AI call routing uses artificial intelligence to direct incoming calls to the most appropriate destination based on caller intent, history, and business rules. Unlike traditional routing that relies on menu selections or phone trees, AI routing understands natural language requests.
How does AI call routing work?
When a call connects, the AI asks an open-ended question like “How can I help you today?” The caller’s response is analyzed to determine intent, urgency, and the best path forward. The system considers factors like caller history, agent availability, skill requirements, and business priorities to make routing decisions in real time.
Why does AI call routing matter?
Traditional IVR systems force callers through rigid menu trees that often lead to wrong departments and repeated transfers. AI routing gets callers to the right destination on the first attempt, reducing handle time and improving satisfaction. It also enables dynamic prioritization based on customer value or issue severity.
AI call routing in practice
A software company replaces their “Press 1 for sales, press 2 for support” system with AI routing. When a caller says “I’m having trouble logging into my account and I need to renew before it expires,” the AI recognizes both a support issue and a sales opportunity, routing to a support agent with renewal authority.