What is a call centre? Definition, types, and how they work

You might envision a call centre as a warehouse jammed with tiny desks where tired agents switch endlessly from one call to the next. However, today’s call centres are evolving. Some now operate as hybrid or fully remote workplaces, with agents efficiently managing support requests via both traditional phone lines and various digital channels. And many use advanced technology like artificial intelligence (AI) to supercharge their customer service efficiency.

More companies are realising that improvements in call centre training and work satisfaction greatly reduce burnout and increase customer retention and satisfaction. In this article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about how call centres operate and what you need to make yours successful.

More in this guide:

• How do contact centres and call centres differ?
• How do call centres work?
• Benefits of call centres
• Types of call centres
• Call centre team roles and necessary skills
• Common call centre technology
• Call centre industry examples
• How to measure call centre success
• Give your customers the best call centre support

How do contact centres and call centres differ?

The main difference between a call centre and a contact centre lies in the communication channels they handle. While traditional call centres tend to specialise in phone calls, contact centres embrace a wider range of communication channels.

In addition to phone calls, they can manage emails, text messages, social media interactions, and even web chats. This approach caters to the evolving customer preference for contacting businesses through their preferred methods.

How do call centres work?

Here’s a brief overview of the fundamental call centre process.

1. The customer makes a call: The interaction begins once a customer calls your business. They can make a call directly to the call centre or through a connected app or product.
2. The customer interacts with an IVR system: After contacting the call centre, an interactive voice response (IVR) system prompts them with a menu of options. Then, it instructs them to make a selection using their voice or their phone’s touch-tone pad.
3. The call centre software routes the caller to the right agent: Once the customer gets routed to the right agent, the software provides the rep with customer context. This includes who is calling and any relevant information that may help them solve the problem faster.
4. The agent resolves the issue: Next, the rep addresses the request or issue. Throughout the interaction, reps should follow call centre etiquette and communicate in a way that makes customers feel valued.
5. The agent records the interaction and follows up: If a rep can’t solve a problem in one call, they must follow up with more information. If they resolve the issue during the first call, the agent should follow up with a customer survey. The agent can also ensure that they store the call information in their customer service solution for future reference.

Ultimately, your call centre software and internal requirements will determine your business’s process. Successful call centres enhance their operations by integrating advanced features such as AI and self-service options.

Benefits of call centres

Call centres equip businesses to tackle high-stakes customer issues more effectively. These centres provide a dedicated space with trained agents who can delve deeper into complex problems, and those agents are even better supported by call centre software with advanced technology like AI voice assistants.

Customers receive faster, more accurate service with these tools, too. In our Customer Experience Trends Report 2025, we found that AI agents that understand and respond to natural voice interactions would highly improve CX for 74 per cent of customers.

Despite customers preferring to use digital channels for faster solutions, they still expect voice options when they require tailored support. By facilitating live conversations with AI agents or human reps, call centres help build rapport, gather details, and tailor solutions that can resolve these significant concerns, ultimately leading to increased customer loyalty and satisfaction.

Types of call centres

Modern call centres address a variety of company and customer needs:

• Inbound call centres field incoming calls. Agents at this type of call centre usually handle many different services, including customer questions, problems, payments, and renewals.
• Outbound call centres have agents reach out to prospective and existing customers. Outbound call centres differ from inbound by primarily being used for sales, telemarketing, fundraising, and market research.
• AI call centres use intelligent technology to optimise agent workflows, deflect calls, and cut operational costs.
• Virtual call centres are cloud-based operations that run in remote locations, allowing employees to work from anywhere. Instead of landlines, customer service reps typically use call centre software to access cloud messaging, email, and calling.
• Omnichannel call centres connect interactions across multiple channels, including voice, email, social media, live chat, and SMS. Customer context moves with the customer from channel to channel so that agents can personalise requests without making the customer repeat information.

While some call centres may only qualify as one of the above types, many call centres have evolved to encompass a mix of these capabilities.

Call centre team roles and necessary skills

People who want to work at a call centre have several roles to choose from. Call centres hire agents and managers in addition to personnel for quality assurance (QA), training, and workforce management (WFM). Learn more about the different roles needed to operate a call centre team.

