Virtual call center (VCC)

CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) is a metric that calculates the cost of acquiring a new customer by dividing the total marketing and sales expenses by the number of new customers gained during a specific period.

Call Analytics involves the collection and analysis of data from phone calls, such as call duration, customer sentiment, and resolution rates, to improve call center performance and customer service strategies.

A Call Center is a centralized department that handles large volumes of inbound and outbound calls for businesses, providing customer service, technical support, or sales functions through phone interactions.

A performance tracking tool used to assess agents’ effectiveness across multiple metrics like customer satisfaction, resolution rate, and productivity, helping to identify areas for improvement.

Call Center Agent Utilization measures how effectively a call center agent’s working hours are spent, typically calculated by dividing the time spent on calls by the total time available for handling calls.

Call Center Coaching is the process of training and guiding call center agents to improve their communication, problem-solving, and customer service skills through real-time feedback and personalized sessions.

Call Center CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is software that integrates customer data, interaction history, and service requests, allowing agents to provide personalized service and track customer journeys effectively.

Call Center Management refers to the oversight and administration of a call center’s operations, including workforce management, performance analysis, and ensuring high-quality customer service.

Call Center Reporting involves generating reports on key performance indicators such as call volume, average handle time, and customer satisfaction to help managers assess agent performance and operational efficiency.

A Request for Proposal document that companies use to seek bids from call center service providers. It outlines specific business needs and criteria to ensure the best provider is selected for outsourced services.

Call Center Software is an all-encompassing solution that provides tools for managing calls, agent workflows, customer interactions, and reporting, helping to improve the efficiency and quality of call center operations.

A strategy that aligns agent scheduling, performance monitoring, and technology solutions to improve efficiency, meet customer demand, and achieve service level goals.

The process of forecasting future staffing needs based on historical call volume data and business goals. Proper planning ensures optimal staffing to handle peak demand without overstaffing during slow periods.

Call Coaching is a technique where managers listen to agent calls and provide real-time feedback or training to help them enhance their communication skills and improve customer interaction quality.

Call Continuity ensures that phone service is maintained during outages or disruptions by rerouting calls to alternative numbers or backup systems, preventing any loss of customer contact.

A strategy that redirects customers from voice-based support to self-service options such as chatbots, FAQs, or automated systems, reducing call volumes while maintaining service quality.

Call flow refers to the structured path that a phone call takes through a system, including automated prompts, agent routing, and handling procedures, designed to optimize customer experience and operational efficiency.

Call Forwarding is a feature that allows incoming calls to be redirected from one phone number to another, ensuring that calls are not missed when the intended recipient is unavailable.

Call Logs are records of all incoming, outgoing, and missed calls, often stored in a call management system, providing details such as call duration, time, and the identity of the caller or recipient.

Call Park allows users to put a call on hold in a shared location, or “parking spot,” which can then be retrieved from any other phone within the same system, improving call management flexibility.

Call Parking is a feature similar to call park, where a call is placed on hold in a designated spot within the phone system and can be picked up from any other extension by dialing a specific code.

Call Queue is a system that places incoming callers in a virtual line when all agents are busy, holding them until the next available agent can assist, helping manage high call volumes.

Call Queuing is the process of organizing incoming calls into a queue based on factors like arrival time, priority, or agent availability, ensuring that calls are answered in an orderly and efficient manner.

Call Recording is the process of capturing audio from phone calls for later playback, commonly used in customer service, compliance, or quality assurance to review and improve interactions.

The total duration of a customer interaction, including time spent talking to an agent and any hold time. Shorter call times indicate efficiency, but maintaining quality resolution during the call is essential for customer satisfaction.

Call Tracking refers to the monitoring of inbound and outbound calls, often assigning unique phone numbers to different marketing campaigns, enabling businesses to measure the effectiveness of those campaigns.

Call Transfer allows a person to redirect a phone call from their line to another extension or phone number, enabling the caller to be connected to the appropriate party for further assistance.

Callback is a feature that allows a caller to request a return call instead of waiting on hold, improving customer satisfaction by eliminating long hold times.

Caller ID displays the phone number or name of the person calling before the call is answered, helping recipients decide whether to take or ignore the call.

Capacity Management is the process of ensuring that a business’s infrastructure, such as servers or networks, can handle current and future workloads without service disruptions or bottlenecks.

Cascaded Ringing is a phone system feature where incoming calls ring multiple phones in a pre-defined order until the call is answered, improving the chances of quickly connecting with someone.

CCaaS (Contact Center as a Service) is a cloud-based solution that provides businesses with contact center software and infrastructure, allowing them to manage customer interactions without on-premise equipment.

CDR (Call Record Detail) provides detailed information about each call, such as time, date, duration, and cost, often used in call accounting and reporting systems to monitor and analyze telecom usage.

