Short answer
Preview: the agent sees the lead and the call starts on their click or after a countdown. Power: the next lead rings automatically when the agent is free. Parallel: power dialing with several lines per agent at once, and the first person to answer is connected. Predictive: the dialer sets the number of lines from the live answer rate, and backs off when abandoned calls rise.
"Power dialer", "parallel dialer" and "predictive dialer" get used loosely. Here's what each mode actually does, and how they map to DialerDay's settings.
The four modes
| Mode | Lines per agent | Who decides the line count | Dead air or abandon risk | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preview | 1 | The agent's click (or a countdown) | None | High-value leads, research before calling |
| Power | 1 | Automatic: next lead when free | None | Steady outbound, small teams |
| Parallel | Several | The agent, up to the campaign's maximum | Some, when two people answer | Cold lists with low connect rates |
| Predictive | Varies | The dialer, from the live answer rate | Managed, against a target | Large teams, high volume |
In DialerDay, a campaign's Dial mode is either *Power (agent picks the lines)* or *Predictive (automatic)*. Power with one line is classic power dialing. Power with more lines is parallel dialing. Preview is set by the preview countdown, or per step in a step cadence.
Preview dialing
The agent sees the lead first: their notes, history and CRM record. With a preview countdown set, the call starts automatically after that many seconds, or the lead is skipped, whichever you choose. Without one, the agent clicks Call. In step cadences, each step can be *preview* or *power*, which suits later attempts where context matters.
Power dialing
As soon as the agent finishes a call and logs the outcome, the next lead rings. There's no manual dialing and only one line at a time, so nobody answers to an empty line.
Parallel dialing
Several leads ring at once for one agent. Answering-machine detection waits for a human. The first person to answer is connected in under a second, and the other lines are stopped. In DialerDay, agents start on 3 lines and can raise it up to the campaign's Max lines per agent.
Sometimes two people answer at once. The second hears your abandon message, or, with answered-call overflow, is passed to a free teammate.
Predictive dialing
Instead of the agent choosing, the dialer sets the number of lines from the campaign's live answer rate, aiming for just under one person per batch. Low answer rates mean more lines, and high answer rates mean fewer. When abandoned calls reach your target rate (2% by default, Settings → Queue priority), it backs off.
The abandon guard
Across modes, DialerDay watches abandoned calls. If they pass 3% of answered calls over 30 days, power sessions drop to a single line that can't abandon. The 3% matches the common US telemarketing limit, and your counsel can tell you what applies to you.
Which should you use?
- Fewer than about 5% of dials answer (cold lists): parallel or predictive.
- Warm or inbound leads: power, or a step cadence that's power on day one and preview after.
- Large teams: predictive keeps everyone busy without tuning line counts per agent.
- Licensed or complex sales: preview, so agents read before they talk.