Blended Campaign

A blended campaign is a VICIdial campaign configuration that handles both inbound and outbound calls simultaneously, allowing agents to receive incoming calls during gaps in outbound dialing activity. Rather than dedicating separate agent pools to inbound and outbound work, blended campaigns dynamically shift agents between the two based on real-time demand, maximizing agent utilization and reducing idle time.

How It Works in VICIdial

VICIdial implements blended campaigns by assigning agents to an outbound campaign while also selecting one or more inbound groups via the closer_campaigns setting. When an agent is idle and waiting for the predictive dialer to connect a call, they are simultaneously available to receive inbound calls routed through their selected inbound groups.

The priority between inbound and outbound calls is managed through queue priority settings. Typically, inbound calls take priority over outbound dials because a ringing customer on hold represents a higher-value interaction than an outbound attempt. When an inbound call arrives and an agent is available, VICIdial routes the inbound call to the agent instead of waiting for an outbound connection. Once the inbound call is complete and dispositioned, the agent returns to the outbound dialing pool.

The auto dial level adjusts dynamically based on how many agents are currently handling inbound calls versus waiting for outbound connections. As inbound volume increases and pulls agents away from the outbound pool, the dialer reduces its pacing to prevent excessive abandon rate. When inbound volume drops, agents return to outbound work and the dialer ramps back up.

Why It Matters

Blended campaigns solve one of the fundamental efficiency challenges in call center operations: matching staffing to unpredictable inbound call volumes while maintaining outbound productivity. Without blending, managers must choose between overstaffing inbound queues (wasting money during low-volume periods) or understaffing them (creating long hold times and abandoned calls).

With blended campaigns, outbound dialing automatically fills the gaps between inbound calls, and inbound calls automatically take priority when they arrive. This can increase overall agent utilization by 15-30% compared to running separate inbound and outbound teams. Blended campaigns are especially effective for operations that combine lead generation (outbound) with customer service (inbound) or that experience predictable inbound peaks during certain hours.