What is a progressive dialer?
A progressive dialer automatically calls the next number on a list as soon as a rep finishes the last call, one call per rep at a time.
Why it matters for sales teams
A progressive dialer removes the manual steps between calls: finding the next contact, typing the number and pressing call. The rep finishes a call, logs the outcome, and the next number starts ringing.
Because it never dials more than one number per rep, the person who answers is met by a rep who is ready. There is no connection delay caused by dialing ahead, which makes it a careful choice when every conversation counts.
Example
A rep works a list of 80 follow-ups. Each time a call ends and the call disposition is saved, the dialer moves to the next record and dials it. The rep reads the contact's details while the phone rings. Unanswered calls and voicemails still take their full time, which is the main limit on how many conversations a rep can have in an hour.
Progressive dialer vs power dialer
The terms are often used interchangeably. Both dial one number per rep, automatically, in sequence. See power dialer. Because labels vary between vendors, ask what a product actually does: how many lines it dials per rep, and whether it waits for the rep to be ready.