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Term |
Definition |
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A |
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Abandon Rate |
An internal metric of all calls that get connected to the
call center but are disconnected by the caller before
reaching an agent, outbound trunk, or information
announcement. The abandon rate is the percentage of calls
that are abandoned compared to calls received. |
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Abandoned Call/Contact |
A call or other type of contact that has been offered into a
communications network or telephone system, but is
terminated by the person originating the contact before any
conversation happens. In an outbound calling scenario,
abandoned calls refer to connects that are disconnected by
the automated dialer once live contact is detected and no
agent is available to match up with the call. |
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Access digit: |
On a PBX, a dialing number, such as 9, used to access an
outside line. Also called access code. |
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Access gateway: |
A gateway that allows the IP PBX to communicate with the
PSTN or traditional PBX system. See also, IP, PBX, and PSTN. |
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Access layer: |
Part of ISO_OSI layered protocol model |
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Access line: |
A transmission line that provides access to a larger system
or network. |
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Access link: |
The local access connection between a customer’s premises
and a carrier’s point of presence (POP), which is the
carrier’s central switching office or closest point of local
termination. |
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Access method: |
The technique for moving data, voice, or video between
storage and input/output devices. |
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Access port: |
Connects a network device to an IP device. For example, a
computer can be connected to an IP phone through an access
port. |
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Access protocol: |
A set of specific procedures that enable a user to obtain
services from a telephone company or network. |
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ACD (Automatic Call Distributor) |
A specialized phone system used for handling many incoming
calls. The ACD will recognize and answer an incoming call;
will look in its database for call routing instructions. It
will send the call to a recording or a voice response unit (VRU)
or will send the call to an available agent according to the
instructions for that call. An ACD will normally produce
management information tracking both calls and agent
performance. |
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ACS (Automatic Call Sequencer) |
A device for handling incoming calls. Typically it answers
an incoming call, gives the caller a message and puts them
on hold, signaling agents a call is waiting. It has no
internal switching mechanism and does not affect the call in
any way. It provides an indication of which call should be
picked up next in order of arrival and keeps statistical
information on the progress of calls. No agent statistics
are provided. |
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Activity Codes |
Codes entered by agents to indicate the type of contact
handled. Also called wrap-up codes, these codes allow
reporting by contact type. |
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Additional call offering: |
An Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) feature that
allows multiple calls to be placed simultaneously to the
same telephone number. A serving switch is programmed with
the number of lines on the receiving telephone equipment.
The switch will offer an additional call if there is a line
available to accept it. See also ISDN. |
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Adherence to Schedule |
A measure of whether agents are "on the job" as scheduled.
Adherence is determined by comparing scheduled time when an
agent is "supposed" to be at work, as compared to the actual
time an agent is actually at work. The question, "how often
do agents deviate from their schedule" is answered by this
metric. |
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Advanced 800 Services |
A set of toll-free services named initially by AT&T that
includes long-distance calls routing into an organization
based on time-of-day, point of origin, or percentage
allocation of call volume. |
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After Call Work (ACW) |
Work immediately following an inbound call or transaction.
If work must be completed before agent can handle next
contact, then ACW is factored into average handle time. Work
may involve keying activity codes, updating database,
filling out forms, or placing an outbound contact. |
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Agent |
The person that handles calls in a contact center. Also
referred to as a telephone service representative (TSR) or
customer service representative (CSR). |
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Agent Group, Split Or Gate |
A group of agents handling a specific type or group of calls
or contacts. |
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Agent Occupancy |
Generally a percent of logged in time that an agent spends
in active contact handling states (i.e., on incoming calls,
in wrap-up activity, on outbound calls). |
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Agent Status |
The current work mode of the agent, such as Busy on Call,
Available, Unavailable, After Call Work, Off-Phone Work,
etc. |
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Agent Turnover |
This is the number of agents who left in the course of a
year as a percentage of the total number of agents working
during that same period. Turnover is calculated by comparing
the number of agents who left their "agent job" in the
previous year divided by the average number of agents
working during the year and stating this answer as a
percentage. The average number of agents is calculated by
taking the beginning year agent head count plus the end of
year agent head count, and dividing the sum by 2. |
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AHT (Average Handle Time) |
The amount of time an employee is occupied with an incoming
contact. This is the sum of transaction time and wrap-up
time. |
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All Trunks Busy (ATB) |
A state in which all trunks in a specific trunk group are
busy. May occur when all trunks are actually occupied with
calls, or when some portion of trunks are artificially
