Predictive routing is a powerful tool in Ringba for optimizing call routing based on the targets’ previous performance. 

The predictive routing algorithm starts by calculating each target’s estimated revenue per call (RPC), then layers on priority bonuses to choose the best target to receive each call. You configure some priority bonuses, such as those for new and underperforming targets. Others are proprietary priority bonuses that reflect Ringba’s specialized optimization experience to ensure all targets have a fair opportunity to maximize value.

Note: Effective October 2023, the Reaction Time slider shown in this video was renamed Training Requirement. The slider still performs the same function of controlling how many calls the Predictive Routing engine considers when adjusting its performance.

This article shows you how to configure your Predictive Routing settings as well as how to create custom configurations with Ringba's predictive routing algorithm builder.

Creating Custom Predictive Routing Configurations

A custom predictive routing configuration lets you create re-usable settings and configurations you can assign to multiple campaigns, buyers, and targets.

To create a custom predictive routing configuration, navigate to Settings on the sidebar menu and click Predictive Routing. Click the Create Configuration button and enter a name for the configuration in the Name field.

Use Revenue Switch

After you've entered a name, your first choice is whether to toggle on the Use Revenue switch. If you toggle on this switch, you don't need to complete any further details. Toggling on this switch effectively bypasses predictive routing because the configuration simply uses target revenue and revenue from ring trees to perform routing calculations.

Advanced Switch

If you leave the Use Revenue switch toggled off, you can then choose whether to toggle on the Advanced switch. If you leave it toggled off, you complete the configuration according to the following section, Basic Configuration. If you toggle it on, you complete the configuration according to the Advanced Configuration section later in this article. 

Basic Configuration

If you leave this switch toggled off, you create a basic configuration using a set of sliders that make it easy to change how the algorithm calculates revenue per call, as well as give new targets and underperforming targets the opportunity to compete for incoming calls. The following sliders are available to configure your basic predictive routing:

New Target Priority

Determines new targets should be prioritized to receive incoming calls in order to build up their results for calculating their estimated revenue per call. With a higher priority set, new targets in the routing plan receive a priority bump to "even the playing field" and give them an opportunity to receive calls they need to generate a more accurate estimated revenue per call.

Underperforming Target Priority

When a target's estimated revenue falls below a certain threshold, it is no longer competitive with other targets for incoming calls. To let a target increase its standing, this setting controls how much of a priority bump underperforming targets should receive for incoming calls.

Training Requirement

This setting refers to the amount of calls in the dataset the system uses to calculate which target should receive the call. When the slider is set to More Calls, the configuration uses a larger amount of calls. When moving the slider toward Less Calls, the algorithm uses fewer calls and responds faster to fluctuations in a target's estimated revenue per call.

What's next? For more advice on how to set the sliders in the Basic configuration, see the Predictive Routing - Most Common Use Cases article.

Advanced Configuration

If you toggle on the Advanced switch, you get granular control over specific settings and rules for how the predictive routing engine calculates revenue per call. The following options are available for Advanced configuration.

• Count Attempts: Determines when a call is actually counted and used in the subsequent calculation. In this drop-down box, you can select which event causes it to be factored into the equation. You can have it set to when the number is dialed or when a connection is made.
• Track Conversions By: Determines which group in your call to use in the equation. Your choices are: Buyer, Target, Campaign and Buyer, Campaign and Target, Publisher Campaign and Buyer, and Publisher Campaign and Target. Each of these options has advantages and disadvantages, depending on the use case.
• Minimum Number of Calls: Ringba uses the value in this field together with the value in the  Minimum Number of Hours field. This is the lowest number of calls in the lowest number of hours to use in the revenue-per-call equation.
  
