Understanding the Basics: What Does Call Routing Mean?

Looking to implement a better call routing system to enhance your business communication and customer experience? Then, this blog is for you.

An integrated call routing system in your business phone can upgrade your business communication, providing better customer support and a better overall caller experience. It can also help you manage your agents’ workflow and enhance their productivity.

Read till the end to understand what call routing is, the types of call routing, its benefits, and best practices for adding call routing to your business. Let’s dive in!

What is Call Routing?

Call routing is a call management feature that directs calls based on pre-set routing rules. These rules are based on factors like time of day, agent availability, or department needed. Automated call routing helps manage incoming calls and ensures the right team receives each request.

Based on predetermined rules, criteria derived from inbound callers, and their interaction with the IVR system, calls are connected to the best available agent or the agent with the skillset that can solve the caller’s issues. This eliminates the need for repeated calls, transfers, or long hold times and provides excellent customer support.

The call routing system is also called ACD (Automatic Call Distribution), as it automatically distributes inbound calls.

Types of Call Routing

Effective call routing is key to enhancing customer interaction and experience. Since various call routing methods are available, choose what kind of call routing your business requires and look for providers who address your needs. This is a crucial moment, so choose wisely and make sure your call flow is planned out in advance to deliver excellent customer service.

Here are some types of call routing:

1. Skills-Based Routing

With the information provided by the customer via the IVR system, connect the customer’s call with agents who have a related skill set, qualifications, and training according to the customer’s issue, and provide the best assistance to the customer. For instance, if a customer from Mexico is calling for support, assist the agent who can speak the Mexican language to give a better customer experience.

2. Least Occupied Routing

This method routes calls to agents who have taken the fewest calls in a given period. It helps reduce idle time and keeps all agents engaged. This also spreads out the workload and supports workforce management. When call volumes rise, this method ensures that resources are used evenly and efficiently.

3. Round Robin Routing

Round-robin routing is a call routing technique in which incoming calls are evenly distributed among the available agents. This type of call routing is used to handle large call volumes with many agents. Incoming calls are routed to the next available agent in chronological order based on the agent’s skill and availability.

4. Time-Based Routing

Time-based routing sends calls to different teams depending on the time of day or business hours. During regular business hours, calls go to the main team. After hours, calls are forwarded to night shift agents or voicemail. This supports consistent service and ensures no incoming calls are missed. It also aligns with operating schedules.

5. Predictive Behavioral Routing

This routing method analyzes past caller interactions and directs calls to agents who are more likely to resolve the issue. This data can include previous calls, purchase history, or account activity. By using customer behavior insights, this routing strategy improves service quality and reduces call handling time.

How Does Call Routing Work?

When a customer makes a call, the business phone system usually responds with an automated call menu. This is often done using an IVR system that presents a list of service options. Once the caller selects an option, the system uses routing rules to direct the call to the right agent.

Several components help routing systems work properly:

• Call Origin: The system identifies the caller’s phone number or location. This helps in routing calls based on region or caller type. It also supports tracking and proper call forwarding.
• Call Destination: This is the endpoint to which the call is routed. It could be a specific agent or department. Routing calls to the correct destination ensures faster support.
• Routing Logic: This method determines how calls are routed. It considers factors like the time of day, agent availability, and caller needs. The logic supports efficient call routing and smart call distribution.
• Routing Rules: These define the specific conditions under which routing logic is applied. For example, calls from particular countries may be routed to language-specific groups. These rules make the routing strategy more specific and improve the efficiency of the overall call management process.
  

Benefits of Effective Call Routing

When a customer makes a call, the business phone system usually responds with an automated call menu. This is often done using an IVR system that presents a list of service options. Once the caller selects an option, the system uses routing rules to direct the call to the right agent.

Several components help routing systems work properly:

A. Lower abandonment rates

With a well-executed call routing phone system, businesses can minimize abandonment rates. Abandoned calls lead to customer dissatisfaction and frustration and create a negative perception of the organization.

