In the previous post, I went through why you need a phone system.
Now, it’s time to geek out a bit — because we’re diving into answer groups!
If you’re using lynes, you’ve probably already come across answer groups.
In short, an answer group is a team of colleagues who share responsibility for answering incoming calls.
Depending on your company’s size and structure, there are several ways to organize your answer groups — and that’s exactly what we’ll explore in this post.
Why Are Answer Groups Important in a Phone System?
Your company’s call flow deserves serious attention.
The goal is simple — capture as many incoming calls as possible, provide quick and professional service, and build an efficient internal workflow.
That’s where answer groups come in. They are the backbone of your phone system.
Every caller lands in an answer group — and with a well-designed group that can handle the load and has the right skill set, you’ll have a powerful tool to deliver fast, professional service to your customers.
How Should You Choose the Right Answer Group for Your Organization?
In most phone systems, there are three types of answer groups to choose from.
Different providers use different names, but in lynes we call them:
- Basic Answer Group (Hunt Group)
- Standard Answer Group (ACD Light)
- Advanced Answer Group (Attendant)
Let’s look at each type, what sets them apart, and what you can do with them — so you can pick the best fit for your organization.
After that, we’ll go over how to supercharge your answer groups with three smart integrations.
Basic Answer Group / Hunt Group
As the name suggests, this group type offers limited functionality.
It doesn’t include queue management and is static, which makes it best suited for smaller companies with a low volume of incoming calls and fast response times.
Another key difference compared to more advanced groups is that members are always logged in.
Incoming calls can ring in two ways:
- To all users at once in the group (known as “hunt”)
- To one user at a time, for a set number of seconds, before moving to the next person
For example, if a group has 10 people and the ring time is set to 15 seconds per person, the system randomly decides who rings first for each call.
In both scenarios, you can set a maximum ring time before the call moves on — for example, to a shared voicemail, a busy message, or an external answering service.
Because of its simplicity, this type is best for internal use or for phone numbers with few incoming calls.
Standard Answer Group (ACD Light)
Think of this one as the Volvo of answer groups — reliable, safe, and ready for anything.
An ACD Light group is a robust, flexible option that works well for both low and high call volumes.
It’s also the type you most often encounter when calling other companies.
You typically hear a short (or long) welcome message, and if all agents are busy, you’re placed in a queue where a hold message plays periodically.
Beyond the queue feature, ACD Light offers much more flexibility:
- Agents can log in and out with a single click
- You can define the exact call order in the ring loop
- Calls can automatically skip busy agents and move to the next available one
You can also define:
- Maximum number of callers in queue
- Maximum queue time
- What happens when the queue is full or the wait time limit is reached (e.g. voicemail, callback, or forwarding)
We also offer scheduled callback options so customers can be called back during quieter hours.
Advanced Answer Group (Attendant)
If the standard group is a Volvo, the advanced group is the factory where the Volvo is built.
This group includes everything from ACD Light — and more. It gives you complete flexibility to build your own customer experience.
Perfect for organizations that value customized, high-quality service.
Incoming calls can be distributed in four ways:
- To all logged-in agents simultaneously
- To the agent who’s been idle the longest
- In a predefined order
- By priority level
What does “priority level” mean?
Let’s say you have 10 people in the group, but Monica and Bengt should always answer first.
They’re set as Priority 1. If both are busy, the call goes to Priority 2 — in this case, Lars and Elin.
If Lars is already on a call, the system rings Elin — but as soon as Monica is available again, the next incoming call goes to her first.
In short: the system always follows your defined priority order, ensuring the most experienced or relevant agents get the calls first.
Queue Functionality in Attendant Groups
If callers are placed in a queue, they first hear a message, followed by ringing or hold music — your choice.
You can decide how often queue messages are repeated and even include information like:
- Current queue position
- Estimated waiting time
Visual Queue Alerts
A handy feature in our advanced groups is visual queue notifications.
Agents can instantly see in lynes if a caller has been waiting too long.
You define the time limit — when it’s reached, the call flashes in the agent’s softphone, prompting action.
Manage Groups with Queue Monitoring
Like a conductor directing an orchestra, the Queue Monitor allows supervisors to move agents between groups based on workload — logging someone out of one group and into another with high demand.
It’s efficient and resource-smart.
Supercharge Your Answer Groups with Smart Integrations
Since lynes is fully cloud-based, you can easily integrate additional digital services to extend functionality.
Here are three of our favorites:
TeleQ – Scheduled Callback
Perfect for small teams with high call volumes.
Let callers choose when they want to be called back, and get an organized callback list for your team — boosting both efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Answering Service
Our answering service integrates seamlessly with your lynes system, allowing us to handle your calls whenever your team is unavailable.
Shared Voicemail
Avoid lost messages with a shared voicemail for your team.
All members can access messages via the web or a shared email inbox.
Which Answer Group Should You Choose?
Hopefully, this post has given you some clarity on which type fits your organization best.
When deciding, think about your customers’ expectations:
Do they want a live answer within a few rings?
Is waiting in a queue acceptable?
Or are they comfortable leaving a message for a callback?
Reflect on what currently works well — and where there’s room to improve.
And remember: we’re just a call away.
If you’d like expert help tailoring the right setup for your company, get in touch.
We have years of experience implementing and optimizing answer groups for all types of organizations — and we’ll make sure you get a solution that fits you perfectly.