CDR – Call Detail Report is a detailed log of phone calls made or received, including information such as call duration, time, originating number, and destination number, used for billing and analysis.

Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA) is a trade organization that represents the wireless communications industry in the United States, promoting standards, best practices, and regulations.

A Central Office is a facility where telephone lines from homes and businesses are connected to the broader telephone network, serving as the hub for local exchanges.

Change Management is the process of planning, implementing, and monitoring changes within an organization, ensuring that transitions are smooth, efficient, and minimize disruption to operations.

Text-based communications between agents and customers through chat platforms. It provides a fast, efficient way to answer queries and resolve issues, often integrated with chatbots for seamless service.

Churn refers to the rate at which customers stop using a company’s services, often measured as a percentage, with high churn rates indicating customer dissatisfaction or strong competition.

CLE (Customer Local Exchange) refers to the local telephone exchange system used to route calls within a specific geographic area, connecting subscribers to the larger telecom network.

CLEC (Competitive Local Exchange Carrier) is a telecommunications company that competes with established local carriers by providing alternative local phone and internet services.

CLI (Calling Line Identification) is a feature that identifies the phone number of the person making the call, often used by recipients to screen or prioritize incoming calls.

Click to Call is a web feature that allows users to click on a phone number or button to initiate a call directly from their computer or mobile device, often used in customer service or sales.

A contact center that operates using cloud-based technologies, allowing agents to work remotely and offering scalability, flexibility, and easy integration with other business tools.

Cloud Communications refers to internet-based communication services, including voice, video, messaging, and conferencing, that are hosted in the cloud, allowing for flexible, scalable, and remote operations.

Cloud Computing involves delivering computing services such as storage, processing, and software applications over the internet, enabling businesses to access resources without owning physical infrastructure.

A multi-channel communication platform hosted in the cloud, enabling businesses to manage voice, chat, email, and social media interactions centrally, improving customer experience and operational efficiency.

Cloud Phone System is a VoIP-based telephone system hosted in the cloud, allowing businesses to manage calls, voicemails, and other communications without on-site PBX hardware.

Cloud Telephony provides voice services over the internet using cloud-based platforms, enabling businesses to manage calls and communications without relying on traditional phone lines.

CNAM (Calling Name Presentation) displays the name associated with a caller’s phone number, allowing the recipient to see both the number and the name of the person or business calling.

CNAM – Caller-ID with Name is a feature that shows the caller’s name along with the phone number on the recipient’s phone, helping to identify unknown or business calls before answering.

A feature that enables agents to interact with a customer’s web browser in real-time, guiding them through processes like form filling or troubleshooting to improve first-contact resolution.

Collaboration tools are software applications that enable teams to work together remotely in real-time, offering features like file sharing, video conferencing, messaging, and task management.

A Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) is a telecom company that offers local phone services in competition with the incumbent provider, typically by leasing infrastructure or building their own.

Ensuring that call center operations align with industry regulations, such as GDPR or PCI-DSS, protecting customer data and minimizing legal risks, thereby building trust and operational reliability.

A Conference Bridge is a system that allows multiple participants to join a single phone call, enabling group conversations for business meetings, training, or customer support.

Connected Call Length measures the duration of a phone call from the moment it is answered until it ends, providing insight into the efficiency and quality of interactions.

The ability to deliver uniform service quality across all channels and touchpoints, ensuring customers receive the same level of care and resolution regardless of how they engage with the company.

A Contact Center is a centralized office or system where customer interactions are managed through multiple channels, including phone, email, chat, and social media, to provide support and service.

A Contact Center Agent is an employee who handles inbound or outbound customer communications within a contact center, addressing queries, resolving issues, or performing sales tasks.

AI-powered tools used to enhance contact center efficiency through automated processes such as chatbots, sentiment analysis, predictive analytics, and workforce management tools.

An AI-powered virtual assistant that automates interactions, handling routine customer inquiries and issues without requiring human intervention, improving response times and reducing agent workloads.

The process of coordinating and overseeing the operations, technology, and agents of a contact center to achieve performance goals, maintain customer satisfaction, and meet business objectives.

The portion of agents’ scheduled time lost to activities like breaks, meetings, and training. Understanding shrinkage helps ensure optimal staffing levels and maintain service levels.

The process of organizing, tracking, and automating tasks and interactions within a contact center to ensure smooth operations, high productivity, and seamless customer interactions.

The use of technology, analytics, and strategies to enhance agent productivity, improve scheduling accuracy, and align workforce performance with business goals and customer needs.

A proactive approach to forecasting, scheduling, and managing staff to ensure that the right number of agents are available to meet expected customer demand, minimizing wait times and ensuring service quality.

