Chatbot - Wikipedia
Modern chatbots are typically online and use generative artificial intelligence systems that are capable of maintaining a conversation with a user in natural ...
Call center
Chatbots are increasingly present in businesses and often are used to automate tasks that do not require skill-based talents. With customer service taking place via messaging apps as well as phone calls, there are growing numbers of use-cases where chatbot deployment gives organizations a clear return on investment. <anchor>Call center</anchor> workers may be particularly at risk from AI-driven chatbots.[100]
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## Contents

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- (Top)

- [1History](#History)
- [2Technology](#Technology)Toggle Technology subsection  - [2.1Premises-based technology](#Premises-based_technology)
  - [2.2Virtual call centre](#Virtual_call_centre)
  - [2.3Cloud computing](#Cloud_computing)
  - [2.4Outsourcing](#Outsourcing)
- [3Industries](#Industries)Toggle Industries subsection  - [3.1Healthcare](#Healthcare)
  - [3.2Hospitality](#Hospitality)
- [4Evaluation](#Evaluation)Toggle Evaluation subsection  - [4.1Mathematical theory](#Mathematical_theory)
- [5Criticism](#Criticism)
- [6Media portrayals](#Media_portrayals)
- [7Appointment Setting](#Appointment_Setting)
- [8Lead Generation](#Lead_Generation)
- [9See also](#See_also)
- [10References](#References)
- [11Further reading](#Further_reading)
- [12External links](#External_links)

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# Call centre

36 languages

- [العربية](https://ar.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%B2_%D8%A7%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA "مركز اتصالات – Arabic")
- [Беларуская](https://be.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%BE%D0%BB-%D1%86%D1%8D%D0%BD%D1%82%D1%80 "Кол-цэнтр – Belarusian")
- [भोजपुरी](https://bh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%A4%95%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B2_%E0%A4%B8%E0%A5%87%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%9F%E0%A4%B0 "काल सेंटर – Bhojpuri")
- [Български](https://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%86%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D1%8A%D1%80 "Колцентър – Bulgarian")
- [Català](https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centre_d%27atenci%C3%B3_telef%C3%B2nica "Centre d'atenció telefònica – Catalan")
- [Čeština](https://cs.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_centrum "Call centrum – Czech")
- [Deutsch](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callcenter "Callcenter – German")
- [Eesti](https://et.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C3%B5nekeskus "Kõnekeskus – Estonian")
- [Español](https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centro_de_llamadas "Centro de llamadas – Spanish")
- [Esperanto](https://eo.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vokocentro "Vokocentro – Esperanto")
- [فارسی](https://fa.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D9%85%D8%B1%DA%A9%D8%B2_%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B3 "مرکز تماس – Persian")
- [Français](https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centre_d%27appel "Centre d'appel – French")
- [한국어](https://ko.wikipedia.org/wiki/%EC%BD%9C_%EC%84%BC%ED%84%B0 "콜 센터 – Korean")
- [Bahasa Indonesia](https://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pusat_panggilan "Pusat panggilan – Indonesian")
- [Interlingua](https://ia.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centro_de_appellar "Centro de appellar – Interlingua")
- [Italiano](https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_center "Call center – Italian")
- [עברית](https://he.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D7%9E%D7%95%D7%A7%D7%93_%D7%98%D7%9C%D7%A4%D7%95%D7%A0%D7%99 "מוקד טלפוני – Hebrew")
- [Latviešu](https://lv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zvanu_centrs "Zvanu centrs – Latvian")
- [Lietuvių](https://lt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skambu%C4%8Di%C5%B3_centras "Skambučių centras – Lithuanian")
- [Magyar](https://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_center "Call center – Hungarian")
- [Bahasa Melayu](https://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pusat_panggilan "Pusat panggilan – Malay")
- [Nederlands](https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callcenter "Callcenter – Dutch")
- [日本語](https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B3%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%82%BB%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC "コールセンター – Japanese")
- [Norsk bokmål](https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kundesenter "Kundesenter – Norwegian Bokmål")
- [Polski](https://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_center "Call center – Polish")
- [Português](https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_de_atendimento "Central de atendimento – Portuguese")
- [Română](https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Call_centru_bazat_pe_protocoale_IP "Call centru bazat pe protocoale IP – Romanian")
- [Русский](https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BB-%D1%86%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D1%80 "Колл-центр – Russian")
- [Shqip](https://sq.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qendra_e_thirrjeve "Qendra e thirrjeve – Albanian")
- [Српски / srpski](https://sr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%BE%D0%B7%D0%B8%D0%B2%D0%BD%D0%B8_%D1%86%D0%B5%D0%BD%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%80 "Позивни центар – Serbian")
- [Svenska](https://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Callcenter "Callcenter – Swedish")
- [ไทย](https://th.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E0%B8%A8%E0%B8%B9%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%A2%E0%B9%8C%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%9A%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87 "ศูนย์รับเรื่อง – Thai")
- [Türkçe](https://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%87a%C4%9Fr%C4%B1_merkezi "Çağrı merkezi – Turkish")
- [اردو](https://ur.wikipedia.org/wiki/%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%84_%D8%B3%D9%86%D9%B9%D8%B1 "کال سنٹر – Urdu")
- [Tiếng Việt](https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trung_t%C3%A2m_cu%E1%BB%99c_g%E1%BB%8Di "Trung tâm cuộc gọi – Vietnamese")
- [中文](https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%91%BC%E5%8F%AB%E4%B8%AD%E5%BF%83 "呼叫中心 – Chinese")

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from [Call center](/w/index.php?title=Call_center&redirect=no "Call center"))

Office dealing with a large volume of enquiries by telephone

For the contact centres in family law, see [children's centre](/wiki/Children%27s_centre "Children's centre").

