ACD (Automatic Call Distributor)

ACD, or Automated Call Distribution, is a telephony system that automatically forwards incoming calls to a specific group of telephones. ACD is most commonly used in corporate environments in which a company has a billing department, customer service department, retail department, and a managerial department or multiple branches. In these cases, an ACD may collect information from the caller through automated questions or detect the caller’s area code in order to forward the call to the correct department or branch.

How ACD Works

When a caller first calls a company who uses ACD, he/she may be asked several automated questions or provided with several command options, such as “Press 1 for English” or “Press 4 to speak with a Billing Expert”. When the user has chosen an option, the ACD forwards the call to the first available representative in that department. If no one is available in that department, the ACD may place the caller on hold or forward the caller to the next related department or closest available branch.

Applications

ACD systems can be used in any business in which multiple departments are setup to receive phone calls, such as retail outlets, service providers, or restaurants, but are particularly used by companies who have dedicated calling centers and a large number of customers. ACD systems allow companies to manage their calls more efficiently and allow customers to receive quick responses to their questions and concerns.

Advantages

ACD systems are advantageous because they are inexpensive and can be implemented in any calling center. ACD systems can also be programmed with a large variety of instructions for handling calls, such as skipping available representatives who have just gotten off the phone. ACD systems can also be used to provide representatives with CTI, or Computer Telephony Integration, in order to allow representatives to record phone calls and transfer callers to a different branch by selecting options on a computer.