blocked by system user in periods of understaffing to
minimize number of calls in queue. |
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Alternate routing: |
A feature that redirects outbound calls based on
predetermined criteria. For example, first choice might be
the WAN with calls alternately routed to the PSTN if the WAN
is busy. |
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Ambient noise: |
The background noise that is present on a non-digital
communications line at all times. |
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ANI |
Automatic Number Identification. ANI is a service of
telecommunications carriers, which identifies the telephone
number of the calling party. It is commonly used for
billing, call routing and database synchronization. There
are several specific technologies that fit under the
umbrella of ANI, including caller ID. |
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ANSI: |
American National Standard Institute. A U.S. organization
chartered to accredit standards developed by a wide variety
of industry groups while avoiding improper influence from
any one company or organization. ANSI does not develop
standards, but reviews and implements those developed by
other organizations. For example, ANSI accredits standards
for telephony developed by the Alliance for
Telecommunications Industry Standards (ATIS) under the
auspices of the T1 Committee, and standards for cellular
radio developed by the Electronics Industry Association (EIA)
and the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA). ANSI
is a member of the International Organization for
Standardization (ISO). See also ISO. |
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Area Code |
A three-digit number identifying geographic areas of the
United States and Canada. It permits direct distance dialing
on the telephone system. Also known as Numbering Plan Area (NPA). |
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ASA(Average Speed Of Answer ) |
The average wait in queue experienced by all callers to an
ACD group during a specified period. It includes both calls
delayed and those answered immediately in the calculation. |
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ATC: |
Attendant Console. Also called an Operator Console. A
specialized phone set used by console operators to answer
and direct incoming calls. |
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Automated Attendant |
A device that answers callers with a recording, and allows
callers to route themselves by dialing digits associated
with menu choices. |
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Automated Greetings |
The capability of an ACD or add-on system to allow an agent
to record a greeting that automatically plays when call is
answered. Also called voice-saver system. |
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Automatic Call Back |
A feature of a telephone system that permits a caller to
hang up and instruct the system to call back as soon as a
busy station or trunk is free. |
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Auxiliary Work State |
A work state other than actively handling calls. As an
example, agents may go into an auxiliary work state to
process paperwork or emails. Agents will not receive calls
while in auxiliary work state. |
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Available Time |
The period of time spent waiting to accept and/or busy on an
inbound or outbound contact. |
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AVD: |
Alternate Voice Data. A single transmission facility used
for either voice or data. |
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Average Attendance in Percent |
This is a percentage representing how often a CSR is NOT
absent from work due to an unplanned absence (not to include
excused absences, i.e., vacation, FMLA, jury duty, etc.).
Take the total number of unexcused absences and divide it by
the total number of absenteeism opportunities and subtract
that number from 100. |
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Average Cost per Call |
This is the sum of all costs for running the call center
for the period divided by the number of calls handled in the
call center for the same period. This would include all
calls for all reasons whether handled by an agent or
technology, such as IVR. |
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Average Delay Of Delayed Callers |
Average wait in queue experienced only by those callers who
are delayed. Does not include those calls that are answered
immediately. |
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Average Delay To Abandon |
Average time callers are held in queue before disconnecting
(prior to agent answer). |
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Average Handle Time |
The amount of time it takes on average to handle a contact
to completion, including talk time plus after-contact work
time. To calculate, divide the total seconds of work time by
the number of contacts. |
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Average Sale Value per Sale |
When agents are taking orders, it becomes important to know
the average sale value of individual sales. This number is
determined by taking the total sales in dollars during a
period of time, let's say a week, and dividing this by the
total number of sale calls handled during the same period of
time. |
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Average Speed of Answer (ASA) |
Equal to the total time in queue divided by the total number
of calls answered. This includes both technology-handled
calls as well as live agent calls. |
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Average Talk Time |
Total number of seconds the caller was connected to an
agent. |
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Average Time in Queue |
The average length of time (in seconds) a caller must spend
waiting before the ACD can find an available TSR to take the
call. This number is not the equivalent of Average Speed of
Answer, as it includes only those calls that actually
experience a wait for a live agent. Also known as average
time of delay. |
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AVVID: |
See Cisco AVVID. |
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B |
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B2B |
A term used in contact centers to represent the type of
contact that is primarily to/from other business |
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Base Staff |
The minimum number of agents needed to provide service in a
given period of time. Also called "bodies in seats". Does
not account for non-productive work factors such as breaks,
training, meetings, etc. |
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Beep Tone |
A tone heard before a call arrives, also called a zip tone.
