Application Programme Interface (API): This is a piece of software which connects the telephone system to the host computer system and allows them to communicate with each other.
ASDL: Low-cost, high-speed Internet access technology, a service due to be launched during 2000.
Automatic Dialler: See outbound dialler. These automate outgoing calls and have various levels of sophistication. See screen, power, predictive and progressive dialling.
Automatic Call Distributor / Distribution (ACD): A system for handling call volumes which automatically offers the next call to the agent waiting for the longest period. However, these systems can now be very sophistocated and can be configured with a variety of parameters in order to give priorities to different callers and route certain types of calls to specific groups or individuals. ACDs also provide a wealth of reports.
Bit: In the digital universe, numbers are represented as a series of zeros and ones and these are referred to as bits.
Advisors: An office of agents or advisor taking inbound calls / making outbound calls - usually telemarketing or telesales.
Call Centre Manager (CCM): Self explanatory.
Customer Services Manager (CSM): A variation of title from Call Centre Manager.
Calling Line Identity (CLI): A feature which enables the callers own telephone number to be forwarded at the same time as their call, enabling identification.
Computer-based Training (CBT): Where the learning process takes place at the keyboard through exchanges between the learner and a pre-written programme. It is particularly useful where there is just one right answer and one right way of doing something.
Computer Telephone Integration (CTI): Where the computer and telephone interact with each other, enabling you to give commands to the telephone through your PC.
Computer Supported Telephony Applications (CSTA): The language used between computers and telephone systems, set to a specific standard by European Computer Manufacturing Association.
Contact Centre (CC): Operates in exactly the same way as a Call Centre but agents manage all forms of communication.
Contact Centre Manager (CCM): Self Explanatory.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Where companies use a variety of methods and contact strategies to build lasting and profitable relationships with customers,retaining their custom and generating more revenue.
CRM (and eCRM): Generic term for the software applications to deliver Customer Relationship Management - Siebel, Oracle etc. Can be used in conjunction with middleware applications to provide integration with front off and back office applications.
DASS or DASS II: Standing for Digital Access Signalling System, this describes the method used in the UK for communicating ISDN30.
Dialled Number Identification System / Service (DNIS): Where more than one telephone number terminates on one queue, this facility enables the system to recognise the different numbers dialled and therefore identifies the call volume made to each number.
Digital Private Network Signalling System (DPNSS): The main type of digital private networking, it is similar to ISDN30 in that it comes in 2 megabit blocks, each capable of carrying up to 30 simultaneous telephone calls.
Direct Dial Inward (DDI): Where you can dial directly into a company and reach an extension without going through a switchboard operator.
Distributed Collaborative Learning (DCL): The concept of people learning together through the Internet without necessarily physically being together.
E-Commerce: Trading where the transaction including payment takes place over the Internet.
E-Government: The initiative from Central Government to get all central and local government services available on line by 2005.
Extranet: A network using the Internet, that can be viewed as part of a company's intranet that is private but extended to specified users outside the company such as special customers or suppliers.
Full Time Equivalents (FTE): Term used for calculating the number of agents / advisors etc in a call centre, made up of full time and part time people.
Graphical User Interface (GUI): Pronounced 'gooey'. This is a generic term for presentation on screen of computer information in a graphical format (simply put, using 'easy-to-identify' pictures such as icons).
Global System for Mobile communications (GSM): Digital system for mobile communications.
Hypertext Mark Up Language (HTML): The language protocol of the internet, enabling all computers, PC or Mac, anywhere in the world to share information. All documents need to be 'translated' into HTML in order to be viewed on the internet. There are now many packages that can do this automatically from word processed documents.
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN): An all digital network which may carry both voice and data and is usually leased in bundles of 30 trunks.
Interactive Voice Response (IVR): Where an inbound call is answered by a recording which requests the customer to press buttons on the keypad, or speak, in response to a menu of options. The choices selected may instruct the system to search host systems for specific information which is then converted into the spoken word, for example, a bank balance.
Interactive Web Response (IWR): Enables customers to transact business on the internet, interacting with the company's database, and transfer to an agent in the call centre, continuing the enquiry over the phone, or by using web chat.
KPI's: Key Performance Indicators. These are the competencies, skills or targets which have been identified as key to good performance.
Local Area Network (LAN): Used to link computers and other devices, such as printers and faxes, a LAN enables computers to share files and resources.
Management Information Services (MIS): Reports from the ACD showing data on agents and agent groups, inbound and outbound calls, and exchange lines.
Middleware: One of many software applications that are designed to link the interactions with the front office (call centre, retail outlet, reception) to multiple processes of the back office (ledger, sales order processing, workflow, job planning and scheduling).
Network Computer (NC): Where you put most of the intellingence back into the server (similar to a mainframe system and dumb terminals where you use the desktop PC merely for input, output and presentation with all the applications running only on the server). However the NC does have its own intelligence.
Network Services (NS): The infrastructure over which voice and data travels.
Outbound Dialler: This automates outgoing calls and has various levels of sophistication.
PABX: Originally PBX was Private Branch Exchange and PABX was Private Automated Branch Exchange, but only the latter applies. This is a generic term for a telephone system that is found inside a company's premises (as opposed to one serving the general public). Automation has meant that employees can dial out themselves (by pressing a number, say 9) rather than having to request a line from the switchboard operator.
Predictive Dialling: A system used to regulate the number of outbound calls made, based on the probability of an agent being available.
PTO: Public Telephone Operator. Also called network provider.
PSTN: Public Switched Telephone Network - the public telephone network.
RAN: Recorded announcement - an intercept message controlled by the ACD using parameters such as the ring time, or the time of day (for night messaging).
Service Level Agreement (SLA): An agreement set between company and client to measure the level of service for example 3 day delivery times, engineers in 24 hours etc.
Short Message Service (SMS): A service for sending messages of up to 160 characters to mobile phones that use GSM.
SMART: Objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time based.
TLA: Three letter abbreviations, we had to include this one.
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP): the process by which a voice conversation with an agent is maintained over the same telephone line as the Internet connection.
Wireless Application Protocol (WAP): A specification for a set of communication protocols to standardise the way that wireless devices, such as cellular telephones and radio transceivers, can be used for internet access, including e-mail, the World Wide Web and newsgroups.
