Setting Up and Using the Power Dialer

Overview

The Power Dialer is a browser-based calling system that allows your team to make calls to voters directly from their web browser. Unlike the Predictive Dialer (which auto-dials), the Power Dialer gives callers full control over when to place each call, making it ideal for:

• Small to medium-sized calling teams

• High-touch campaigns requiring personalized conversations

• Training new phone bank volunteers

• Campaigns where call quality matters more than volume

No app download required - callers only need a modern web browser, a microphone, and headphones.

Part 1: Creating a Phone Bank (Admin)

Step 1: Navigate to Phone Calls

1. Log into the Vottiv platform at platform.vottiv.com

2. Go to Voter Groups from the main navigation

3. Select the voter group you want to call

4. Click on Phone Calls in the group menu

Step 2: Start a New Phone Bank

1. Click the Prepare Phone Call button in the top right

2. You'll see a form to configure your phone bank settings

Step 3: Configure Your Phone Bank

Call Title

Give your phone bank a descriptive name (e.g., "GOTV Weekend Phone Bank" or "Voter ID Calls - District 5"). This helps you identify the campaign later in reports.

Call Script

Create the script callers will see during calls. The script editor supports:

• Merge fields: Insert voter-specific information that auto-fills during calls

  • {{VOTER_FIRST_NAME}} - Voter's first name

  • {{VOTER_LAST_NAME}} - Voter's last name

  • {{VOTER_ADDRESS}} - Voter's full address

  • {{VOTER_CITY}} - Voter's city

  • {{VOTER_PARTY}} - Voter's party registration

• Formatting: Bold, italics, bullet points, and numbered lists

Example Script:

Hi, may I speak with {{VOTER_FIRST_NAME}} {{VOTER_LAST_NAME}}?

Hi {{VOTER_FIRST_NAME}}, my name is [YOUR NAME] and I'm a volunteer with [CAMPAIGN NAME].
I'm calling today because Election Day is coming up on [DATE] and we wanted to make sure
you have a plan to vote.

Can we count on your support for [CANDIDATE]?

Voicemail (Optional)

If you want callers to be able to leave pre-recorded voicemails, you have two options:

1. Record Voicemail: Click the microphone button to record directly in your browser

2. Upload Voicemail: Upload an MP3 file of your pre-recorded message

The voicemail will be available as a "Drop Voicemail" button during connected calls.

Survey (Optional)

Attach a dynamic survey to collect structured data from voters:

1. Click Add Survey

2. Select an existing survey from your organization's survey library

3. During calls, the survey questions will appear for callers to complete

Surveys support branching logic - different answers can lead to different follow-up questions.

Phone Type

Choose which phone numbers to call:

• Landlines: Traditional home phone numbers (less restrictive legally)

• Cell Phones: Mobile phone numbers (requires FCC compliance agreement)

The system shows how many voters in your group have each phone type.

Call Type

Select Power Dialer.

Caller Verification

Control who can join your phone bank:

• Require Organization Membership (checked): Only registered team members with phone call permissions can join. They must use their registered email address.

• Open Access (unchecked): Anyone with the join code can participate. They'll still need to provide their email for identification.

Security Note: For sensitive campaigns, we recommend requiring organization membership. Open access is useful for large volunteer events where pre-registration isn't practical.

Step 4: Review and Prepare

1. Review the Pricing Agreement - calls are billed per minute with any connected call counting as the first minute

2. If calling cell phones, agree to the Cell Phone Calling Agreement acknowledging FCC rules

3. Click Prepare Call to create the phone bank

Your phone bank is now created but not yet active. No calls will be made until callers join and start dialing.

Part 2: Inviting Callers

Access the Invitation Options

1. From the Phone Calls page, find your phone bank in the list

2. Click on the phone bank name to open the actions modal

3. Click the Invite Callers tab

Option 1: Share the Join Code

A unique 6-character code is displayed prominently (e.g., A B C D 1 2). Share this code verbally or in writing. Callers will:

1. Visit platform.vottiv.com/phone/join

2. Enter the 6-character code

3. Provide their information and join

Option 2: Share the Direct Link

Copy the shareable link displayed in the modal (e.g., https://platform.vottiv.com/phone/join?code=ABCD12). Send this link via email, text, Slack, or any messaging platform. When clicked, the join code is pre-filled.

