What is Call Distribution?

Call distribution is a call center term that refers to how incoming calls are assigned to agents. It's typically controlled by rules set in the automatic call distributor (ACD). For example, there could be call distribution rules based on the number the caller dialed or the number they're calling from. Rules can also be established to route calls to agents with specific skillsets or calls can just be routed to the next available agent.

Large call centers, especially outsourcers, often have complex call distribution rules. They typically serve multiple clients, so calls will be queued by client based on the phone number that was dialed, and then routed only to agents who have been trained to take that client's calls. For flexibility, agents may be trained on multiple clients and so they will have multiple skillsets. These skillsets can be prioritized so that agents will predominately take one client's calls, with excess calls rolling to a secondary group. These are all established as rules in the ACD, or routing engine, that are designed for maximum call distribution effectiveness. A company's workforce management team is normally assigned the responsibility of establishing expected contact volumes that are the basis for these call distribution rules.

The ultimate goal of a call distribution strategy is to route a customer to the agent that can best serve him or her while also providing good queue management. Used proactively, call distribution rules are one more tool a company can use to enhance the customer experience.