Terms

Call Disposition

A call disposition is a label or tag used to categorize the outcome of an inbound or outbound call. After a call ends, an agent selects a code—like "deal closed" or "requires follow-up"—to log the result. This standardized data helps teams track performance, identify trends, and streamline their workflows without extensive manual notes.

Importance of Call Disposition

Call dispositions are vital for contact center efficiency. They save agents time by replacing manual notes with quick, standardized labels for every call outcome. This process reduces human error, ensuring the data collected is accurate and consistent for analysis.

This reliable data gives managers clear visibility into team performance. By analyzing trends, leaders can identify coaching opportunities, optimize sales processes, and refine overall strategy. These insights are crucial for enhancing customer satisfaction and driving better business results.

Common Call Disposition Codes

While call disposition codes can be customized for specific business needs, several common labels are used across industries. These codes help categorize call outcomes for sales, support, and logistical tracking. They provide a quick snapshot of what happened on each call, from successful sales to unreachable contacts.

  • Sale: The call resulted in a closed deal, booked demo, or scheduled appointment.
  • Follow-up: The lead requires more information or a callback at a later time.
  • Not interested: The prospect has explicitly stated they are not interested in the product or service.
  • Unreachable: The call could not be completed due to a busy signal, incorrect number, or no answer.

Call Disposition vs. Call Outcome

While often used interchangeably, call disposition and call outcome refer to different aspects of logging call results.

  • Disposition: This is the formal process of labeling a call with a predefined tag. It standardizes data for detailed analytics and improves agent efficiency, which is ideal for enterprises and scaling mid-market companies needing systematic reporting and compliance. However, it requires proper training to avoid inconsistent data entry.
  • Outcome: This refers to the actual result of the call, which is the data point itself. It provides a clear, high-level record for follow-ups and KPI tracking. The focus is on the data for triggering automated workflows, though it can lack detail without a structured disposition system.

Best Practices for Call Disposition

To get the most out of call dispositions, it's essential to follow a set of best practices. These guidelines ensure your data is accurate, consistent, and actionable, turning simple call logs into powerful business intelligence.

  • Standardize: Use a consistent set of customized codes tailored to your business needs.
  • Automate: Integrate with your CRM to trigger follow-up actions and streamline workflows.
  • Train: Ensure agents understand code definitions for consistent and accurate logging.
  • Analyze: Regularly review data to identify trends, coach teams, and optimize campaigns.
  • Log: Require agents to record outcomes immediately after each call to maintain data accuracy.

Impact of Call Disposition on Customer Service

Call dispositions directly enhance customer service by streamlining agent workflows and providing actionable insights.

  • Efficiency: Reduces administrative tasks, allowing agents more time to focus on customer needs.
  • Personalization: Enables tailored follow-ups and helps avoid unwanted contact, improving the customer experience.
  • Quality: Provides data for targeted coaching and process improvements, leading to better service.

Frequently Asked Questions about Call Disposition

How many disposition codes should we use?

Aim for 10-15 codes. Too few won't provide enough detail, while too many can confuse agents and lead to inconsistent data. Focus on distinct, actionable outcomes that align with your specific business goals and can trigger automated workflows in your CRM.

Can call dispositions be automated?

Yes, many modern dialers and CRMs can automate dispositions. AI can analyze call transcripts to suggest or even auto-apply the correct code, saving agents time, improving data accuracy by reducing manual entry errors, and ensuring consistency across the team.

What's the difference between a disposition and a tag?

A disposition is a required, structured label for a call's primary outcome, often tied to specific workflows. A tag is typically more flexible and optional, used for adding secondary context or notes that aren't part of the main outcome classification.

Other terms

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
00 items

Cloud-based CRM

Learn about cloud-based CRM, including benefits of cloud-based CRM, key features of cloud-based CRM, & cloud-based CRM vs. on-premises solutions.

Cloud-based CRM

Hot Leads

Learn about hot leads, including identifying hot leads: key indicators, nurturing hot leads into sales, hot leads vs. warm leads: understanding the differences.

Hot Leads

Sales Pipeline Velocity Formula

Learn about sales pipeline velocity formula, including calculating your sales pipeline velocity, & key components of pipeline velocity.

Sales Pipeline Velocity Formula

B2B Data Enrichment

Learn about B2B data enrichment, including benefits of B2B data enrichment, implementing B2B data enrichment strategies, B2B data enrichment vs. data cleaning.

B2B Data Enrichment

Sales Operations Management

Learn about sales operations management, including key responsibilities in sales operations management, & building an effective sales operations team.

Sales Operations Management

Content Rights Management

Learn about content rights management, including importance of protecting digital assets, & benefits of implementing content rights management.

