Call Queues are highly configurable and come in many types.
Types of Call Queues are:
- Round-Robin
- Ring All
- Linear Hunt
- Linear Cascade
- Call Park
Round-Robin
In environments like call centers, with heavy call traffic, or with multiple representatives of equal skill and knowledge, Round Robin is a great option.
It balances the organizations call volume across its representatives. An incoming call will be routed to the extension that’s been idle the longest. This goes a long way to ensuring the workload is shared equally.
If the organization works in a small office without a dedicated receptionist or call manager, they might use this option to ensure no single individual is taken away from his or her main duties for too long.
If your number one priority is having incoming calls answered as fast as possible, this is the way to go. Everybody’s phone rings, and if you’re available, you pick up.
Linear Hunt
A Linear Hunt group routes calls to specific available agents in a predefined order, set by the administrator. Linear Hunt rings phones in a sequence, one after the other.
If the organization’s agents each have their own area of expertise, they might use this option to ensure their customers get the best possible responses.
For example, User 1’s main responsibility is answering questions about product installation, so the Installation Call Queue is set to ring that phone first. If they don't answer, the system rings User 2’s phone, because they perform the installations, and will be able to answer questions if free. If tied up, then User 3’s phone rings. They are focused on the finance end of things but can answer most questions.
Linear Cascade
A bit like a Linear Hunt combined with a Ring All. This is ideal for businesses with multiple departments. If the organization gets a call to the sales line, the system starts ringing all the phones for the sales department. If they’re all tied up, it will start ringing your service department, rather than sending them to voicemail.
Linear Cascade adds phones to each timeout, continuing to grow the number of ringing phones until the call is answered.
Call Park
The Call Park queue is for parking calls. When you park a call, it’s automatically placed In the Call Park queue.
The Call can then be picked up by any phone on the system (as opposed to calls placed on hold – they can only be retrieved on the same phone they were held on.)
This adds tremendous flexibility when trying to get the customer the best possible response.