Every Misrouted Call Costs You a Customer

ACD (Automatic Call Distribution) is call center technology that automatically routes incoming calls to available agents based on predefined rules. Instead of callers waiting in a single queue, ACD analyzes factors like agent skills, availability, queue conditions, and caller data to connect each call to the best-suited agent. ACD is the backbone of any professional call center, ensuring calls are handled efficiently and customers reach help quickly.

When a call arrives, the ACD system identifies the caller (via caller ID, IVR selections, or CRM lookup), checks agent availability across defined skill groups, applies routing rules (skills-based, round-robin, longest-idle, etc.), and connects the caller to the best available agent. If no agents are available, the caller enters a queue with estimated wait times, callback options, or overflow routing. The entire process happens in milliseconds.

IVR (Interactive Voice Response) is the automated menu system callers interact with ("Press 1 for sales, 2 for support"). ACD is what happens after the IVR—it routes the call to the right agent. IVR collects information and intent; ACD acts on that information to route intelligently. Platform28 combines IVR and ACD into a seamless system where IVR selections feed directly into ACD routing decisions.

Skills-based routing matches callers to agents based on agent skills and caller needs. For example, a Spanish-speaking customer calling about a specific product gets routed to an agent who speaks Spanish AND knows that product. Skills can include languages, product certifications, technical expertise, seniority level, or any custom attribute. Platform28 supports unlimited skill categories with weighted proficiency levels.

Call routing is the general concept of directing calls to destinations. ACD is a specific, sophisticated form of call routing designed for contact centers with multiple agents. Basic call routing might send all calls to one number. ACD distributes calls intelligently across many agents based on real-time conditions, skills, and business rules. ACD also includes queue management, overflow handling, and detailed analytics.

Key ACD metrics include: Average Speed of Answer (ASA), Abandonment Rate, Service Level (% answered within target time), Average Handle Time (AHT), Agent Utilization, Queue Time, First Call Resolution (FCR), and Transfer Rate. Platform28 provides real-time dashboards and historical reporting for all these metrics, plus custom KPIs specific to your business.

Yes, modern cloud ACD systems like Platform28 route calls across unlimited locations as if they were one virtual contact center. Agents can be in headquarters, remote offices, or working from home—ACD treats them all equally. Geographic routing can send calls to local agents when available, with overflow to other locations during peak times or after hours.

Platform28 ACD provides multiple options when queues form: estimated wait time announcements, position-in-queue updates, callback scheduling (hold your place without waiting on hold), overflow to secondary teams, voicemail options, or routing to self-service. You configure queue treatments per queue to match customer expectations and business priorities.

Platform28 ACD integrates with Salesforce, HubSpot, Zendesk, and 50+ CRMs. When calls arrive, the system looks up caller data to inform routing decisions (route to account owner, prioritize enterprise accounts) and delivers screen pops to agents showing customer history. Call outcomes sync back to CRM automatically for complete interaction records.

On-premise ACD requires hardware in your data center, IT staff for maintenance, and capital expenditure. Cloud ACD like Platform28 runs in the cloud with no hardware, automatic updates, and subscription pricing. Cloud ACD scales instantly, supports remote agents natively, and typically costs 40-60% less than on-premise over 3 years.

Cloud ACD pricing typically ranges from $50-150 per agent per month. Platform28 ACD starts at $65/agent/month and includes skills-based routing, queue management, real-time analytics, CRM integration, and 24/7 support. Enterprise features like custom integrations and dedicated support are available in higher tiers. No per-minute charges or hidden fees.

Getting started is fast: Request a demo to see ACD with your specific use cases. Our team designs your routing logic, configures skill groups, integrates your phone numbers and CRM, and trains your team. Most customers go live within 2-3 weeks. We offer a free trial so you can validate the system before committing.