Call Routing

What is call routing?

Call routing is a business management process in which incoming customer calls are automatically routed and placed in a queue based on pre-determined criteria. Some phone call routing systems are also referred to as automatic call distribution (ACD) systems. 

Businesses can route calls using Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) software. VoIP systems use an IP network to transmit calls and eliminate the need to connect to a telephone network. 

Call routing, or VoIP routing, systems automatically answer incoming customer calls and direct them to the appropriate individuals or groups within an organization. This helps the caller reach the right person or department in a timely manner without having to dial different phone numbers. 

Contact center operations software provides similar capabilities as VoIP and is often used by organizations with multichannel contact centers. These systems feature management tools, allow outbound contacting, and enable inbound call queuing and routing. 

Types of call routing

Businesses can implement different types of call routing that fit their internal processes. Companies can choose what types of call routing works best for their customers’ needs and their teams’ skill level and bandwidth. 

The various types of call routing include: 

• Fixed order: Assign calls to the first available agent in the lineup. 
• Skills-based: Route calls to agents with the right skills based on VoIP qualifications. 
• Rotary: Rotate calls among agents so each person must take a turn before the ACD assigns to another agent. 
• Percentage routing: Allocate a certain percentage of calls to different agents or teams. 
• Talk time: Route calls to agents with the least amount of talk time with customers. 
• Time-based: Assign calls to agents based on working business hours or specific times of the day. 
• Round-robin: Distribute calls in equal ways among team members.
• Simultaneous: All agents’ phones will ring at the same time to optimize speed. 

Call routing benefits

Call routing is a crucial process for businesses with various departments or locations. It makes the process of facilitating inbound calls more efficient for both customers and agents. 

Using a VoIP system for phone call routing has many benefits for customers and organizations, including: 

• Faster problem resolution: Call routing systems make the qualifying process more efficient, so more calls can be placed in a queue for faster resolution times. 
• Personalized user experience: Call routing ensures callers are directed to agents who fit their desired criteria, creating a more seamless and personalized user experience. 
• Better productivity for agents: Call routing helps customer-facing agents balance workloads and inbound calls so they can focus on resolving customer issues faster.
• Improved internal processes: Call routing services automatically transfer calls to the proper agent based on their expertise, reducing time spent managing and delegating calls.

How call routing works

A real-world example of intelligent call routing is the basic automated prompt users encounter when calling a cell phone carrier. Many network carriers use VoIP systems to filter inbound calls.

In this instance, the cell phone carrier knows their customers’ phone numbers, so inbound calls associated with an existing account can bypass generic customer service questions and go straight to prompts for account holders. 

When customers call the network’s service number, they may hear an interactive voice response (IVR) providing options for assistance, including billing, change of network plan, cancelation of network plan, or phone upgrade. From these options, the caller can select the one that best fits their needs. For instance, if the customer selects “phone upgrade,” their call would be routed to a sales representative specializing in new phones. 

During this process, the VoIP system qualifies the call based on the network carrier’s predetermined criteria, puts the call in the queue, and finally distributes the caller to the proper team or department.

The process of call routing is broken into three phases: 

1. Qualifying phase: The caller is sent to an IVR to define the purpose of their call, so they can be properly segmented. 
2. Call queuing phase: The caller’s IVR selection means they will be forwarded to the ACD to be put in the queue based on the criteria. 
3. Call distribution phase: After the call is queued, it’s routed to the proper agents determined by the set criteria. 

Basic features of call routing systems

Automated call routing systems boast various features to automate internal processes and improve customer satisfaction. Organizations use these automated intelligent call routing features to further optimize workflow and personalize the user experience. 

Call routing criteria

Different rules can be applied within VoIP systems to make sure calls are routed to the correct agent based on the set criteria. These criteria are meant to reduce caller waiting time and improve the customer experience as a whole.

Companies can set call routing criteria, such as: 

• Time of day: Route calls to agents in different time zones and regions based on location and working hours. For example, a caller from New York at 9 p.m. may be routed to an agent in New Zealand at 1 p.m., the following day. Similarly, early morning calls in the United States can go to agents on the east coast, while late afternoon calls go to those on the west coast. 
• Caller ID: Use caller ID to determine if the inbound call is coming from a current customer or known contact, allowing them to bypass general customer service questions. Similarly, callers can be routed to agents in their region based on area or calling code. 
• Language: Distribute calls to agents who speak the caller’s specified language. For instance, an IVR could include a prompt for Spanish-speaking customers to be transferred to a Spanish-speaking agent. 
• Agent skill level: Send basic requests to junior agents and advanced requests to more experienced agents based on certain criteria. For example, a network carrier may route calls regarding account setup to a junior agent, while calls to cancel a network plan will be routed to a senior sales representative. 
• Team members: Route calls to specific agents based on their expertise. For instance, property insurance claims can be routed only to agents who have property insurance licenses. 
• Departments: Send calls directly to the right department. For example, customers with billing questions can go directly to the accounting department. 
• Off-hours voicemail: Route after-hours calls to a personalized voicemail. That way, customers can leave a message after hours and agents can return the call first thing the following working day. 

VoIP system features

In addition to setting criteria for call routing, VoIP systems also boast other helpful features to ensure efficiency for internal teams. These features do not necessarily improve the user experience but rather how the organization manages workflow and tracks performance. 

VoIP system features include: 

• Recording: Record calls between agents and callers. These recordings can be used to train future new hires, referenced during performance reviews, or kept on record for legal reasons. 

• Monitoring: Monitor calls in real-time between agents and callers. This can be beneficial for supervisors to provide agents with advice and help on the call. 

• Dynamic number insertion (DNI): Marketing teams can integrate call tracking to see where inbound calls are coming from, such as specific ad campaigns. 

• Analytics: Track the efficiency and productivity of teams and specific agents to ensure optimal performance. 

Call routing best practices

There is no one-size-fits-all way to implement a call routing solution for every organization. However, there are a few general best practices companies can follow to ensure call routing efficiency and effectiveness. 

1. Conduct customer research: Organizations should identify common customer concerns to set specific call routing criteria based on these factors. This ensures that callers are met with IVR prompts that are the most helpful to them. 
2. Choose a call routing software: Companies should choose the best call center routing software that fits their current needs, whether it’s a VoIP system or contact center operations software. 
3. Set up IVR criteria: Companies should then choose what type of call routing works best for their agents. This will differ among organizations or even internal departments.
4. Monitor customer calls:  Managers should actively listen to calls for training purposes and to hear customer feedback to improve processes.
5. Continue to optimize the process: This also means that companies should regularly revisit the customer research phase to optimize their call routing system. 

Call routing vs. call forwarding

The terms call routing and call forwarding are often used interchangeably. However, these processes are not the same and serve different purposes. 

The process of call routing sends incoming calls to specific agents or departments based on pre-defined IVR criteria. Call routing automatically distributes calls to the proper endpoint, allowing the caller to direct themselves to the right extension with automated prompts.

Call forwarding, on the other hand, automatically forwards incoming calls to different phone numbers. With call forwarding, callers are automatically sent to another endpoint based on the availability of the initial line. 

For example, a caller who interacts with an IVR and selects their endpoint based on automated criteria is experiencing a call routing process. A caller who waits on the line and is unknowingly forwarded to another phone number until an agent picks up is experiencing call forwarding.

Call routing is best for companies that experience a high volume of incoming calls that need to be distributed to various agents or departments. Call forwarding works best for agents who may need to answer phones from different locations and therefore forward their work line to another number.