Contact Center Glossary

Contact Center Terminology from A-to-Z

LiveVox is the number one platform for Contact Centers and we talk the talk. Have a look at our glossary below for a list of any term you could possibly need to know about with regards to Contact Centers.

See how we can help your businesses by contacting a specialist today.

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A

Account Contact Management

Account contact management refers to specific information identifying a customer account such as name, address, contact information and any related details associated with a given customer record. 

Adherence, Call Center

Adherence is a term essential to call centers that refers to the degree in which customer service representatives stick to guidelines and follow set practices.

Administrator

Call center administrators are responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of a call center.

Agent, Call & Contact Center

A contact center agent provides customer support and quality of service to a business’s client base. They help resolve customer issues and escalate high-priority cases to the appropriate departments within an organization so customer satisfaction levels are met. 

AI Call Center

An AI (Artificial Intelligence) focused call center is a telecommunications company that uses AI to assist in various related call center operations.

AI Sentiment Analysis

AI sentiment analysis is a feature that analytic software uses to analyze human speech.

AI, Customer Service

AI enables customer service systems to perceive their environment, deal with what they perceive, solve problems, and act to achieve a specific goal.

Analytics, Call Center

Call center analytics consist of data gathered from interactions between customers and agents to provide a holistic overview of a company’s operations.

Answering Service, Call Center

An answering service call center takes inbound calls for clients that need customer support when they are unable to answer calls.

API

API (Application Programming Interface) is a tool used by call centers to build their own applications that integrate with existing customer service software.

Application

Call center applications are software solutions designed to facilitate customer service and make it easy for managers.

Architecture

Call center architecture is an integrated framework of software and hardware components used to manage customer service and support operations.

ASA

ASA stands for Average Speed of Answer, which is a measure of an automated call center’s efficiency in responding to customer inquiries.

Autodialer

An autodialer is a software tool that provides numerous convenient features that help optimize workflows, which is what contributes to its name. Their ease of use along with the multiple benefits they bring make autodialers a critical asset for any contact center.

Automated Calling Software

Automated calling software is a type of software that call center agents use to make and receive calls. This tool works by automatically dialing numbers and connecting the person who answers to a live agent or to an IVR (interactive voice response system). Call...

Automated Outbound Calling

Automated outbound calling is a process that call centers use to increase agent efficiency when making outbound calls.

Automation, Call & Contact Center

Contact center automation is the process by which routine or simple and often manual tasks are carried out automatically using software and technology in a programmable, repeatable way…

Availability

A call center’s availability is an important factor in providing high quality customer service.

B

BI Reporting

Business Intelligence (BI) reporting is the process of using BI reporting software to gather and analyze data from different systems to pinpoint and visualize operational insights.

Bulk Email Marketing

What is Bulk Email Marketing? Bulk email marketing is a strategy that involves sending an email to multiple recipients at once. Call center sales agents use bulk email marketing to deliver an advertisement about their company’s products or services. It’s fast and...

Bulk SMS Sender

What is a Bulk SMS Sender? A bulk SMS sender is an application that allows users to send out text blasts to communicate to customers. It works by delivering a message to a large list of recipients. Unlike group texts, bulk SMS messages do not reveal the numbers of the...

Bulk Text Messaging

What is Bulk Text Messaging? Bulk text messaging is a marketing strategy that involves creating and sending out a text message to a large list of people. Bulk text messages are usually sent through a bulk SMS sender. Companies usually use this strategy to reach out to...

Business Cloud Phone System

Business cloud phone systems are phone networks that companies use to make and receive calls. They are called cloud-based phone systems because they are hosted on an online server and use the Internet to make and receive calls. This is possible through VoIP, or Voice...

Business Intelligence Solutions

Business intelligence solutions is an umbrella category for a diverse set of software tools that help enterprises and companies become more data-powered. 

Business Texting

Business texting software is a program designed to allow agents to text with customers in a two-way conversation.

