What is a right-party contact (RPC)?
A right-party contact (RPC) is a call that reaches the exact person you meant to speak with, not a colleague, a gatekeeper or a wrong number.
Why it matters for sales teams
A live answer is not always progress. If the person who picks up is a receptionist, the successor of someone who left, or a stranger who has never heard of the contact, the call does not move the deal forward. RPC separates the conversations that count from the answers that do not.
The term is used in collections and call centers, and it applies just as well to B2B prospecting. A low RPC rate often points to the data: numbers that belong to a gatekeeper, a switchboard, a previous owner or a different person. A verified direct dial is the most reliable route to the right party.
Example
Say a rep's calls are answered by 12 people in a session. Five are the intended contact, four are colleagues or a front desk, and three say it is a wrong number. The rep had 12 live answers but five right-party contacts, and those five are the conversations that can lead to a meeting.