Common Questions and Answers
How much will it cost?
Why is there a setup fee?
We've done robocalls for organizations with as few as 30 phone numbers. Without our small $15 setup fee, it would not be cost effective for us to do those kinds of calls, and we would have to refuse them just like all of our competitors do.
The setup fee lets us serve small customers that everyone else ignores.
The setup fee lets us serve small customers that everyone else ignores.
I want to make a series of calls over several days. Do I pay a setup fee every time?
Every "retail" order placed though this web site's Get Started page has a setup fee. The Get Started method is designed for clients who want to make just one or two simple robocalls, or don't want to invest the time needed to learn the Self Setup system.
To make a series of calls, and avoid the setup fees, your best bet is to get a Self Setup account:
Self Setup
To make a series of calls, and avoid the setup fees, your best bet is to get a Self Setup account:
Self Setup
Do you remove cell phones from my phone list in compliance with FCC regulations?
Yes! To help you stay in compliance with FCC regulations, Robodial will automatically remove cell phones from your phone lists. This includes phone numbers assigned directly to wireless carriers, as well as phone numbers that have been transferred from a land-line to a wireless carrier.
The FCC's regulations against robocalls to cell phones apply to ALL ROBOCALLS, including political calls and nonprofit calls. If you robocall a cell phone without permission from the owner of the cell phone, you can be sued for as much as $1,500 per call.
Stay safe and legal! Be sure to ask your current robocall service if they are removing cell phones from your phone lists!
Click here to review the FCC's FAQ on robocalls and robotexts to cell phones:
FCC FAQ on Robocalls and Robotexts
If you have consents from the called parties, and can provide evidence of consent, then please complete our Compliance Affidavit (click the link below), and return it to us to get approved for calls to wireless devices.
Compliance Affidavit for Robocalls to Wireless Devices
The FCC's regulations against robocalls to cell phones apply to ALL ROBOCALLS, including political calls and nonprofit calls. If you robocall a cell phone without permission from the owner of the cell phone, you can be sued for as much as $1,500 per call.
Stay safe and legal! Be sure to ask your current robocall service if they are removing cell phones from your phone lists!
Click here to review the FCC's FAQ on robocalls and robotexts to cell phones:
FCC FAQ on Robocalls and Robotexts
If you have consents from the called parties, and can provide evidence of consent, then please complete our Compliance Affidavit (click the link below), and return it to us to get approved for calls to wireless devices.
Compliance Affidavit for Robocalls to Wireless Devices
When are cell phones removed from my phone list?
We remove the cell phones as they are uploaded, so they are not included in the final phone list that we use for your robocall.
For incomplete or paused robocalls, we also scrub phone lists very night to catch phone numbers that were recently converted from land-lines to wireless.
For incomplete or paused robocalls, we also scrub phone lists very night to catch phone numbers that were recently converted from land-lines to wireless.
How should my phone list be formatted?
We can accept most types of Excel spreadsheets, as well as CSV and TXT files.
Your phone numbers can be in any column, and can use a variety of common formats, including hyphens, parenthesis, and periods. For example all of these phone number formats will be recognized by our system:
(111) 222-3333
111-222-3333
111.222.3333
111 222-3333
111 2223333
1112223333
Our system will only recognize 10-digit phone numbers. Not 7 digits. Not 11 digits.
Your phone numbers can be in any column, and can use a variety of common formats, including hyphens, parenthesis, and periods. For example all of these phone number formats will be recognized by our system:
(111) 222-3333
111-222-3333
111.222.3333
111 222-3333
111 2223333
1112223333
Our system will only recognize 10-digit phone numbers. Not 7 digits. Not 11 digits.
Can you leave my robocall on voicemail machines?
Absolutely! That's something we spent a great deal of time engineering and fine tuning over the years, and as a result we've had many clients say our system does a better job than our competitors. We also provide tuning options so that you can leave messages ONLY to voicemail machines if you like.
Best of all, we don't charge anything for these extras. It's built into our published price!
Best of all, we don't charge anything for these extras. It's built into our published price!
Can you change the caller ID so it looks like the calls are coming from me?
Absolutely! If we use your organization's phone number as the Caller ID, then the phone company will display the Caller ID Name (CNAM) associated with that number.
Or if you prefer, during checkout you can select one of our generic Caller ID phone numbers (not available for Self Setup accounts). Your calls must be 100% FCC compliant in order to use one of our Caller ID phone numbers.
Or if you prefer, during checkout you can select one of our generic Caller ID phone numbers (not available for Self Setup accounts). Your calls must be 100% FCC compliant in order to use one of our Caller ID phone numbers.
Can I use my cell phone for Caller ID?
You can, but we don't recommend it. A lot of people may call you back, so your cell phone might be tied up for a few days, and burn a lot of minutes. Also, with cell phones the Caller ID Name (CNAM) will usually be something generic like "Wireless Caller".
How do I make recordings for my robocall?
The easiest way to make a robocall recording is to use our automated Recording Studio. When you submit a robocall order, you'll get a reply email with our Recording Studio phone number along with a PIN number.
Or if you have a recording you made yourself or from a studio, we can use that too. Just send it with your phone list when you fill out the Get Started form:
Get Started
Or if you prefer, you can send us the script, and we'll make a high-quality recording using Google's™ speech synthesis technology. Just let us know if you need a male or female voice.
Or if you have a recording you made yourself or from a studio, we can use that too. Just send it with your phone list when you fill out the Get Started form:
Get Started
Or if you prefer, you can send us the script, and we'll make a high-quality recording using Google's™ speech synthesis technology. Just let us know if you need a male or female voice.
Does my message really need to include the callback phone number?