Business, Call Center

A call center business describes a company that provides a variety of telemarketing services.

C

Call Flow

Call flow can refer to two different things. One is the way that calls are distributed within a call center.

Call Logs

Call logging is the process of collecting, analyzing, and recording customer interaction data.

Call Management Software

Call management software is a tool that call center agents use to track and manage calls. Call management software is crucial for a smooth operation because it can perform a variety of tasks such as routing calls to the right agents, capturing inbound caller data,...

Call Monitoring

Call monitoring is a form of quality management that call centers implement to ensure that customers are receiving a level of support that meets company standards.

Call Recording Software

Call recording software is a tool used to capture and house voice conversations from multiple phone lines in the contact center…

Call Routing

Call routing is an automatic call distribution and management process that allows contact center phone systems to place incoming calls into queues and direct them to the appropriate recipient…

Call Tracking Software

Call tracking software is a tool that helps businesses effectively manage customer calls. It provides records of every call along with information about each caller, such as customer details and the origin of the call. It can help agents identify which outreach...

Chatbot

A chatbot is an AI-driven computer programs that simulate human conversation and allow interactions with digital devices to unfold as if chatting with a real person.

Cloud CRM

A cloud CRM is customer relationship management software that houses data in a public or private cloud by the CRM service provider as opposed to on-premise or in-house…

Cloud CX

Cloud CX is short for Cloud Customer Experience. A cloud customer experience refers to a virtual call center.

Cloud Phone Systems

Cloud phone systems are a type of phone network setup usually found within a call center. These setups are cloud-based and hosted off-site. The virtual systems are cost-effective and more efficient than traditional on-premise phone setups. Cloud phone systems are easy...

Cloud-Based Call Center

A cloud-based call center, also called a cloud call center, is a web-based software platform for handling a company’s inbound and outbound communications.

Coach

Coaching helps to foster an engaged and motivated team, while providing the tools and resources necessary for agents to succeed.

Cold Calling Software

Cold calling software is a tool that call centers use which allows agents to make outbound cold calls.

Compliance, Call Center

Call center compliance is a term used to describe a call center’s adherence to federal rules and policies that are meant to regulate call center activities.

Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS)

Contact center as a Service, or CCaaS, is a software delivery model whereby contact center service vendors bundle the core tools used to manage contact center operations…

Confidence

Call center agents often have to work under a great deal of pressure which can make it difficult for them to maintain their confidence.

Connection

Establishing connections between call center agents and their customers is one of the most important aspects of providing quality customer service.

Contact Center Campaigns

Contact center campaigns promote products and services through different types of channels, such as email, voice, SMS, and web platforms. Contact center campaigns can include product promotions, upsells, account recovery management, customer satisfaction surveys, and many other initiatives…

Contact Center Companies

A contact center company is a company that functions similarly to a call center business. A contact center offers customers an omni-channel experience, which means that they can communicate with agents in more than one way. In addition to voice, a contact center...

Contact Center Services

Contact center services are the services contact centers can provide to their clients. Contact centers are well-equipped to offer numerous services.

Conversation Analytics

Conversation analytics are tools and processes for analyzing the contents of calls and digital messages. Conversation analytics allow you to monitor and assess agent performance and customer satisfaction…

Cost Per Experience (CPE)

The cost per experience curve in the contact center refers to the cost of each customer interaction. Cost per experience calculations assume that the more consistent, personalized, and satisfactory your customer experience is, the less each interaction will cost.

CRM Solutions

CRM solutions are customer relationship management software tools that house data in a public or private cloud by the CRM service provider as opposed to on premise or in house…

Customer Communications

Customer communications are interactions between customers and businesses using various channels spanning digital and in-person touchpoints. 

Customer Contact Services

Customer contact services are services that contact center agents perform for customers on behalf of a company. There are a wide variety of customer contact services that agents can provide.

Customer Experience

Customer experience, sometimes abbreviated as CX, is the impression your customers have of your brand along the entire customer journey you’ve created. 