• Call centre agent: A call centre agent is an entry-level role that often doesn’t require prior customer service experience but demands a certain mindset and skill set. Agents should be adept at multitasking, have good communication skills, and be empathetic.
• Call centre manager: Managers have multiple years of experience in customer service. They must use their leadership skills alongside the proper workforce management tools to keep agents engaged, trained, and performing well. Call centre management also requires stepping in to help with more complex problems and de-escalations.
• Technical support specialist: IT and tech support agents help customers troubleshoot problems and resolve other service or product-related issues. In addition to problem-solving skills, tech support agents must be well-versed in different software applications.
• Quality assurance analyst: QA analysts monitor and evaluate the quality of calls and other customer interactions. Their goal is to ensure that all customer service meets the company’s quality standards. They provide feedback to agents and help develop training programmes to improve service delivery.

Learning as many call centre skills as possible can help you become a more effective call centre representative and advance your career.

Common call centre technology

Beyond basic equipment—a headset, computer, and internet connection—you’ll need call centre software to manage your large volumes of calls. This software typically includes the following tools:

• Artificial intelligence (AI): AI can assist call centre operations by detecting customer sentiment, transcribing calls, and intelligently routing calls to agents with the best skills or availability. AI agents, sometimes referred to as intelligent bots, can also deflect calls to make support volume easier to manage.
• Interactive voice response (IVR): This automated phone menu uses pre-recorded messages, touch-tone options, and voice recognition to direct callers to the right department or agent. It even helps customers complete simple tasks without needing a live person.
• Customer profiles: Customer profiles provide agents with a complete view of a customer’s history and interactions across the buyer’s journey, such as their contact information, purchase preferences, past support conversations, and more. Be sure your agents have the context they need to provide the best possible customer experience.
• Workforce engagement solutions: Managers use workforce management software to monitor agent activity in real time, track contact volume and capacity, predict future coverage needs, and create schedules. This software can integrate with the central dashboard or be standalone. Meanwhile, QA software can help you review phone conversations and give you insight into your support performance.
• Self-service options: Knowledge bases, community forums, AI chatbots, and other help centre tools help customers help themselves. When customers can solve basic problems on their own, agents and managers can focus on helping other callers with more complex or urgent needs.

Call centre technology can be paired with your existing tools to extend its capabilities and connect your operations.

Call centre industry examples

Industries handling complex customer enquiries will often provide phone support. Here’s how call centres play a crucial role across various sectors:

• Healthcare: In healthcare, call centres facilitate patient interactions, allowing them to schedule, modify, or confirm appointments, enquire about services, and request prescription refills.
• Finance: In the financial sector, call centres serve as a vital resource for customers seeking assistance with potential fraudulent charges, exploring loan options, or obtaining financial advice.
• Telecommunications: Call centres in the telecommunications industry are crucial in managing customer relationships. They assist with service setup, troubleshooting, billing inquiries, and upgrading or changing service plans. These centres are vital for addressing customer needs quickly and efficiently, maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction in a highly competitive market.

These examples demonstrate the widespread application of call centres in enhancing customer service and operational efficiency across diverse markets.

How to measure call centre success

Evaluating a call centre’s success goes beyond just the number of calls handled. It’s about achieving a balance between efficiency and customer satisfaction.

• Efficiency metrics focus on how well the call centre manages call flow and utilises resources.
• Customer satisfaction metrics gauge how happy customers are with their call centre experience.

Here are three key performance indicators (KPIs) to monitor in each category:

By tracking these call centre metrics over time, call centres can identify areas for improvement and ensure they’re delivering a positive customer experience.

Give your customers the best call centre support

While many customers prefer digital channels, call centres still have important applications for certain industries. With careful planning, dedicated AI for customer service, and a focus on building a talented team, you can start a call centre that provides exceptional customer service and contributes to the success of your business.

Zendesk offers AI-powered voice technology designed for the customer experience. It’s easy to use, fast to set up, and cost-effective.

See how Zendesk can enhance your voice support.

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