Contact Experience refers to the overall quality and satisfaction a customer feels when interacting with a business through any communication channel, such as phone or email.

Providing agents with relevant, real-time insights and resources, such as customer history or product data, during interactions to improve resolutions and enhance customer satisfaction.

Convergence is the merging of different types of communication networks, such as voice, data, and video, into a single, unified platform for better efficiency and service delivery.

AI-powered tools, such as chatbots or voice assistants, that engage with customers naturally, automating inquiries and improving the speed and quality of service.

Cookies are small files stored on a user’s device by websites to track online behavior, personalize content, and retain user preferences for future visits.

A digital assistant powered by AI designed to assist agents by automating tasks, suggesting next steps, and providing valuable insights, improving efficiency and reducing agent workload.

Coverage refers to the geographical area in which a telecom provider’s network can deliver reliable services, such as mobile or broadband connectivity.

CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) is a pricing model in digital marketing where advertisers pay for specific actions, such as a sale or a lead, rather than for clicks or impressions.

CPaaS (Communication Platform as a Service) is a cloud-based platform that allows businesses to integrate communication services like voice, messaging, and video into their own applications through APIs.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software is used by businesses to manage and analyze customer interactions and data throughout the customer lifecycle, improving relationships and retention.

Coordination between different departments, such as marketing, sales, and customer service, to align efforts and improve customer outcomes across all touchpoints.

CSR (Customer Service Record) is a detailed log of a customer’s service history with a telecommunications provider, including account details, service usage, and billing information.

A computer-telephony integration (CTI) solution that connects communication systems with customer databases, enabling seamless access to information during interactions.

CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) refers to the technology that enables computers and telephony systems to interact, allowing for call handling, routing, and management directly from a computer interface.

A platform that integrates telephony systems with business software, allowing agents to manage calls efficiently by accessing customer information and call controls from one interface.

CTI – Computer Telephony Integration allows businesses to integrate their telephone systems with computers, streamlining tasks like call routing, screen pops, and customer service workflows.

The use of data analytics to understand patterns, preferences, and behaviors of customers, helping businesses tailor their strategies for higher engagement and loyalty.

The percentage of customers who stop using a product or service over a period, a key metric in assessing customer satisfaction and retention efforts.

Combining data from multiple sources into a unified platform, allowing businesses to gain a comprehensive view of each customer for improved decision-making and personalization.

Leveraging customer data insights to improve product offerings, personalize experiences, and enhance marketing strategies, driving better outcomes.

A metric that measures the ease with which customers interact with a business, with lower effort correlating to higher satisfaction and loyalty.

The cumulative perception customers have of a brand based on their interactions across all channels, directly impacting customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The strategic oversight of customer interactions across the entire journey, ensuring a consistent and positive experience to foster brand loyalty.

A software solution that centralizes the management of customer interactions across channels, offering tools for analytics, feedback collection, and personalization.

Using AI-powered tools to analyze customer feedback from surveys, reviews, and conversations, providing actionable insights for continuous improvement.

The process of analyzing customer interactions across channels to identify patterns, trends, and insights for optimizing communication and service.

The Customer journey describes the complete experience a customer goes through when interacting with a company, from initial awareness and consideration to purchase and post-purchase support.

The active monitoring and optimization of each touchpoint along the customer journey, ensuring positive outcomes and enhancing customer satisfaction.

A visual representation of the steps a customer takes from awareness to purchase and beyond, helping businesses identify improvement opportunities at each stage.

Customer located equipment refers to telecommunications or IT hardware installed at the customer’s premises, like routers or modems, used to connect to a service provider’s network.

Customer premise equipment includes any communication devices located at a customer’s property, such as telephones, routers, or set-top boxes, that connect them to the service provider’s infrastructure.

The ability of a business to keep its customers over time, essential for maintaining revenue stability and fostering brand loyalty.

Methods designed to retain existing customers, such as loyalty programs, personalized offers, and proactive service, reducing churn and increasing lifetime value.

A widely used metric that measures how satisfied customers are with a product, service, or interaction, reflecting the effectiveness of customer experience efforts.

The use of AI to divide a customer base into distinct segments based on behaviors, demographics, or preferences, allowing businesses to deliver personalized experiences.

A professional who interacts directly with customers to handle inquiries, resolve issues, and ensure satisfaction, acting as the primary point of contact between a company and its customers.

Customer success focuses on ensuring that customers achieve their desired outcomes while using a company’s products or services, fostering satisfaction, loyalty, and long-term retention.

Improving support processes through tools, data insights, and best practices to enhance service efficiency, reduce response times, and improve customer satisfaction.

Personalized training programs tailored to individual employees or customers, ensuring they receive relevant knowledge and skills for their specific needs.