Inbound call
An inbound call is a call placed to a business’s number by a caller, as opposed to an outbound call the business places. Answering inbound calls is the core job of a receptionist, human or AI.
Also called: incoming call, inbound calling
Every phone strategy starts with the inbound line: the number on the van, the website and the Google listing, and what happens when it rings. The options are the same at every scale. Someone in the building answers, a service answers on the business’s behalf, an automated system answers, or nobody does and the call goes to voicemail.
Inbound handling is measured by the metrics that follow from that moment: answer rate, speed to answer, abandonment rate and first call resolution. A missed inbound call is the most expensive kind, because the caller chose to reach out and usually has a second number to try.
Outbound calling is the other direction: the business, or its receptionist, dials out to confirm, remind or follow up. The two are regulated and measured differently, which is why the distinction matters.
Related
aiReceptionist does this: Voice (phone)