Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) is a specialized mechanism for distributing incoming calls. The primary goal of ACD is to ration calls to agents in a cost-effective manner that provides acceptable service to callers.
To optimize the use of agents, you cross-train them so they can handle a variety of inquiries. Rather than distributing calls to a number of small, specialized agent or extension groups, ACD distributes them efficiently among the entire pool of available agents. When you consolidate resources (use the Pooling Principle), the same number of contact center agents handle more calls while maintaining Service Levels.
Typically, you program ACD to ensure the first call to arrive reaches the first available agent or the agent who has been idle the longest. However, you can vary the order of calls and agents to provide superior service to preferred customers, and skills-based routing.