Option 3: Download QR Code PDF (Recommended for In-Person Events)

Click Download QR Code Invitation to generate a printable PDF flyer containing:

• The Vottiv logo

• A branded QR code (in Vottiv teal color)

• The join code in large letters

• Step-by-step instructions for joining

• Your phone bank name

Use this to print and post at phone bank events or display on screens for volunteers to scan.

Part 3: Joining the Phone Bank (Caller Experience)

Step 1: Open the Join Page

Callers can join in two ways:

1. Scan the QR code from the PDF flyer

2. Navigate to platform.vottiv.com/phone/join and enter the code manually

Step 2: Enter Information

For logged-in Vottiv users:

• Their name and email auto-fill from their account

• They only need to enter the join code

For guest callers:

• First Name

• Last Name

• Email Address (must match organization records if verification is required)

• Phone Number

Step 3: Click "Join Phone Bank"

After validation, the caller is redirected to the setup page.

Step 4: Audio Setup

Before making calls, the system guides callers through audio setup:

1. Microphone Permission: Click "Allow Microphone Access" and approve the browser prompt

2. Device Selection: Choose which microphone and speakers/headphones to use

3. Microphone Test: Speak into the microphone and verify the audio bars respond

Step 5: Start Calling

Click Start Calling to enter the Power Dialer interface.

Part 4: Using the Power Dialer Interface

Interface Layout

The Power Dialer interface has two main panels:

Left Panel - Voter Information:

• Voter's full name

• Demographics (age, gender, party)

• Address

• Tags applied to this voter

• Call Script (with merge fields filled in)

• Survey questions (if attached)

Right Panel - Call Controls:

• Phone number selection

• Call/Hang Up buttons

• Mute and keypad controls

• Call duration timer

• Tags management

• Notes section

Making a Call

1. Review Voter Info: The system automatically loads the next voter when you're ready

2. Select Phone Number: If the voter has multiple numbers, choose which to call (primary number is pre-selected)

3. Click the Green "Call" Button: The call begins connecting through your browser

During the Call:

• A timer shows call duration

• Audio quality indicators show connection status

• Use Mute to temporarily silence your microphone

• Use Keypad for phone menus (press numbers to navigate IVR systems)

Recording Call Results

When you end the call, you'll be prompted to log the outcome:

After selecting a result, the system automatically loads the next voter.

Using Surveys

If a survey is attached to the phone bank:

1. Click on the survey name in the survey section

2. Read each question to the voter

3. Click the answer that matches their response

4. The survey automatically advances to the next question (following any branching logic)

5. Complete as many questions as possible during the conversation

Resuming Surveys: If you've already started a survey with a voter (from a previous call), you can:

• Resume where you left off: Continue from the first unanswered question

• Start over: Review and potentially change previous answers

Adding Notes

Notes are saved to the voter's permanent record:

1. Type your note in the text box on the right panel

2. Click Add Note

3. Notes appear with your name and timestamp

Managing Tags

Tags help categorize voters for future outreach:

1. Click Add Tag to see available tags

2. Select a tag to apply it to the current voter

3. Click the X next to any tag to remove it

Tags are defined at the organization level - you can only apply existing tags, not create new ones during calls.

Leaving a Pre-Recorded Voicemail

If a voicemail was configured for this phone bank and the call is connected (to someone's voicemail system):

1. A purple Leave Voicemail button appears during connected calls

2. Click it to play your pre-recorded message

3. The call automatically ends after the voicemail plays

4. The call is logged as "Left Message" and the next voter loads

Call Failed - Next Voter

If a call fails to connect (bad number, network issues, etc.):

1. An orange "Call failed to connect" message appears

2. Click Next Voter to log the failure and move on

Part 5: Managing Active Phone Banks (Admin)

Launching the Phone Bank

To start calling as an admin:

1. Click on your phone bank from the list

2. Click Launch Phone Bank

3. Complete the audio setup

4. Start making calls

Viewing Reports

To see how the phone bank is performing:

1. Click on your phone bank from the list

2. Click View Report

Reports show total calls made, outcomes, individual caller statistics, survey response summaries, and voter-level call history.

