Predictive Dialer Set-up

Step One: Set-up Survey

Questions, Scripts & Admins

The Predictive Dialer uses the same

surveys and user set-ups as other

activities, including Walk Lists, Palms,

and manual dials.

Step Two: Select your Universe

Select your universe and cut your list

using VoteBuilder’s “Create a List” tool.

NGP VAN • 1101 15th Street NW, Suite 500 • Washington, DC 20005

p: (202) 686-9330 • f: (202) 686-9331 • sales@ngpvan.com • www.ngpvan.com

Step Three: Send your List to your

Predictive Dialer Campaign

Hitthe“Calls”button(markedwithphoneicon)

and select “Predictive Dialer Campaign.” VAN

will then ask whether you would like to create

a “Phones-Computer Campaign,” a “Phones-

Only Campaign (no computer necessary; all

results are entered through your phone’s

keypad), or if you simply want to add your new list to an active campaign.

If you are adding a list: Name the list and tell VAN which campaign you want it added

to. The system will de-dupe all lists added to one campaign.

Step Four: Run through Set-up

Wizard

A. Set-up Tab

Give the Predictive Dialer campaign

and your list a name.

If you check the box indicating that

you would like your callers to be connected to answering machines, the dialer will

not try to filter out machines. All calls that connect will be passed through to your

users.

If you are setting up a Phones-Computer Campaign, the invitation title and text will

be what your users will see in their quick-task area of their VAN interface when

they log in.

If you would like your callers to have the option of transferring their contacts to

another number, enter the 10 digit number in the “Transfer” field. If a valid num-

ber is entered in the field, your callers will then have the ability to patch their calls

through to that number at the end of their call. If the field is left blank, the patch

through feature will not be enabled.

B. Inputs Tab (phones only

campaign)

VAN will automatically assign

phone key presses, or inputs, for

all the call results of your survey.

Different survey questions and

activist codes are tiered – all

results are entered at the end of

the call, so your callers will enter

[number that best correspond

to the result of question 1] then

[number that best corresponds to

the result of question 2].

The inputs for each result can be

modified. If you begin to modify inputs but wish to return to default inputs, click

on “Regenerate Inputs.”

B. Display Tab (phones and

computer campaign)

Select whether you would like

your callers to have access to the

records of other people in the

household. So if your caller is

trying to reach John Doe and ends

up talking to Jane, that caller can

click over to Jane’s record and fill

out the survey for her.

Select what other information you would like to be displayed to your callers along

with the script, as well as where you would like that information to be displayed.

C. Schedule Tab

Select a start date, end date, and

calling hours. These times will

determine when your callers will

have access to the system to make calls for the campaign.

D. Users Tab

Select the users in your

committee who should be able

to make calls for the campaign.

If you are running a phones-only

campaign, multiple users can use a

single login.

E. Payment Tab

Select the account you would like

the call-campaign to draw minutes

from. You will be forced to create

an account the very first time you

run through the wizard. You can

monitor balances and create new accounts from the Predictive Dialer accounts

page, accessed through the phones services section of VAN’s main menu page.

All minutes used during Predictive Dialer campaigns must be pre-purchased.

However, if your account is running low on minutes during a campaign, you may

purchase/load additional minutes in real time to prevent your callers from being

disconnected from the system.

F. Approval Tab

Review call schedule and terms.

Once you click “Finish,” VAN will set

up your calls and you will be ready to

begin calling.

Step Five: Review Calls

To view your Predictive Dialer campaigns,

click on “Phone Services” from VAN’s main

menu, and then click “Predictive Dialer

Campaigns.”

For each call campaign you can click on the

name of the campaign to pull up a details

page. On the details page you can review

setting for the campaign and also remove or

assign users.

For Phone-only campaigns

You must go to the details page to find the

toll-free call-in number, the agent IDs for

assigned users, and the PIN, which will

allow your volunteers to make calls.

You are also able to generate a printable

script for your phone-only callers.

Additional Notes

• In a VAN phones-computer campaign, each user must have a unique VAN login

username and password.

• Please make test calls at each office before volunteers arrive. Most errors are

easily fixed.

• Predictive calls will start slowly while the system is calculating averages

(average time of calls, average numbers of answering machines vs. live

answer, etc.) Please let you volunteers know that it will be slow for the first

10 to 15 minutes.

• In order to avoid a pause you usually get with a telemarketing call, we do not

give the answering machine filter much time to determine if it is a live person

on the line. As a result, approximately 15% of answering machines will be

passed along to callers, even if you set up the campaign to filter out answering

machines.

If, after reading this guide, you have any questions or require assistance in setting up or implementing a Predictive Dialer campaign, please email VAN Support:

phoneservices@ngpvan.com