Beep tones are sometimes used to announce that a call is
being monitored. |
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Benchmarking |
The process of measuring performance against some set
standard. Benchmarking in the contact center industry refers
to comparing demographics, processes, and service with other
organizations to identify strengths, weaknesses, and
improvement opportunities in one's own organization. |
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Best Practice |
Best practice is the best performing metric in a category. |
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Best-in-Peer Category |
This represents the top twenty five percent of the peer
group with the best multi-view call center performance index
(MPI). |
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Beta |
The slope coefficient of a regression equation. |
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BH: |
Busy Hour. The peak 60-minute period during a business day
when the largest volume of traffic is handled by a network |
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BHCA: |
Busy Hour Call Attempts. A measure of the maximum number of
call attempts the system can support. Generally, BHCA and
BHCC are considered to be the same. |
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BHCC: |
Busy Hour Call Completions. A measure of the maximum number
of actual call completions the system can support.
Generally, BHCA and BHCC are considered to be the same. |
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Bivariate Analysis |
Statistical analysis which proceeds by simultaneous analysis
of two variables. |
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Blocked Call |
A call that cannot be completed because of a busy
condition. |
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Blocking |
The inability to complete a connection between two points
because of a busy condition in the pathway. |
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Break: |
1. To interrupt the sending of a message and take control of
the circuit at the receiving end. 2. An interruption of a
transmission or process. |
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BRI: |
Basic Rate Interface. ISDN interface composed of two
B-channels and one D-channel for circuit-switched
communication of voice, video, and data. The B-channels
carry voice or data, the D-Channel is for signaling. See
also ISDN. |
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B-SDN: |
Broadband Integrated Services Digital Network. A network
that employs switching techniques independent of
transmission speeds, and that allows a network to expand its
capacity without major equipment overhauls. B-ISDNs support
gigabit-speed circuits in the public network and high-speed
switching of all traffic types in public and private
networks. B-ISDNs also provide bandwidth-on-demand
capabilities. See also BRI and ISDN. |
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Busy Hour |
The two consecutive half-hour periods of a day in which the
largest number of calls/contacts are offered. |
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Busy lamp field: |
A set of lights or LEDs commonly found on an attendant
console (ATC) that give visual indication as to which phones
on the system are busy. |
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Busy tone: |
A single tone that is repeated at a 60 impulse per minute
(IMP) rate to indicate that a call’s terminating location is
already in use. |
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C |
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Call Center |
An operation with two or more persons handling incoming or
outgoing calls. Call centers may be help desks, customer
service centers, catalog sales centers, reservations
centers, or telemarketing/collections operations. |
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Call/Contact Blending |
The process of combining the flow of inbound/outbound calls
and other contacts such as email or web transactions to a
set of agents. Contact blending can be accomplished manually
or by means of automated systems that route the contacts to
the agents capable of handling them. |
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Callback Messaging |
A feature in which callers on hold can leave an oral message
or their telephone numbers using the keys of a touchtone
telephone pad for later callback from an agent instead of
remaining on hold. |
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Caller ID |
A telephone network feature of the local telephone company
by which the telephone number of the caller is passed to the
called party. |
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Caller-entered digits: |
Digits entered by a caller on a touch-tone phone in response
to prompts. |
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Calling line ID (CID): |
Information about the billing telephone number from which a
call originated. The CLID value might be the entire phone
number, the area code, or the area code plus local exchange. |
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Calls per Hour |
The average number of calls that an agent handles per hour,
and is equal to the total calls handled during a working
shift divided by the total time (in hours) logged into the
telephone system. |
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Carrier: |
A company that provides telecommunications circuits.
