Callback
A callback is when the business rings the customer back later, instead of leaving them waiting in a queue or losing a missed call.
A callback is when the business calls the customer back later instead of keeping them on hold. In call centers it comes in two forms. With a queue callback, a waiting caller is offered an option such as "press 1 to be called back without losing your place". With a missed-call callback, calls that went unanswered or were abandoned in the queue land on a list, and the team calls those people back afterwards.
How it works
With a queue callback, the system keeps the caller's place in line. When their turn comes, the callback is offered to an available operator, the customer is dialled once the operator accepts, and if they can't be reached the system tries again at intervals. With missed-call callbacks, the list keeps each call's time and number, and rules decide the order and who makes each call. Either way, the outcome of the callback should be recorded.
Why it matters
Long waits are one of the main reasons callers hang up. A callback takes the waiting off the caller's shoulders and lowers your missed-call rate. We look at what missed calls cost a business in The Cost of Missed Calls and Automatic Callbacks. A call back at the customer's own request is different in nature from a marketing call, but you should still review the consent rules that apply to your situation.
In Speakline
When you turn on callbacks for a queue in Speakline, the option is offered to callers once they have waited for the time you set, and they can press 1 to hang up without losing their place. The callback is offered to operators like a call and the customer is dialled once an operator accepts; if they can't be reached, it is retried up to the number of attempts you set, and any that don't connect stay on the list. Missed inbound calls can also be added to a callback list and returned in order. See Call center for details.