[E-commerce](/wiki/E-commerce "E-commerce")[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Shopping_cart_icon.svg/42px-Shopping_cart_icon.svg.png)](/wiki/File:Shopping_cart_icon.svg)
Digital content

- [Ebook](/wiki/Ebook "Ebook")
- [Software](/wiki/Software "Software")
- [Streaming media](/wiki/Streaming_media "Streaming media")

Retail goods and services

- [Advertising](/wiki/Online_advertising "Online advertising")
- [Auctions](/wiki/Online_auction "Online auction")
- [Banking](/wiki/Online_banking "Online banking")
- [DVD-by-mail](/wiki/DVD-by-mail "DVD-by-mail")
- [Distribution](/wiki/Digital_distribution "Digital distribution")
- [Food ordering](/wiki/Online_food_ordering "Online food ordering")
- [Grocery](/wiki/Online_grocer "Online grocer")
- [Marketplace](/wiki/Online_marketplace "Online marketplace")
- [Pharmacy](/wiki/Online_pharmacy "Online pharmacy")
- [Ride-hailing](/wiki/Ridesharing_company "Ridesharing company")
- [Travel](/wiki/Travel_website "Travel website")

[Online shopping](/wiki/Online_shopping "Online shopping")

- [Comparison shopping](/wiki/Comparison_shopping_website "Comparison shopping website")
- [Social commerce](/wiki/Social_commerce "Social commerce")
- [Trading communities](/wiki/Online_trading_community "Online trading community")
- [Wallet](/wiki/Online_wallet "Online wallet")

[Mobile commerce](/wiki/Mobile_commerce "Mobile commerce")

- [Payment](/wiki/Mobile_payment "Mobile payment")
- [Ticketing](/wiki/Mobile_ticketing "Mobile ticketing")

[Customer service](/wiki/Customer_service "Customer service")

- Call centre
- [Help desk](/wiki/Help_desk "Help desk")
- [Live support software](/wiki/Online_chat "Online chat")

[E-procurement](/wiki/E-procurement "E-procurement")[Purchase-to-pay](/wiki/Purchase-to-pay "Purchase-to-pay")[Super-apps](/wiki/Super-app "Super-app")

- [v](/wiki/Template:E-commerce "Template:E-commerce")
- [t](/wiki/Template_talk:E-commerce "Template talk:E-commerce")
- [e](/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:E-commerce "Special:EditPage/Template:E-commerce")

[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Police_contact_centre_1970.jpg/220px-Police_contact_centre_1970.jpg)](/wiki/File:Police_contact_centre_1970.jpg) A 1970 police call centre in [Brierley Hill](/wiki/Brierley_Hill "Brierley Hill"), England

A **call centre** ( [Commonwealth spelling](/wiki/English_in_the_Commonwealth_of_Nations "English in the Commonwealth of Nations")) or **call center** ( [American spelling](/wiki/American_English "American English"); [see spelling differences](/wiki/American_and_British_English_spelling_differences#-re,_-er "American and British English spelling differences")) is a managed capability that can be centralised or remote that is used for receiving or transmitting a large volume of enquiries by [telephone](/wiki/Telephone "Telephone"). An inbound call centre is operated by a [company](/wiki/Company "Company") to administer incoming product or service support or information inquiries from consumers. Outbound call centres are usually operated for sales purposes such as [telemarketing](/wiki/Telemarketing "Telemarketing"), for solicitation of charitable or [political donations](/wiki/Political_donations "Political donations"), [debt collection](/wiki/Debt_collection "Debt collection"), [market research](/wiki/Market_research "Market research"), emergency notifications, and urgent/critical needs [blood banks](/wiki/Blood_banks "Blood banks"). A **contact centre** is a further extension of call centres telephony based capabilities, administers centralised handling of individual communications, including [letters](/wiki/Letter_(message) "Letter (message)"), [faxes](/wiki/Fax "Fax"), [live support software](/wiki/Live_support_software "Live support software"), [social media](/wiki/Social_media "Social media"), [instant message](/wiki/Instant_message "Instant message"), and [email](/wiki/Email "Email").[\[1\]](#cite_note-EWA-1)

A call center was previously seen as an open workspace for [call center agents](/wiki/Customer_representative "Customer representative"), with workstations that included a computer and display for each agent and were connected to an inbound/outbound call management system, and one or more supervisor stations. It can be independently operated or networked with additional centers, often linked to a corporate [computer network](/wiki/Computer_network "Computer network"), including [mainframes](/wiki/Mainframe_computer "Mainframe computer"), microcomputer, servers and [LANs](/wiki/Local_area_network "Local area network"). It is expected that [artificial intelligence](/wiki/Artificial_intelligence "Artificial intelligence")-based [chatbots](/wiki/Chatbot "Chatbot") will significantly impact call centre jobs and will increase productivity substantially.[\[2\]](#cite_note-2)[\[3\]](#cite_note-Gupta_3-3)[\[4\]](#cite_note-mckinsey_1-4) Many organisations have already adopted AI-based chatbots to improve their customer service experience.[\[4\]](#cite_note-mckinsey_1-4)[\[5\]](#cite_note-5)[\[3\]](#cite_note-Gupta_3-3)

The contact center is a central point from which all customer contacts are managed. Through contact centers, valuable information can be routed to the appropriate people or systems, contacts can be tracked, and data may be gathered. It is generally a part of the company's [customer relationship management](/wiki/Customer_relationship_management "Customer relationship management") infrastructure. The majority of large companies use contact centers as a means of managing their customer interactions. These centers can be operated by either an in-house department responsible or outsourcing customer interaction to a third-party agency (known as Outsourcing Call Centres[\[6\]](#cite_note-6)).

## History

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=1 "Edit section: History")\]

[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7c/Callcentre.jpg/220px-Callcentre.jpg)](/wiki/File:Callcentre.jpg) A very large call centre in Lakeland, Florida (2006)

Answering services, as known in the 1960s through the 1980s, earlier and slightly later, involved a business that specifically provided the service. Primarily, by using an [off-premises extension](/wiki/Off-premises_extension "Off-premises extension") (OPX) for each subscribing business, connected at a switchboard at the answering service business, the answering service would answer the otherwise unattended phones of the subscribing businesses with a live operator. The live operator could take messages or relay information, doing so with greater human interactivity than a mechanical answering machine. Although undoubtedly more costly (the human service, the cost of setting up and paying the phone company for the OPX on a monthly basis), it had the advantage of being more ready to respond to the unique needs of after-hours callers. The answering service operators also had the option of calling the client and alerting them to particularly important calls.