  For example, if you set this field to 100 and the Minimum Number of Hours field to 12, Ringba looks for the most recent 100 calls over the last 12 hours. If there have not been 100 calls in the last 12 hours, Ringba applies the bonus you set in the New Targets field later in this section.
• Desired Number of Calls: The preferred number of calls you would like to use in the revenue-per-call equation. If the number of calls is greater than the Minimum Number of Calls but less than the Desired Number of Calls, the equation uses the number of calls you have.
• Minimum Number of Hours: Ringba uses the value in this field together with the value in the Minimum Number of Calls field. In addition to the call requirements listed in that field, the target must also have completed this minimum number of hours of work. If this minimum is not met, Ringba applies the bonus you set in the New Targets field later in this section.
• Desired Number of Hours: The preferred number of hours' worth of calls to use in the RPC equation. If the number of hours' worth of calls is greater than the Minimum Number of Hours but less than the Desired Number of Hours, the equation uses whatever number of hours you have.
• Skip Latest Hours: Refers to how many of the most recent hours of your call flow you would like to exclude from the equation. You may want to set a longer delay depending on your use case. For example, if you know that a buyer or target won’t be returning conversion data for an hour. Or, if your campaign involves a longer sales cycle, you may want to Skip Latest Hours so those conversions have time to occur.
  Note: If you have configured rules for the Minimum Number of Hours and the Minimum Number of Calls, both criteria must be met to use the calculated revenue per call. If either minimum is not met, Ringba applies the bonus you set in the New Targets field.
• New Targets: A number between 0 and 100 that controls how quickly new targets receive calls. You might provide extra calls to new targets so they can build up their results for calculating the estimated revenue per calls. The number does not represent a literal number of calls, but rather a relative priority for the target. Enter a higher number to increase the calls the target receives.
• Underperforming Targets: A number between 0 and 100 that controls the relative priority of sending more calls to underperforming targets. When a target's estimated revenue falls below a certain threshold, it stops being competitive with other targets for incoming calls. The number does not represent a literal number of calls, but rather a relative priority for the target. Enter a higher number to increase the calls the target receives.

What's next? For more advice on how to set the sliders in the Advanced configuration, see the Predictive Routing - Advanced Use Cases article.

Using a Custom Predictive Routing Configuration

Once you have created your custom configuration, you can re-use it for a campaign, buyer, or target.

To use a previously created predictive routing configuration in a campaign, open the campaign where you want to use it and scroll down to the Estimated Revenue field. Toggle on the Use Estimated Revenue switch and select your custom configuration from the dropdown box.

To use a previously created predictive routing configuration for a buyer, find the buyer and navigate to Predictive Routing Settings. Toggle on the Use Estimated Revenue switch and select your custom configuration from the dropdown box. From here, you can also assign the buyer a priority bump to tell your configuration to prioritize this buyer when calculating estimated revenue.

You can also use custom predictive routing configurations and assign priority bumps at the target level.


Tip: When overriding predictive routing configurations, the Ringba platform prioritizes configurations in the following order:

Account > Campaign > Routing Plan > Buyer > Target / Ring Tree Target

with target-level overrides having the highest priority.

Viewing RPC Calculation Summary

After you’ve received calls with predictive routing enabled, you can find the results in the Call Details report for each phone call on the Reporting screen. Click a call to expand it and scroll down to the RPC Calculation Summary section.

Viewing Calls With Predictive Routing

You can easily filter the data on the Reporting screen to include only calls that use predictive routing. Click the +Filter button, choose the Has Predictive Routing field, and set the rest of the filter to Equals Single Value and yes. When you click Apply Updated Filters, the report updates to show only calls that used predictive routing.

Predictive Routing FAQ

What are the common use cases for changing the Default configuration?

If you have any questions about when to change the sliders in the basic configuration, see this link: Predictive Routing - Most Common Use Cases.

To learn more about best practices for setting the fields in the advanced configuration, see this article: Predictive Routing - Advanced Use Cases

What should I do if I need help with Predictive Routing?

If you have any questions or need additional help, please reach out to our support team via chat or email at support@ringba.com.