Call routing is a necessary feature for any organization that receives incoming calls daily, as it directs calls to the relevant entity and lessens barriers and hindrances. The call routing process involves three main phases: Caller Input, Call Queuing, and Call Distribution. On the other hand, you can implement Call routing in various ways, and the type of call routing you select depends entirely on the business’s needs.

There are several touchpoints that are considered customer service performance metrics and having a call routing service in place will help you improve. As a matter of fact, these touchpoints include the below question:

• How long did the customer wait on the phone?

• Was their problem completely solved?

• Were they transferred to the right representative?

• Read on to discover which call routing type is best for your business and how your operations can benefit from it!

What is Call Routing and How Does it Work?

Essentially, a Call Routing System functions as an Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) that efficiently directs calls to the appropriate entity, eliminating unnecessary obstacles and delays.

The distribution of calls is determined by predetermined criteria and rules, making it an indispensable tool for businesses or customer support teams that receive a high volume of incoming calls on a daily basis.

The call routing process is divided into three main phases of the call routing service.

The first phase: Caller Input

In this phase, customers trigger your IVR system by using their dial pad or voice to respond to the pre-recorded questions asked by your call center service.

The next phase includes Call Queuing

In the queuing phase, your customer’s call is sent into the relevant queue via automatic call distributors. This is where they wait before connecting to the agent or department. These queues will be made according to your queries.

The last phase is Call Distribution

This is the final call routing phase, where calls are routed to agents and departments according to pre-established criteria and rules. This is how the system routes call to designated departments and agents.

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Types of call center routing

Uniform

In this form of routing, the agent who’s been available for the longest time gets the call. Once they get the call, the next call is again transferred to the next agent with the longest availability.

Regular

You have to develop a specific order in this type of routing, and it is considered an efficient way of call distribution.

Round-Robin

This is an equal and relatively fair approach toward call distribution because calls are distributed equally among the entire call center team. As a result, this gives everyone an equal chance.

Simultaneous

This is considered an even better approach in more fast-paced business environments. Every user’s phone rings at the same time, helping the queue to be resolved quickly.

Weighted

There is a fixed ratio in this type of call routing system. At the end of the day, the ratio must add up to 100%, highlighting that all the calls were answered and queries were resolved.

How Call Routing Can Improve Customer Service?

Whether you’re a small business or a large organization, you need to have call center routing strategies to increase your sales and enhance your brand image.

Here are 6 ways a call routing system can improve your call center customer service.

1. Direct Calls to the Right Department

Everyone recognizes that getting transferred from one department to another during a phone call can be highly frustrating, particularly if it involves long wait times. Nevertheless, implementing a Smart IVR, also known as a call center intelligent routing system, can significantly alleviate this problem.

This system directly connects customers to the appropriate department or agent, resulting in improved customer satisfaction and important call center metrics like First Call Resolution (FCR) rates.

2. Direct Customers to the Next Available Agent Quickly

It’s common knowledge that waiting for extended periods is unpleasant. When it comes to phone calls, exceeding the standard wait time of 20 seconds can significantly impact both your sales performance and brand reputation.

To prevent such unfavorable outcomes, implementing call routing systems can be highly effective. Also, these systems have a specific design that promptly directs incoming calls to the next available agent, eliminating unnecessary wait times and the need for customers to navigate through multiple operators.

It can also improve your call center’s performance evaluation by enhancing various metrics such as Average Handling Time (AHT) and average queue time, ultimately resulting in better customer service.

3. Improve Your Communication Quality

Integrating a robust call routing system with an efficient CRM system can significantly enhance the quality of communication with your callers. However, by transferring the caller to the most suitable agent and providing them access to the caller’s previous interactions, agents can personalize the caller’s experience, ultimately resulting in higher service levels.

ZIWO Call Center solution with many ready-made integrations with popular CRM software such as Salesforce, Hubspot, Zoho, MS Dynamics, as well as Zoho and many other CRMs.

4. Get The Best Possible Chances of Conversion

If the appropriate department promptly assists the customer and resolves their inquiry during the initial call, it is highly probable that this will increase the likelihood of conversion. Moreover, the fast and efficient resolution of their issue over the phone will likely leave a positive impression on customers, making them feel more connected to your brand.

Call routing can help you boost customer satisfaction and have better chances of closing a sale.

5. Serve Local Customers

Using custom phone numbers can be advantageous for businesses as it aids in establishing local connections within communities. By offering a local phone number instead of an international one, customers are more likely to feel comfortable contacting the business. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction and fewer reservations about the business.

Moreover, you can start employing local agents for your business, and you’ll not be restricted to a particular geographical area. By using geo-routing, businesses can set up virtual phone numbers and agents tailored to the markets they serve. These agents are available during the region’s business hours and time zone, which helps to build trust with callers and ultimately convert their calls into sales.

A little tip, try getting a toll-free number from ZIWO—customers feel more intrigued to call when it’s a local number.

6. Track and Improve Your Performance More Efficiently

An executive or manager has the ability to monitor all of your calls in real-time to identify key performance indicators for customer service. By using these indicators and metrics, managers can make informed decisions and better evaluate the performance of their agents.

With the ability to observe how agents handle each call, managers can prioritize calls and redirect them accordingly. Assessing customer service performance measures and identifying areas for improvement through call routing can ultimately lead to increased sales and improved customer satisfaction. Moreover, monitoring call routing ensures that the business doesn’t miss any calls.

ZIWO Call Center monitoring and reporting tools can help you be on top of everything from agent performance to service levels!

Conclusion

Implementing call routing can greatly enhance customer service performance and improve various call centers metrics such as FCR rates, AHT, and average time in queue. Call routing directly connects calls to the relevant department or agent, which avoids frustrating transfers from department to department.

It can also quickly direct customers to the next available agent, improving communication quality and ensuring personalized service levels. By resolving queries on the first call, call routing can increase customer satisfaction and the chances of conversion. Custom numbers can also help businesses create local connections and enhance their brand image.

Book a demo with ZIWO today to get a walkthrough of other essential call center features that will give your call center a competitive edge.

Soure: ZIWO