Editing a Phone Bank

To modify settings after creation:

1. Click on your phone bank from the list

2. Click Edit Call

You can update the call script, voicemail recording, survey attachment, and caller verification settings. Note: Changes don't affect calls already in progress.

Archiving a Phone Bank

When a campaign is complete:

1. Click on your phone bank from the list

2. Click Archive Phone Bank

Archived phone banks are removed from the active list but their data remains accessible in reports.

Troubleshooting

"Microphone permission was denied"

Solution: Click the lock/camera icon in your browser's address bar, find Microphone permissions, and change to "Allow". Then refresh the page.

"Your browser can see a microphone, but your computer couldn't start it"

Message shown in Vottiv: “Your browser can see a microphone, but your computer couldn't start it. Reconnect your headset or choose another microphone in your computer's sound settings, close any other app using the microphone, then click Try Again.”

What it means: Vottiv and your browser can detect a microphone, but the computer could not open the audio source. This is usually an audio-device or operating-system problem, not a normal browser permission denial.

Diagnostic and older wording: Support logs may show NotReadableError: Could not start audio source. Older versions of the calling screen may show Failed to initialize device. These refer to the same troubleshooting path.

Try these steps in order:

1. If this appears during a connected call, finish or end the current call first. Your call controls remain available. Vottiv will show Try Again after the call ends.

2. Disconnect and reconnect your headset or microphone. For Bluetooth devices, turn Bluetooth off and back on or choose another microphone in your computer's sound settings.

3. Close Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, FaceTime, recording software, or any other app that may be using the microphone.

4. Confirm the correct input device is selected. On a Mac, open System Settings → Sound → Input. On Windows, open Settings → System → Sound → Input.

5. Confirm your browser has operating-system microphone access. On a Mac, open System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone and enable Chrome or your browser. On Windows, open Settings → Privacy & security → Microphone and allow desktop apps and your browser.

6. Return to Vottiv and click Try Again. If it still fails, reload the page. As a final step, completely quit and reopen the browser.

Still not working? Test the microphone from your computer's sound settings. If the input meter does not move there, reconnect, replace, or troubleshoot the microphone at the operating-system level. If it works there but not in Vottiv, reopen Vottiv's site settings in the browser and set Microphone to Allow.

No audio during calls

Possible causes:

1. Wrong microphone selected - go back to device setup and choose the correct device

2. Microphone is muted - check the mute button in the call interface

3. Browser audio blocked - check your system sound settings

"You are not authorized to join this phone bank"

Solution: Your email doesn't match a registered team member. Either:

1. Contact your admin to add you as a team member, or

2. Ask the admin to disable "Require Organization Membership" for this phone bank

Calls disconnecting immediately

Possible causes:

1. Poor internet connection - try a wired connection instead of WiFi

2. Browser compatibility - use the latest version of Chrome, Firefox, or Edge

3. Firewall blocking WebRTC - contact your IT department

"No more voters to call"

Meaning: All voters in the call list have been contacted or are being called by other callers. The phone bank is complete or nearly complete.

Best Practices

For Admins

• Test before launch: Join your own phone bank and make a test call to verify the script looks right and audio works

• Clear script formatting: Use bullet points and bold text to make scripts easy to scan during calls

• Brief callers: Even with a script, give callers context about the campaign goals

• Monitor progress: Check reports periodically to catch issues early

• Record a quality voicemail: Professional-sounding voicemails increase callback rates

For Callers

• Use headphones: Prevents echo and improves call quality

• Find a quiet space: Background noise makes conversations difficult

• Follow the script: Consistency matters for data quality

• Take notes: Add notes for any important information not captured in surveys

• Don't skip wrap-up: Always log call results so the data is accurate

• Stay positive: Smile while talking - it comes through in your voice!

Quick Reference

Keyboard Shortcuts

Join URLs

• Join page: platform.vottiv.com/phone/join

• Direct join: platform.vottiv.com/phone/join?code=XXXXXX

Call Result Meanings