Introduction

Call center agents or customer service reps have to handle hundreds, if not thousands, of daily phone calls. However, given the limited working hours, wasting time answering calls that lead to no goal (such as spam calls) might slow down the business’ workflow.

That’s why using call screening features has become increasingly common among businesses. What is call screening, exactly? Let’s address this question together.

What Is Call Screening?

You will know who the caller is and why they call before picking up (Image source: Pxhere). 

Call screening, comparable to a digital bouncer for your phone, helps you decide whether you want or need to answer this telephone call. It gives you more information about the caller before you pick it up. 

The goal is to filter out annoying telemarketers and potential scam calls, saving you time and frustration. Other unwanted calls can also be avoided since you can make informed decisions about who to share your phone number with. Furthermore, knowing who’s calling (and why) beforehand allows you to prioritize calls from important business associates or VIP customers. 

Here are some of the most common methods of call screening.

Call ID

Considered the most basic form of call screening, a call ID shows you the phone number and sometimes the name of the person or company calling.

Answering Machines/Voicemail

You let the call go to voicemail and listen to the caller's message to get an idea of who they are and why they're calling.

Automated Call Screening Services

A first-time caller is asked to state their name and reason for calling, and you see a transcript of this conversation in real-time. You then decide whether to answer, send the call to voicemail, or mark it as spam.

IVR (Interactive Voice Response)

StringeeX, one of the best virtual call centers on the marketplace for websites and mobile apps, incorporates IVRs in its services. This IVR system can also be used for basic call screening.

First, it gathers information from the caller. One example is using pre-recorded messages. (e.g., "For sales inquiries, press 1" or "For technical support, press 2.").

Based on the information gathered, the IVR routes the call to the appropriate agent/department or offers other options related to call type, such as "leave a message," "request a preferred callback time," or "report spam.”

Common Features Of Call Screening

Routing and call forwarding are two common features (Image source: Stockvault). 

Call Routing

Call routing is a powerful feature that automatically directs incoming calls to the most appropriate destination based on various criteria gathered during the screening process.

First, the screening process (be it caller ID, IVR, or other dedicated services) is triggered to identify and gather information about the caller. This information is then matched against predefined routing rules set within the call screening system. These rules can be based on:

• Caller ID: Matching specific numbers or number patterns to route to particular departments or individuals
• Time of Day: Routing calls to different destinations during business hours, after hours, or holidays.
• IVR Responses: The routing is based on the caller's selections or responses within the IVR system. The IVR system of StringeeX is one of the most common examples. 
• Caller Location: Sometimes, depending on the system's capabilities, it could route calls based on the caller's geographic location or country.

Once the criteria are matched, the call is automatically directed to the predetermined destination, such as a specific agent, extension, or voicemail. Or, a pre-recorded message will be played, informing the caller of business hours or directing them to a particular website.

Remote Call Forwarding

This feature allows you to divert incoming calls to a different phone number, such as your mobile phone or office line, even when you're not physically present at the original phone. As a result, you are given more flexibility in managing your calls and ensuring you don't miss important ones.

Some advanced call screening services allow you to set filters/custom forwarding rules based on the screening outcome. For example, you could forward phone rings from regular customers (whose information is already stored in your customer database) to your best agents while sending prospects or unknown calls to another department.

Call Blocking

With call-blocking features, you will find it easier to prevent specific cell phone numbers (or an entire category of calls) from reaching your business altogether. As a result, it improves your control over who can contact you/your agents and helps combat unwanted conversations from spam callers, robocalls, or any individual numbers you no longer wish to receive calls from.

Do Not Disturb

The Do Not Disturb (DND) feature works alongside automatic call screening options to offer extra control over incoming calls during specific periods. 

Specifically, you can silence all calls, notifications, and alerts for a predefined period or until manually disabled. During DND, the calls might be:

• Muted: The phone doesn't ring or vibrate. However, depending on the system, you might still see missed call notifications.
• Diverted: You can set DND to forward calls directly to voicemail or a predefined number.

Text-to-Speech Messages (TTS)

Sometimes referred to as "voicemail-to-text" or "voicemail transcription," TTS helps you manage and respond to missed calls.

When a call comes in, and you miss it (due to being unavailable or using DND), the call screening service activates. If the caller leaves a voicemail or message to you (or vice versa), the service will use advanced speech recognition technology to convert that into an audio message.

This audio is then delivered to the recipient (either you or the caller) through SMS, email, or within the call screening app itself. 

Automatic Callback

When a customer calls in, and your inbound callers are unavailable at the time, the automatic callback helps schedule a return call at a specific time and date that is convenient for both. No phone tags are required.

Why is this feature important? That’s because most customers won’t call back themselves if they get no response the first time. Thus, getting back to these customers as soon as possible proves that you respect them and value their time.

What Are Call Screening Benefits?

It can save you and your agents a lot of time (Image source: Pexels). 

Time-Saving

There are no more annoying spam calls, prank calls, or individuals from the company’s blacklist. Your agents are now freed up to focus on legitimate customer inquiries and do not waste their valuable time fielding irrelevant calls. 

Furthermore, as the caller’s intent is properly identified before customers are connected to agents, multiple call transfers are no longer necessary, and both parties can address the issue immediately without further delay. The preliminary information gathered beforehand also allows agents to prepare for the conversation before picking the phone up, which resolves the issue even faster. 

Better Customer Service/Customer Experience

Automatic screening ensures customers will be routed to agents with the relevant expertise and knowledge. Thus, these customers will receive the best advice and resolutions that get to the root of the problem, resulting in a higher first-call resolution rate for your company. No more customer frustration or complaints! 

The fact that customers do not have to wait too long before an agent picks up also leaves them with a strong, positive first impression about your company. It shows them that your agents are actively listening and invested in solving their problems, which strengthens the brand’s image as a result.

Boosted Agent Morale

The benefits go both ways, as your agents also perform much better when assisted by these call-screening features. 

Information about the customer and the call’s context allows them to approach each customer issue with a positive, professional demeanor that reflects the business’ values. Risks of agent burnout - a common challenge in many call centers - are also mitigated due to less stress and greater efficiency, leading to a more stable and inspiring work environment. 

And that’s not all. Since agents are connected with business calls requiring their specific skill sets, they better understand the value they can bring to the organization. This gives them a greater sense of purpose and control over their work and motivates them to strive for higher goals.

More Privacy and Security

Data privacy is no longer a threat (Image source: Wikimedia). 

Last but not least, automatic call screening tools act as a first line of defense; they identify and filter suspicious calls with the potential of phishing attempts or scams. 

Therefore, your business will be less likely to fall victim to malicious activities, limiting the exposure of sensitive customer information (e.g., account numbers, personal details, and financial information) to unauthorized individuals. Data breaches or invasion of customer privacy, which might seriously harm the brand’s public image and future development, will no longer be a looming threat.

Conclusion

What is call screening? Our guidelines have provided a clear overview of its function and how the relevant features can boost your business’s long-term efficiency. 

StringeeX, with its dynamic IVR system and single-platform customer database, can speed up the distribution and handling of customer calls for your business. Read more about its potential here!