The origins of call centers date back to the 1960s with the UK-based Birmingham Press and Mail, which installed Private Automated Business Exchanges (PABX) to have rows of agents handling customer contacts.[\[7\]](#cite_note-7)[\[8\]](#cite_note-8) By 1973, call centers had received mainstream attention after Rockwell International patented its Galaxy Automatic Call Distributor (GACD) for a telephone booking system as well as the popularization of telephone headsets as seen on televised [NASA Mission Control Center](/wiki/Christopher_C._Kraft_Jr._Mission_Control_Center "Christopher C. Kraft Jr. Mission Control Center") events.[\[9\]](#cite_note-9)[\[10\]](#cite_note-10)

During the late 1970s, call center technology expanded to include telephone sales, airline reservations, and banking systems. The term "call center" was first published and recognised by the _[Oxford English Dictionary](/wiki/Oxford_English_Dictionary "Oxford English Dictionary")_ in 1983. The 1980s saw the development of [toll-free telephone numbers](/wiki/Toll-free_telephone_number "Toll-free telephone number") to increase the efficiency of agents and overall call volume. Call centers increased with the deregulation of [long-distance calling](/wiki/Long-distance_calling "Long-distance calling") and growth in information-dependent industries.[\[11\]](#cite_note-11)

As call centres expanded, workers in [North America](/wiki/North_America "North America") began to join unions[\[12\]](#cite_note-12) such as the [Communications Workers of America](/wiki/Communications_Workers_of_America "Communications Workers of America")[\[13\]](#cite_note-13) and the [United Steelworkers](/wiki/United_Steelworkers "United Steelworkers"). In [Australia](/wiki/Australia "Australia"), the [National Union of Workers](/wiki/National_Union_of_Workers "National Union of Workers") represents unionised workers; their activities form part of the [Australian labour movement](/wiki/Australian_labour_movement "Australian labour movement").[\[14\]](#cite_note-14) In [Europe](/wiki/Europe "Europe"), [UNI Global Union](/wiki/UNI_Global_Union "UNI Global Union") of [Switzerland](/wiki/Switzerland "Switzerland") is involved in assisting unionisation in the call center industry,[\[15\]](#cite_note-15) and in Germany [Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft](/wiki/Vereinte_Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft "Vereinte Dienstleistungsgewerkschaft") represents call centre workers.

During the 1990s, call centres expanded internationally and developed into two additional subsets of communication: contact centres and outsourced bureau centres. A contact centre is a coordinated system of people, processes, technologies, and strategies that provides access to information, resources, and expertise, through appropriate channels of communication, enabling interactions that create value for the customer and organization.[\[16\]](#cite_note-16) In contrast to in-house management, outsourced bureau contact centres are a model of contact centre that provide services on a "pay per use" model. The overheads of the contact centre are shared by many clients, thereby supporting a very cost effective model, especially for low volumes of calls. The modern contact centre includes automated call blending of inbound and outbound calls as well as predictive dialing capabilities, dramatically increasing agents' productivity. New implementations of more complex systems require highly skilled operational and management staff that can use [multichannel](/wiki/Multichannel_marketing "Multichannel marketing") online and offline tools to improve customer interactions.[\[17\]](#cite_note-17)[\[18\]](#cite_note-18)[\[19\]](#cite_note-19)

## Technology

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=2 "Edit section: Technology")\]

[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Callcentreterminal.JPG/220px-Callcentreterminal.JPG)](/wiki/File:Callcentreterminal.JPG) Call centre worker confined to a small workstation/booth, using [CallWeb](/w/index.php?title=CallWeb&action=edit&redlink=1 "CallWeb (page does not exist)")[\[20\]](#cite_note-CallWeb-20) Internet-based survey software

[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Call_centre_desk_lakeland_florida.jpg/179px-Call_centre_desk_lakeland_florida.jpg)](/wiki/File:Call_centre_desk_lakeland_florida.jpg)

Workstation

[![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/Aspect_Tel-set_telephone_call_centre.jpg/185px-Aspect_Tel-set_telephone_call_centre.jpg)](/wiki/File:Aspect_Tel-set_telephone_call_centre.jpg)

A typical call centre telephone. Note: no handset; phone is for headset use only

Call-centre technology circa 2005

Call centre technologies often include: [speech recognition](/wiki/Speech_recognition "Speech recognition") software which allowed [Interactive Voice Response (IVR)](/wiki/Interactive_voice_response "Interactive voice response") systems to handle first levels of [customer support](/wiki/Customer_support "Customer support"), [text mining](/wiki/Text_mining "Text mining"), [natural language processing](/wiki/Natural_language_processing "Natural language processing") to allow better customer handling, agent training via interactive scripting and automatic mining using [best practices](/wiki/Best_practices "Best practices") from past interactions, [support automation](/wiki/Support_automation "Support automation") and many other technologies to improve agent productivity and [customer satisfaction](/wiki/Customer_satisfaction "Customer satisfaction"). Automatic lead selection or lead steering is also intended to improve efficiencies, both for inbound and outbound campaigns. This allows inbound calls to be directly routed to the appropriate agent for the task, whilst minimising wait times and long lists of irrelevant options for people calling in.[\[21\]](#cite_note-21)

For outbound calls, lead selection allows management to designate what type of leads go to which agent based on factors including skill, [socioeconomic](/wiki/Socioeconomics "Socioeconomics") factors, past performance, and percentage likelihood of closing a sale per lead.

The [universal queue](/wiki/Universal_queue "Universal queue") standardises the processing of communications across multiple technologies such as fax, phone, and email. The [virtual queue](/wiki/Virtual_queue "Virtual queue") provides callers with an alternative to waiting on hold when no agents are available to handle inbound call demand.

### Premises-based technology

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=3 "Edit section: Premises-based technology")\]

Historically call centres have been built on [Private branch exchange](/wiki/Private_branch_exchange "Private branch exchange") (PBX) equipment owned, hosted, and maintained by the call centre operator. The PBX can provide functions such as [automatic call distribution](/wiki/Automatic_call_distribution "Automatic call distribution"), [interactive voice response](/wiki/Interactive_voice_response "Interactive voice response"), and [skills-based routing](/wiki/Skills-based_routing "Skills-based routing").