A reliable call routing system helps reduce wait time and missed calls and connects customers right away to the right agent, increasing customer satisfaction and improving the calling experience.

B. Prioritizing important calls

In this competitive business era, losing a business call is a significant risk for any organization. An effective call routing system ensures you don’t miss or leave important calls unanswered.

A call routing system can integrate with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, which helps to identify essential calls and answer them.

C. Improved customer experience

Having an excellent call-routing phone system helps to maximize customer experience and satisfaction. Call routing improves CX by connecting callers to the right agent for first-call resolution and excellent service and support. Furthermore, call routing benefits businesses’ calling operations by ensuring quick and efficient call handling.

D. Efficient Workflow

With a call routing system, every available agent will be productive. The workload will be distributed evenly among the agents, and there will be less pressure. Automation and integration tools provide a superior calling experience and customer satisfaction.

It helps manage large call volumes easily without leaving any calls unanswered. By doing this, leaders can ensure they have the appropriate staffing levels to meet customer demands while minimizing idle time.

Challenges in Call Routing

 However, certain challenges can hamper the calling experience and lead to customer dissatisfaction and frustration. Some of the challenges are:

• Complex Routing Rules: Managing intricate routing rules based on numerous factors like customer demographics, agent skills, product types, or time of day can be challenging.
• Real-time Routing: Real-time routing is essential for businesses to manage agent workloads and deliver excellent customer service. However, it can be challenging as it relies on dynamic factors like customer demand, agent availability, and workload.
• Scalability Issues: As the business expands, the volume of inbound calls also increases. Meeting increased customer demand with an existing routing system and the same number of agents can be difficult.
• Quality of Service: Maintaining top-notch call quality is necessary in modern business communication. Therefore, managing issues like call drops, missed calls, wait times, and call abandonment rates is crucial to deliver excellent CX that meets customer expectations.
  

Best Practices in Call Routing

Here are some best practices in call routing :

I. Clear Call Routing Strategy

The Routing system should be clear and straightforward. A complex routing strategy can confuse inbound callers, which can be frustrating. Connect inbound callers to the right agent who can solve the caller’s issue without any complex routing method.

II. Regular Monitoring and Optimization

Monitor and optimize the call routing system regularly to stay current with changing market conditions and customer needs. Identify areas for improvement by regularly monitoring customer feedback and usage trends.

Based on performance evaluations, make necessary adjustments to the call routing system to enhance customer satisfaction and the calling experience.

III. Integration with Customer Data

Integrate your call routing system with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software to provide agents with better caller information for an improved calling experience and support. With caller details, preferences, and call history in the CRM software, businesses can provide customized service and enhance customer satisfaction.

IV. Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

Set up an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system for your phone system for menu options. Using the information from the inbound caller, the system can direct the call to the right agent. This IVR system reduces call wait time and enhances customer satisfaction.

Final Words

In summary, effective call routing is essential for businesses of any size to deliver an excellent customer experience and enhance communication.

 Not only does it ease the process of connecting to the appropriate agent directly. It also helps you minimize wait time, lower the abandonment rate, solve issues quickly, and ensure that you minimize missed or unanswered calls, which is crucial for retaining customers, maintaining strong relationships, and eliminating dissatisfaction.

Moreover, well-executed call routing aids businesses in managing their workflow, optimizing their resources, tracking customers’ calls, analyzing calling trends, and providing first-call resolution and a top-notch customer experience, which is crucial for businesses today.

So, upgrade your business phone system with call routing to stay competitive and provide an excellent caller experience.

FAQs

What are the three concepts of routing?

Call origin, call destination, and routing logic.

What does call routing mean?

The process that directs inbound calls to the right agent or department.

What is advanced call routing?

It uses intelligent routing methods like skill-based and predictive routing.

What is live call routing?

It directs calls in real time based on caller input and availability.