12.1. Answering Machine Detection

Noojee Dialler provides both an automated and a manual method of dealing with answering machines (voice mail systems).

Both methods provide the ability to redirect the call to an automated attendant or simply hangup the call and/reschedule a callback. The automated attendant is able to listen to the voice message until it completes and then deliver a pre-recorded message.

Automated

Referred to as Answering Machine Detection (AMD), Noojee's dialer is able to detect an answering machine and automatically flag them as an answering machine.

Answering machine detection is configured via the 04. Campaign Template settings.

When AMD is combined with one of the automated dialler options it is able to deliver higher connection rates even when calls are being made to mobile phones where a high percentage of calls will be answered by a voice mail service.

The core disadvantage of AMD is that it typically takes 1-3 seconds to determine whether the call is human or an answering machine (and detection can never be perfectly accurate). The detection time means that there will be lag between the call be answered and the call being connected to an agent. The agent will also not hear all of the customers initial greeting.

When an Answering machine is detected Noojee Campaigner provides an option to play a sales message to the customer by configuring a Voicemail Route via the 04. Campaign Template settings.

Manual

In manual operation all calls are put through to the agent and the agent decides if the call is an answering machine. The agent can the disposition the lead as an answering machine. How the lead is dealt with from there is dependant on what disposition the agent selects and how that disposition is configured. For example the lead can be reschedule for a callback after a given period.

Noojee Dialer also provides an option to display a 'Voicemail' button on the agents dialer screen. The Voicemail button allows the agents to redirect a call to Voicemail handler. The Voicemail handler will wait for the voicemail to complete its introductory message and then play a pre-recorded message to the voicemail box. In the mean time Noojee Dialer dials  the next lead. The Voicemail Route is configured via the 04. Campaign Template edit page.

Manual detection provides the best customer experience as there is never any lag between the customer answering the phone and the agent being connected. The dialer performance will however be lower than than when using AMD.