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When every missed call is a missed opportunity, call queuing and overflow routing become more than just ‘nice-to-have' - they become client favourites.
For PBX installers, resellers, and MSPs, this simple feature can dramatically improve customer satisfaction with your PBX solution, and make you the hero behind smoother, smarter call flows.
Missed calls aren’t just a nuisance, they could be costing your clients serious revenue. According to the Australian Customer Experience Professionals Association, up to 40% of sales calls are not answered within 10 minutes. That’s a big problem, especially for businesses trying to deliver fast, responsive service.
As a PBX provider, you’ve likely heard the complaints:
“My customers are stuck on hold for too long”
“We always have to do client call backs”
“Queuing and distributing calls is just too hard”
Or most worryingly - "I don’t know how many calls are being missed!”
These are all signs of poor call routing or a lack of queue management.
The good news? With the right tools and setup, you can address these issues efficiently and improve both customer satisfaction and client retention.
Call queues are a structured way of managing incoming phone calls, helping to manage periods where you get too many calls for the number of agents available.
Instead of ringing out or being sent to voicemail, calls are placed in a line to be answered in the order they were received.
This setup is ideal for businesses that experience peak-time traffic or rely heavily on phone-based service. Think medical clinics, trade services, or retail stores with customer service and operations lines.
Ring groups direct incoming calls to multiple team members at once, making them great for small teams where immediate response is essential. However, as call volume increases, ring groups can lead to team burnout and missed calls.
In contrast, call queues add structure. They manage the flow by placing callers in order, playing music or informative messages while they wait, and optionally offering a call-back feature. They also support wallboard monitoring so teams can see how many people are waiting and how quickly calls are being answered.
In general, ring groups work best for urgent, low-volume setups. Call queues are better suited for growing teams or those with more complex routing needs.
Putting callers into a queue is only half of the challenge. The true customer service magic happens when calls are distributed among your staff and agents.
Once a caller enters the queue, the system can distribute the call to agents using several strategies, each suited to different business needs. Some common routing and distribution options include:
Round-Robin
Calls are sent to agents one by one in a rotating order. This helps share the workload evenly, so no one gets overwhelmed.
Tiered Round-Robin
Agents are grouped into tiers (like beginner, advanced, expert). Calls rotate within each tier, so more skilled agents can handle more complex calls.
Ring All
Every available agent’s phone rings at the same time. The first one to pick up gets the call. It’s great when fast response times are a priority.
Linear Hunt
Calls go to agents in a fixed order every time. If the first person doesn’t answer, it moves to the next. This works well when experience or seniority matters.
Linear Cascade
Similar to linear hunt, but with a delay between each ring. It gives each agent a chance to answer before moving on to the next one.
Call Park
An agent can answer and then place a call in a shared ‘parking spot’ - so any team member can pick it up when ready. This is useful if callers request a specific agent, or in busy teams where flexibility is key.
Call queues aren’t just about managing high call volumes, they’re about giving your customers a smoother, more professional experience.
No more missed calls, frustrated callers, or overwhelmed staff. With call queues in place, even small teams can handle busy periods with confidence, reduce wait times, and route callers efficiently to the right person.
For small teams, a typical setup might include one or two basic call queues, a simple IVR menu (for example, “Press 1 for Sales, 2 for Support”), and overflow routing to mobile phones when no staff are available.
Larger teams often benefit from multiple queues organised by department or region, layered IVR menus, time-based or state-based routing for after-hours handling, and a call-back feature. Multi-site routing and detailed reporting can help optimise performance across locations.
For your clients, call queuing will feel like a big-business upgrade. And for you, it’s a chance to solve their tech problems and add real value.
With tools like AdvancedPBX, it’s easier than ever to deliver professional-grade call management that your clients will love.
Want to see how easy it is to setup call queuing? Contact us to get a free demo.
