Glossary

A

Agent Blending The use of an agent for more than one activity in a quick succession. May involve inbound and outbound calls and e-mail and Internet response.

Algorithm How calls are prioritized by an automatic call distributor. For example, a call can be sent to the next available employee, the employee who has received the fewest calls, etc.

ASPs Application Service Providers.

Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) Routes calls to employees not currently on the phone according to a specified algorithm (set of rules). For example, the call may be routed to the next available employee within a certain group.

After-Call Work (ACW) Also called Wrap-up and Post Call Processing (PCP). Work that is necessitated by and immediately follows a transaction. Often includes entering data, filling out forms and making outbound calls necessary to complete the transaction.

Agent Group Also called Split, Gate, Queue or Skills Group. A collection of agents that share a common set of skills, such as being able to handle customer complaints.

Application Based Routing and Reporting The ACD capability to route and track transactions by type of call, or application (e.g., sales, service, etc.), versus the traditional method of routing and tracking by trunk group and agent group.

Architecture The basic design of a system. Determines how the components work together, system capacity, up grade ability, and the ability to integrate with other systems.

Audiotex A voice processing capability that enables callers to automatically access pre-recorded announcements.

Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) The specialized telephone system used in incoming call centers. It is a programmable device that automatically answers calls, queues calls, distributes calls to agents, plays delay announcements to callers and provides real-time and historical reports on these activities. May be a stand-alone system, or ACD capability built into a CO, network or PBX.

Automatic Call Sequencer (ACS) A simple system that is less sophisticated than an ACD, but provides some ACD-like functionality.

Automatic Number Identification (ANI) A telephone network feature that passes the number of the phone the caller is using to the call center, real-time. ANI may arrive over the D channel of an ISDN PRI circuit (out of band signaling), or before the first ring on a single line (inband signaling). ANI is delivered from long distance companies. Caller ID is the local phone company version of ANI, and is delivered inband. ANI is a North American term, and Calling Line Identification (CLI) is an alternative term used elsewhere.

Auxiliary Work State An agent work state that is typically not associated with handling telephone calls. When agents are in an auxiliary mode, they will not receive inbound calls.

Average Handle Time (AHT) The sum of Average Talk Time and Average After-Call Work for a specified time period.

Average Holding Time on Trunks (AHT) The average time inbound transactions occupy the trunks. It is: (Talk Time + Delay Time)/Calls Received. AHT is also an acronym for Average Handling Time, which has a different meaning.

Average Speed of Answer (ASA) Also called Average Delay. The average delay of all calls. It is total Delay divided by total number of calls.

Average Time to Abandonment The average time that callers wait in queue before abandoning. The calculation considers only the calls that abandon.

B

Base Staff Also called Seated Agents. The minimum number of agents required to achieve service level and response time objectives for given period of time.

Basic Rate Interface (BRI) One of two basic levels of ISDN service. A BRI line provides two bearer channels for voice and data and one channel for signaling (commonly expressed as 2B+D). See Primary Rate Interface (PRI) and Integrated Services Digital Network.

Benchmark Historically, a term referred to as a standardized task to test the capabilities of devices against each other. In quality terms, benchmarking is comparing products, services and processes with those of other organizations, to identify new ideas and improvement opportunities.

Best in Class A benchmarking term to identify organizations that outperform all others in a specified category.

Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) Creating new business processes that better suit a new way of working across an enterprise or function.

C

Call Blending Combining traditionally separate inbound and outbound agent groups into one group of agents responsible for handling both inbound and outbound contacts. A system that is capable of call blending automatically puts agents who are making outbound calls into the inbound mode and vice versa, as necessitated by the incoming call load.

Call By Call Routing The process of routing each call to the optimum destination according to real-time conditions.

Call Control Variables The set of criteria the ACD uses to process calls. Examples include routing criteria, overflow parameters, recorded announcements and timing thresholds.

Call Detail Recording Data on each call, captured and stored by the ACD. Can include trunk used, time in queue, call duration, agent who handled the call, number dialed (for outgoing), and other information.

