Call Center Terms & Definitions

Telemarketing
Telemarketing is the term typically used when a company will make calls on your behalf, although many people interchange this term with call center.

Call center
Call center is the term typically sued when a company will receive calls on your behalf. (Although the terms can be interchanged)

Automated attendant
An automated voice and options for a caller to navigate. E.g. press one for...

Call accounting
Application that captures call statistics and organizes it into reports.

Autodialing
Software that automatically dials phone numbers. Is usually matched with predictive dialing which transfers to a live representative when someone picks up.

Concurrent users
Total number of callers that can use a call center at one time.

CRM
Customer Relationship Management software allows representatives to view and store information about the person they are speaking with on the phone.

IVR
Interactive voice response allows customers to access information by using their voice as commands.

Predictive Dialing
Automatically dials and connects calls to a live agent when someone answers.

Queue
Customers who are on hold waiting for a live agent are in the queue.

VoIP
Voice over Internet Protocol is a technology that allows you to make phone calls over an internet line rather than a voice line.