ACD facilitates controlling the distribution of telephone calls coming into the department. ACD systems are call routing utilities for incoming calls and can be even used to route calls originated by the predictive dialer to the next available agent. The staff log in/out of the ACD system as they are available, and the system answers the calls and distributes them. When staff are unavailable, the ACD systems holds a call in queue and then forwards it to the first available staff member.

Automatic call distribution is ideal for areas where multiple staff answers a high volume of calls e.g.

Properly managing calls can be key in providing excellent customer service, and the ACD systems provide the tools needed to optimally manage incoming calls. Some of the tools an ACD systems offers are:

The organization can customize the way its staff answers calls using several variables, including the caller’s location (on-campus or off-campus, local or long distance) or the purpose of the call (help assistance, appointment scheduling).

The organization can record Custom Announcements that callers hear when their call is answered or while they are waiting in the queue. It can also add the Music on Hold feature.

Supervisors can monitor calls to support employees and evaluate performance.

The system can capture call statistics (e.g., call volume, length of calls, time in queue, etc.) on a scheduled or an ad hoc basis, allowing further managing the staffing and calling flow.

Almost any business can benefit from ACD systems but they are particularly useful to customer service centers, inbound service bureaus (that may be handling infomercials or direct marketing campaigns) and government agencies.