Phone:
Call queues hold incoming callers in an orderly line and route each one to the next available agent. Callers hear hold music and position announcements while they wait. Agents log in and out of queues as their availability changes. Included at no extra charge — other providers charge $15–25 per user for queues.
The caller is placed in line and hears a greeting: "All representatives are currently assisting other callers. Please hold and you will be connected shortly."
The caller hears hold music with periodic announcements: their position in line, estimated wait time, or a custom message about your business.
When an agent finishes their current call, the queue automatically routes the next waiting caller to that agent. No manual pickup needed.
If the wait exceeds a set time or the queue is full, the caller is routed to voicemail, another queue, or an overflow destination you define.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Distribution Strategy | Ring All, Round Robin, Least Recent, Fewest Calls, Random, or Linear (first available in fixed order) |
| Hold Music | Default music, custom music file, or custom message recordings. Different music per queue. |
| Position Announcement | "You are caller number 3 in line." Plays at a configurable interval. |
| Estimated Wait Time | "Your estimated wait time is 2 minutes." Calculated from average handle time. |
| Periodic Announcement | Custom message that plays at intervals while holding. Promote services, share hours, or thank callers for waiting. |
| Max Wait Time | Maximum time a caller stays in queue before failover (voicemail, another queue, external number). |
| Max Callers | Maximum number of callers allowed in the queue at once. New callers beyond the limit go to overflow destination. |
| Agent Login / Logout | Agents dial a code to log into or out of the queue from their phone. No admin action needed. |
| Wrap-Up Time | Configurable pause after each call before the agent receives the next queued call. Time for notes and follow-up. |
| Caller ID Prefix | Adds a label like "BILLING:" or "SALES:" to the caller ID so agents know which queue the call came from. |
Both route calls to teams, but they work differently. Many businesses use both.
| Call Queues | Ring Groups | |
|---|---|---|
| Caller experience | Holds caller in line with music and announcements | Rings phones — if nobody answers, goes to failover |
| Best for | High call volume, support desks, multi-agent teams | Small teams, reception, simple routing |
| Agent management | Agents log in/out, wrap-up time between calls | All members ring — no login/logout |
| Caller information | Position in line, estimated wait time | Ringing tone only |
| Overflow handling | Max callers, max wait time, failover destination | Ring timeout, then failover |
| Extra charge | No (included) | No (included) |
Both features are included with every VoipPlus account. Learn more about ring groups.
Monday morning appointment rush. Callers hear "You are caller number 2" instead of a busy signal. After-hours queue routes to on-call provider.
Dinner rush calls stack up. Queue holds callers with estimated wait instead of a busy signal. Orders, reservations, and catering inquiries all handled in order.
Tenant calls for maintenance, billing, and leasing routed to separate queues. Emergency maintenance queue with high-priority failover to on-call staff.
IT help desk, HVAC dispatch, plumbing dispatch — any business taking inbound service calls benefits from orderly call distribution.
There is no limit. Create separate queues for sales, support, billing, dispatch, or any other department. Each queue has its own settings, hold music, and agent roster.
Agents dial a feature code from their phone to log in or out. No admin intervention needed. When logged out, the agent stops receiving queued calls but can still use their phone normally.
Yes. You can configure a "press 1 to leave a voicemail" option that plays during the queue. Callers who do not want to wait can leave a message, and the voicemail is delivered to the queue's email address.
Yes. Upload any audio file as your queue's hold music. You can also use a custom recorded message that plays on a loop. Each queue can have different music or messaging.
You configure the "no agent" destination. Options include voicemail, another queue, a ring group, an external number, or a recorded message. Callers are never left in a dead-end queue.
No. Call queues are included with every VoipPlus account as part of the 50+ features you get with your service. Other providers charge $15–25 per user per month for queue functionality.
Call queues are included with every VoipPlus account. Tell us your call flow and we will build it for you.
View pricing · All Features · Ring Groups
Hoffman Estates, IL 60169 — Serving Chicagoland businesses since 2001