www.callcenters.com) sell telemarketing solutions with automated dialing technology that cost about $3,000 per work station. As with high-end systems, a list of numbers is entered into the system so the calls can be automatically dialed; when someone answers the phone, the salesperson is immediately alerted.