Customer Experience Management

Customer experience management is a set of tools and practices that are focused on increasing customer relationships, retention, and success. Effective CXM strategies lead to more satisfying customer experiences, more effective marketing campaigns, and more profitable...

Customer Feedback Surveys

Customer feedback surveys are post-interaction questionnaires sent to customers to gain direct feedback on the customer experience .

Customer Intelligence

Customer intelligence explains and analyzes customer behavior. It can tell you which channels your customers prefer, and more importantly, it provides the details call center managers need to know to personalize and interact with them on a multitude of channels. 

Customer Service Call Center

A customer service call center is a telemarketing company that can provide customer service assistance for outside companies.

Customer Service Experience

The customer service experience is one of today’s most critical and influential aspects for any company in nearly every industry.

Customer Service Message

Customer service messages are messages that agents in a call center environment can deliver to customers through email, SMS, chat, and voice.

Customer Service Platform

A customer service platform is a software tool that call centers implement to help agents perform various customer service related tasks.

Customer Service SaaS

Customer service SaaS is software designed to help call center agents execute customer service activities.

Customer Service Software

Customer service software is any tool or suite of tools that allows businesses to interact with, track, and manage customer relationships.

Customer Support System

A customer support system is a system that is designed to provide different types of service for a company’s customers. A customer support system offers various services for a client’s customers. They can provide services such as sales support, debt collection, order...

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Dashboard, Agent

Call center agent dashboards provide information that agents can use to track their work and performance metrics.

Dashboard, Call & Contact Center

A contact center dashboard is a visual display of customer data and activity. Contact center dashboards are used to provide important information at-a-glance, such as KPIs, call volumes, hold times, queue backlog, and more…

Data, Call Center

Call center data is any type of data stored in a contact center. Call center data can include information such as customer accounts.

Dialer Software

Dialer software maximizes productivity by improving contact rates, standardizing the customer experience by streamlining outbound activity, and ensuring TCPA compliance by using the most appropriate type of dialing strategy for the situation at hand.

Direct Dialer

Direct dialer software is a type of computer program that automates the process of making telephone calls. 

Dynamic, Contact Center

Call centers are fast-paced and dynamic environments, which requires agents to be able to think on their feet and quickly adapt to changing conditions.

E

Employee Scheduling Software

Employee scheduling software is an automated tool that helps contact centers drive performance and productivity while balancing agents’ needs

Employee, Contact Center

The success of any call center relies heavily on the performance and morale of its employees.

Enterprise Contact Center

Enterprise call centers play a critical role in providing customers with the best possible experience.

Enterprise Live Chat

Enterprise live chat is an embedded web chat function on an enterprise company website.

Escalation

Escalation in the contact center refers to the persistent rise in importance, severity, or scope of a customer issue, business process, or task.

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Finance Call Center

A finance call center refers to the support agents handling inbound customer service requests in order to resolve customer problems.

First Call Resolution

First call resolution is a metric used in contact centers to determine the rate of calls resolved upon first contact. 

Focus, Call

For call center agents and leaders, staying focused on each customer interaction is essential for providing the best service.

Follow-Up Phone Call Software

Follow-up phone call software, or customer follow up software, encompasses account record management and inbound and outbound communication channels. 

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Hardware

Call centers are leveraging advanced hardware technologies to deliver superior customer service.

Help Desk

A help desk or helpdesk is a service that provides support and information for users and customers.

HIPAA Call Center Software

HIPAA call center software is cloud-based communication software used by healthcare organizations that is compliant.

Hosted Call Center

A hosted call center is also known as cloud call center and refers to customer engagement software solutions

I

Inbound Call

Inbound calls are those initiated by customers and received as incoming calls by agents who will help to resolve a problem or issue. Contact centers can be either exclusively outbound, inbound, or do a blended mix of both. 

Inbound Call Services

Inbound call services are phone-related tasks that agents perform on behalf of a company when customers call in over the phone.