### Virtual call centre

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=4 "Edit section: Virtual call centre")\]

See also: [Software as a service](/wiki/Software_as_a_service "Software as a service") and [Remote work](/wiki/Remote_work "Remote work")

In a virtual call centre model, the call centre operator (business) pays a monthly or annual fee to a vendor that hosts the call centre telephony and data equipment in their own facility, cloud-based. In this model, the operator does not own, operate or host the equipment on which the call centre runs. Agents connect to the vendor's equipment through traditional [PSTN](/wiki/Public_switched_telephone_network "Public switched telephone network") telephone lines, or over [voice over IP](/wiki/Voice_over_IP "Voice over IP"). Calls to and from prospects or contacts originate from or terminate at the vendor's data centre, rather than at the call centre operator's premises. The vendor's telephony equipment (at times data servers) then connects the calls to the call centre operator's agents.[\[22\]](#cite_note-22)

Virtual call centre technology allows people to work from home or any other location instead of in a traditional, centralised, call centre location, which increasingly allows people 'on the go' or with physical or other disabilities to work from desired locations – i.e. not leaving their house. The only required equipment is Internet access, a workstation, and a softphone.[\[23\]](#cite_note-23) If the virtual call centre software utilizes [webRTC](/wiki/WebRTC "WebRTC"), a softphone is not required to dial. The companies are preferring Virtual Call Centre services due to cost advantage. Companies can start their call centre business immediately without installing the basic infrastructure like [Dialer](/wiki/Dialer "Dialer"), [ACD](/wiki/Automatic_call_distributor "Automatic call distributor") and [IVRS](/wiki/Interactive_voice_response "Interactive voice response").[\[24\]](#cite_note-24)

Virtual call centres became increasingly used after the [COVID-19 pandemic](/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic "COVID-19 pandemic") restricted businesses from operating with large groups of people working in close proximity.

### Cloud computing

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=5 "Edit section: Cloud computing")\]

Main article: [Cloud computing](/wiki/Cloud_computing "Cloud computing")

Through the use of [application programming interfaces](/wiki/Application_programming_interface "Application programming interface") (APIs), hosted and on-demand call centres that are built on cloud-based [software as a service](/wiki/Software_as_a_service "Software as a service") (SaaS) platforms can integrate their functionality with cloud-based applications for [customer relationship management](/wiki/Customer_relationship_management "Customer relationship management") (CRM), [lead management](/wiki/Lead_management "Lead management") and more.

Developers use APIs to enhance cloud-based call centre platform functionality—including [Computer telephony integration](/wiki/Computer_telephony_integration "Computer telephony integration") (CTI) APIs which provide basic telephony controls and sophisticated call handling from a separate application, and configuration APIs which enable [graphical user interface](/wiki/Graphical_user_interface "Graphical user interface") (GUI) controls of administrative functions.

### Outsourcing

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=6 "Edit section: Outsourcing")\]

See also: [Outsourcing](/wiki/Outsourcing "Outsourcing")

Outsourced call centres are often located in [developing countries](/wiki/Developing_country "Developing country"), where wages are significantly lower than in western countries with higher minimum wages. These include the call centre industries [in the Philippines](/wiki/Call_center_industry_in_the_Philippines "Call center industry in the Philippines"), [Bangladesh](/wiki/Call_center_industry_in_Bangladesh "Call center industry in Bangladesh"), and [India](/wiki/Call_center_industry_in_India "Call center industry in India").

Companies that regularly utilise outsourced contact centre services include [British Sky Broadcasting](/wiki/British_Sky_Broadcasting "British Sky Broadcasting") and [Orange](/wiki/Orange_(telecommunications) "Orange (telecommunications)")[\[25\]](#cite_note-The_Wall_Street_Journal-25) in the telecommunications industry, [Adidas](/wiki/Adidas "Adidas") in the sports and leisure sector,[\[26\]](#cite_note-Adidas_-_Contact_Centres-26) [Audi](/wiki/Audi "Audi") in car manufacturing[\[27\]](#cite_note-Audi_chose_Confero_as_an_outsourced_call_centre-27) and charities such as the [RSPCA](/wiki/RSPCA "RSPCA").

## Industries

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=7 "Edit section: Industries")\]

### Healthcare

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=8 "Edit section: Healthcare")\]

The [healthcare industry](/wiki/Healthcare_industry "Healthcare industry") has and continues to use outbound call centre programmes for years to help manage billing, collections, and patient communication.[\[28\]](#cite_note-28) The inbound call centre is a new\[ _[when?](/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items "Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers")_\] and increasingly popular service for many types of healthcare facilities, including large hospitals. Inbound call centres can be outsourced or managed in-house.

These healthcare call centres are designed to help streamline communications, enhance [patient retention](/wiki/Patient_retention "Patient retention") and satisfaction, reduce expenses and improve operational efficiencies.

### Hospitality

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=9 "Edit section: Hospitality")\]

Many large hospitality companies such as the [Hilton Hotels Corporation](/wiki/Hilton_Hotels_Corporation "Hilton Hotels Corporation") and [Marriott International](/wiki/Marriott_International "Marriott International") make use of call centres to manage reservations. These are known in the industry as "central reservations offices". Staff members at these call centres take calls from clients wishing to make reservations or other inquiries via a public number, usually a [1-800 number](/wiki/Toll-free_number "Toll-free number"). These centres may operate as many as 24 hours per day, seven days a week, depending on the call volume the chain receives.[\[29\]](#cite_note-29)

## Evaluation

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=10 "Edit section: Evaluation")\]

### Mathematical theory

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=11 "Edit section: Mathematical theory")\]

See also: [Erlang distribution](/wiki/Erlang_distribution "Erlang distribution")

[Queueing theory](/wiki/Queueing_theory "Queueing theory") is a branch of mathematics in which models of service systems have been developed. A call centre can be seen as a queueing network and results from queueing theory such as the probability an arriving customer needs to wait before starting service useful for provisioning capacity.[\[30\]](#cite_note-30) ( [Erlang's C formula](/wiki/Erlang%27s_C_formula "Erlang's C formula") is such a result for an [M/M/c queue](/wiki/M/M/c_queue "M/M/c queue") and approximations exist for an [M/G/k queue](/wiki/M/G/k_queue "M/G/k queue").) Statistical analysis of call centre data has suggested arrivals are governed by an [inhomogeneous Poisson process](/wiki/Inhomogeneous_Poisson_process "Inhomogeneous Poisson process") and jobs have a [log-normal service time distribution](/wiki/Log-normal_distribution "Log-normal distribution").[\[31\]](#cite_note-31) Simulation algorithms are increasingly being used to model call arrival, queueing and service levels.[\[32\]](#cite_note-32)

Call centre operations have been supported by mathematical models beyond queueing, with [operations research](/wiki/Operations_research "Operations research"), which considers a wide range of [optimisation problems](/wiki/Optimization_(mathematics) "Optimization (mathematics)") seeking to reduce waiting times while keeping server utilisation and therefore efficiency high.[\[33\]](#cite_note-33)

## Criticism

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=12 "Edit section: Criticism")\]

