In telecommunications, call management is the process of designing

Systems design

Systems design is the process of defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and data for a system to satisfy specified requirements. One could see it as the application of systems theory to product development...

 and implementing rules and parameter

Parameter

Parameter from Ancient Greek παρά also “para” meaning “beside, subsidiary” and μέτρον also “metron” meaning “measure”, can be interpreted in mathematics, logic, linguistics, environmental science and other disciplines....

s governing the routing

Routing

Routing is the process of selecting paths in a network along which to send network traffic. Routing is performed for many kinds of networks, including the telephone network , electronic data networks , and transportation networks...

 of inbound telephone call

Telephone call

A telephone call is a connection over a telephone network between the calling party and the called party.-Information transmission:A telephone call may carry ordinary voice transmission using a telephone, data transmission when the calling party and called party are using modems, or facsimile...

s through a network

Network model

The network model is a database model conceived as a flexible way of representing objects and their relationships. Its distinguishing feature is that the schema, viewed as a graph in which object types are nodes and relationship types are arcs, is not restricted to being a hierarchy or lattice.The...

. These rules can specify how calls are distributed according to the time and/or date of the call as well as the location of the caller (usually defined by the outbound Caller ID

Caller ID

Caller ID , also called calling line identification or calling number identification or Calling Line Identification Presentation , is a telephone service, available in analog and digital phone systems and most Voice over Internet Protocol applications, that transmits a caller's number to...

). Call Management also involves the use of Calling Features such as Call Queues

Virtual queue

Virtual queuing is a concept used in inbound call centers. Call centers use an Automatic Call Distributor to distribute incoming calls to specific resources in the center. ACDs hold queued calls in First In, First Out order until agents become available...

, IVR Menus

Interactive voice response

Interactive voice response is a technology that allows a computer to interact with humans through the use of voice and DTMF keypad inputs....

, Hunt Groups and Recorded Announcements

Sound recording and reproduction

Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...

 to provide a customised experience for the caller and to maximize the efficiency of inbound call handling. Call management is most effective when a call logging

Call logging

Call logging is the process of collecting phone call data, analysing this data, and then reporting on the telephone network's cost, performance, capacity and quality of service . It should not be confused with telephone tapping or call recording...

 software tool is used.

Network types

Call Management is performed on varying degrees of scale, from an individual screening unwanted calls from a residential landline to an international call carrier

Telephone company

A telephone company is a service provider of telecommunications services such as telephony and data communications access. Many were at one time nationalized or state-regulated monopolies...

 routing calls to different worldwide locations by percentage

Percentage

In mathematics, a percentage is a way of expressing a number as a fraction of 100 . It is often denoted using the percent sign, “%”, or the abbreviation “pct”. For example, 45% is equal to 45/100, or 0.45.Percentages are used to express how large/small one quantity is, relative to another quantity...

. Systems for governing Call Management can be in the form of hardware

Hardware

Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....

, such as a PBX Telephone System attached to an ISDN30

Integrated Services Digital Network

Integrated Services Digital Network is a set of communications standards for simultaneous digital transmission of voice, video, data, and other network services over the traditional circuits of the public switched telephone network...

 or a hosted software

Computer software

Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....

-based system. The Automatic call distributor

Automatic call distributor

In telephony, an Automatic Call Distributor , also known as Automated Call Distribution, is a device or system that distributes incoming calls to a specific group of terminals that agents use. It is often part of a computer telephony integration system.Routing incoming calls is the task of the ACD...

 may also provide a screen pop

Screen pop

In call centers that provide integration between a telephone system and an agent's desktop , a screen pop is a window or dialog box that autonomously appears on the desktop, displaying information for a call simultaneously sent to that agent's telephone....

 or other information to the call answerer.

Calling features

Calls are routed according to the setting up of calling features within the given system. Common examples of Calling Features include:

• Translation – The automatic routing of inbound calls from one telephone number
  Telephone number
  A telephone number or phone number is a sequence of digits used to call from one telephone line to another in a public switched telephone network. When telephone numbers were invented, they were short — as few as one, two or three digits — and were given orally to a switchboard operator...
  
   to another.
• Hunt Group – A directory
  Directory (file systems)
  In computing, a folder, directory, catalog, or drawer, is a virtual container originally derived from an earlier Object-oriented programming concept by the same name within a digital file system, in which groups of computer files and other folders can be kept and organized.A typical file system may...
  
   containing one or many destination numbers which, on receiving an incoming call, is programmed to ring them in a particular order, simultaneously or simply in the order in which they have most recently answered before being sent to a final destination if still unanswered.
• Call Queue
  Virtual queue
  Virtual queuing is a concept used in inbound call centers. Call centers use an Automatic Call Distributor to distribute incoming calls to specific resources in the center. ACDs hold queued calls in First In, First Out order until agents become available...
  
