This page provides a complete list of call center abbreviations, acronyms, and definitions. This list is based on the alphabet.
ACD
Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) is a software solution that answers calls automatically and routes them to a specific team or agent.
ACW
After Call Work (ACW) is the time, a call center agent takes to answer a call.
AHT
Average Handle Time (AHT) is the average length of customer interaction in the call center.
ANI
Automatic Number Identification (ANI) is a software solution that allows the call receiver to display the originated phone number.
API
Application Program Interface (API) is a software solution that allows two applications to talk to each other.
ASA
Average Speed of Answer (ASA) is the average time to answer a call.
ASP
Application Service Provider (ASP) is a company that provides software solutions to customers over the Internet.
ASR
Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) is the technology that allows people to speak with a computer interface conversationally.
ATA
Average Time of Abandonment (ATA) is the average time a caller stays in a queue before hanging up the phone.
ATT
Average Talk Time (ATT) is the amount of time an agent spends talking with a customer.
BC/DR
Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BC/DR) are plans and processes that support an organization's ability to operate appropriately after an unexpected issue.
BCP
Business Continuity Planning (BCP) is planning for all possible scenarios to ensure the call center can continue after an unexpected issue.
BI
Business Intelligence (BI) combines analytics, tools, data mining, visualization, etc., to help call centers make more data-driven decisions.
BIC
Best-in-Class (BIC) has been designated by call center leadership as the preferred solution, standard, etc.
BPO
Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is a method of subcontracting contact center operations to a third-party vendor.
BUQS
Blended Universal Queue System (BUQS) integrates multiple communication channels such as phone, email, chat, and social media.
CCaaS
Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) is a cloud framework for contact center management.
CCR
Customer Controlled Routing (CCR) customizes customer experience by routing calls to specific agents trained to address the customer's issue.
CDR
Call Detail Record (CDR) is a data record that documents the details of a phone call or other telecommunications transaction.
CED
Caller Entered Digits (CED) are any digits callers enter using their phone keypads.
CEM
Customer Experience Management (CEM) designs and reacts to customer interactions to meet expectations, leading to greater customer satisfaction and loyalty.
CIS
Customer Information System (CIS) includes data about all customer premises, including addresses, billing determinants, and historical data.
CLI
Calling Line Identity (CLI) is a caller ID and allows the person receiving the call to see the caller's number.
CMS
Call Management System (CMS) is a software solution for organizations that receive significant phone calls.
CRM
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is all techniques, tools, and technologies for developing, retaining, and acquiring customers.
CSA
Customer Service Agent (CSA) engages directly with customers via phone, email, online chat, or other platforms.
CSAT
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) is a score showing how satisfied a given customer is with a specific product or interaction with a company.
CSR
Customer Service Representative (CSR) is anyone who interacts with customers to handle complaints, process orders, and provides product or service information.
CTI
Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) helps to manage many incoming calls in a call center.
CX
Customer Experience (CX) measures how customers like interacting with a given call center.
DID
Direct Inward Dialing (DID) is a calling solution that routes a phone number to a specific phone within the organization.
DMS
Document Management System (DMS) holds each customer's document needed to manage a customer's needs appropriately.
DNIS
Dialed Number Identification Service (DNIS) identifies the dialed phone number of an inbound call in a call center.
DPC
Dollars per Call (DPC) is specific to those agents that work in the related collections environment.
DSL
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) uses existing phone lines to transport high-bandwidth data to service subscribers.
EAI
Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) uses a particular software solution to integrate a set of applications.
ERMS
Email Response Management System (ERMS) is a software solution that automatically manages email messages and attachments according to user-defined rules.
ERP
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is the integrated management of call center processes, often real-time and mediated by technology.
ESAT
Employee Satisfaction (ESAT) is a KPI to measure employees' satisfaction with different aspects of work.
EWT
Expected Wait Time (EWT) is the predicted amount of time interaction has to wait in a queue to get an answer.
FCR
First Call Resolution (FCR) is resolving a customer's problem or question the first time they call.
FCRR
First Call Resolution Rate (FCRR) measures the rate of calls where the customer's problem or question was resolved the first time.
FTE
Full-time Equivalent (FTE) is the number of total scheduled person-hours divided by the number of hours per week.
GOS
Grade of Service (GOS) measures the percentage of calls or interactions answered within a given period.
ICR
Intelligent Call Router (ICR) manages the incoming calls and routes them to the available agents based on their abilities and experience.
ID&V
Identification and Verification (ID&V) verifies the caller's identity by asking the security questions.
INS
Intelligent Network Service (INS) helps distribute calls to multiple destinations in a virtual network.
ISDN
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) is a system that provides access to packet-switched networks that allows digital transmission of data.
ISP
Internet Service Provider (ISP) is a company that provides others with access to the Internet.
IVR
Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is a phone menu solution that enables the dial pad for identification, segmentation, and routing callers to a particular agent.
IXC
Interexchange Carrier (IXC) is any carrier that offers services across local access and transport areas.
KB
Knowledge Base (KB) is a technology for storing complex or unstructured information.
