Customers dislike waiting in call queues or repeating themselves and jumping through endless menu hoops to speak to support. In addition, call center operators are under increasing pressure to reduce costs wherever possible.
A good call routing system can support businesses by reducing hold times while maximizing agency efficiency. First-call resolution times and customer experience also improves as the system automatically routes callers through to the department that can resolve their issue.
What is call routing?
Call routing is a management feature for business phone systems that places incoming calls in a queue and routes them to a specific person or department, based on pre-established rules and criteria.
Call routing can be driven by user prompts as well as call volume, time of day, caller language preferences, requested department, agent availability, etc.
Call routing systems are also known as Automatic Call Distributors (ACDs), because of the way they distribute inbound calls.
Types of call routing
ACD-based: This is one of the most common systems where calls are placed in a queue until an agent becomes available.
Skills-based call routing: This form of routing uses data to move the call through the system and is often determined by the skills needed to resolve the call.
Priority-based call routing: This funnelling system creates queues based on the criteria set by an organization. For example, a company might offer a faster service with less wait time for VIP/selected clients.
Common use cases for call routing
One of the most common types of routing is based on location and time. For example, if a company manages customer service across different time zones in the US, out-of-hours callers in the east can be seamlessly routed to an open service center on the west coast.
Businesses that benefit from call routing
Call routing systems are invaluable for organizations that operate call centers, or have multiple employees, departments, and locations. A good call routing system reduces the need for internal call transfers, which have a negative impact on customer experience and prove time consuming for employees.
Selecting the best call routing software service
When selecting call routing software you should consider the following issues:
Ease of setup: Call center managers are on the frontline. Choosing the right call routing software system can improve operational efficiency and productivity in real time while reducing customer wait time pressures.
Integration: Having call routing functionality can provide a 360-degree view of your customer and agent funnel, helping ensure KPIs are met.
Conversational AI: No one likes to be kept waiting and many customers are increasingly happy to self serve, including interacting with AI chatbots that can also provide out-of-office cover and reduce operating costs.
Esendex has been providing routing and business communication expertise for over twenty years. Want to learn more? Reach out to a member of our sales team to get started today.
Mary Henry
Mary has extensive experience in communication, PR and journalism - most recently across SaaS businesses. A keen researcher and storyteller, Mary is highly skilled in making complex concepts accessible, and in putting customers at the heart of her communication. She has supported all kinds of businesses to tell their brand, product and people stories - from global multinationals to start-ups across retail, travel/leisure, banking/finance, government and educational institutions.