Glossary

A

ACD (Automatic Call Distributor): A system that routes incoming calls to the appropriate agent or department based on pre-set criteria.

Agent: A person who handles customer interactions, whether by phone, email, chat, or other communication channels.

Average Handle Time (AHT): The average duration taken to resolve a customer interaction, including talk time and any follow-up.

B

Back Office: The part of a contact center that handles administrative tasks, support functions, or processes that don’t involve direct customer interactions.

Blended Agent: An agent who handles both inbound and outbound calls, or combines multiple channels (like voice and chat).

C

Call Center: A centralized office where agents handle inbound and outbound phone calls from customers.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management): Software used to manage interactions with customers, track information, and analyze data to improve customer service.

Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT): A metric used to gauge customer satisfaction with a service or interaction, typically measured via surveys.

First Call Resolution (FCR): A metric indicating the percentage of customer issues resolved during the first contact without the need for follow-up.

D

Dialer: An automated system used to place outbound calls to customers, often used in telemarketing or debt collection.

Disposition: The outcome or result of a customer interaction, typically logged by the agent after the call or interaction is complete.

E

Escalation: The process of transferring a customer interaction to a higher level of support or management when an issue cannot be resolved by the initial agent.

ETC (Estimated Time of Completion): An estimate of how long it will take to resolve a customer’s issue or complete a task.

F

First Contact Resolution (FCR): Similar to First Call Resolution, this metric measures whether customer issues are resolved during the first interaction, regardless of the channel.

G

Goals and KPIs (Key Performance Indicators): Metrics set to measure the performance of agents and the contact center as a whole, such as average handle time, customer satisfaction, and service levels.

H

Handle Time: The total time spent managing a customer interaction, including both talk time and any additional time spent on post-interaction tasks.

Hold Time: The amount of time a customer spends on hold while waiting for an agent or additional assistance.

I

IVR (Interactive Voice Response): A system that uses voice prompts and keypad inputs to navigate and route calls to the appropriate department or information.

Inbound Call: A call initiated by the customer to the contact center.

J

Job Aid: Tools or reference materials provided to agents to assist in handling common queries or tasks efficiently.

K

Knowledge Base: A centralized repository of information, FAQs, and procedures that agents use to assist customers and resolve issues.

L

Live Chat: A real-time text-based communication channel where customers can interact with agents.

Live Agent: An agent who is available to interact with customers in real time, whether through voice, chat, or other channels.

M

Multi-channel: A contact center approach that supports multiple communication channels (phone, email, chat, social media) for customer interactions.

Middleware: Software that connects different systems or applications within a contact center to facilitate communication and data transfer.

N

NPS (Net Promoter Score): A metric used to gauge customer loyalty and the likelihood of customers recommending the company to others.

O

Outbound Call: A call initiated by the contact center to the customer, typically for purposes such as sales, follow-up, or surveys.

Omnichannel: An integrated approach that provides a seamless customer experience across all communication channels.

P

Performance Metrics: Quantitative measures used to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of contact center operations and agent performance.

Post-Call Survey: A survey conducted after a customer interaction to gather feedback on the service received.

Q

Queue: A system for managing and organizing incoming calls or interactions, often used to hold and route them until an agent is available.

Quality Assurance (QA): Processes and activities designed to monitor and improve the quality of customer interactions and overall service delivery.

R

Response Time: The time taken for an agent to respond to a customer inquiry or request.

Resolution Time: The total time taken to resolve a customer’s issue from the moment it is reported until it is fully addressed.

S

Service Level: A measure of how well the contact center meets predefined performance goals, such as answering a certain percentage of calls within a specified time.

Script: A predefined set of guidelines or prompts used by agents to handle customer interactions consistently.

T

Talk Time: The duration an agent spends speaking directly with a customer during a call.

Threshold: Predefined benchmarks or limits used to evaluate performance, such as acceptable levels of wait time or resolution time.

U

Up-selling: The practice of encouraging customers to purchase additional or upgraded products or services during an interaction.

V

Voice of the Customer (VoC): The feedback, opinions, and preferences expressed by customers regarding their experiences with a company’s products or services.

W

Wrap-up Time: The time taken by an agent to complete any necessary follow-up tasks or documentation after an interaction has ended.

X

X-Sell (Cross-Sell): The practice of offering complementary or related products or services to customers during an interaction.

Y

Yield: The return or outcome from a contact center activity, such as the success rate of sales or the effectiveness of a customer support initiative.

Z

Zero-Day Turnaround: The ability to resolve or respond to a customer issue within the same day it was reported.

This glossary covers many of the key terms used in contact centers, though there are always new terms and concepts evolving in this field!