Contact center terms💡

    Private branch exchange

    What is a PBX, and how is it used in contact centers? Here you can find out more about this and what advantages the system offers.

    What is a Private Branch Exchange (PBX)?

    Private Branch Exchange (PBX) is a telecommunications system that manages internal communication within a company and at the same time establishes a connection to the public telephone network (PSTN). It is a private telephone exchange for companies that connects several telephones with each other and with external lines.

    Functions of a PBX

    • Internal communication: Enables employees to make calls to each other without incurring external telephone costs.

    • Call routing: Forwards incoming calls to the appropriate internal departments, e.g. to departments or individual employees.
    • Automatic call distribution (ACD): When call volumes are high, the system distributes calls to available employees or to queues.
      Conference calls: Enables several people to take part in a call.

    • Voicemail: Employees can leave messages when they are unavailable.

    • Call recording: Some PBX systems offer the option of recording calls, for example for quality control or training purposes.

    Types of PBX systems

    • Traditional PBX (on-premise): These systems are operated locally within the company and require dedicated hardware.

    • IP-PBX (Internet Protocol PBX): This modern variant uses the internet protocol (VoIP) and enables communication via the internet instead of traditional telephone lines. It is cheaper and more flexible.

    • Cloud PBX: Another modern system that is completely cloud-based. It is hosted externally and offers easy scalability and lower operating costs.

    PBX in the contact center

    In a contact center, a PBX is used to receive incoming calls and route them efficiently to the right agent. It can be used in conjunction with other systems such as CRM (Customer Relationship Management) or IVR (Interactive Voice Response) to improve the customer experience. A PBX ensures that calls are handled quickly and efficiently.

    Advantages of a PBX

    • Cost savings: Internal calls between employees are free, and modern systems (such as IP-PBX) offer lower rates for external calls.

    • Flexibility: Modern PBX systems offer features such as home office support as they are accessible via the Internet.

    • Scalability: PBX systems can be easily expanded to include more users or features without the need for major infrastructure changes.

    In summary, a PBX enables efficient, cost-effective and flexible management of a company's communications infrastructure, whether for internal calls or interaction with customers and business partners.

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