Call centres have received criticism for low rates of pay and restrictive working practices for employees, which have been deemed as a dehumanising environment.[\[34\]](#cite_note-34)[\[35\]](#cite_note-35)[\[36\]](#cite_note-36) Other research illustrates how call centre workers develop ways to counter or resist this environment by integrating local cultural sensibilities or embracing a vision of a new life.[\[37\]](#cite_note-37) Most call centres provide electronic reports that outline performance metrics, quarterly highlights and other information about the calls made and received. This has the benefit[\[38\]](#cite_note-38) of helping the company to plan the workload and time of its employees. However, it has also been argued that such close monitoring breaches the human [right to privacy](/wiki/Right_to_privacy "Right to privacy").[\[39\]](#cite_note-39)

Complaints are often logged by callers who find the staff do not have enough skill or authority to resolve problems,[\[40\]](#cite_note-40) as well as appearing apathetic.[\[41\]](#cite_note-41) These concerns are due to a business process that exhibits levels of variability because the experience a customer gets and results a company achieves on a given call are dependent upon the quality of the agent.[\[42\]](#cite_note-42) Call centres are beginning to address this by using [agent-assisted automation](/wiki/Agent-assisted_Automation "Agent-assisted Automation") to standardise the process all agents use.[\[43\]](#cite_note-dmaa-43)[\[44\]](#cite_note-epcs-44)[\[45\]](#cite_note-pacc-45) However, more popular alternatives are using personality and skill based approaches.[\[46\]](#cite_note-uppoc-46)[\[47\]](#cite_note-paaic-47) The various challenges encountered by call operators are discussed by several authors.[\[48\]](#cite_note-wcie-48)[\[49\]](#cite_note-ircc-49)[\[50\]](#cite_note-istc-50)[\[51\]](#cite_note-wpmo-51)[\[52\]](#cite_note-drvda-52)

## Media portrayals

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=13 "Edit section: Media portrayals")\]

Call centres located in [India](/wiki/India "India") have been the focus of several documentary films, the 2004 film _Thomas L. Friedman Reporting: The Other Side of Outsourcing_, the 2005 films _John and Jane_, _[Nalini by Day, Nancy by Night](/wiki/Nalini_by_Day,_Nancy_by_Night "Nalini by Day, Nancy by Night")_, and _1-800-India: Importing a White-Collar Economy_, and the 2006 film _[Bombay Calling](/wiki/Bombay_Calling "Bombay Calling")_, among others.[\[53\]](#cite_note-53) An Indian call centre is also the subject of the 2006 film _[Outsourced](/wiki/Outsourced_(film) "Outsourced (film)")_ and a key location in the 2008 film, _[Slumdog Millionaire](/wiki/Slumdog_Millionaire "Slumdog Millionaire")_. The 2014 BBC [fly on the wall](/wiki/Fly_on_the_wall "Fly on the wall") documentary series _The Call Centre_ gave an often distorted although humorous view of life in a Welsh call centre.[\[54\]](#cite_note-54)

## Appointment Setting

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=14 "Edit section: Appointment Setting")\]

Appointment setting is a specialized function within call centres, where dedicated agents focus on facilitating and scheduling meetings between clients and businesses or sales representatives. This service is particularly prevalent in various industries such as financial services, healthcare, real estate, and B2B sales, where time-sensitive and personalized communications are essential for effective client engagement.[\[55\]](#cite_note-55)

## Lead Generation

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=15 "Edit section: Lead Generation")\]

Lead generation is a common operation for call centers, encompassing strategies and activities aimed at identifying potential customers or clients for businesses or sales representatives. It involves gathering information and generating interest among individuals or organizations who may have a potential interest in the products or services offered.[\[56\]](#cite_note-56)

## See also

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=16 "Edit section: See also")\]

- [Automatic call distributor](/wiki/Automatic_call_distributor "Automatic call distributor")
- [Business process outsourcing](/wiki/Business_process_outsourcing "Business process outsourcing")
- [Call management](/wiki/Call_management "Call management")
- [List of call centre companies](/wiki/List_of_call_centre_companies "List of call centre companies")
- [Predictive dialling](/wiki/Predictive_dialing "Predictive dialing")
- [Operator messaging](/wiki/Operator_messaging "Operator messaging")
- [Queue management system](/wiki/Queue_management_system "Queue management system")
- [Skills based routing](/wiki/Skills_based_routing "Skills based routing")
- [Virtual queue](/wiki/Virtual_queue "Virtual queue")
- [The Call Centre](/wiki/The_Call_Centre "The Call Centre"), a BBC fly-on-the-wall documentary at a Welsh call centre
- [![icon](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/Emblem-money.svg/28px-Emblem-money.svg.png)](/wiki/File:Emblem-money.svg)[Business portal](/wiki/Portal:Business "Portal:Business")
- ![telephone icon](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/Telephone_icon_blue_gradient.svg/28px-Telephone_icon_blue_gradient.svg.png)[Telephones portal](/wiki/Portal:Telephones "Portal:Telephones")

## References

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=17 "Edit section: References")\]

