Glossary
ACD (automatic call distribution)
ACD (automatic call distribution) is the part of a phone system that queues incoming calls and hands each one to a free agent by set rules: which number was dialed, what the caller chose in the IVR, which skills the agent has, what time it is. These rules decide how long customers wait and how evenly agents are loaded.
Why it mattersRouting rules decide how long customers wait and how evenly agents are loaded.
Also called: Automatic call distributor, Automatic call distribution, Call routing engine
How it works
How ACD works
A call enters the system, often after an IVR (interactive voice menu). The ACD picks the queue, checks which agents are logged in and free, and connects the caller using the chosen strategy. If nobody is free, the caller waits with music or announcements – or is offered a callback so they don't have to hold.
- Ring all – every free agent's phone rings, whoever picks up first gets the call
- Longest idle – the agent who has been waiting longest gets the call
- Round robin – agents get calls in turn
- Fewest calls – the agent who has taken the fewest calls today gets the next one
- Skills-based – the call goes to an agent with the right skill and level
Metrics
What the settings change
Queue rules show up in the numbers right away. Moving a call to a second group after 30-60 seconds of waiting protects service level. Priority for VIP numbers shortens their wait. Wrap-up time after each call helps agents finish their notes, but it lengthens handling of every call – so you need more agents on the line.
- Service level and average speed of answer
- Abandonment rate
- Agent occupancy and how evenly work is spread
- First contact resolution: the caller reaches someone who can help straight away
Practice
Setting it up well
- Route by the reason for calling, not only by the number dialed
- Turn on overflow to a backup group and callback for peak hours
- Show queue length and wait time on a supervisor wallboard
- Review the rules when products, teams or hours change
In CONTACT.WORK
How it works in CONTACT.WORK
In CONTACT.WORK, queues run in the telephony module on Asterisk and FreeSWITCH. A call can be routed by skill, language, customer status or CRM data, with priorities, overflow to a backup group and callback. Queues, waiting callers and service level are shown on live dashboards in reporting. Average handle time is broken down there into talk, hold and after-call work, so you can see how queue rules affect the workload. Chats from messaging apps are distributed to agents by the same rules as calls.
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Glossary