Boost Call Center Sales with Smarter Call Routing

Why is call routing critical to call center profitability?

For outbound call centers, effective call routing is more than just operational efficiency—it’s a competitive advantage. When a high-intent lead dials in (or is dialed out to), you have a small window to connect them with the right person who can convert that moment into revenue.

With evolving customer expectations, AI-enhanced tools, and the complexity of hybrid teams, the need for smarter, more strategic routing is only growing. This guide dives deep into the mechanics of call routing, the pros and cons of different routing strategies, and how to optimize your approach for performance—especially if you’re running a revenue-focused call center.

What is call routing?

Call routing is the process of directing inbound or outbound calls based on a set of rules that determine where the call should go—often using data like time, caller ID, agent skill, or intent. It's closely related to Automatic Call Distribution (ACD), which refers to systems that automatically handle incoming calls, but "call routing" is the broader term that includes more sophisticated, dynamic rules for matching callers to agents or queues.

How call routing works behind the scenes

Behind the interface, routing engines evaluate key variables like:

• Caller information (e.g., phone number, location, history)

• Agent availability and skill set

• CRM data or campaign segmentation

• Time of day or call volume

• Performance metrics (conversion rate, handle time, etc.)

These inputs are fed into a routing logic engine—either rule-based or AI-powered—that makes an instant decision about where the call should go. In advanced systems like Convoso’s, routing decisions can also incorporate real-time agent performance data to prioritize high-performing reps for high-value leads.

9 types of call routing (with pros, cons & use cases)

Here’s an in-depth look at the most common call routing strategies used in sales and support environments:

1. Fixed order routing

Fixed order routing distributes calls to agents in a specific, static order. The system always tries the first agent in the list, and if they're unavailable, it moves to the next, and so on.

Pros:

• Easy to set up and manage

• Prioritizes senior or top-performing agents (if intentionally structured that way)

Cons:

• Can create a workload imbalance

• Often leads to burnout or underutilization

• Doesn’t scale well for larger teams or high-volume call centers

Real-World Use Case: In a small sales team of 3–4 agents, a manager might prioritize their most experienced closer as the first recipient of every high-value lead. However, if that agent is frequently busy, the rest of the team may be left waiting or underutilized.

Best For: Very small teams or teams with one or two designated lead handlers.

2. Round-robin routing

Round-robin routing sends each new call to the next agent in a looping order, ensuring that call volume is distributed evenly.

Pros:

• Balances call distribution

• Prevents favoritism or uneven workloads

• Simple to implement for moderate-sized teams

Cons:

• Ignores agent specialization or performance

• Doesn’t adapt to changes in lead quality or campaign goals

Real-World Use Case: For an outbound sales campaign generating a consistent volume of leads, round-robin ensures every rep gets an equal shot. However, a lower-performing agent may receive the same high-quality leads as a top seller, leading to missed opportunities.

Best For: Training environments or generalist teams with equal capabilities.

3. Skills-based routing

Skills-based routing evaluates the agent's specific abilities and experience to match the right person to each call—especially critical in environments with complex products or highly segmented customer bases.

Pros:

• Increases first-call resolution and conversions

• Reduces transfers and escalations

• Empowers agents to specialize and excel

Cons:

• Requires active skill tagging and frequent audits

• Mislabeling agents can negatively impact performance

Real-World Use Case: A lead interested in refinancing a home loan is routed to agents certified in mortgage products, while first-time buyers are routed to a team specializing in new homebuyer programs.

Best For: Sales organizations with multiple product lines, industries, or regulatory categories.

4. Time-based routing

Time-based routing uses the time of day, week, or holiday calendar to determine which queue or team receives the call. It’s frequently used to support multi-shift operations or global customers.

Pros:

• Ensures 24/7 coverage

• Supports offshoring or nearshoring strategies

• Automates business hour logic

Cons:

• Doesn’t consider agent performance or lead quality

• Static logic lacks flexibility in real-time

Real-World Use Case: A BPO serving clients in both the U.S. and Australia might route East Coast leads to U.S. agents from 9–5 ET, and reroute those same queues to Sydney after-hours.

Best For: Call centers with global coverage or strict scheduling needs.

5. Least cccupied routing

This approach routes calls to the agent who has had the least talk time or idle activity recently. It’s designed to optimize agent utilization and ensure no one is sitting idle while others are overwhelmed.

Pros:

• Maximizes team utilization

• Encourages even workload distribution

• Keeps agents engaged and productive

Cons:

• Ignores agent expertise or historical performance

• Can send high-value leads to low performers

Real-World Use Case: In a high-volume outbound campaign, this logic ensures every rep stays busy—but without performance filters, it may unintentionally lower your conversion rate by over-prioritizing availability over skill.