Content Rights Management

Cloud Storage

Learn about cloud storage, including benefits of using cloud storage, comparison: cloud storage vs. local storage, & how to choose a cloud storage provider.

Cloud Storage

D2C

Learn about D2C, including understanding D2C dynamics, benefits of direct to consumer, building a D2C strategy, & challenges in D2C marketing.

D2C

B2B Demand Generation Strategy

Learn about B2B demand generation strategy, including key elements of demand generation, & crafting your demand generation plan.

B2B Demand Generation Strategy

Purchase Buying Stage

Learn about purchase buying stage, including understanding the buyer's journey, & key strategies to influence purchase decision.

Purchase Buying Stage

Outbound Leads

Learn about outbound leads, including strategies for generating outbound leads, & effective outbound lead engagement methods.

Outbound Leads

Sales Compensation

Learn about sales compensation, including types of sales compensation plans, key components of effective compensation, & sales compensation vs. base salary.

Sales Compensation

Lead Scrape

Learn about lead scrape, including benefits of lead scraping, tools and techniques for effective lead scraping, navigating legal considerations in lead scraping.

Lead Scrape

Sales Coaching

Learn about sales coaching, including benefits of sales coaching, developing an effective sales coaching program, sales coaching vs. sales training.

Sales Coaching

Total Audience Measurement

Learn about total audience measurement, including key components of total audience measurement, & benefits of adopting total audience measurement.

Total Audience Measurement

Conversational Intelligence?

Learn about conversational intelligence, including its benefits, implementing it strategically, conversational intelligence vs. traditional sales tactics, and its key components.

Conversational Intelligence?

Cold Call

Learn about cold call, including mastering cold call techniques, optimizing success in cold calls, & comparing cold calls and warm calls.

Cold Call

User Interface

Learn about user interface, including designing an effective user interface, key elements of user interface, & user interface vs. user experience.

User Interface

Lead Routing

Learn about lead routing, including benefits of effective lead routing, key steps in implementing lead routing, lead routing vs. lead scoring: understanding the differences.

Lead Routing

Lead Scoring Models

Learn about lead scoring models, including the fundamentals of building lead scoring models, & key components of effective lead scoring.

Lead Scoring Models

Buyer Journey

The buyer journey maps the path a potential customer takes, from first learning about a product to the final decision to buy.

Buyer Journey

Shipping Solutions

Learn about shipping solutions, including how shipping solutions work, benefits of shipping solutions, & shipping solutions best practices.

Shipping Solutions

Lead Nurturing

Learn about lead nurturing, including the importance of lead nurturing, strategies for effective lead nurturing, lead nurturing vs. lead generation: understanding the differences.

Lead Nurturing

Marketing Automation Platform

Learn about marketing automation platform, including key benefits of marketing automation, & essential features of marketing automation platforms.

Marketing Automation Platform

Channel Partners

Channel partners are third-party firms that help market and sell a company's products or services, acting as an indirect sales force.

Channel Partners

Closed Question

Learn about closed question, including crafting effective closed questions, advantages of closed questions, & closed vs. open questions.

Closed Question

B2B Marketing Attribution

Learn about B2B marketing attribution, including challenges in B2B marketing attribution, & key metrics for effective attribution.

B2B Marketing Attribution

Predictive Customer Lifetime Value

Learn about predictive customer lifetime value, including benefits of predictive CLV, & calculating predictive CLV: a step-by-step guide.

Predictive Customer Lifetime Value

Omnichannel Sales

Learn about omnichannel sales, including the benefits of omnichannel sales, crafting an omnichannel strategy, omnichannel vs. multichannel.

Omnichannel Sales

Integration Testing

Learn about integration testing, including benefits of integration testing, best practices, challenges and solutions, & tools and resources.

Integration Testing

Website Visitor Tracking

Learn about website visitor tracking, including benefits of website visitor tracking, key metrics to monitor, & implementing visitor tracking ethically.

Website Visitor Tracking

Smile and Dial

Learn about smile and dial, including the benefits of smile and dial, strategies for effective smile and dial campaigns, & smile and dial vs. digital outreach.

Smile and Dial

Customer Data Management (CDM)

Learn about CDM, including its key principles, the benefits of it being robust, its challenges, and strategies to improve CDM.

Customer Data Management (CDM)

Application Programming Interface Security

API security is the practice of protecting application programming interfaces from attacks, preventing data breaches and unauthorized access.

Application Programming Interface Security

Data-Driven Lead Generation

Learn about data-driven lead generation, including benefits of data-driven lead generation, & key metrics for measuring success.

Data-Driven Lead Generation

System of Record

Learn about system of record, including key components of system of record, choosing the right system of record, & system of record vs. system of engagement.

System of Record

Sales Development

Learn about sales development, including the role of a sales development rep, & building a successful sales development strategy.