Caller-Entered Digits (CED) Digits callers enter using their telephone keypads. The ACD, VRU, or network can prompt for CEDs.

Cause-and-Effect Diagram A tool to assist in root cause identification, developed by Dr. Kaoru Ishikawa.

Central Office (CO) Can refer to either a telephone company switching center or the type of telephone switch used in a telephone company switching center. The local central office receives calls from within the local area and either routes them locally or passes them to an inter-exchange carrier (IXC). On the receiving end, the local central office receives calls that originated in other areas, from the IXC.

Centum Call Seconds (CCS) 100 call seconds, a unit of telephone traffic measurement Circuit. A transmission path between two points in a network.

Client/Server Architecture A network of computers that share capabilities and devices.

Computer Simulation A computer technique to predict the outcome of various events in the future, given many variables. When there are many variables, simulation is often the only way to reasonably predict the outcome.

Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) The software, hardware and programming necessary to integrate computers and telephones so they can work together seamlessly and intelligently.

Conditional Routing The capability of the ACD to route calls based on current conditions. It is based on "if-then" programming statements. For example, "if the number of calls in agent group 1 exceeds 10 and there are at least 2 available agents in group two, then route the calls to group two.

CRM Customer Relationship Management.

CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) Technology that integrates telephone and computer functionality.

D

Database Call Handling A CTI application, whereby the ACD works in sync with the database computer to process calls, based on information in the database. For example, a caller inputs digits into a voice processing system, the database retrieves information on that customer and then issues instructions to the ACD on how to handle the call.

Dialed Number (DN) The number that the caller dialed to initiate the call.

Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS) A string of digits that the telephone network passes to the ACD, VRU or other devise, to indicate which number the caller dialed. The ACD can then process and report on that type of call according to user-defined criteria. One trunk group can have many DNIS numbers.

Digital The use of a binary code — 1s and 0s — to represent information.

DMC Rate The number of conversations achieved or targeted with decision makers or target market individuals.

Dynamic Answer An ACD feature that automatically reconfigures the number of rings before the system answers calls, based on real-time queue information.

E

Erlang B A formula developed by A.K. Erlang, widely used to determine the number of trunks required to handle a known calling load during a one hour period. The formula assumes that if callers get busy signals, they go away forever, never to retry.

Erlang C Calculates predicted waiting times (delay) based on three things: the number of servers (reps); the number of people waiting to be served (callers); and the average amount of time it takes to serve each person. It can also predict the resources required to keep waiting times within targeted limits.

Erlang, A.K. A Danish engineer who worked for the Copenhagen Telephone Company in the early 1900s and developed Erlang B, Erlang C and other telephone traffic engineering formulas. Erlang. One hour of telephone traffic in an hour of time. For example, if circuits carry 120 minutes of traffic in an hour, that's two Erlangs.

Escalation Plan A plan that specifies actions to be taken when the queue begins to build beyond acceptable levels.

F

Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) All rights reserved. A term used in scheduling and budgeting, whereby the number of scheduled hours is divided by the hours in a full work week. The hours of several part time agents may add up to one FTE.

G

Gateway A server dedicated to providing access to a network.

H

Help Desk A term that generally refers to a call center set up to handle queries about product installation, usage or problems. The term is most often used in the context of computer software and hardware support centers.

I

Imaging A process whereby documents are scanned into a system and stored electronically.

Incremental Revenue (Value) Analysis A methodology that estimates the value (cost and revenue) of adding or subtracting an agent.

Index Factor In forecasting, a proportion used as a multiplier to adjust another number.

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) A set of international standards for telephone transmission. ISDN provides an end-to-end digital network, out-of-band signaling, and greater bandwidth than older telephone services. The two standard levels of ISDN are Basic Rate Interface (BRI) and Primary Rate Interface (PRI). See Basic Rate Interface and Primary Rate Interface.

Inter Exchange Carrier (IXC) A long-distance telephone company.

Internal Help Desk A group that supports other internal agent groups, e.g. for complex or escalated calls.

