Glossary

Call handling, plainly defined.

Clear definitions of the call answering, AI receptionist and voice-agent terms UK service businesses meet every day.

After-hours answering

After-hours answering is the handling of phone calls that come in outside a business's normal opening hours, such as evenings, weekends, and public holidays.

An AI receptionist is software that answers incoming business phone calls in a natural voice, handling greetings, questions, and simple tasks like taking messages or booking appointments without a human operator.

AI voice agent

An AI voice agent is a program that holds spoken conversations over the phone, understanding what a caller says and replying in real time to complete tasks such as answering questions or scheduling.

Call answering service

A call answering service handles incoming phone calls on behalf of a business, taking messages, answering questions, and passing on details so no caller reaches an unanswered line.

Call overflow

Call overflow is what happens when more calls arrive than a business can answer at once, so the extra calls are diverted to another line, an answering service, or automated handling.

Call qualification

Call qualification is the process of gathering key details from a caller, such as what they need, their location, and urgency, to decide how the enquiry should be handled or prioritised.

Call routing

Call routing is the process of directing an incoming call to the right person, team, or destination based on rules such as the caller's need, the time of day, or availability.

First-call resolution

First-call resolution is when a caller's question or request is fully handled during their first call, with no need for a callback or follow-up to complete it.

IVR

IVR, or interactive voice response, is an automated phone system that plays recorded menus and lets callers respond with keypad presses or short spoken replies to reach the right option.

Missed call

A missed call is an incoming phone call that is not answered, whether because the line is busy, the business is closed, or no one is available to pick up.