01. **[^](#cite_ref-EWA_1-0)**["Contact Center vs Communication Center vs Call Center"](http://ewa-ltd.blogspot.com/2010/03/contact-centre-vs-communication-centre.html). EWA Bespoke Communications. 2010-03-26.
02. **[^](#cite_ref-2)**Adam, M., Wessel, M. & Benlian, A. AI-based chatbots in customer service and their effects on user compliance. Electron Markets 31, 427–445 (2021). [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1007/s12525-020-00414-7](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs12525-020-00414-7)
03. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-Gupta_3_3-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-Gupta_3_3-1)Krishnan, C., Gupta, A., Gupta, A., Singh, G. (2022). Impact of Artificial Intelligence-Based Chatbots on Customer Engagement and Business Growth. In: Hong, TP., Serrano-Estrada, L., Saxena, A., Biswas, A. (eds) Deep Learning for Social Media Data Analytics. Studies in Big Data, vol 113. Springer, Cham. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1007/978-3-031-10869-3\_11](https://doi.org/10.1007%2F978-3-031-10869-3_11)
04. ^ [_**a**_](#cite_ref-mckinsey_1_4-0) [_**b**_](#cite_ref-mckinsey_1_4-1)["AI-enabled customer service is now the quickest and most effective route for institutions to deliver personalized, proactive experiences that drive customer engagement"](https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/operations/our-insights/the-next-frontier-of-customer-engagement-ai-enabled-customer-service). New York: [McKinsey & Company](/wiki/McKinsey_%26_Company "McKinsey & Company"). March 27, 2023.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: year ( [link](/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_year "Category:CS1 maint: year"))
05. **[^](#cite_ref-5)**Brandon Turpin (August 2, 2023). ["How chatbots can provide a better customer experience"](https://www.ibm.com/blog/how-chatbots-can-provide-a-better-customer-experience/). IBM.`{{cite web}}`: CS1 maint: year ( [link](/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_year "Category:CS1 maint: year"))
06. **[^](#cite_ref-6)**Jolaoso, Christiana (4 February 2024). Main, Kelly (ed.). ["Call Center Outsourcing: Pros, Cons & Best Practices – Forbes Advisor"](https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/call-center-outsourcing/). _[Forbes](/wiki/Forbes "Forbes")_. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
07. **[^](#cite_ref-7)**[Science and invention in Birmingham#cite note-45](/wiki/Science_and_invention_in_Birmingham#cite_note-45 "Science and invention in Birmingham")
08. **[^](#cite_ref-8)**["The history of the call center"](http://www.callcentrehelper.com/the-history-of-the-call-centre-15085.htm). Call Centre Helper Magazine. 19 January 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2014.
09. **[^](#cite_ref-9)**Smith, Ernie (5 August 2016). ["The History of the Call Center Explains How Customer Service Got So Annoying"](http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-history-of-the-call-center-explains-how-customer-service-got-so-annoying). _Vice.com_.
10. **[^](#cite_ref-10)**["The History of Call Centers Timeline"](https://voxjar.com/call-center-history/). _Voxjar.com_. 2017-12-20.
11. **[^](#cite_ref-11)**Butler, David L. _Bottom-Line Call Center Management_. Butterworth-Heinemann.
12. **[^](#cite_ref-12)**Kumar, Pradeep; Schenk, Christopher Robert (2006). _Paths to Union Renewal_. Broadview Press. [ISBN](/wiki/ISBN_(identifier) "ISBN (identifier)") [1-55193-058-7](/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-55193-058-7 "Special:BookSources/1-55193-058-7").
13. **[^](#cite_ref-13)**["Improving Call Center Jobs a Top Priority for CWA Customer Service"](http://www.cwa-union.org/news/entry/Improving_Call_Center_Jobs_a_Top_Priority_for_CWA_Customer_Service_Activist/). Communication Workers of America. 2010-05-06. Retrieved 2011-02-23.
14. **[^](#cite_ref-14)**["Call Centre Union Busters Get Wake-Up Call"](http://workers.labor.net.au/90/news22_call.html). Workers Online. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
15. **[^](#cite_ref-15)**["Uni Global Union's call centre organising campaigns"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080615190548/http://www.uniglobalunion.org/uniindep.nsf/callcentres?openpage). Uni Global Union. Archived from [the original](http://www.uniglobalunion.org/uniindep.nsf/callcentres?openpage) on 2008-06-15. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
16. **[^](#cite_ref-16)**[Cleveland, Brad](/wiki/Brad_Cleveland "Brad Cleveland"), "Call Center Management on Fast Forward (Third Edition)", _ICMI Press_, 2012
17. **[^](#cite_ref-17)**Viswanathan, Ravi; Sandell, Scott (21 June 2016). ["Reinventing customer service: the modern contact center"](http://www.nea.com/blog/reinventing-customer-service-the-modern-contact-center). _Nea.com_.
18. **[^](#cite_ref-18)**["Contact Center Modernization"](http://www.genesys.com/solutions/contact-center-modernization). _Genesys.com_. 2016.
19. **[^](#cite_ref-19)**Bernier, Paula (3 August 2012). ["The History and Advancement of the Contact Center and the Customer Experience"](http://www.tmcnet.com/cis/features/articles/301771-history-advancement-the-contact-center-the-customer-experience.htm). _Tmcnet.com_.
20. **[^](#cite_ref-CallWeb_20-0)**["CallWeb"](https://callweb.ca/index.cgi?en:home). _CallWeb_. Retrieved 2023-05-04. ... a complete on-line data collection system. Its functionalities allow for Web surveys, of course, but it has also been used to build registration systems, project tracking systems, intelligent forms, etc.
21. **[^](#cite_ref-21)**Shah, Shariq; Ghomeshi, Hossein; Vakaj, Edlira; Cooper, Emmett; Fouad, Shereen (2023-08-01). ["A review of natural language processing in contact centre automation"](https://doi.org/10.1007/s10044-023-01182-8). _Pattern Analysis and Applications_. **26** (3): 823–846. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"):[10.1007/s10044-023-01182-8](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs10044-023-01182-8). [ISSN](/wiki/ISSN_(identifier) "ISSN (identifier)") [1433-755X](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1433-755X).
22. **[^](#cite_ref-22)**M. Popovic and V. Kovacevic (2001). "An Approach to Internet-Based Virtual Call Center Implementation". [_Networking — ICN 2001_](https://archive.org/details/springer_10.1007-3-540-47728-4/mode/2up). Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Vol. 2093. University of Novi Sad, Yugoslavia. pp. 75–84. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1007/3-540-47728-4\_8](https://doi.org/10.1007%2F3-540-47728-4_8). [ISBN](/wiki/ISBN_(identifier) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-3-540-42302-7](/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-540-42302-7 "Special:BookSources/978-3-540-42302-7").
23. **[^](#cite_ref-23)**David S. Joachim. ["Computer Technology Opens a World of Work to Disabled People"](https://web.archive.org/web/20100323055604/http://www.nticentral.org/about/articles/nnyt03012006.shtm). _New York Times_. Archived from [the original](http://www.nticentral.org/about/articles/nnyt03012006.shtm) on 2010-03-23. Retrieved 2010-03-15.
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26. **[^](#cite_ref-Adidas_-_Contact_Centres_26-0)**["adidas setup a dedicated customer care centre"](https://web.archive.org/web/20131027000319/http://www.ewa.ltd.uk/case-studies/adidas). [Adidas](/wiki/Adidas "Adidas"). Archived from [the original](http://www.ewa.ltd.uk/case-studies/adidas) on 2013-10-27. Retrieved 2014-11-26.
27. **[^](#cite_ref-Audi_chose_Confero_as_an_outsourced_call_centre_27-0)**["Audi chose Confero as an outsourced contact centre"](http://www.confero.co.uk/casestudies.htm). Confero.
28. **[^](#cite_ref-28)**["Billing and Collections"](http://www.modernhealthcare.com/section/articles?tagID=13). _Modern Healthcare_. 2019-01-30.
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33. **[^](#cite_ref-33)**Borst, S.; Mandelbaum, A.; Reiman, M. I. (2004). ["Dimensioning Large Call Centers"](http://iew3.technion.ac.il/serveng/References/Dimensioning.pdf)(PDF). _Operations Research_. **52** (1): 17–34. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1287/opre.1030.0081](https://doi.org/10.1287%2Fopre.1030.0081). [JSTOR](/wiki/JSTOR_(identifier) "JSTOR (identifier)") [30036558](https://www.jstor.org/stable/30036558). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20030705052951/http://iew3.technion.ac.il/serveng/References/dimensioning.pdf)(PDF) from the original on 2003-07-05.
