All three send an incoming call to a team instead of a single desk — but they behave very differently once your phones get busy. Here's how to choose.
The short version
| Ring Group (Ring All) | Hunt-style (Sequential) | Call Queue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What callers hear | Ringing | Ringing | Hold music + updates |
| How phones ring | All at once | One at a time, in order | Next free agent |
| If everyone's busy | Goes to voicemail | Goes to voicemail | Caller waits in line |
| Position updates / callback | No | No | Yes |
| Live stats & service level | Basic | Basic | Yes |
| Best team size | Small | Small, with a clear order | Medium to large / high volume |
| Set up under | Phone System → Ring Groups | Phone System → Ring Groups (Sequential strategy) | Phone System → Call Queues |
Ring group (everyone rings at once)
A ring group set to Ring All rings every member's phone at the same time. Whoever grabs it first gets the call. It's the fastest way to answer and dead simple — perfect for a reception desk or a small team where any call should reach anyone. When no one answers, the call goes to your chosen fallback, usually voicemail.
Choose this when: you have a handful of people and speed matters more than sharing the load.
Hunt group (ring one after another)
"Hunt group" is the traditional name for ringing people one at a time, in a set order — try the primary person first, then the backup, then the next. In ReliaRing you don't need a separate feature for this: create a ring group and choose the Sequential strategy, then set each member's priority. The call "hunts" down the list until someone answers.
Choose this when: you want a clear pecking order — a main contact with backups — rather than every phone ringing together.
Ring groups also offer Round Robin and Least Recent strategies, which share calls evenly across the team without holding callers in a line.
Call queue (hold callers in line)
A call queue is built for volume. When agents are busy, callers wait in line with hold music, optional "you are caller number 3" updates, and the option to be called back instead of holding. You get live stats — calls waiting, average wait, service level — and features like wrap-up time between calls. It's the right tool for a support or sales desk where calls routinely stack up.
Choose this when: you regularly get more calls than you can answer at once and you want to hold callers, measure performance, and staff to demand.
A quick decision guide
- Just a few people, answer fast? Ring group, Ring All.
- A primary contact with backups? Ring group, Sequential (hunt-style).
- Share calls evenly across a team? Ring group, Round Robin or Least Recent.
- Calls pile up and you want to hold and measure them? Call queue.
Many businesses use more than one: a voice menu sends "Press 1 for Sales" to a ring group and "Press 2 for Support" to a call queue. See Plan Your Call Flow to map it out.