Inbound Contact Center

An inbound contact center is a type of telemarketing company that can handle inbound omnichannel communication.

Intelligent Virtual Assistant (IVA)

Intelligent virtual assistants, also known as Intelligent Virtual Agents, are software that utilizes a set of rules and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to interact with customers and carry out service and support interactions…

ISO

ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization in the contact center context.

Interactive voice response (IVR)

Interactive voice response (IVR)  is a phone system that intakes and routes calls based on touch tone input or voice commands. 

Intraday Management

Intraday management is the workforce management process of monitoring the current day’s volumes and trends

IVR Surveys

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) surveys are automated communications with respondents over the phone.

J

Journey Mapping

Journey mapping is the process by which the steps required for a customer to follow to reach an end goal or outcome are clearly defined and “mapped” against business capabilities and objectives.

K

Knowledge Base

A knowledge base is a page on a company website that houses answers to all of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) that customers may have.

Knowledge Center

A self-service knowledge center is a central place where customers can go to seek out answers and get help for themselves.

Knowledge Management

Knowledge management tools like knowledge bases are one of the essential ways contact centers can facilitate faster and more convenient experiences.

L

Leaderboard

A leaderboard is a large board that is used to display the rankings of competitors.. It is often used in contact centers or sales environments

Live Chat, Call & Contact Center

Live chat is an online tool that enables website visitors to communicate with a contact center’s customer service agents or chatbots in real time. It’s also referred to as webchat. It allows brands to answer questions, provide technical support and nurture leads to...

Log, Contact Center

Logs play a key role in the operations of modern call centers. With the help of logs, managers can monitor employee performance, track customer interactions history,

Long code, SMS

Long codes for SMS are usually 10-digit numbers tied to an area code that transmit messages. These are typically local numbers.

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Model, Contact Center

Model-driven call centers are gaining popularity as they allow managers to make data-driven decisions and efficiently manage customer interactions.

Monitoring

Call center monitoring is an essential aspect of any customer service strategy.

Management, Call & Contact Center

Contact center management involves the way leaders go about managing their center and handling the activities to support customers and business operations…

Mass Email Service

A mass email service is a platform that sales agents use to send out bulk email messages. This service is easy to use and highly efficient. Call centers often use mass email service applications that are integrated into their CRM, allowing agents to seamlessly...

Messaging Marketing

SMS messaging marketing is a short, text-based campaign delivered via text message or messaging app.

Messaging Platform

A messaging platform is a tool that contact centers can use to send out messages through different channels to customers. Examples include SMS, chat, and email. The platform can be integrated into an agent’s CRM for a seamless workflow. Messaging platforms provide...

Metrics, Call Center

Call center metrics are standards set by call center leadership teams to ensure that agents are providing quality customer service.

MIS Report

An MIS report is a management information system report. They are used to aggregate data from multiple business intelligence tools.

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Natural Language Processing (NLP)

Natural language processing is a branch of AI that focuses specifically on distilling meaning from human language, be it spoken or written. 

New Customer Acquisition

New customer acquisition is any process that includes campaign efforts, lead generation, and marketing to attract and obtain new customers. 

Next-Generation Contact Center

Next-generation contact centers use a customer engagement model that expands business impact beyond the contact center.

O

Omni-Channel

Omni-channel is a word that describes a contact center with multiple modes of communication. This generally includes chat, SMS, email, and voice.

Omnichannel Customer Experience

Omnichannel customer experience strategies help enterprises deliver seamless journeys by putting the customer in control.

Operations, Call Center

Call center operations refers to the workflows within a call center that keep its primary functions continuously going. Call center operations can be broken down into at least five areas. First there is the executive team, which makes decisions related to the company...

Outbound Call Center Service

An outbound call center service is a telemarketing company that larger organizations contract to perform outbound calls.

Outbound Call Center Solutions

Outbound call center solutions are the solutions provided by a telemarketing company to a client. Companies contract outbound call centers to perform outbound calls to prospects or customers. Outbound call center solutions can include trained agents, sales, survey...