Yes. That's what the FCC says (see the section on permitted types of robocalls):
FCC FAQ on Robocalls and Robotexts
FCC FAQ on Robocalls and Robotexts
"The rules do require all prerecorded calls, including market research or polling calls, to identify the caller at the beginning of the message and include a contact phone number."
How much advance notice do you need to setup a robocall?
We can usually get your call going within an hour or two after checkout, 7-days a week. With a Self Setup account, you can get a call going in minutes:
Self Setup
Self Setup
Can I choose what time my calls go out?
Yes! During checkout, you can select the date and time that your robocall will go out. We can usually get your call going within an hour or two after checkout, 7-days a week.
Most of the time there are no restrictions on what time you choose. The only expcetion is on very-busy days, such as the days leading up to Election Day in November.
Most of the time there are no restrictions on what time you choose. The only expcetion is on very-busy days, such as the days leading up to Election Day in November.
How long will it take to finish my calls?
Our peak capacity is currently 140,000 calls per hour. On our busiest days we make more than 2 million calls.
Will I get a report when my calls are finished?
When your robocall is finished, our system will automatically send you a spreadsheet listing each called phone number, the time that number was called, and the result of the call (i.e. Respondent Listened to Full Message, Respondent Listened to Part of Message, Number out of Service, No Answer, etc).
For polls, the spreadsheet will also include poll results.
For polls, the spreadsheet will also include poll results.
When should I send my robocall?
It depends. For a poll Monday through Thursday evenings are probably best.
For a robocall with specific instructions (like a robocall listing early-voting locations), a weekday call between 9am and 2pm is best. Why? Because you'll want to hit as many voicemail systems as possible. This allows people to play your message multiple times to accurately get the information you provided. This can also be a good strategy if you want people to visit your web site.
Keep in mind that if you send a robocall during Monday Night Football or during a popular prime time TV show, then more people are likely to hang up without listening to your message.
For a robocall with specific instructions (like a robocall listing early-voting locations), a weekday call between 9am and 2pm is best. Why? Because you'll want to hit as many voicemail systems as possible. This allows people to play your message multiple times to accurately get the information you provided. This can also be a good strategy if you want people to visit your web site.
Keep in mind that if you send a robocall during Monday Night Football or during a popular prime time TV show, then more people are likely to hang up without listening to your message.
How do robopolls work?
They work like this: We call each number in your phone list and play your pre-recorded poll questions one by one. After playing each question, we wait for a touch-tone response and record the result. After the poll is finished, we send you a report with your poll results.
Robopolls can be tricky to setup correctly. It's important to structure the questions correctly or the results won't be useful. Because of this, Robopolls can only be setup through a Robodial Self Setup account:
Self Setup
Robopolls can be tricky to setup correctly. It's important to structure the questions correctly or the results won't be useful. Because of this, Robopolls can only be setup through a Robodial Self Setup account:
Self Setup
I need to ask members to press a digit to answer a question. Is this a poll?
Yes, any robocall that accepts a touch-tone digit from a respondent is a type of poll.
Robopolls can be tricky to setup correctly. It's important to structure questions correctly, so we have video tutorials for this. Because of this, Robopolls can only be setup through a Robodial Self Setup account:
Self Setup
Robopolls can be tricky to setup correctly. It's important to structure questions correctly, so we have video tutorials for this. Because of this, Robopolls can only be setup through a Robodial Self Setup account:
Self Setup
Will I have to pay for every phone number I give you, whether or not the call was successful?
Yes. We tried it the other way, and found that we got too many phone lists with randomly-generated phone numbers. Carriers hate that because it ties up phone lines with calls to invalid phone numbers. They would probably pull the plug on us if we did it, so we don't. Instead we charge a low flat rate per phone number. This way, the cleaner your phone list is, the less you pay us per completed call.
Keep in mind that most households have an answering machine or voicemail of some sort, so the number of non-connects is lower than you might think.
After your robocall is finished we'll send you a report with status-code for each phone number. That will help you cleanse your phone list for future robocalls, and save you money in the long run.
Keep in mind that most households have an answering machine or voicemail of some sort, so the number of non-connects is lower than you might think.
After your robocall is finished we'll send you a report with status-code for each phone number. That will help you cleanse your phone list for future robocalls, and save you money in the long run.
Can you do press-1-to-connect calls?
Yes. They are priced just like polls, except there is also a per-minute charge for connected calls. To make a robocall like this, you will need a Robodial Self Setup account:
Self Setup
Self Setup
Will you share my phone list with anyone else?
Robodial will not resell your phone lists, robocall results, robopoll results, or recordings to anyone. Robodial will keep customer data confidential and will only comply with government agencies through specific court orders or established statutes that comply with the United States Constitution. The details are spelled out in our Terms of Service, which you must agree to at checkout time.
Which states and countries do you call?
Our system will only process United States phone numbers, excluding Indiana and Hawaii. All other phone numbers in your list will be ignored, and you won't be charged for them.
Can you scrub phone numbers on the National Do Not Call List from my phone list?
Sorry, no. There are many services which can do this for you, but we do not yet provide this service.
Can I purchase a phone list from you?
Sorry, no. We can provide tips on how you might obtain a phone list, but Robodial does not sell them.
Can you send robotexts too?
Sorry, no. Robotexts have the same consent restrictions as robocalls to cell phones. Most of our customers do not have consent, so we have not prioritized adding this option.
FCC FAQ on Robocalls and Robotexts
FCC FAQ on Robocalls and Robotexts
Can we talk to someone about this?
Please use the "Contact Us" form if you have a question not covered here. We'll usually get back to you the same day, or the next day of you ask a question after hours:
Contact Us
Contact Us