The demarcation has blurred in the last decade. Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) has a very broad definition now. Traditional phone switches (PBX) which provide phone extensions and connectivity to Telco, offer all the normal functionalities for call handling including Auto-attendant, Direct inward dialing, Find-me follow-me and voice-mail. Call center ACD handles Agents (as opposed to plain extensions), detailed IVR (interactive Voice Response) and Queues. The degree of sophistication within the PBX as well as call center ACD applications have evolved considerably. Automatic call distribution (ACD) is not limited simple call distribution, but an opportunity to created clever mechanisms to enrich interactions with the callers. Cost-effectiveness and increase in productivity are the key factors driving businesses to incorporate sophisticated ACD.
PBX manufacturers offer many basic ACD features as a part of the ACD. Most offices require some form of call distribution and these ACD features go a long way in fulfilling the requirements of small and medium enterprises (SME).
ACD used in most call centers will be a distinct software application connecting to a PBX. The PBX will provide all the telephony interfaces leaving the ACD to deliver more sophisticated features. Basic ACD features include Skills Based Routing, Queue Prioritization, On-hook/Off-hook Agents, Agent Grouping, Agent Hot-desking, Live Dashboard, Supervisor Monitoring, Detailed Reporting, IVR and a Scheduling tool. Different ACDs will offer varying degree of sophistication and flexibility. An ACD software will convert a normal PBX into an efficient call handling and distribution system to meet the extreme communication demands of modern day online businesses.