What is call routing software and how does it work?

Call routing is an essential feature in calling business. When a customer calls a company support team and gets routed directly to a skilled representative to receive help immediately, it is called call routing service. 

In simple language we can say, call routing helps in eliminating your customer's pain points of holding phone for long periods and being transferred multiple times. The routing service will take quick care of their business and get on with the rest of their day. In this blog, let's delve into what call routing software is, how it functions, how it is beneficial for your business.

What is Call Routing Software? 

Call routing is a feature in call management that helps in distributing incoming calls automatically as per the criteria that you have set on the basis of  your team's or contact centre's capacity. 

If you do it in the right way,then you will gain huge benefits on call routing. If you have a small business or have less resources the call routing provides amazing benefits. 

Previously, businesses hired a person for making direct calls to the right department or the team. That was their entire job.

Early days, businesses hired a person for direct calls to the right department of team members. However, nowadays  a phone system or good communication platform  can easily route calls for you. You can have a greater experience on customer service with low call wait-times. It also allows callers to get the most skilled agents for every particular question. 

Statistics on Call Routing Software:.

• Statista studies says, by 2027, the global cloud-based contact centre market is projected  to reach $72.5 billion with the increasing adoption of advanced communication solutions. 

• Deloitte research indicates that call routing software using businesses are experiencing up to 30% increase in customer satisfaction with improved call handling and reduced wait times. 

• Aberdeen survey says, companies with call routing software achieve 15% higher first-call resolution rates compared to manual call routing methods. 

How Does Call Routing Work?

Call routing methods depend on the contact centre policies, however they are similar in their approach. The call routing system automatically takes calls through a routing engine before delivering it to an agent. 

The routing process includes different steps:

Qualifying Step: In call centres, the routing process is the first phase where it sends calls to an IVR toll to determine who is the caller and what is the reason for calling. The calling mostly happens through a series of automated questions. 

Call Queuing Step: When the call forwarded to the appropriated queue on the basis of answers of the caller through the automated IVR questions, this process is known as call queuing. ACDs transfer calls on several factors basis like department, skills, priority or due to any contact centre policy. 

Call Distribution Step: Once the routing system placed the call queue calls, next the calls were delivered to the most appropriate agents. In the call queueing phase, the call distribution follows the contact centre policies like route the call to the agent that has been idle for the longest time. 

What are the different types of Call Routing?

 Get a variety of criteria on call routing strategies for direct calls to agents consistently.Customer experience was improved in a better way for small businesses after call routing effective rules. 

• Skill-Based Routing: This routing uses information the customer provides the IVR system to connect with agents to relevant skill sets, qualifications or training to provide best assistance. When a customer has a question regarding unfamiliar account charge, the skill based routing makes sure their call is routed to an agent in the billing department, not an HR representative without access to customer accounts. 

• Least Occupied Routing : It is called the idle routing that connects an inbound call to the agent that has taken the fewest call numbers or has the lowest talk time of the day.  It is a helpful service for customers and support departments because it prevents individual team members from calls overburdens. 

• Round Robin Routing : This routing evenly distributes inbound calls among agents. If there are three agents on the deck to answer calls, the first call goes to the first agent , the next call will go to the second agent and then to the third agent. It prevents the first agent to be first in line to recieve every call. 

• Predictive Behavioural Routing : This service is also called as intelligent call routing. It uses live and historical call centre data to connect the caller to not just any agent but the best available agent as per customer and agent behavioural analysis. Artificial Intelligence in the routing strategy makes routing algorithms based on caller's account history, communication preferences and personality as prior support interactions. 

• Time-Based Routing : It is a schedule based or time of the day routing that calls based on the agent's time-zone or business hours. It is popular with global and geographically diverse call centres. It prevents agents from receiving customer calls at odd times or outside of their scheduled working hours. 

• Sequential Routing : This is also named as fixed order routing. It directs calls according to the list-based order starting with the same agent, apart from other agent skill sets. For instance if agent 1,2,3 are taking calls, agent 1 will accept the first call, but will be the first responder for second, third, and fourth calls. Agent 2, 3 can only take calls if agent 1 is busy or transfers calls to them.

• VIP Routing : This is a relationship-based routing that lets businesses prioritise high-value clients by automatically pushing them to the front of the call queue. 