34. **[^](#cite_ref-34)**["Working conditions and health in Swedish call centres"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080620213202/http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/2005/04/SE0504NU02.htm). [European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions](/wiki/European_Foundation_for_the_Improvement_of_Living_and_Working_Conditions "European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions"). 2005-06-05. Archived from [the original](http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/2005/04/SE0504NU02.htm) on 2008-06-20. Retrieved 2008-05-29.
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36. **[^](#cite_ref-36)**["Advice regarding call centre working practices"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090220050612/http://www.hse.gov.uk/lau/lacs/94-2.pdf)(PDF). [Health and Safety Executive](/wiki/Health_and_Safety_Executive "Health and Safety Executive"). Archived from [the original](http://www.hse.gov.uk/lau/lacs/94-2.pdf)(PDF) on 2009-02-20. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
37. **[^](#cite_ref-37)**Pal, Mahuya; Buzzanell, Patrice (2013). "Breaking the Myth of Indian Call Centers: A Postcolonial Analysis of Resistance". _Communication Monographs_. **80** (2): 199–219. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1080/03637751.2013.776172](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F03637751.2013.776172). [S2CID](/wiki/S2CID_(identifier) "S2CID (identifier)") [143554201](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:143554201).
38. **[^](#cite_ref-38)**["The Call Center Answer Team reaches out to the industry for to crack a tough nut"](http://www.callcentermagazine.com/shared/article/showArticle.jhtml?articleId=12803684). _Q&A: How Many Calls Should I Monitor_. callcentermagazine.com. 2003-07-30. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
39. **[^](#cite_ref-39)**["Who's on the Line? Women in Call Centres Project"](http://www.acewh.dal.ca/eng/reports/moving6.pdf)(PDF). _Atlantic Centre of Excellence for Women's Health_. [Health Canada](/wiki/Health_Canada "Health Canada"). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20050215190412/http://www.acewh.dal.ca/eng/reports/moving6.pdf)(PDF) from the original on 2005-02-15. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
40. **[^](#cite_ref-40)**Shaw, Russell (2006-01-30). ["Tone-deaf to customer complaints, Dell opens yet another call center in India"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090123042636/http://blogs.zdnet.com/ip-telephony/?p=873). _[ZDNet](/wiki/ZDNet "ZDNet")_. Archived from [the original](http://blogs.zdnet.com/ip-telephony/?p=873) on January 23, 2009. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
41. **[^](#cite_ref-41)**Ahmed, Zubair (2006-02-22). ["Abuse rattles Indian call centre staff"](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4738804.stm). _BBC News_. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
42. **[^](#cite_ref-42)**Fleming, J., Coffman, C., Harter, J. (2005) Manage Your Human Sigma, Harvard Business Review
43. **[^](#cite_ref-dmaa_43-0)**Paprzycki, Marcin; et al. (2004). [_Data Mining Approach for Analyzing Call Center Performance_](http://researchonline.federation.edu.au/vital/access/HandleResolver/1959.17/43613). Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Vol. 3029. Berlin: Springer. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1007/b97304](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fb97304). [hdl](/wiki/Hdl_(identifier) "Hdl (identifier)"): [1959.17/43613](https://hdl.handle.net/1959.17%2F43613). [ISBN](/wiki/ISBN_(identifier) "ISBN (identifier)") [978-3-540-22007-7](/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-540-22007-7 "Special:BookSources/978-3-540-22007-7"). [S2CID](/wiki/S2CID_(identifier) "S2CID (identifier)") [463672](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:463672).
44. **[^](#cite_ref-epcs_44-0)**["Evaluation of the Performance of customer service representatives in a call center using DEA/Network Model/Fussy Sets"](http://hdl.handle.net/10919/31704). [hdl](/wiki/Hdl_(identifier) "Hdl (identifier)"): [10919/31704](https://hdl.handle.net/10919%2F31704). Retrieved 1 July 2008.
45. **[^](#cite_ref-pacc_45-0)**Srinivasan, Raj; Talim, JéRome; Wang, Jinting; et al. (2004). "Performance analysis of a call center with interactive voice response units". _Top_. **12** (1). Springer Berlin: 91–110. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1007/BF02578926](https://doi.org/10.1007%2FBF02578926). [S2CID](/wiki/S2CID_(identifier) "S2CID (identifier)") [62154813](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:62154813).
46. **[^](#cite_ref-uppoc_46-0)**Skyrme, Pamela; et al. ["Using personality to predict outbound call center job performance"](http://applyhrm.asp.radford.edu/Volume%2010/MS%2010_2_%20Abraham.pdf)(PDF). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20060901110138/http://applyhrm.asp.radford.edu/Volume%2010/MS%2010_2_%20Abraham.pdf)(PDF) from the original on 2006-09-01. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
47. **[^](#cite_ref-paaic_47-0)**Stolletz, Raik; Stefan Helber (2004). "Performance analysis of an inbound call center with skills-based routing". _OR Spectrum_. **26** (3): 331–352. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1007/s00291-004-0161-y](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs00291-004-0161-y). [S2CID](/wiki/S2CID_(identifier) "S2CID (identifier)") [60731382](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:60731382).
48. **[^](#cite_ref-wcie_48-0)**Witt, L. A.; et al. (2004). "When Conscientiousness Isn't Enough: Emotional Exhaustion and Performance Among Call Center Customer Service Representatives". _Journal of Management_. **30** (1): 149–160. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1016/j.jm.2003.01.007](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.jm.2003.01.007). [S2CID](/wiki/S2CID_(identifier) "S2CID (identifier)") [145705159](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:145705159).
49. **[^](#cite_ref-ircc_49-0)**Aguir, Salah; Karaesmen, Fikri; Aksin, O. Zeynep; Chauvet, Fabrice; et al. (2004). ["The impact of retrials on call center performance"](http://home.ku.edu.tr/~fkaraesmen/pdfpapers/AKAC_ORS_04.pdf)(PDF). _OR Spectrum_. **26** (3): 353–376. [CiteSeerX](/wiki/CiteSeerX_(identifier) "CiteSeerX (identifier)") [10.1.1.579.9384](https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.579.9384). [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1007/s00291-004-0165-7](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs00291-004-0165-7). [S2CID](/wiki/S2CID_(identifier) "S2CID (identifier)") [6818864](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:6818864). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120714015727/http://home.ku.edu.tr/~fkaraesmen/pdfpapers/AKAC_ORS_04.pdf)(PDF) from the original on 2012-07-14.
50. **[^](#cite_ref-istc_50-0)**Murthy, Nagesh N.; Challagalla, G. N.; Vincent, L. H.; Shervani, T. A.; et al. (2008). "The Impact of Simulation Training on Call Center Agent Performance: A Field-Based Investigation". _Management Science_. **54** (2): 384–399. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1287/mnsc.1070.0818](https://doi.org/10.1287%2Fmnsc.1070.0818). [S2CID](/wiki/S2CID_(identifier) "S2CID (identifier)") [17749514](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:17749514).
51. **[^](#cite_ref-wpmo_51-0)**Armony, Mor; Itay Gurvich. ["When promotions meet operations: cross-selling and its effect on call-center performance"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090124093944/http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/facseminars/pdfs/2006_12-08_Armony1.pdf)(PDF). Archived from [the original](http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/facseminars/pdfs/2006_12-08_Armony1.pdf)(PDF) on 24 January 2009. Retrieved 1 July 2008.
52. **[^](#cite_ref-drvda_52-0)**Goldberg, L.S.; A.A. Grandey (2007). "Display rules versus display autonomy: emotion regulation, emotional exhaustion, and task performance in a call center simulation". _J Occup Health Psychol_. **12** (3): 301–18. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1037/1076-8998.12.3.301](https://doi.org/10.1037%2F1076-8998.12.3.301). [PMID](/wiki/PMID_(identifier) "PMID (identifier)") [17638495](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17638495).
53. **[^](#cite_ref-53)**Hudson, Dale (2009). "Undesirable Bodies and Desirable Labor: Documenting the Globalization and Digitization of Transnational American Dreams in Indian Call Centers". _Cinema Journal_. **49** (1): 82–102. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1353/cj.0.0164](https://doi.org/10.1353%2Fcj.0.0164). [S2CID](/wiki/S2CID_(identifier) "S2CID (identifier)") [144859546](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:144859546).
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## Further reading