Sales Development

Multi-threading

Learn about multi-threading, including benefits of multi-threading in sales, & implementing multi-threading in your strategy.

Multi-threading

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Learn about LinkedIn Sales Navigator, including maximizing LinkedIn Sales Navigator's features, & unlocking sales potential with advanced search.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Account Click Through Rate

Account Click-Through Rate (CTR) is the percentage of individuals from a target account who click on a link in an ad, email, or on a webpage.

Account Click Through Rate

Customer Retention Cost

Learn about customer retention cost, including strategies to reduce retention costs, & critical metrics for measuring retention success.

Customer Retention Cost

B2B Intent Data Providers

Learn about B2B intent data providers, including evaluating intent data quality, leveraging intent data for growth, & B2B intent data: key providers comparison.

B2B Intent Data Providers

Demand Forecasting

Learn about demand forecasting, including benefits of demand forecasting, implementing effective forecasting strategies, & common pitfalls to avoid.

Demand Forecasting

Sales Champion

Learn about sales champion, including identifying your sales champion, qualities of an effective sales champion, sales champion vs. sales representative.

Sales Champion

Infrastructure as a Service

Learn about infrastructure as a service, including benefits of adopting IaaS, & IaaS vs. PaaS vs. SaaS: understanding the differences.

Infrastructure as a Service

Sales Script

Learn about sales script, including crafting an effective sales script, essentials for a winning sales script, sales script vs. spontaneous pitch.

Sales Script

Average Order Value

Average Order Value (AOV) tracks the average dollar amount spent each time a customer places an order on your website or mobile app.

Average Order Value

Marketing Performance

Learn about marketing performance, including measuring marketing performance effectively, & key metrics for marketing success.

Marketing Performance

Virtual Selling

Learn about virtual selling, including advantages of virtual selling, key strategies for successful virtual selling, & virtual selling vs. traditional selling.

Virtual Selling

Funnel Optimization

Learn about funnel optimization, including the stages of funnel optimization, key strategies for funnel improvement, funnel optimization vs. conversion optimization.

Funnel Optimization

B2B Sales Process

Learn about B2B sales process, including key components of B2B sales processes, & crafting an effective B2B sales strategy.

B2B Sales Process

Buying Criteria

Buying criteria are the specific requirements and standards a customer uses to evaluate products or services before making a decision.

Buying Criteria

Sales Intelligence Platform

Learn about sales intelligence platform, including benefits of using a sales intelligence platform, & key features of an effective sales intelligence platform.

Sales Intelligence Platform

API

An API (Application Programming Interface) is a software intermediary that allows two applications to talk to each other and exchange information.

API

Direct Mail

Learn about direct mail, including crafting an effective direct mail campaign, the benefits of direct mail in sales, direct mail vs. email marketing: a comparison.

Direct Mail

B2B Leads

Learn about B2B leads, including identifying quality B2B leads, generating B2B leads effectively, & B2B leads vs. B2C leads: understanding the differences.

B2B Leads

Business Continuity

Learn about business continuity, including understanding key components, steps to ensure continuity, common challenges, & best practices.

Business Continuity

XML

Learn about XML, including its uses, advantages, key technologies, best practices, and how XML facilitates data exchange and integration.

XML

Sales Presentation

Learn about sales presentation, including crafting an engaging sales presentation, elements of a successful sales pitch, & sales presentation vs. product demo.

Sales Presentation

Customer Acquisition Cost

Learn about customer acquisition cost, including calculating your customer acquisition cost, & strategies for reducing acquisition costs.

Customer Acquisition Cost

Customer Retention Rate

Learn about customer retention rate, including calculating customer retention rate, & strategies for improving retention.

Customer Retention Rate

Talk Track

Learn about talk track, including crafting an effective talk track, key elements of a talk track, & talk track vs. script: understanding the difference.

Talk Track

Sales Playbook

Learn about sales playbook, including crafting an effective sales playbook, & components of a comprehensive sales playbook.

Sales Playbook

Video Email

Learn about video email, including benefits of using video email, crafting an effective video email, & video email vs. traditional email.

Video Email

Sales Coach

Learn about sales coach, including qualities of an effective sales coach, the importance of sales coaching, & sales coaching vs. sales managing.

Sales Coach

No Forms

Learn about no forms, including benefits of no forms strategy, implementing no forms in sales, & no forms vs traditional forms.

No Forms

Artificial Intelligence in Sales

AI in sales uses smart technology to automate repetitive tasks, analyze customer data, and help sales reps close deals more efficiently.

Artificial Intelligence in Sales

Hadoop

Learn about Hadoop, including understanding Hadoop components, core functions of Hadoop, applications of Hadoop in sales, & Hadoop best practices.