KM
Knowledge Management (KM) is a system used to make, manage, and share knowledge and other types of information within a company.
KMS
Knowledge Management System (KMS) categorizes and stores the vast amount of knowledge from each answered call for analyzing and improving future customer interactions.
KPI
Key Performance Indicator (KPI) measures and shows how effectively a contact center achieves business objectives.
LAN
Local Area Network (LAN) is a computer network that interconnects computers within a limited area.
LCV
Lifetime Customer Value (LCV) is the value of a customer over their lifetime as an organization's client.
LCW
Longest Call Waiting (LCW) is the most extended time a caller has to wait before getting an answer.
LOA
Least Occupied Agent (LOA) is the agent with the lowest occupancy rate, which is the ratio between the times the agent has been busy compared to their total time.
MIA
Most Idle Agent (MIA) is a call center agent who is available and ready to take incoming calls.
MMR
Multimedia Routing (MMR) is a software solution that allows routing workflows for all media.
NLSR
Natural Language Speech Recognition (NLSR) is an advanced type of speech recognition for recognizing and interpreting phrases.
NPS
Net Promoter Score (NPS) measures customers' loyalty to a company.
NSP
Network Service Provider (NSP) is a company that sells bandwidth or network access by providing direct Internet backbone access to internet service providers.
OAM
Operations, Administration, and Maintenance (OAM) are the processes, tools, and standards involved with managing, operating, and maintaining a contact center system.
OPA
Off Phone Activity (OPA) is any task or activity completed by an agent that does not involve being on the phone or handling customer communication.
OSI
Open System Interconnector (OSI) provides a standard for different computer systems to be able to communicate with each other.
PABX
Private Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX) is a software solution that allows companies to use a single access number with several extensions.
PBX
Private Brand Exchange (PBX) is a phone network for a single organization.
PCP
Post Call Processing (PCP) is the duration of spending time between two successive calls.
PDA
Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) is a computer or a mobile device based on a software solution that works as a personal organizer.
PSTN
Public Switched Phone Network (PSTN) includes the world's circuit-switched phone networks operated by national, regional, or local phone operators.
QA
Quality Assurance (QA) is measuring call center agents' performance to determine if the level of service meets customer expectations.
QM
Quality Monitoring (QM) is a technology that helps to analyze and track agent performance across all customer interactions to meet service standards.
QoS
Quality of Service (QoS) includes any process that monitors data traffic to ensure that specific data streams provide customers a guaranteed level of service.
RFI
Request for Information (RFI) is an informative preliminary document requested by companies with no experience with a product to understand the available options.
RFP
Request for Proposal (RFP) is a document that requests vendors to propose solutions to business requirements and customers' issues.
RNA
Ring no Answer (RNA) is the duration of a call ringing before being classified as a no answer.
ROI
Return on Investment (ROI) measures the return on a particular investment relative to the investment's cost.
RTA
Real-time Adherence (RTA) pinpoints employees currently out of adherence with the schedule.
SA
Speech Analytics (SA) analyzes recorded calls to gather customer information to improve future communications.
SaaS
Software as a Service (SaaS) is a delivery model in which software solution is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted.
SBR
Skill-based Routing (SBR) assigns incoming calls to the most experienced and skilled agent instead of simply choosing the next available one.
SFA
Sales Force Automation (SFA) improves sales productivity by automating various sales processes in CRM tools.
SIP
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) initiates, maintains, and terminates real-time sessions that include voice, video, and messaging applications.
SL
Service Level (SL) measures the performance of a system in a call center.
SLA
Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a vendor's expected level of service, laying out the metrics by which service is measured.
TAPI
Telephony Applications Programming Interface (TAPI) provides phone integration and enables PCs running Microsoft Windows to use phone services.
TCO
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) includes a particular system, software, or hardware purchase price, plus operating costs over the asset's lifespan.
TSAPI
Telephony Server Application Programming Interface (TSAPI) is an API to integrate phone and computer systems, except it is server-based.
TTS
Text to Speech (TTS) is a form of speech synthesis used to create a spoken version of the text in an electronic document.
UC
Unified Communications (UC) integrates enterprise communication services such as instant messaging, voice, and video conferencing with non-real-time communication services.
UCD
Uniform Call Distributor (UCD) system automatically delivers each incoming call to the next available agent's line through a rotation of lines.
VOC
Voice of the Customer (VOC) includes customer service feedback, survey response, and insights.
VoIP
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a technology that delivers voice communication and multimedia sessions over Internet Protocol networks.
VPN
Virtual Private Network (VPN) extends a private network across a public network.
VRU
Voice Response Unit (VRU) is an automated phone answering system that allows the caller to navigate through a series of prerecorded messages.
WAN
Wide Area Network (WAN) is a telecommunications network that extends over a large geographic area for networking.
WFM
Workforce Management (WFM) is a combination of processes that maximizes performance levels and competency within a company.
WFO
Workforce Optimization (WFO) improves workforce management, integrating business performance considerations with workforce management.
