inbound
Callback queue
A callback queue holds requests from inbound callers who chose to be called back instead of waiting on hold, then feeds those requests to agents when they are free.
A callback queue is a holding list for callers who would rather hang up and be called back than wait on the line. Instead of sitting on hold, the caller leaves their number, ends the call, and the system rings them back when an agent is ready. It is the engine behind an In-queue callback offer.
Callers usually get this option when the Estimated hold time climbs past a comfortable point, or when a Queue overflow rule fires during a busy stretch. The key promise is that the caller keeps their Place in line, so people who choose the callback are not punished for it. They get help in the order they would have had on hold.
Be careful not to confuse this with a Scheduled callback. A scheduled callback is an agent setting up a specific date and time to reach someone later, often on an outbound campaign. A callback queue is automatic and near-term: it works through the Ingroup backlog as fast as agents become free, usually within minutes rather than days.
Done well, a callback queue cuts the number of people who give up and hang up, because they no longer have to wait with the phone to their ear. The thing to watch is that you still call them back promptly. A callback that arrives an hour later, when the customer has moved on, just feels like a missed call rather than good service.
Related terms
Estimated hold time
Estimated hold time is the system's guess of how long a waiting caller will sit in the queue before reaching an agent, often announced to the caller.
Ingroup
An inbound group in VICIdial that routes incoming calls to a pool of agents, the inbound counterpart to an outbound campaign.
In-queue callback
An in-queue callback lets a waiting caller hang up but keep their spot, so an agent calls them back when their turn arrives instead of holding.
Place in line
Place in line is a caller's numbered position in the waiting queue, often announced so they know how many callers are ahead of them.
Queue overflow
Queue overflow is a backup plan that moves callers out of a full or stalled inbound queue and into another destination so they are not stuck waiting forever.
Scheduled callback
A scheduled callback is a future appointment an agent sets so the dialer calls a lead back at a specific date and time.