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ACD Critical to Call Center Success

By TMCnet Staff

A recent notable blog post highlights the various tools available for successful companies in the contact center services industry. Whether they choose to handle inbound phone and video support or just complete outbound marketing agendas, there is something for every business that wants to optimize their operations.

The blog post comes courtesy of inContact, a provider of cloud-based contact center software that has its headquarters in Salt Lake City. Written by Gerald Sinclair, WFO Practice manager at Uptivity, an

inContact company, the piece notes that automated call distributors (ACDs) and dialers, customer relationship management (CRM) software, and workforce optimization (WFO) tools are the big three categories of available products.

Everything begins with dialers. This is the most direct link call center agents have with customers aside from the actual process of speaking (voice and video) or typing (instant messages, texting, and social media). Dialers can be useful for businesses both large and small, and they can assist with the automation of sales calls and marketing campaigns to extensive lists of recipients. InContact rightly notes that “all additional solutions should complement the utilization of the ACD.”

This leads to CRM. If dialers are the backbone of the organization, CRM software is the veins that flow through that backbone. This type of product, hosted or on-premise, captures the customer journey across every channel an organization offers. InContact says a proper CRM platform can improve the way in which agents deal with customers because it allows agents to see more than just basic information about clients. The best software can show the entire customer journey across voice, video, and text, and it marks the dates of each interaction customers have with their brands.

Finally, there is WFO, or workforce optimization. Users can break down this category into workforce management software, which can forecast call volume and match that with key performance indicators; call recording and screen recording software that allow for review of calls at a later date; and quality management software, which tracks agent compliance with company guidelines and protocols. Managers can use both call recording software and quality management software to make sure their businesses are operating according to predetermined goals.

All told, these products can be a trifecta of efficiency and productivity within a call center. Managers who know how to use them properly can benefit their businesses' bottom lines and ensure better scheduling for their employees. InContact provides a few more details about some “honorable mentions” -- the secondary features of some WFO tools -- and is worth reading in addition to the analysis this blog presents. You can read it in its entirety HERE.