Carriers include the local telephone company and companies
such as AT&T, Sprint, and MCI. |
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CAS: |
1. Channel Associated Signaling. A type of signaling on T1
digital circuits where the signaling shares the same
channels as the voice or data stream. 2. Centralized
Attendant Service. A feature on PBXs where operator consoles
can be located at a central site and support branch
locations. Commonly used in retail applications |
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CC: |
1. Common Carrier. A government-regulated private company
that furnishes the general public with telecommunications
services and facilities. 2. Country Code. Part of a
numbering plan. |
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CCAPI: |
Call Control Applications Programming Interface. |
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CCC: |
Cisco Conference Connection. A Cisco application that allows
users to schedule large-scale conference calls for up to 100
simultaneous callers. |
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CCITT: |
Consultative Committee for International Telegraph and
Telephone. A telecommunications organization that
recommended worldwide standards for common carrier
communications services. This organization was superseded by
the International Telecommunications Union, now called the
ITU-T. See ITU-T. |
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CCS: |
Common Channel Signaling. Signaling system used in telephone
networks that separates signaling information from user
data. A specified channel is exclusively designated to carry
signaling information for all other channels in the system. |
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CCSS7: |
Common Channel Signaling System 7. The protocol used by the
AT&T signaling network. ICM software’s NIC receives routing
requests from CCSS7 network and returns a routing label to
the CCSS7 network. |
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CDR: |
Call Detail Recording. A stored database record containing
data about a specific call. Processed as a unit and used to
create billing records, a CDR contains details such as the
called and calling parties, originating switch, terminating
switch, call length, and time of day. |
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Central Office |
A synonym for switching center also referred to as a
telephone exchange. |
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Centralized call processing: |
A processing construct in which the central site contains
all call processing resources and supports the branch
offices as well. In terms of the Cisco CallManager,
centralized call processing means that the central site
contains a Cisco CallManager or Cisco CallManager cluster,
but the branches do not have call processing servers. |
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Character-based display: |
The display on the telephone is only capable of displaying
characters (letter and numbers), not graphics. |
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Circuit switching: |
Switching system in which a dedicated physical circuit path
must exist between sender and receiver for the duration of
the "call". Used heavily in the public switched telephone
network. |
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Cisco AVVID: |
Cisco Architecture for Voice, Video and Integrated Data. |
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Cisco IP Phone: |
A full-featured telephone that provides voice communication
over an IP network while functioning much like a traditional
PBX phone. Allows you to place and receive telephone calls,
and supports features such as call forwarding, redial, speed
dialing, call transfer, and conference calling. Also allows
you to access voice mail, providing connectivity to Cisco IP
Phone. |
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Cisco Media Convergence Servers: |
The Cisco MCS-7800 series server family, which includes the
high-availability MCS-7830 and the Cisco AVVID IP telephony
starter kits. |
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Cluster: |
A group of CallManager servers that interoperate to form a
single system image. This means that the servers in the
cluster share databases and act as a single system in terms
of features, administration, collection of CDR records, etc.
This feature allows Cisco CallManager to scale up to 10,000
phones in a single system. |
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Codec: |
Coder-decoder. In Voice over-Frame Relay, and Voice over
ATM, a software algorithm used to compress/decompress speech
or audio signals. |
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Completed Call/Contact |
A contact that is handled to completion by an agent, or in
an outbound dialing scenario, a contact that has been
through maximum recycle attempts. |
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Computer telephony integration (CTI): |
Software that integrates voice communications systems with
computers for contact center and office automation
applications. |
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Conditional Routing |
The capability of the ACD to route calls or contacts on an
"if…then" basis. Routing conditions can include day of week,
time of day, agent availability, type of call, service
needed, etc. |
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Confidence Interval |
The range around a numeric value obtained from a sample,
within which the actual, corresponding value for the
population is likely to fall, at a given level of
probability. |
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Configuration file: |
An unformatted ASCII file that stores initialization
information for an application. For Cisco CallManager, files
in .cnf format that define the parameters for Cisco IP Phone
connection. |
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Contact Management |
Software applications and systems that keep track of all
customer contacts for subsequent contacts and as an audit
trail. |
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CoS: |
Class of Service. A Collection of features, privileges, and
services that are easily assignable to a group of "class" or
telephones. Class of Service is used to simplify
administration and maintenance tasks in complex telephony
networks. |
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Cost per Call |
This is the sum of all costs for running the call center for
the period divided by the number of calls handled in the
call center for the same period. This would include all
calls for all reasons whether handled by an agent or
technology, such as IVR. You can also just calculate the
cost per call for agent-handled calls. The number of calls
received will be captured by the ACD. The total cost of the
center can be obtained from your accounting department. |
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CPE: |
Customer Premises Equipment. Telephone equipment, such as
key systems, PBXs, answering machines, etc., that reside on
the customer’s premise (e.g., office building, home office,
or factory). Also called Customer Provided Equipment. |
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CRM |
Customer Relationship Management. The strategy of
identifying customer needs, improving customer interactions,
and customizing contacts, sales approaches, and automation
to provide optimum service to each type of customer to
maximize the bottom line benefits to the organization. |
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Cross-Sell |
A cross-sell occurs when an agent recognizes that the
caller might be able to use a product from the same company,
but in a totally different product line within the company.
For instance, an agent at a banking call center who is
opening a savings account for a caller might recognize the
advantage for the caller to purchase a CD from the bank at a
higher interest rate. |
