Local Presence Dialer: A VoIP Feature Spotlight

A local presence dialer is an easy-to-use technology that automatically changes an agent’s area code to match the call recipient’s local phone number. This feature is made to address the needs of sales teams aiming to have higher call connection rates, as prospects are more likely to answer or return calls from a more familiar phone number.

Local presence dialers come as a plan inclusion in some virtual telephony, voice-over-internet-protocol (VoIP), and sales tools with starting fees ranging anywhere from $55 to $150 per month. Local phone numbers that work with this capability have estimated costs that range from $1 to $5 per number, per month.

What Is a Local Presence Dialer?

A local presence dialer is a business phone system or VoIP platform feature that automatically detects and matches the call recipient’s local area code. Agents who have access to this feature can quickly turn it on whenever needed as it’s connected to their company’s business phone system.

Businesses implement local presence dialing to improve call connection rates. Software Advice’s survey results show that prospects are more likely to answer unknown calls from local phone numbers. Local presence dialers are also typically available in some simple sales management tools as it does not require a lot of configuration to activate.

How Does a Local Presence Dialer Work?

Most local presence dialers available in the market work the same way. Companies must purchase local presence phone numbers, which will be reflected in the call recipient’s caller ID. Additionally, they must subscribe to VoIP or virtual telephony plans that come with local presence dialers.

Activating it is as easy as turning it on through the platform. Once an agent calls, the system will detect the prospect’s local area code and automatically match the agent’s phone number. This match local number will reflect in the prospect’s caller ID.

Dialpad, for example, lets users purchase number packs that cover 80% and 98% of the U.S. population, for $200 and $500 per month, respectively. It enables users subscribed to its Sell Pro and Enterprise plans to activate the local presence dialing feature.

When a call is returned, providers like Dialpad, Kixie, and Revenue.io will route the call to the exact agent who initiated the call. Meanwhile, other providers, such as CRMDialer, forward returned calls to an interactive voice response (IVR).

When to Use a Local Presence Dialer

A local presence dialer is an excellent tool for greater call connection rates, but it doesn’t mean that all businesses must utilize this feature. If your business targets customers in various non-local locations, then a local presence dialer is for you. However, if your business is focusing on a single area, you can purchase a local phone number instead.

While a sales dialer and VoIP can both utilize local phone numbers, there are still differences in various aspects. For instance, a local presence dialer can be more expensive than a business phone system. Bigger teams opt for those dialers, as mentioned earlier, as it supports high volumes of outbound calls in widespread areas. On the other hand, small businesses often utilize VoIP platforms as it is enough for low call volumes.

Therefore, those who focus on ramping up and improving their outbound calling campaigns in various states and areas must look into local presence dialers. In contrast, teams who are just looking to obtain local contact numbers for their businesses may look into VoIP phone systems instead.

Local Presence Dialer Providers

Enterprises and teams who want to improve their outbound calls with local presence dialing may check out these providers below:

• Dialpad: Dialpad offers sales dialer plans that start at $95 per user, per month. Phone number packages start at $200 per month. Users who do not have much coverage may contact Dialpad for individual phone number purchasing.
• Kixie: Kixie’s plans that come with a local presence dialing feature have monthly fees that start at $55 per month when billed yearly. Users may also purchase phone numbers for $1 per number, per month, or $250 per month for all U.S. and Canada area codes.
• RingCentral: RingCentral offers its dialer, Engage Voice, for outbound campaign management needs. It also provides apps that allow integrations with NetSuite and ServiceNow to enable agents to use the local presence dialing feature. Those interested may contact its sales team for a quote.
• Truly: Truly is a sales process optimization platform that features local presence dialing. Monthly fees for plans with a sales dialer start at $65 per month when billed yearly. Additional rates for its phone numbers are not published on its website.
• CRMDialer: CRMDialer offers a power dialer that includes a local presence dialing capability. Monthly fees start at $149 per month, and no added fees for the phone numbers are mentioned on its pricing page.
• Talkdesk: Talkdesk is a cloud contact center solution with starting fees that cost $75 per user, per month. It enables users to purchase the local presence add-on, but its pricing is not published on its website. Those interested are encouraged to request a demo.
• Revenue.io: Those who are using Salesforce can check out Revenue.io. It provides a local presence dialer for Salesforce that supports U.S., Canada, and international phone numbers. Potential users may request a demo, and like RingCentral, it doesn’t publish its pricing on its website.

Bottom Line

Phone calls from a more familiar phone number are more likely to get answered or returned. In fact, Software Advice’s survey results show that prospects are four times more likely to answer a call from a local number than a toll-free or vanity phone number.

Due to this, a local presence dialer is helpful for those who want to improve their outbound calling campaigns. This feature isn’t only for those with businesses in the U.S. or Canada. Other providers—like Revenue.io—support global phone numbers, perfect for those building an international presence.

Enterprises and businesses prioritizing the success of their outbound call campaigns must look into providers that offer this feature. While this capability comes at added costs or is included in plans with high monthly fees, its return on investment (ROI) is worth looking into.