Internal Response Time The time it takes an agent group that supports other internal groups (e.g., for complex or escalated tasks) to respond to transactions that do not have to be handled when they arrive (e.g., correspondence or e-mail).

Internet Phone Technology that enables users of the World Wide Web to place voice telephone calls through the Internet, thus by-passing the long distance network.

Intraflow When callers do not know how long the queue is or how fast it is moving.

Internet Protocol (IP) Every client and server station must have a unique IP address. Client workstations have either a permanent address or one that is dynamically assigned to them each dial-up session. IP addresses are written as four sets of numbers separated by periods.

Internet Service Provider (ISP) A supplier of internet network services.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Allows callers to conduct business or obtain information without talking to a member of your staff. IVR asks customers to respond to questions and electronically provides the appropriate response.

J

Judgmental Forecasting Goes beyond purely statistical techniques and encompasses what people believe is going to happen. It is in the realm of intuition, interdepartmental committees, market research and executive opinion.

K

Key Performance Indicators (KPI) Focused operational activity measures to determine overall business effciency.

L

Local Area Network (LAN) The connection of multiple computers within a building, so that they can share information, applications and peripherals.

Local Exchange Carrier (LEC) Telephone companies responsible for providing local connections and services.

M

Middleware Software that mediates between different types of hardware and software on a network, so that they can function together.

Modem A contraction of the terms Modulator/Demodulator. A Modem converts analog signals to digital and vice versa.

Modular Growth and Expansion The ability to increase the number of lines and/or phones in a system by adding hardware or software applications.

Monitoring Also called Position Monitoring or Service Observing. The process of listening to agents' telephone calls for the purpose of maintaining quality. Monitoring can be: A) silent, where agents don't know when they are being monitored, B) side by side, where the person monitoring sits next to the agent and observes calls or C) record and review, where calls are recorded and then later played back and assessed.

Multilingual Agents Agents who are fluent in more than one language.

Multimedia Combining multiple forms of media in the communication of information. (E.g, a traditional phone call is "monomedia," and a video call is "multimedia.")

Murphy's Law If anything can go wrong, it will. Not a good perspective to live by, but worth considering when planning your strategy, especially in the case of disaster recovery.

N

Network Control Center Also called Traffic Control Center. In a networked call center environment, where people and equipment monitor real-time conditions across sites, change routing thresholds as necessary, and coordinate events that will impact base staffing levels.

Network Inter-flow A technology used in multi-site call center environments to create a more efficient distribution of calls between sites. Through integration of sites using network circuits (such as T1 circuits) and ACD software, calls routed to one site may be queued simultaneously for agent groups in remote sites.

O

Outsourcing Contracting some or all call center services to an outside company.

Overflow Calls that flow from one group or site to another. More specifically, Intraflow happens when calls flow between agent groups and Interflow is when calls flow out of the ACD to another site.

P

Partnership Relationship Management (PRM) Managing the relationship with in an outsourced partnership.

Percent Allocation A call routing strategy sometimes used in multi-site call center environments. Calls received in the network are allocated across sites based on user-defined percentages.

Pooling Principle The Pooling Principle states: Any movement in the direction of consolidation of resources will result in improved traffic-carrying efficiency. Conversely, any movement away from consolidation of resources will result in reduced traffic-carrying efficiency.

Predictive Dialing A system that automatically places outbound calls and delivers answered calls to agents. When the dialer detects busy signals, answering machines or ring no answer, it puts the number back in queue.

Primary Rate Interface (PRI) One of two levels of ISDN service. In North America, PRI typically provides 23 bearer channels for voice and data and one channel for signaling information (commonly expressed as 23B+D). In Europe, PRI typically provides 30 bearer lines (30B+D). See Basic Rate Interface and Integrated Services Digital Network.

Private Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX) See Private Branch Exchange.

Private Branch Exchange (PBX) A telephone system located at a customer's site that handles incoming and outgoing calls. ACD software can provide PBXs with ACD functionality. Also called private automatic branch exchange (PABX).

