Resources

Contact center glossary

Plain-English definitions of the terms you'll run into when choosing and launching a contact center and in day-to-day work. Where it helps, we include a formula, an example, and a link to a calculator.

A

Abandonment rateHow many callers hang up before an agent answers. ACD (automatic call distribution)Queues incoming calls and hands them to free agents. After-call work (ACW)What an agent does right after a call: outcome, customer record, tasks. Agent assistSuggests answers from the knowledge base to the agent during a conversation. Agent occupancyHow much of their time on the line agents actually spend with customers. AGI – in-call decisions in AsteriskHow Asterisk asks an external program what to do during a call. AHT (average handle time)How long one contact takes on average – including hold and after-call work. AI voice agentTalks to callers and resolves simple requests without a human agent. AMI – Asterisk Manager InterfaceThe channel where Asterisk reports calls and takes commands. Answering machine detection (AMD)Tells whether a person or an answering machine picked up an outbound call. API (application programming interface)The way programs exchange data with each other without a person in the loop. ARI – your own call apps in AsteriskThe interface through which your own app controls an Asterisk call. ASA (average speed of answer)How long a caller waits for an agent on average. Automatic callbackThe system calls back everyone who couldn't get through.

B

BackupData is regularly copied to a separate place so it can be restored if something goes wrong. BI systemA system that brings data from different apps together in shared reports. Booking systemSoftware where travel companies manage booking requests and bookings. BPO (business process outsourcing)Part of the company's work, such as customer service, is handed to an outside provider.

C

Call queue – callers waiting to be answeredCallers waiting for an available agent. Call recordingCalls are saved so they can be replayed and disputes settled. Call routingRules the system uses to decide who gets a call. Call scriptA call playbook: what to say, what to ask, and how to handle objections. CallbackThe customer doesn't wait on hold but asks for a callback – and gets one when an agent is free. ChatbotAnswers customers in chat and messaging apps from a scripted flow with buttons. Cloud contact center (CCaaS)The platform runs in the provider's cloud, no servers of your own needed. Cloud deployment (cloud)The platform runs on the vendor's servers, and agents connect over the internet. ConnectorA prebuilt module that links the platform with telephony, a CRM, or another system. Contact center quality managementCalls and chats are scored against a scorecard to find mistakes and coach agents. CRM – customer relationship managementWhere a company keeps its customers, deals, and full communication history. CTI – computer telephony integrationTelephony connected to the CRM: one-click dialing, and the customer record opens on an inbound call. Customer portalA secure area of the website where customers track their requests. Customer recordThe screen of customer data an agent sees during a conversation. Customer satisfaction score (CSAT)How satisfied a customer is with a specific conversation – usually a 1-5 rating right after the call. Customer success platform (CSP)A system for managing customers after the sale.

D

Data centerA building with servers, backup power, cooling, and network links. Dual-channel recordingEach speaker is recorded on a separate track.

E

E1 – a digital trunk for phone linesA digital phone line that carries 30 calls into an office at once. EHR and practice management systemClinic software with provider schedules and patient charts. EncryptionEncrypted data can't be read without the key. Erlang C formulaTells you how many agents you need so customers don't wait longer than they should. ERP – enterprise resource planningOrders, inventory, and finance in one system. Escalation – passing an inquiry to the next levelPassing a complex inquiry to a specialist at the next level.

F

Fault toleranceThe system keeps running even if a server, disk, or network link fails. FCR – first contact resolutionHow many issues get resolved the first time, so the customer doesn't have to call again.

H

HostingYou rent a server from a provider instead of buying one. Hybrid deploymentPart of the system runs on the company's servers, part in the vendor's cloud.

I

IP PBXA company phone system that runs over the internet and your local network. IP telephonyCalls over the internet instead of phone wires. IVR (interactive voice response)A phone menu: the caller hears a greeting and picks the right department.

K

Knowledge baseAll answers, policies, and prices in one place – for agents and AI. KPI (key performance indicator)A few numbers that show how a contact center performs: service level, abandoned calls, handle time, and customer ratings.

L

Large language model (LLM)A neural network that understands questions asked in everyday words and answers the same way.

M

MCP (Model Context Protocol)An open protocol that lets AI work with the data and actions of other systems. MICEBusiness travel: meetings, conferences, trade shows, and incentive trips. Model fine-tuningAn existing model is trained further on company materials so it speaks the company's language.

N

NAS (network attached storage)Network storage: separate disks that servers reach over the network. Net Promoter Score (NPS)How willing customers are to recommend your company – based on one question rated 0 to 10.

O

Omnichannel customer serviceAll channels in one agent workspace, with the customer's full history alongside. On-premises deploymentThe system runs on the company's own servers, not in the vendor's cloud. Outstaffing: vendor specialists on your teamSpecialists from a vendor temporarily join your team.

P

Personal dataAnything that points to a specific person: a name, a number, a voice. Power dialer (progressive dialer)As soon as an agent is free, the system dials the next number on the list. Predictive dialerThe system dials numbers in advance, predicting when an agent will be free. PSTN (public switched telephone network)The regular landline and mobile numbers your customers call from.

R

RAG (retrieval-augmented generation)AI first finds the right articles and only then answers from them. REST: exchanging data between systems over HTTPThe standard way software exchanges data over the internet.

S

SDK (software development kit)A set of prebuilt libraries for developers. Sentiment analysisThe system automatically detects whether a customer is happy or frustrated. Server clusterA group of machines that share the load and back each other up. Service level (SL)The share of calls answered within a set time – for example, 80% in 20 seconds. ShrinkagePaid time when agents are off the line: breaks, training, sick leave. SIP (Session Initiation Protocol)The protocol that sets up calls in IP telephony. SIP trunkA phone line from the carrier over the internet instead of a wire. Skills-based routingThe call goes to an agent who knows the right language or product. SMPP (Short Message Peer-to-Peer)The protocol a system uses to send SMS through a carrier. SMTP and IMAP – email protocolsEmail protocols: SMTP sends messages, IMAP reads them on the server. SoftphoneA phone app that runs on a computer or in a browser. Speech analyticsThe system analyzes recorded calls automatically: topics, script adherence, customer emotions. Speech-to-textTurns spoken conversation into text. SQL (Structured Query Language)The language software uses to work with data in databases. SupervisorLeads a team of agents: watches the queue and quality, helps and coaches. Support tiersA support tier: tier 1 handles common issues, tier 2 handles complex ones.

T

Text-to-speechReads text aloud in a human-like voice.

V

Virtual serverA software-defined machine that shares hardware with others. VoicemailA recorded message when the person does not pick up. VoIP GSM gatewayA device with SIM cards that lets the contact center call over the regular mobile network. VPNAn encrypted tunnel from the internet into an internal network.

W

WebhookA message a system sends another automatically when something happens. WebRTCCalls right from the browser, with nothing to install. Whisper coachingSupervisor coaching that only the agent can hear. Workforce management (WFM)Workload forecasts and agent shift schedules.

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Services · 7 min read Custom development of your contact center platform for your processes When contact center settings are not enough: integrations, modules, AI workflows. How to tell development from configuration and estimate the payback. Read the article → Management · 9 min read How many agents does your contact center need? Erlang C in plain English Calculate contact center staffing with Erlang C: workload, service level, shrinkage, and headcount by shift – all in one worked example. Read the article → Integrations · 7 min read CRM and phone system integration: what it does and how it works How to connect your phone system to your CRM: calls and recordings in the record, screen pop, click-to-call. What to decide first and how to check it works. Read the article →