• Language Based Routing: This routing direct calls to agents, who have fluency in their preferred language, an ideal option for international businesses.  

What are the Benefits of Call Routing Software?

The call routing streamlines to simplify business processes and workflows for callers, managers, and call centre agents. The prominent benefits for these agentless automation are customer satisfaction levels, reduced customer wait times and increased productivity.Let's explore how it is benefiting contact centres, call centre agents and customers.

Contact Center Benefits 

• Reducing the number of calls routed to incorrect agents or teams.

• Develops predictive analytics to maintain a balance between available agents and customer call volumes. 

• Lowers callbacks and customer attribution by raising the first-call resolution rate in your business phone system. 

• Prevents cellular expenses by optimising call handling. When an agent won't be available for a routed call then the system automatically redirects the call to the next available agent or else go to voicemail. It reduces the time expenditure on each call by reducing cellular expenses. 

Call Routing for Customer Benefits 

• Lessen waiting time to connect with the right department as there are fewer callbacks and repeat calls. 

• Promote access to important details before phone queue joining, such as for business hours and self-service choices. 

• Use skills-based or alternative routing methods to connect consumers with the most qualified agents for assistance.

Call Center Agents Benefits 

• The Call centre agents use routing rules to effectively divide calls among the team members equally with the power of the routing process. 

• Make sure a fair workload distribution as per understanding each agent's unique skills and capabilities. As a result each employee will feel valued and integral within the process. 

• When a call comes, callers' information can be gathered through Employs Interactive Voice Response technology. 

• The faster and casual conversations help in improving client experience. 

What are the Best Practices of Call Routing Software?

Ensure and efficient and effective call routing system , organisations need to adhere several best practices and they are:

Understanding Customer Needs 

Deep understanding of your customer needs is the foundation of this effective call routing system. Analysing the inquiry and issue types you receive and customising your routing rules to address these needs. You can demonstrate a customer-centric approach that prioritises their satisfaction and needs. 

Customization and Flexibility 

A call routing system  should offer customization and flexibility. As we know all calls are not the same, and business needs to change from time to time. A system that allows you to create and modify routing rules to align with evolving requirements is important for long-term success. 

Real-Time Data Utilisation

Use  real-time data to make effective routing decisions. You will find agent, call volume, and the customer history's availability through this data. The real-tie decision-making ensures that calls are directed to the most appropriate destination at any given moment, improving efficiency. 

Regular Monitoring and Optimization 

Monitor consistently your call routing system performance. To identify the improvement areas, gather feedback from customers and agents regularly.  The regular monitoring will help in reviewing the key metrics of call abandonment rates, average waiting times, and first call resolution rates. Use these data for routing strategies' optimization. 

Agent Training 

Make sure agents are well-trained and equipped with the necessary skills to manage the types of calls they are receiving. Effective training not only enhances the customer experience and also improves first-call resolution rates by reducing the need for all transfers. 

Get Revolutionising Call Routing Services at Teldrip 

Teldrip is at the forefront of innovative call routing software solutions, by offering a comprehensive suite of features to enhance communication efficiency and customer satisfaction. Let's checkout how Teldrip helps organisations optimise their call management procedures:

• Intuitive Interface: Teldrip's user-friendly interface help in providing hassle-free call routing configuration. It allows organisations to set up routing rules quickly and easily. 

• Advanced Routing Algorithms: Teldrip employs advanced routing algorithms that focus primarily on calls based on different factors like caller history, agent skills, service level agreements to ensure optimal call distribution. 

• Real-Time Monitoring: The real-time monitoring capabilities at Teldrip, make organisations track call queues, service levels, agent availability, enable proactive management of call traffic and resource allocation. 

• Customisable Reporting: At Teldrip we offer customisation reporting and analytics tools that provide valuable insights into call centre performance, enabling data-driven decision making and consistent improvement. 

• Scalability: cloud-based architecture offers much needed flexibility and scalability. It makes organisations to seamlessly adapt to business changing needs and scale their call rouging capability as per the requirement. 

Final Thought 

Call routing software plays an important role in enhancing communication efficiency and customer satisfaction. With advanced solutions at Teldrip, organisations can streamline their call management process, deliver exceptional customer experiences, and improve agent productivity. As businesses prioritise effective communication, investing in robust call routing software, it becomes essential for staying competitive in today's dynamic marketplace.