Outbound Call Centers Companies

Outbound call center companies are telemarketing companies that other companies hire to perform a wide variety of outbound call center activities.

Outbound Calling

An outbound calling software is a cloud-based solution that allows your contact center to make outgoing calls.

Overflow

Call centers often experience an overload of incoming customer requests, making it difficult to handle each inquiry efficiently.

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Phone Analytics

Phone analytics consist of data gathered from agent and customer interactions over the phone.

Phone Call Tracker

A phone call tracker is an application that call centers employ to keep track of every phone call interaction between customers and agents alike.

Power Dialer

A power dialer increases efficiency by saving time for agents to focus on their calls and filling out any required paperwork after the call…

Private Branch Exchange (PBX)

A private Branch Exchange, is a network of phones within a company that allows employees to make and receive calls.

Productivity

Productivity in the call center is all about ensuring customers receive prompt responses to their inquiries and issues.

Providers, Call Center

Call center providers are telemarketing companies that train and retain agents to make inbound and outbound calls on behalf of a client.

Q

Quality Assurance, Call & Contact Center

Contact center quality assurance is a systematic process of determining whether customer interactions and support service meet established benchmark requirements…

Quality Control Agent

A quality control agent is tasked with assuring customer service quality in the call center. They monitor adherence to call center policies

Queue

A queue is a line or group of people waiting to be attended to. Call queues refer to the incoming calls on hold within contact centers.

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RCS Messaging

RCS messaging standardizes messaging features and makes them available within a single, universal application.

Real-Time Adherence

Real-time adherence is workforce management KPI that evaluates employee productivity based on whether agents are completing the tasks.

Real-Time Speech Analytics

Real-time speech analytics record, transcribe, and analyze calls within a contact center as they are taking place in real time.

Report, Call Center

Call Center report There are different types of reports that call center leadership relies on to monitor varying aspects of an organization.

Reporting Metrics, Call Center

Call centers use reporting metrics to create a set standard of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that leadership develops to ensure agents are delivering efficient and effective customer service.

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Screen Barging

Screen barging is an agent and quality monitoring capability that  allows contact center managers to drop in on live interactions.

Screen Recording

Screen recording tools record agent screens to monitor call center customer interactions and provide complete visibility on agent-customer relations to help drive performance,

Secure Payment Processing

secure payment processing is an identification and authentication measure used to protect customer PII (private identifiable information)

Sentiment Analysis

Sentiment analysis uses machine learning algorithms to automatically gauge conversations for their sentiment.

Sentiment Score

Sentiment scores are a metric for measuring customer sentiment. Sentiment scores can range from 0-100, where 100 is the most positive possible outcome and 0 is the least.

Services, Call Center

Call center services are solutions that a call center provides for companies without an internal call center of their own.

Short code, SMS

A shortcode is a five-digit number assigned by cellular network carriers that allows for high SMS throughput. Short code SMS is ideal for mass text blasts

Single Pane of Glass

Single pane of glass refers to a business solution that integrates data from multiple sources and presents it in one unified visual display.

Site

A call center website can act as a hub of information, providing customers with resources such as frequently asked questions (FAQs), contact numbers, self-help articles and customer reviews.

SLA

SLAs are contractual agreements between a service provider and customer that define the level of service both parties should expect.

Smartphone Dialer

A smartphone dialer is a tool that call centers use to help agents maximize productivity and efficiency when making outbound calls to customer smartphones.

SMS, Call & Contact Center

Call center SMS in the contact center refers to the use of omnichannel customer support in the form of texting or messaging instead of other channels.

Softphone

A softphone is a software-based phone that has a virtual phone interface and allows calls to be made over the internet using VoIP.

Staff

Call centers require well-trained and knowledgeable staff in order to function properly.

Statistics, Call Center

Call center statistics are important metrics that gauge a call center’s overall performance from a business standpoint.

Supervisor

Call center supervisors are essential to the success of any call center operation.

