Learn 25 Terms You Should Know About Virtual Call Centers

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In the current boom of technology platforms, their application in sales and customer service is indispensable. This is because it brings optimal efficiency and helps businesses save costs to the maximum. Virtual call centers are one of the most powerful tools supporting businesses in effective operation. Let’s explore 25 terms you should know about virtual call centers with OMICall so you can implement and use them effectively!

Inbound – Outbound Terms

To understand virtual call centers better, you need to know these two terms. Inbound refers to calls where customers proactively contact the business. Conversely, Outbound refers to calls where the business contacts its customers. Inbound and Outbound are also known as Call In and Call Out.

Inbound and Outbound Terminology in Virtual Call Centers

CRM Terminology

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a system that stores, integrates, and synchronizes all customer data. This information can include basic personal information, customer classification, interaction history, etc. Most virtual call centers today integrate a CRM system, helping businesses manage information and personalize customer experiences.

Agent, CSR Terminology

People often confuse Agent with agency. However, in a virtual call center, Agent is a call center representative. Another way to refer to a call center representative is Customer Service Representatives (CSR).

IVR Terminology

IVR – Interactive Voice Response is a term for an automated voice interaction feature. Simply put, when a customer contacts a business, the call center system plays pre-recorded messages guiding the customer to press the desired number keys to reach their department.

The term Popup

A popup is a feature that displays customer information during incoming or outgoing calls. This feature is extremely popular when a virtual PBX system integrates CRM or third-party software.

The term Voicemail

Voicemail is a voicemail system, or simply put, a modern answering machine. It relays messages to callers when they are not ready to answer. Callers can choose to leave a message or request a callback.

The term Extension

An extension is a mobile phone in a smart PBX system. For example, when listening to a consultation request such as: “How many extensions does your business need?”, you would answer with the extension number you need to expand according to your business’s needs.

The term VoIP

VoIP – Voice over Internet Protocol – works by transmitting voice over a computer network using the TCP/IP protocol suite. This feature uses IP data packets, transmitting information in the form of audio encoding.

Terms: Queue

Calls from customers to businesses are routed to different branches pre-set by the business. For example, when a customer needs to contact different departments such as the sales department for purchasing advice, the technical support department for troubleshooting, etc., these branches are called Queues.

Terms: ACS

ACS stands for Automated Call System/Service, simply called Auto Call (Automated Call Center). This is a modern solution that helps businesses make pre-recorded calls to a large number of customers immediately. The voice scripts are professionally built, optimizing costs and resources for the business.

Terms: PBX

Private Branch Exchange (PBX) is an internal telephone system. It allows departments and employees within a company to call and communicate with each other completely free of charge. Helping businesses save on telecommunication costs to the maximum extent.

Telemarketing & Telesale Terminology

Telemarketing is a combination of “Telephone” and “Marketing” – advertising and promotion via telephone. Telesales is a combination of “Telephone” and “Sale” – selling via telephone. These are two forms of advertising, sales, and customer service that require the use of a virtual call center system for maximum effectiveness.

ACD Terminology

ACD, or Automatic Call Distribution, is a system for automatically distributing calls. All calls from customers to the call center are transferred to consultants or operators according to a pre-set script.

Call Transfer Terminology

The call forwarding feature (Call Transfer) includes two methods: automatic and manual. With automatic forwarding, calls are redirected according to a pre-set script. For example: Busy line, outside business hours, no answer, etc. With manual methods, the operator directly handles the call, redirecting it to the relevant department.

Recording Terminology

Recording is a highly popular call recording function on virtual PBX systems. This feature offers significant benefits to businesses. Businesses can review information and feedback from customers to improve and adjust business strategies, personalizing the customer journey and experience.

Ticket Terminology

Ticket – Also known as a request form or task creation form for the day/month. VoIP PBX systems integrate this feature to control and track work progress, ensuring no tasks are missed.

Omni-channel Terminology

This is a multi-channel integrated solution for customer service services such as Facebook (Chat & Comment), Zalo OA (Zalo Official Account), Live Chat, etc. This solution places the customer at the center of its approach, helping businesses maximize sales channels from offline to online, while managing everything through a single system. This optimizes costs and saves resources for the business.

Self-service

A solution where customers can contact a business but no operator is available to answer the phone, allowing them to still resolve their issues.

Softphone

A softphone is an application installed on a smartphone/computer to serve the needs of a business. There are two common forms of softphones: 1. A call center service provider uses a pre-existing application and then configures their own business’s call center information into it. 2. A virtual call center provider builds their own branded softphone.

Supervisor/Monitor/Admin

This term refers to supervisors in a smart call center. They have many functions such as: monitoring agents, recent calls, missed calls, customer waiting times, etc. Or, more interestingly, monitoring employees by “eavesdropping” to see if the customer service representatives are providing excellent customer experiences.

API Terminology

API (Application Programming Interface) refers to protocols or methods that connect to other applications. APIs provide access to a file of frequently used functions, and then exchange data between different applications.

Pincode Terminology

Simply put, a pincode is a password-protected call. It greatly assists businesses in preventing agents from secretly using each other’s devices. Additionally, this feature in a virtual PBX helps businesses control call costs.

IP Phone Terminology

IP phones have an appearance and internal structure quite similar to traditional telephones. However, instead of using the postal network like landline phones (PSTN), IP phones operate via the internet and have many advantages over traditional telephones, such as: displaying the caller ID, missed calls, call forwarding, call recording, etc.

DND Terminology

Do Not Disturb (DND) – Do Not Disturb. This is a feature integrated into IP Phones. As its name suggests, when a business activates this feature, the IP Phone cannot make or receive calls from customers.

Import/Export Terminology

Import/Export refers to the operations of transferring/exporting data such as statistics, reports, etc. Basically, the data is exported as Excel files.

Conclusion

To invest in and use a virtual PBX system effectively, you need to thoroughly understand the relevant terminology. This will make usage and operation easier and smoother, leading to optimal efficiency. OMICall – a smart PBX system currently making waves in the market and trusted by many large businesses. Register now to receive attractive offers waiting for you.

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