What are calls in queue and why are they important?

What are calls in queue?

Calls in queue are incoming calls that wait in line until an available agent can answer them.

• They keep callers in order when all agents are busy.
• Good queue management cuts hold times and dropped calls.
• Smart routing sends each caller to the right agent faster.

Offering quality service can be hard for small firms that lack a large call center^[1] staff. If a company has too few agents at any time, callers must wait for help. As a result, this can frustrate customers. Some may hang up or switch to another channel.

To avoid that, it helps to optimize your call queue system. With the right steps, you can keep a satisfied customer.^[2] This article covers calls in queue, ways to improve them, and how they help your business.

How do calls in queue work?

Calls in queue means the number of inbound calls waiting to be answered by an agent. In practice, queue management can be tricky. According to Ring Central’s report, 57% of callers find long hold times a frustrating part of the call center experience.

This is a common setup in call centers and support teams. There, a high volume of calls comes in and a team of agents manages them. So calls that cannot be answered right away are held in a call queue. Meanwhile, callers hear hold music or a message with their estimated wait time. As soon as an agent is free, the next call is routed to them.

A queue can have many levels. For example, you might run two queues, one for sales and one for service. Each queue can have its own priority. In that case, if no agent is free in one queue, new calls can route to the other queue first. However, that only works if the other queue is not busy too.

There are two main types of calls in queue:

• Outbound queues. These hold calls that are waiting to connect to their destination.

• Inbound queues. These let you manage inbound calls. So you can route them by hand or by rule, based on the caller’s needs.

6 Ways to optimize calls in queue

Here are several ways to optimize call queues and cut customer hold times.

1. Utilize call greeting messages

Callers dislike waiting on hold. In fact, they may hang up if the message is dull. So keep your greetings clear, short, and engaging. This is also a good chance to share your value and explain the perks of talking to an agent. In addition, the greeting message can offer other ways to reach you if the caller cannot wait.

2. Apply a call-back system

A call-back system is a simple way to manage call queues. Here, the caller stays on hold while the operator does another task. Then the caller can call back later and reach an operator. As a result, only one caller’s wait is affected. This also keeps operators from juggling many calls at once.

3. Run automatic call distribution

An automatic call distribution system routes calls by priority or by the type of question. So high-priority calls get answered first, while low-priority ones wait. An ACD system is like a call-back system. However, it uses smart prompts instead of a plain message. You can also program it with scripts for different customer types.

4. Use an intelligent call-routing system

One key step in queue management is smart call routing. In short, this program studies incoming calls and routes them by set factors, such as:

• How long the customer has been waiting
• How many times they have called

Many call centers still rely on manual routing. However, that method is rigid and ignores live conditions. With an intelligent call-routing system, you can route by agent skill, availability, or location. As a result, urgent callers get priority over those who can wait. This ties closely to virtual queueing, which lets callers hold their spot without staying on the line.

5. Monitor queue metrics

Another way is to track your call center metrics. For calls in queue, watch two main ones: average handle time and abandonment rate. Average handle time shows how long an agent spends on one call. Meanwhile, abandonment rate shows how many callers gave up before reaching an agent. So teams need live data on queue length and wait times. This way, they can act fast and keep operations on track.

6. Create an interactive voice response

An interactive voice response (IVR) is a phone system that lets callers get info without a live agent. Callers use the keypad to route their own calls. For example, a billing question may prompt them to press 1. Doing so sends the call to a free agent in that area. To reduce agent load further, some teams pair IVR with a customer service queue across channels.

Benefits of calls in queue

Here are some perks of good call queue management for your business.

Improved customer support

Higher call volume can mean longer waits. This shows up most in busy contact centers. However, a well-run queue keeps waits short. As a result, customers enjoy a better customer experience.

Improved agent productivity

More calls can also mean faster work per agent. To help, use tech that queues calls and plays messages to keep callers informed. As a result, your agents stay productive and handle more calls. In turn, this can lift first call resolution, revenue, and profit.

Greater customer satisfaction

When people think of call queues, they picture waiting. Callers who wait too long can get annoyed. However, good queue management removes most of that pain. As a result, waits get shorter and satisfaction climbs.

Increased sales

For many firms, sales come first. A solid calls in queue system can boost sales, since it gives more people a chance to buy. When one caller hangs up, the next comes in and hears your latest offer. So this opens the door to cross-selling and upselling with no extra ad spend. The right call queue software makes this easy to manage at scale.

Calls in queue FAQs

What does calls in queue mean?

Calls in queue means the number of callers waiting for an agent. In short, they hold in line until someone is free. So the metric shows how busy your call center is at any moment.

How can I reduce the number of calls in queue?

Start with smart routing and a call-back option. In addition, use clear greetings and self-service through IVR. Together, these steps cut wait times and ease the load on agents.

What is a good call queue wait time?

Most teams aim to answer within about 20 to 30 seconds. However, the right target depends on your industry. So track your own data, then set a goal that fits your callers.

Which tools help manage calls in queue?

Common tools include ACD, IVR, and call queue software. In addition, good call center software ties these together. As a result, you can route, track, and improve every call.

Key takeaways

• Calls in queue are inbound calls that wait in line for the next free agent.
• Long hold times frustrate callers, so queue management is vital.
• Greetings, call-backs, ACD, smart routing, metrics, and IVR all help.
• Better queues mean happier customers and more productive agents.
• A well-run queue can also open the door to more sales.

Article References

[1] Call center. Harvey, D.E., Hogan, S.M. and Payseur, J.Y. (1991). Call center solutions. AT T Technical Journal, [online] 70(5), pp.36 to 44.

[2] Satisfied customer. Chicu, D., Pàmies, M. del M., Ryan, G. and Cross, C. (2019). Exploring the influence of the human factor on customer satisfaction in call centres. BRQ Business Research Quarterly, 22(2), pp.83 to 95.