\[ [edit](/w/index.php?title=Call_centre&action=edit&section=18 "Edit section: Further reading")\]

- Cusack M., "Online Customer Care", American Society for Quality (ASQ) Press, 2000.
- [Brad Cleveland](/wiki/Brad_Cleveland "Brad Cleveland"), "Call Center Management on Fast Forward", ICMI Press, 2006.
- Kennedy I., _Call centres_, School of Electrical and Information Engineering, University of the Witwatersrand, 2003.
- Masi D.M.B., Fischer M.J., Harris C.M., _Numerical Analysis of Routing Rules for Call centres_, Telecommunications Review, 1998, [noblis.org](https://web.archive.org/web/20090226001006/http://www.noblis.org/Publications/TR98_8.doc)
- [HSE website](http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr169.htm) Psychosocial risk factors in call centres: An evaluation of work design and well-being.
- Reena Patel, _Working the Night Shift: Women in India's Call Center Industry_ (Stanford University Press; 2010) 219 pages; traces changing views of "women's work" in India under globalization.
- Fluss, Donna, "The Real-Time Contact centre", 2005 AMACOM
- Wegge, J., van Dick, R., Fisher, G., Wecking, C., & Moltzen, K. (2006, January). Work motivation, organisational identification, and well-being in call centre work. Work & Stress, 20(1), 60–83.
- Legros, B. (2016). Unintended consequences of optimizing a queue discipline for a service level defined by a percentile of the waiting time. _Operations Research Letters_, _44_(6), 839–845.
- Krishnan, C., Gupta, A., Gupta, A., Singh, G. (2022). Impact of Artificial Intelligence-Based Chatbots on Customer Engagement and Business Growth. In: Hong, TP., Serrano-Estrada, L., Saxena, A., Biswas, A. (eds) Deep Learning for Social Media Data Analytics. Studies in Big Data, vol 113. Springer, Cham. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1007/978-3-031-10869-3\_11](https://doi.org/10.1007%2F978-3-031-10869-3_11)
- Adam, M., Wessel, M. & Benlian, A. AI-based chatbots in customer service and their effects on user compliance. Electron Markets 31, 427–445 (2021). [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1007/s12525-020-00414-7](https://doi.org/10.1007%2Fs12525-020-00414-7)
- Hardalov, M., Koychev, I., Nakov, P. (2018). Towards Automated Customer Support. In: Agre, G., van Genabith, J., Declerck, T. (eds) Artificial Intelligence: Methodology, Systems, and Applications. AIMSA 2018. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 11089. Springer, Cham. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1007/978-3-319-99344-7\_5](https://doi.org/10.1007%2F978-3-319-99344-7_5)
- Roberts, C. and Maier, T. (2024), "The evolution of service toward automated customer assistance: there is a difference", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 36 No. 6, pp. 1914-1925. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1108/IJCHM-08-2022-1037](https://doi.org/10.1108%2FIJCHM-08-2022-1037)
- Suendermann, D., Liscombe, J., Pieraccini, R., Evanini, K. (2010). “How am I Doing?”: A New Framework to Effectively Measure the Performance of Automated Customer Care Contact Centers. In: Neustein, A. (eds) Advances in Speech Recognition. Springer, Boston, MA. [doi](/wiki/Doi_(identifier) "Doi (identifier)"): [10.1007/978-1-4419-5951-5\_7](https://doi.org/10.1007%2F978-1-4419-5951-5_7)

## External links

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- Mandelbaum, Avishai [Call Centers (Centres) Research Bibliography with Abstracts](http://iew3.technion.ac.il/serveng/References/ccbib.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170429025115/http://iew3.technion.ac.il/serveng/References/ccbib.pdf) 2017-04-29 at the [Wayback Machine](/wiki/Wayback_Machine "Wayback Machine"). Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.

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