A Complete Guide to Call Center Metrics

the complete guide to call center metrics

Identifying the flaws in business operations and fixing these quickly seems hard, but with call center KPIs, it has become an easy task. There are several call center metrics that can assure a productive call center environment.

Here is the list of some important call center metrics that you should use in your call center to streamline your business operations.

1. First Call Resolution

FCR (First Call Resolution) is a call enter metric that defines customers’ calls that need no transferring to others as these calls get resolved in the very first attempt. Or we can say that FCR explains the agents’ ability to solve the customer query in the first attempt.

Higher FCR rate means more satisfied customers. You can ensure a higher FCR rate in your call center by providing training to your call center agents so that they can handle the calls efficiently.

Also, higher FCR can be achieved by implementing advanced call center tools like IVR. Through that, all calls will be routed to their appropriate departments, and agents will be able to handle those calls efficiently.

2. Cost Per Contact

This metric defines how much each call costs to your call center. Whenever your agents send an email, dial, or pick up the customer call, it costs to your business and lies in call center operating costs.

Through this call center metric, you can do a cost analysis and easily figure out the overall operational cost.

3. Call Quality

Basically, call quality is measured on a scale of 0-10 that explains how good an agent handled a particular call. Call quality is measured through feedback systems and by monitoring the calls.

Call quality represents the facts and data that use to determine how well agents are doing, and are they meeting the performance objectives or not? Call quality assurance metrics increases operational efficiency and create a smooth journey for your customers that converts into loyal customers.

4. Service Level

Each call center sets its terms and conditions or creates plans like how much calls an agent should answer at a particular time. Service level KPI is used to ensure that the target is being met or not.

This call center metric gives you insight related to resource planning and operations management that ensures all resources are effectively utilized, and call volumes are under control.

5. Average Idle Time of Agent

In the call center environment, it is challenging to signify which agent is more productive and which one is not. That is why it is important to identify the agents’ performance to get optimum results.

Average Idle time is a call center metric that defines how much time an agent is free and has waited to handle a customer call. Whereas, the average idle time of agent represents the total call handling time to the total working hours.

This metric helps in workforce management; for example, if a campaign has high call volume, then you can switch your agents into another campaign that will eliminate agents’ idle time and boost their productivity.

6. Abandoned Call Rate (ACR)

Abandoned Call Rate or ACR defines the percentage of calls that are hung up by callers before an agent answers. A high abandoned call rate results in decreased customer satisfaction, and this is mainly due to long hold and waits times.

You can easily calculate the overall abandoned call rate by dividing the total abandoned calls to the total incoming calls. For a business, the abandoned call rate should be lower, and you can facilitate this by offering self-service options to customers.

7. Average Speed of Answer (ASA)

ASA is the average time of the call that defines how long a call has been queued to get answered. This metric determines the time each caller spends on call waiting either on phone rings or in a call queue.

ASA = Total length of customer wait time * 100
Total number of calls answered

Using the ASA calculation, call centers can easily determine how quickly they are responding to customers’ calls. Lower ASA score is good as it ensures callers do not have to wait too long, whereas higher ASA is a sign of bad customer service.

8. Average Handling Time

Average handling time or AHT is the average time an agent takes to handle a call from start to finish.

Once you have some data points like talk time, hold time, and wrap time, it will be so easy to calculate AHT as it is the average of total talk time, hold time and wrap time divided by the total numbers of calls handled.

Avg. Handling Time = Total talk time + Total hold time + Total wrap time
Total number of calls handled

Where,

Talk Time = Amount of time agent spends on a call.
Hold Time = Amount of time customers spend on hold.
Wrap Time = Total time spent by the agent in doing after call work like disposition codes.

Basically, AHT assesses the call center efficiency with the aim to improve agent performance and customer satisfaction. Ensuring a low AHT signifies good agent performance, but it requires a lot of efforts as you have to:

Organize agents’ training session
Monitor agents’ performance
Record and analyze all calls
Streamline work process
Use the knowledgebase

With the above call center practices, you can achieve low AHT and at the same time, boost customer satisfaction.

9. Average After Call Work Time

A variety of tasks like disposition codes, call notes, and updating information in a CRM are required to be completed from customer service representatives, once the call has ended. This process is also known as post-call processing. It is crucial for call center agents to enter data accurately and error-free to avoid any discrepancies.

Also, customer service representatives should not take more than 20 to 30 seconds to finish up the call, as it may decrease the overall call center efficiency. However, some call centers may have different ACW standards, but the main goal of every call center is to finish these tasks as soon as possible.

Call center agents should be trained for post-call activities so that they can utilize their time to perform another piece of task.

10. Average Call Transfer Rate

This call center metric defines the total number of calls transferred by an agent to another department or queue.

For example, X receives n numbers of calls in which he/she has transferred (n-2) calls to his/her supervisor or another department, then avg call transfer rate would be:

Avg. Call Transfer Rate = total number of calls transferred (n-2) * 100
Total number of calls (n)

High call transfer rate may negatively affect customer satisfaction; that’s why you need to ensure the use of an IVR system in your call center. IVR system helps you to navigate customers’ calls appropriately that will reduce the rate of call transfer and ultimately boost customer satisfaction and business productivity.

11. Customer Satisfaction Score

Customer satisfaction score or CSAT measures the customers’ satisfaction with a business related to purchases and interaction. Generally, it is calculated on a scale of 1 to 10 by asking a question like “How would you rate our services?”, “How likely are you to recommend our services to others?” or “How satisfied are you?”.

A big strength of CSAT is its simplicity. It is an easy way to determine whether your customers are happy or not. These scores will give you insight into improving customer service.

Conclusion

Call center KPIs allows to set objectives and to measure the overall call center performance. These metrics help you to find weak points or areas where you need more emphasis also helps to create action plans for the same.

Call center metrics demonstrate progress in each business area by maintaining the quality of customer service.