This call center glossary is for anyone starting in customer service or comparing call center systems in Egypt: a manager reading a proposal full of abbreviations, a new supervisor learning the reports, or a business owner wondering how a PBX differs from a call center or an auto dialer. Terms are grouped by topic, each with a short explanation and a link to a page that goes deeper.
PBX and call terms
PBX
The system that receives calls, routes them to agents' extensions and places outgoing calls. Once a box in the server room, today it can be a cloud PBX.
Cloud PBX
A PBX running on the provider's servers, managed from the browser. No hardware or maintenance, and agents answer from anywhere. See cloud PBX vs IP-PBX.
SIP
The protocol phones and PBXs use to start and end calls. Any SIP phone or app can work with a cloud call center.
SIP trunk
A connection between your PBX and your telecom provider that carries company calls over the internet. It lets you connect your existing lines to Klamna without changing numbers.
DID
A direct number that lands on a specific destination: a queue, an IVR menu or an agent. Each number can have its own inbound route.
Hotline / short number
A short, easy-to-remember number that companies request from their telecom provider. Klamna doesn't sell short numbers, but you can connect your line. See the hotline number guide.
Extension
An internal number for each agent or department, used on a desk phone, in the browser or in the mobile app.
WebRTC (browser phone)
Technology that lets the browser itself make and receive calls with no software installed.
IVR
The voice menu that says "for sales press 1, for support press 2". See IVR auto attendant and the IVR menu design guide.
Call recording
Saving call audio for quality, training and disputes. See call recording system and recording backup.
Blind transfer
Passing the call to a colleague immediately, without speaking to them first.
Attended transfer
Talking to the colleague first, then handing over the customer so they don't repeat themselves.
Queue and routing terms
Call queue
Where callers wait for a free agent, hearing music and their position. Part of the call center features.
ACD
Automatic Call Distribution: rules that decide which agent gets which call.
Overflow
When the wait is too long or the queue is full, calls go to another destination: a backup queue, voicemail or IVR.
Callback
Instead of waiting, the caller asks to be called back when an agent is free.
Business hours
Rules for where calls go during working hours, after hours and on holidays.
Wallboard
A live screen showing waiting callers, available agents and calls in progress.
Wrap-up codes
A category the agent picks after each call, such as "enquiry", "complaint" or "order confirmed", so reports show what calls were about.
Dialer terms
Auto dialer
A system that dials a call list automatically. See auto dialer and dialer campaigns.
Preview dialer
The agent sees the customer's details first, then decides to call. Good for calls that need preparation.
Progressive dialer
Dials the next number as soon as an agent is free, one call per agent.
Predictive dialer
Dials more numbers than free agents, expecting some not to answer, and connects only answered calls. See auto vs predictive dialer.
AMD
Answering Machine Detection: telling a person from voicemail so agents don't waste time.
Do-not-call list
Numbers that asked not to be called again; excluded from every campaign automatically.
IVR campaign
Calls that play a recorded message and ask the customer to press a key, e.g. "press 1 to confirm". Useful for COD order confirmation.
WhatsApp and messaging terms
WhatsApp Business API
Meta's official way for companies to use WhatsApp with a full team, a system, bots and campaigns. See WhatsApp Business API and WhatsApp Business app vs API.
Message template
A pre-written message approved by Meta, required when you start a conversation or send marketing. Meta charges per its own rate card; see WhatsApp API pricing explained.
Opt-in
The customer's clear consent to receive WhatsApp messages from you. No marketing without it.
Customer service window
After the customer's last message, a window opens in which you can reply freely without a template, per Meta's rules.
Verified business badge
A verification mark on the business name, granted by Meta under its criteria. See the verified account guide.
Bulk messaging
Sending one message to many customers, done on the official API with approved templates to opted-in customers. See WhatsApp bulk messaging and WhatsApp marketing campaigns.
Omnichannel inbox
One place for WhatsApp, Messenger, Instagram, Telegram, website chat and e-mail. See the omnichannel inbox.
Canned responses
Pre-written replies to common questions, inserted with a click.
Chatbot
Software that answers automatically with menus or AI and hands over to an agent when needed. See WhatsApp chatbot.
CRM and sales terms
CRM
The system holding customer data and history: calls, chats, orders and invoices. See Arabic CRM.
Lead
Someone who showed interest but hasn't bought yet. See the lead follow-up guide.
Sales pipeline
The stages a lead passes through, from first interest to sale.
Lead capture
Pulling leads from web forms and Facebook, Instagram and TikTok lead ads into the CRM and assigning them. See lead capture.
Support ticket
A record for each issue with an owner and status until it is closed. See ticketing system.
SLA
A time commitment for first response and resolution, with escalation if it is missed. See the support SLA guide.
COD confirmation
Calling or messaging customers before shipping a cash-on-delivery order. See reducing returns.
E-invoice
An invoice issued from the system that can be sent to the Egyptian Tax Authority e-invoice system. See sales and e-invoicing.
Quality and reporting terms
KPIs
Numbers that measure call center performance. See call center KPIs.
AHT
Average Handle Time: talk, hold and after-call work per call.
FCR
First Contact Resolution: requests resolved in the first call or chat.
ASA
Average Speed of Answer: how long callers wait before an agent answers.
Abandonment rate
The share of callers who hang up before being answered.
Service level
The share of calls answered within a target time the company sets.
CSAT
A quick customer rating after a call or chat. See the CSAT guide.
NPS
"How likely are you to recommend us?": long-term loyalty.
QA scorecard
A scored form a supervisor uses to evaluate a call or chat. See quality.
AI terms
AI agent
An assistant answering customers in chats or on calls, in Arabic or English, replying in the customer's language. See AI agents.
Knowledge base
The articles, files and web pages the AI answers from, so it doesn't invent prices or promises. See AI quotes and knowledge base.
Human handover
Passing a conversation to a person, with its full history, when the bot can't help.
Speech-to-text
Turning recorded calls into searchable text.
Sentiment analysis
Reading a call or chat to tell whether the customer is satisfied or upset, with a summary.
Quality AI
AI that fills QA scorecards with evidence quotes, flags critical failures and suggests coaching notes.
AI outbound calls
An AI agent calling customers in a natural Arabic or English voice to confirm orders or appointments or remind them of payments.
Your next step
Once these terms are clear, see them working. Read how to set up a call center in Egypt, then build your package or sign up for a free trial and pick your business template. Questions about a term or a setup? Talk to our team.
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