Inbound Voice Services

Inbound Voice Services are a suite of business call management solutions, primarily focused on handling incoming calls efficiently for customer service and contact centers. These services include features like toll-free numbers, advanced call routing to direct calls to the most appropriate agent, and interactive voice response (IVR) to help callers navigate options automatically. The goal is to improve customer experience, boost productivity, and provide businesses with control and visibility over their call traffic. 

Core Components and Features

Inbound Voice Services portfolio includes several key offerings that utilize both traditional (TDM) and modern Voice over IP (VoIP) networks: 

• Toll-Free & International Inbound Services: These services provide businesses with 8XX numbers (toll-free) and various international number types, allowing customers to call the business at no cost to themselves. This expands a company's reach and can increase business opportunities by making it easier for customers to connect.

• Intelligent Call Routing: This is a core feature that directs incoming calls based on predefined business rules, such as time of day, caller location (ANI), agent skills, or menu choices made in an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. This ensures callers reach the right department or agent on the first try, reducing wait times and improving satisfaction.

• Interactive Voice Response (IVR): This automated system interacts with callers using voice commands or keypad inputs to provide self-service options or route them without needing a live agent immediately.

• VoIP Inbound Local Origination (VILO): This service allows a business to use local phone numbers to create a "local presence" even if their contact center is in a different location. Calls to these local numbers receive the same advanced routing and management capabilities as toll-free calls.

• Call Management and Reporting Tools: Tools like the Network Manager in the Masslocal Enterprise Center provide businesses with near real-time visibility and control over their call configurations, traffic monitoring, and performance reports.

• Security and Anti-Fraud: To protect sensitive customer data, Masslocal offers services like VoIP Inbound Anti-Fraud and Authentication, which use multi-factor analysis to detect potential fraudsters and authenticate legitimate callers.

• Business Continuity: Features such as Network Redirect and various overflow routing options help ensure that a business doesn't miss calls, even during unexpected events or outages. 

In essence, Inbound Voice Services provide the robust, scalable, and intelligent network capabilities necessary for a modern contact center to operate efficiently and deliver a high-quality customer experience. More information is available on the Masslocal Business website.

What types of advanced call routing does Masslocal offer?

Masslocal offers a variety of advanced call routing capabilities designed to help businesses efficiently manage high call volumes and connect customers to the most appropriate resource quickly. These services, part of their Inbound Voice Solutions, can use data from multiple sources to make intelligent routing decisions. 

Key Advanced Call Routing Types

• Time-of-Day/Day-of-Week Routing: Calls can be automatically directed to different locations or resources based on the time a call is placed or the specific day of the week (e.g., routing to an after-hours call center).

• Geographic/Point-of-Call Routing: The system can identify the caller's geographic location (using Automatic Number Identification or ANI) and route them to a specific, pre-determined contact center, perhaps one in their local area or with agents trained in regional needs.

• Holiday Routing: Businesses can configure specific routing plans for holidays and other special days to ensure calls are handled appropriately when primary offices might be closed.

• Skills-Based Routing: As part of the Hosted Intelligent Contact Routing (ICR) solution, calls can be directed to the agent who is best qualified or has the specific skill set needed to address the customer's particular issue, often using a "universal queue" that handles various interaction types (voice, email, chat).

• Caller-Profile & Database Look-up Routing: The system can use the caller's phone number (ANI) or inputs from an IVR system to perform a real-time look-up in a customer relationship management (CRM) database. This data helps determine the caller's identity, history, and needs, allowing for highly personalized and informed routing to the best-suited agent.

• IVR-Based Routing (Automated Attendant): Callers interact with an automated system using voice commands or key inputs to select from a menu of options, and the system uses those choices to route them to the correct department or a self-service option.

• Percentage Allocation Routing: For businesses with multiple contact centers or teams, calls can be distributed based on predefined percentages (e.g., 60% to one location, 40% to another) to balance workloads or test performance.

• Business Continuity/Overflow Routing (Network Redirect): To ensure calls are not lost during peak traffic, network outages, or unexpected events, Masslocal offers services like Network Redirect and various overflow routing options that automatically divert calls to a backup location or alternate number.

• Talk-Time Routing: The system can route the next call to the agent who has spent the least amount of time on previous calls, helping to ensure an even distribution of work among agents. 

These advanced features can be managed through the Masslocal Enterprise Center Network Manager, giving businesses control and visibility over their call flow configurations.