Hadoop

Use Case

Learn about use case, including crafting a compelling use case, essential components of a use case, & comparing use cases and case studies.

Use Case

Weighted Sales Pipeline

Learn about weighted sales pipeline, including calculating your pipeline's weight, & key metrics in weighted sales pipelines.

Weighted Sales Pipeline

Browser Compatibility

Learn about browser compatibility, including understanding the importance, common challenges, best practices, & tools for testing.

Browser Compatibility

Revenue Intelligence

Learn about revenue intelligence, including benefits of implementing revenue intelligence, & key components of revenue intelligence.

Revenue Intelligence

OAuth

Learn about OAuth, including understanding OAuth workflows, benefits of using OAuth, & comparing OAuth with other authentication methods.

OAuth

Product Qualified Lead

Learn about product qualified lead, including identifying product qualified leads, & key characteristics of product qualified leads.

Product Qualified Lead

Unique Selling Point

Learn about unique selling point, including identifying your unique selling point, crafting a compelling USP, & unique selling point vs. value proposition.

Unique Selling Point

Freemium Models

Learn about freemium models, including understanding freemium benefits, steps to implementing freemium, & challenges of freemium models.

Freemium Models

Process Builder

Learn about process builder, including how process builder works, benefits of using process builder, & best practices for process builder.

Process Builder

Software as a Service

Learn about software as a service, including benefits of SaaS solutions, SaaS vs. traditional software, & key features of successful SaaS.

Software as a Service

Retargeting Marketing

Learn about retargeting marketing, including the foundations of a successful retargeting campaign, & strategies for effective retargeting.

Retargeting Marketing

Customer Loyalty

Learn about customer loyalty, including building customer loyalty strategies, measuring customer loyalty success, & the benefits of loyal customers.

Customer Loyalty

Sales Dialer

Learn about sales dialer, including types of sales dialers, benefits of using a sales dialer, & choosing the right sales dialer for your team.

Sales Dialer

Dark Funnel

Learn about dark funnel, including unraveling the dark funnel mystery, strategies to illuminate the dark funnel, & dark funnel vs. traditional sales funnels.

Dark Funnel

Sales Territory Management

Learn about sales territory management, including strategies for effective territory management, & key benefits of optimizing territories.

Sales Territory Management

Early Adopter

Learn about early adopter, including identifying early adopters, benefits of targeting early adopters, & strategies to attract early adopters.

Early Adopter

Sales Rep Training

Learn about sales rep training, including benefits of sales rep training, & essential components of effective sales training.

Sales Rep Training

Decision Buying Stage

Learn about decision buying stage, including identifying the decision-making criteria, & key strategies for influencing the decision stage.

Decision Buying Stage

Sales Performance Management (SPM)

Learn about sales performance management, including key components of sales performance management, & strategies for enhancing sales performance.

Sales Performance Management (SPM)

Custom Metadata Types

Learn about custom metadata types, including benefits of using custom metadata, creating and managing custom metadata, & custom metadata vs. custom settings.

Custom Metadata Types

Key Accounts

Learn about key accounts, including identifying key accounts criteria, strategies for managing key accounts, key accounts vs. regular accounts: understanding the differences.

Key Accounts

Brag Book

Learn about brag book, including crafting your outstanding brag book, essential components of a brag book, & brag book vs. resume: unveiling the differences.

Brag Book

Microservices

Learn about microservices, including benefits of microservices, challenges of microservices, & microservices vs. monolithic architecture.

Microservices

Customer Success

Learn about customer success, including key strategies for customer success, benefits of prioritizing customer success, & customer success vs. customer support.

Customer Success

Quality Assurance

Learn about QA, including understanding QA in outbound sales, benefits of implementing QA, best practices for QA, and tools for effective QA.

Quality Assurance

Customer Relationship Management Systems

Learn about customer relationship management systems, including benefits of using CRM systems, & key features of effective CRM solutions.

Customer Relationship Management Systems

Competitive Landscape

Learn about competitive landscape, including analyzing your competitors, crafting your competitive edge, & key metrics for competitive analysis.

Competitive Landscape

Knowledge Base

Learn about knowledge base, including building an effective knowledge base, essential components of a knowledge base, differences between knowledge bases and databases.

Knowledge Base

Trademarks

Learn about trademarks, including how to secure a trademark, trademark examples and best practices, & trademarks vs. copyrights vs. patents.

Trademarks

Churn

Churn, also known as customer attrition, is the rate at which customers stop doing business with a company over a given period.

Churn

Customer Segmentation

Learn about customer segmentation, including understanding different segmentation types, & how to implement customer segmentation.

Customer Segmentation

Sales Prospecting

Learn about sales prospecting, including strategies for effective sales prospecting, key tools for sales prospecting, comparing sales prospecting and lead g.

Sales Prospecting