Private Network A network made up of circuits for the exclusive use of an organization or group of affiliated organizations. Can be regional, national or international in scope and are common in large organizations.

Public Switched Network (PSN) The public telephone network which provides the capability of interconnecting any home or office with any other.

R

Real-Time Adherence Software Software that tracks how closely agents conform to their schedules.

Real-Time Data Information on current conditions. Some "real-time" information is real-time in the strictest sense (e.g., calls in queue and current longest wait). Some real-time reports require some history.

Real-Time Management Making adjustments to staffing and thresholds in the systems and network, in response to current queue conditions.

Re-engineering A term popularized by management consultant Michael Hammer, which refers to radically redesigning processes to improve efficiency and service.

Rostered Staff Factor (RSF) Alternatively called an Overlay, Shrink Factor or Shrinkage. RSF is a numerical factor that leads to the minimum staff needed on schedule over and above base staff required to achieve your service level and response time objectives.

Remote Maintenance The ability to diagnose problems with a phone system online (via modem) without sending a technician.

S

Scalability The ability of a phone system to grow (add lines, extensions, or applications) along with your company.

Scatter Diagram A chart that graphically depicts the relationship between two variables.

Screen Monitoring A system capability that enables a supervisor or manager to remotely monitor the activity on agents' computer terminals.

Screen Pop A CTI capability. Callers' records are automatically retrieved (based on ANI or digits entered into the VRU) and delivered to agents, along with the calls.

Screen Refresh The rate at which real-time information is updated on a display.

Service Bureau A company that handles inbound or outbound calls for another organization.

Service Level Agreement Performance objectives reached by consensus between the user and the provider of a service, or between an outsourcer and an organization. A service level agreement specifies a variety of performance standards that may or may not include "service" level.

Skill-Based Routing An ACD capability that matches a caller's specific needs with an agent that has the skills to handle that call, on a real-time basis.

Special Causes Variation in a process caused by special circumstances.

Speech Recognition The capability of a voice processing system to decipher spoken words and phrases.

Supervisor Monitor Computer monitors that enable supervisors to monitor the call handling statistics of their supervisory groups or teams.

T

T1 Circuit All rights reserved. A high speed digital circuit used for voice, data or video, with a bandwidth of 1.544 megabits per second. T1 circuits offer the equivalent of twenty-four (24) analog voice trunks.

Telecommuting Using telecommunications to work from home or other locations instead of at the organization's premises.

Telephony Applications Programming Interface (TAPI) CTI protocol developed by Microsoft and Intel.

Telephony Services Application Programming Interface (TSAPI) CTI protocol developed by Novell and AT&T.

Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) The protocols that govern the exchange of sequential data. TCP/IP was designed by the U.S. Department of Defense to link dissimilar computers across many kinds of networks. It has since become a common standard for commercial equipment and applications.

U

Uniform Call Distributor (UCD) A simple system that distributes calls to a group of agents and provides some reports. A UCD is not as sophisticated as an ACD.

Universal Agent Refers to either A) An agent who can handle all types of incoming calls or B) An agent who can handle both inbound and outbound calls.

V

Virtual Call Center A distributed call center that acts as a single site for call handling and reporting purposes.

Voice Processing A blanket term that refers to any combination of voice processing technologies, including Voice Mail, Automated Attendant, Audiotex, Voice Response Unit (VRU) and Faxback.

Voice Response Unit (VRU) Also called Interactive Voice Response Unit (IVR) or Audio Response Unit (ARU). A VRU responds to caller entered digits or speech recognition in much the same way that a conventional computer responds to keystrokes or clicks of a mouse. When the VRU is integrated with database computers, callers can interact with databases to check current information (e.g., account balances) and complete transactions (e.g. make transfers between accounts.

Voice over Internet Platform (VoIP) The two-way transmission of audio over an IP network. When used in a private intranet or WAN, it is generally known as "voice over IP," or "VoIP." When the public Internet is the transport vehicle, it is referred to as "Internet telephony," however, both terms are used synonymously.