What is Automatic Call Distribution? ACD

What is an ACD (Automatic Call Distribution)?

Do many people wonder the answer of What is an ACD? ACD is an automatic call distribution system. This system, which is frequently preferred by companies today, is the automatic distribution of incoming calls to various departments or customer representatives. Routing incoming calls is the task of the ACD system. We see this system in offices where calls from customers/consumers are processed. It facilitates communication and prevents congestion in call centers. It makes the customer experience healthy. It is impossible to manage the intense call traffic without the Automatic Call Distribution system.

After learning What is an ACD…. How does Automatic Call Distribution is work?

Private Branch Exchange (PBX) simply means business class telephone system and is used internally. In addition, PBX phone system users share several outside phone lines for calling outside. It has features such as internal calling, working hours settings to divert calls outside of working hours, customer waiting queues. But the flexibility is less. ACD has several differences from the PBX system. ACD has all the features of PBX. It prioritizes satisfaction and costs less.

In the automatic call distribution system, all employees are members of a group. Incoming calls are transferred to the employees in the most convenient and efficient way. That is, incoming calls are held in a waiting queue and distributed. Thus, there is no question of waiting for the current call to end, as in the PBX system. It uses the voice menu for the system. The call is transferred to the most appropriate employee according to the caller’s needs.

The order in the transfer of calls is performed from longest waiting to least. The calculation is done instantly. Efficiency is very important for companies. It is also in the foreground in this system. For example, if the customer wants technical support, he or she is directed to a more knowledgeable customer representative. This transfer is performed by dialing the number in the registered system. Therefore, integration with the Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) systems and Interactive Voice Response (IVR) used by the company is very important.

There are several methods of distributing the call.

1. Linear call distribution: Incoming calls are distributed in a predetermined order. It always starts from the same agent.
2. Circular call distribution: It starts from the last agent who received the call. It has a certain order.
3. Weighted call distribution: Calls are distributed according to predetermined percentages of agents.
4. Uniform call distribution: Calls are forwarded to the agent who has been idle for the longest time.
5. Simultaneous call distribution: The call goes to all agents at the same time and the first person to pick up answers the call.

Functions and Capabilities of Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)

In the Automatic Call Distribution system, incoming calls are kept in queues. There is more than one queue. Different departments have different queues. The caller makes his choice according to his needs. It is transferred to the authorized representative in order for the transaction to take place in the most efficient way. The database informs the call center how the incoming call will be forwarded. People who want to talk to a specific person can dial the extension number. Both record-based routing and talent-based routing can be used. As a solution to the heavy call traffic, a multiple-call queue solution has come.

In the Skill-Based Routing (SBR) system, customer representatives are classified according to their abilities and powers. It is used very widely. For example, technical support, returns, and cancellations, etc. In the record-based routing system, it is used to decide which queue the incoming call will be forwarded to.

With the Skill-Based Referral system, agents have information about the caller because it is integrated with the CTI. Customer representatives have information about the caller before answering the call. Collecting data increases functionality. In addition, it integrates with CRM, live chat, social media. The whole process becomes healthier. From the company’s point of view, the company has better information about its employees. Information such as how many speeches the employee made, satisfaction rate, waiting time, duration of the conversations are collected. Real-time and retrospective reports are made. This data is also used to improve the sales and support process in the future.

What are the Advantages of Using ACD in Businesses?

What are the Advantages of Using ACD in Businesses? There are many advantages of using Automated Calling Distribution and we listed the main benefits below:

• Thanks to the functionality of the automatic call distribution system, companies can practically manage their call volumes. Working in harmony and professionally between departments.
• Some companies are not centralized. In such companies, various departments can work together with the automatic call distribution system. There is no need to be physically present. ACD can forward calls to agents far from each other.
• Unlike a PBX system, automatic call distribution system operates as a single virtual call center. Its management is easier and more flexible.
• It improves the customer experience by working in integration with other softwares.
• Customers get uninterrupted service and wait times are short. Customer satisfaction is at the forefront.
• This system is good for the company’s professional image, support for customers.
• The automatic call distribution system even has the option to call later customers who don’t want to wait in line.

Conclusion

In this post, we explained what is an ACD system and the main benefits of using it. An automatic call distribution system is the technology of answering incoming calls according to the rules. It has benefits for both customers and companies. Calls are distributed without a long call-waiting queue. Customer support is provided. Without the filtering system that ACD has, companies would not work so efficiently. ACD is a smarter system than PBX, providing real-time reporting and complex routing systems. If you want to learn more detailed information about VoIP, you can read our blog post about VoIP technology.

Resource:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_call_distributor.