Best For: Operations focused on maximizing agent hours over lead quality.

6. Percentage-based routing

This method splits traffic by percentages—for example, sending 70% of leads to Team A and 30% to Team B. It’s useful for prioritizing campaigns, balancing multiple clients, or testing new initiatives.

Pros:

• Enables controlled testing

• Helps prioritize high-value campaigns

• Easy to adjust across different teams or clients

Cons:

• Rigid: not responsive to real-time data

• Misconfigurations can lead to channel imbalance

Real-World Use Case: A company testing a new sales script might route 20% of incoming leads to a pilot team, while the other 80% follows standard workflows. It’s an ideal setup for A/B testing performance.

Best For: Multi-client call centers, SLA compliance, or campaign testing.

7. Language-based routing

Language-based routing directs callers to agents fluent in a particular language, based on IVR input, caller location, or stored customer data.

Pros:

• Improves customer comfort and trust

• Enhances communication accuracy

• Reduces call handling time for non-English speakers

Cons:

• Requires accurate language detection

• Limited multilingual staffing may lead to longer queues

Real-World Use Case: In a call center serving both English and Spanish-speaking populations, language-based routing ensures Spanish-speaking leads are connected directly with bilingual agents.

Best For: Multilingual or international sales/support organizations.

8. Caller ID-based routing

This method uses a caller’s phone number to trigger a routing decision. Known customers may be routed to their previous agent or a dedicated team, supporting continuity and account familiarity.

Pros:

• Enables white-glove service and relationship-based sales

• Reduces repetition and speeds up resolution

• Ideal for VIP accounts or recurring sales cycles

Cons:

• Doesn’t serve new leads effectively 

• Relies on accurate number-to-contact matching

Real-World Use Case: A returning Medicare customer is routed to the same licensed rep they spoke with during open enrollment last year—supporting retention and faster closing.

Best For: Relationship-based sales teams or account management roles.

9. Intelligent AI-powered routing

AI-powered routing analyzes multiple real-time and historical data points—such as performance metrics, intent, CRM stage, and behavioral signals—to make predictive routing decisions.

Pros:

• Maximizes high-intent lead conversion

• Dynamically adjusts to team performance

• Great for scaling personalization at volume

Cons:

• Requires an integrated tech stack and clean data

• Setup and tuning take time

Real-World Use Case: Convoso’s AI engine might route a hot Medicare lead (from a priority ZIP code, requesting a call during peak season) to a top-performing agent with the best close rate on similar profiles.

Best For: High-volume outbound sales and revenue teams seeking performance-based optimization.

6 best practices for call routing optimization

With AI tools, hybrid teams, and increasing performance pressure, call centers in 2025 must evolve their routing strategies. Here’s how to stay ahead:

1. Align routing with revenue goals

Define routing rules based on what drives conversions—skills, response speed, or personalization. Don’t treat every call equally.

2. Use real-time performance data

Incorporate metrics like conversion rate or average handle time to dynamically route leads to top-performing agents.

3. Integrate with CRM and campaign tools

Routing should reflect the buyer stage, campaign type, and past interactions. Use CRM data to personalize experiences.

4. A/B test your routing strategies

Test percentage-based vs. AI routing, or different skill rules, to find what performs best across campaigns.

5. Prioritize Speed-to-Lead

Especially for outbound or lead response calls, ensure your best agents are prioritized for high-intent leads based on immediacy.

6. Use AI intelligently, not blindly

Ensure AI logic aligns with business rules. Regularly audit the performance of AI-based routing paths and make adjustments.

How Convoso powers smarter call routing

Convoso’s routing engine is purpose-built for outbound sales and lead generation. Our customers see higher conversion rates and better ROI because our tools go beyond basic call distribution:

• AI-Powered Routing Engine: Leverages machine learning to assign leads based on intent, agent performance, and conversion likelihood.

• CRM-Integrated Routing: Syncs with your lead and campaign data for personalized interactions.

• Real-Time Agent Tracking: Adjusts routing logic dynamically based on agent performance.

• Omnichannel Routing: Supports consistent experiences across phone, SMS, and email channels.

👉 See how Convoso’s smart routing works ›

Turn smarter routing into greater revenue

Smarter routing isn’t just about faster connections—it’s about more profitable ones. By matching the right lead to the right agent with the right timing, you unlock more conversions, higher productivity, and greater revenue.

Whether you’re managing inbound support or high-volume outbound sales, the routing strategies you choose will directly impact outcomes. If you’re ready to upgrade from basic ACD logic to intelligent, conversion-focused routing, Convoso can help.

Ready to accelerate revenue with smarter call routing? 

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