Skills-based routing

How it works

How it works

Each agent is given skills with levels, such as "English – 3" or "billing – 5". The system learns which skills a contact needs from the IVR choice, the number dialed, the chat channel, or CRM data. Then the call queue with automatic call distribution looks for free agents with those skills and picks one – by skill level, by who has been free longest, or by priority.

• Skills – language, product, task type, customer segment
• Levels – whom to pick when several agents match
• Widening the pool – if the customer waits past a threshold, agents with a lower level or without the skill can take the call

Example

Example

A tour operator gets a call from a Spanish-speaking customer who wants to change a booking. The system looks for an agent with the "Spanish" and "bookings" skills. If none is free within 30 seconds, the call goes to any free agent in the bookings group.

Practice

Setting it up well

• Keep the skill list short: 10-20 skills are easier to maintain than 100
• Set rules for widening the pool so nobody waits forever
• Update skills when an agent completes training
• Track service level for each skill, not just for the whole contact center

In CONTACT.WORK

How it works in CONTACT.WORK

In CONTACT.WORK, queues and routing run on Asterisk and FreeSWITCH: a call reaches the right agent by skill, language, customer status, or CRM data, and the rules are set up for your process. The IVR recognizes the caller by number and sends the call to the right queue along with the context. Messaging app chats are routed the same way as calls, and reporting shows queues and service level in real time. Its repeat contacts report shows where skills are set up poorly and customers have to call again.