Support Ticket System

A support ticket system is a software solution that helps customer support agents manage support requests effectively.

Support, Call Center

Call center support can be described as the assistance agents within a call center provide for customers. The type of support a center offers can vary.

Switch

What is a Contact Center Switch? Switching between calls on a call center system can be challenging, especially when taking multiple calls at once. To ensure agents are able to switch between conversations quickly and efficiently, businesses should invest in call...

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Telemarketing

Telemarketing is a sales and direct marketing method whereby agents make unsolicited or “cold” phone calls

Text Message Marketing

Text message marketing software offers two-way messaging, automated, and mass texting.

Text Mining Software

Text mining software is an application that call centers can use to extract valuable data from every interaction that agents and customers have.

Text-to-Speech (TTS) Software

Text-to speech software is a speech synthesis technology that synthesizes spoken words from written text as it is spoken instead of playing back a pre-recorded message.

Texting Platform

A texting platform is a tool call centers use that allows agents and customers to communicate via SMS.

Ticketing System

A ticketing system is a software solution that helps customer support agents manage support requests effectively.

Tools, Call Center

Call center tools are used for various functions that support call center workflows and operations.

Training

Training is essential for any successful call center operation. By providing employees with the necessary skills and knowledge, businesses can ensure agents are able to deliver top-notch customer service while also ensuring they remain motivated and engaged while on the job.

Transfer

What is a Call Center Transfer? When dealing with customer inquiries and complaints, it is important for call centers to have an efficient transfer system in place. Transferring calls between agents or departments can help ensure that customers receive the best...

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View

When it comes to providing an effective call center service, having a 360-degree view of customer interactions is essential. This allows agents to access and analyze all relevant customer data in one place, which can help them gain valuable insights into their customers’ needs and preferences.

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Virtual Agent

AI virtual agents, also known as an Intelligent Virtual Agent, are software that utilizes a set of rules and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Virtual Call Center

A virtual call center refers to a call center located in the cloud, which means that it’s hosted off-site instead of in on-site call center.

Virtual Customer Service

Virtual customer service is essentially service delivered to customers using AI (Artificial Intelligence) powered technology.

Virtual Phone Systems

Virtual phone systems are cloud-based phone networks that call centers use to make and receive calls. They are hosted off site.

Voice IVR

Voice IVR (Integrated Voice Response) is a software tool call centers use to greatly enhance the customer and agent experience.

Voice of the Customer

Voice of the customer is a method of collecting information about how customers think and feel about a company.

Voice Platform

Voice platforms are foundational tools used to carry out functions like interactive voice response and virtual assistant technology

VoIP Call Center Software

VoIP call center software is what telemarketing companies use to make and receive phone calls over the Internet.

VoIP PBX

VoIP PBX is a term used to describe a cloud-based phone network system that call centers typically employ to perform inbound and outbound calling. VoIP, which stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol, allows users to make phone calls over the Internet. A PBX is an...

VoIP Phone Service

VoIP phone services use special software to compress voice signals, convert them into digital form, and then send them over the internet. 

VoIP Service Providers

VoIP service providers are tech companies that give other companies such as call centers the ability to run their phone network off-site on a cloud.

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Wallboards

A wallboard is another word for a dashboard. Wallboards are used in the contact center to showcase real-time information.

Workflow

workflow is a designated path that outlines the processes and steps that tasks must follow in order to be completed.

Workforce Engagement Management (WEM)

Workforce Engagement Management is part of workforce optimization, or WFO. Workforce management software in the contact center is a combination of tools, strategies, and principles that help teams work more effectively while measuring progress.

Workforce Management (WFM)

Workforce management software (WFM) refers to the tools and processes an organization uses to manage, measure, and improve employees.

Workforce Optimization (WFO)

Workforce optimization and unified workforce optimization are business strategies that involve integrating solutions, processes, and contact center technologies.

Workload Management

Workload management is a capacity planning tactic that evenly distributes work among available resources within a team.

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