   – A directory similar to a Hunt Group that keeps the caller on hold until one of the destination numbers becomes available.
• Auto Attendant
  Automated attendant
  In telephony, an automated attendant allows callers to be automatically transferred to an extension without the intervention of an operator/receptionist). Many AAs will also offer a simple menu system...
  
   – A large directory of extension numbers which can be chosen by the caller, each with its own specific routing behaviour.
• Location-Based Routing
  Location-based routing
  Location-Based Routing is a system of rules to varying degrees of complexity dictating where inbound telephone calls from various locations are routed to...
  
  – Rules programmed in at particular points in a system to route the call on to different destinations depending on the location of the caller.
• Time and Date-Based Routing – Rules programmed in at particular points in a system to route the call on to different destinations depending the time or date of the call.
• Call Whisper
  Call Whisper
  Call Whisper, otherwise known as Call Screening, is a calling feature that often appears on Non-Geographic Telephony systems and hosted inbound call handling software. It involves the playing of a message to the called party when they have answered a call, during which time the calling party...
  
  – A message played to an agent after answering a call that can give them information about the call in advance based on the Caller ID, number dialled or route taken through the system.
• Interactive voice response
  Interactive voice response
  Interactive voice response is a technology that allows a computer to interact with humans through the use of voice and DTMF keypad inputs....
  
  – A sound recording device to allow a caller to give information to the system verbally about what services or support they require.
• Fax to Email
  Internet fax
  Internet fax uses the Internet to receive and send faxes.Internet faxing, "e-Fax" or "online faxing" is a general term which refers to sending a document facsimile using the Internet, rather than using only phone networks with a fax machine.Depending on the specific method/implementation ,...
  
   – A Device for routing inbound fax
  Fax
  Fax , sometimes called telecopying, is the telephonic transmission of scanned printed material , normally to a telephone number connected to a printer or other output device...
  
   calls to one or more email addresses, usually as attachments
  E-mail attachment
  An email attachment is a computer file sent along with an email message. One or more files can be attached to any email message, and be sent along with it to the recipient. This is typically used as a simple method to share documents and images...
  
  .

Call records

Systems often retain information about received calls which can be stored, analysed and interpreted by the system administrator

System administrator

A system administrator, IT systems administrator, systems administrator, or sysadmin is a person employed to maintain and operate a computer system and/or network...

.

• Call Detail Records
  Call detail record
  A call detail record , also known as call data record, is a data record produced by a telephone exchange or other telecommunications equipment documenting the details of a phone call that passed through the facility or device...
  
   (CDRs) – Records of all received calls, usually including time, date, duration, calling number and called number. Hosted services can also show pricing information.
• Call Recording
  Call recording software
  Call recording software records telephone conversations over PSTN or VoIP in a digital audio file format. Call recording is distinct from call logging and tracking, which record details about the call but not the conversation; however, software may include both recording and logging...
  
   – Many systems have the ability to record and store calls for future reference.
• Voice
  Voicemail
  Voicemail is a computer based system that allows users and subscribers to exchange personal voice messages; to select and deliver voice information; and to process transactions relating to individuals, organizations, products and services, using an ordinary telephone...
  
   and Fax Mailboxes – Inbound faxes and voicemail messages can be stored on systems also.

See also

• Direct Inward Dialing
  Direct Inward Dialing
  Direct inward dialing , also called direct dial-in in Europe and Oceania, is a feature offered by telephone companies for use with their customers' private branch exchange systems...
  
  
• DnD - Do Not Disturb (Telecommunication)
  DnD - Do Not Disturb (Telecommunication)
  Do Not Disturb is a common feature in enterprise telecommunications. When it is enabled, it prevents the telephone from ringing. The implementation of this feature is vendor-specific. In some cases, the ringer just does not ring and the called party is thus not alerted. Usually, though, the phone...