There has been a big shift in the trends for customer experience and the realization is now hitting across the globe. Therefore, all the contact centers need to up their game and deliver exceptional services to keep their businesses thriving.
Here are some statistics to explain the ongoing trend shift in the industry.
Looking at the statistics it could be deduced that call center benchmarking is crucial. Every call center that plans on delivering a quality customer resolution must follow certain KPI benchmarks by industry.
Call Center Benchmarking KPIs
An agent’s performance is measured via certain metrics known as Key Performance Indicators or KPIs. These KPIs define how good customer service is offered by a contact center. With some exceptions to business needs, these KPIs are a standard measure that any call center considers while evaluating their performance.
| 💡Read more | 31 Key Call Center Metrics for Improved Contact Center Productivity |
Some of the most common metrics are mentioned below
Average Handling Time [AHT]
AHT (Average Handling Time) is the average time an agent takes on a single call. Its duration starts at the time when the agent picks up the call and till the time he wraps up the call. It includes talk time, hold time & wrap-up time.
The lesser AHT is proportional to an improved agent’s performance.
Global Benchmark – 6 Minutes
| 💡Also Read | 15 Things For Reducing Average Handle Time |
First Call Resolutions [FCRs]
First Call Resolution refers to how many calls and queries an agent is able to solve in the first call itself. A higher FCR score is proportional to exceptional agent performance due to the avoidance of repeated calls and spamming by the customer.
Global Benchmark – 70%-80%
Net Promoter Score [NPS]
NPS (Net Promoter Score) is a measure of customer loyalty to a brand. Customer loyalty is now considered quite crucial for a business, thus a higher NPS is a direct reflection of a happy and loyal customer base.
Global Benchmark – Industry-specific
Customer Satisfaction Score [CSAT]
Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) measures how satisfied your customer is with the product or services you are offering. A good CSAT score leads to a happy customer and thus is effective in maintaining your brand integrity.
It could be measured on a rating scale or a questionnaire at the end.
Global Benchmark – 75%-84%
| 💡Also Read | 15 Things For Reducing Average Handle Time |
Call Abandonment Rate
The call Abandonment rate refers to the number of calls that are unanswered due to the unavailability of an agent. This could be due to excess call volume, shortage of agents, longer AHTs, and lower FCRs.
A higher call abandonment rate is an alarm for your business to work on streamlining and optimizing the customer support process. A higher call abandonment rate also means that customers are not happy with the support they were offered and it is inversely proportional to CSAT.
Global Benchmark – 5-8%
Call Transfer Rate
The call transfer rate refers to the number of calls that are transferred within the system. This is done because mainly not all agents have the expertise for every type of query, therefore calls are deferred to a more suitable agent for faster resolutions.
Global Benchmark – 15%
Average Speed to Answer (ASA)
ASA (Average Speed to Answer) refers to how quickly an agent answers a customer’s query. A lesser ASA indicates that your customer queries are being attended to quickly and is inversely proportional to the call abandonment rate.
A lower ASA also indicates that the average wait time for a customer is lesser and the customer would be potentially happy and satisfied.
Global Benchmark – 28 Seconds
Benefits of Call Center Benchmarking
As mentioned above there are many KPIs on which agent’s performance and call center performance are analyzed. Call center benchmarking has been critical in order to understand some key aspects of customer satisfaction.
Let us discuss certain aspects in depth to deploy these strategies in the future.
Performance Improvement
Benchmarking helps identify areas where a call center is underperforming compared to industry standards. This allows management to take corrective action, improving overall efficiency and performance.
Enhanced Customer Satisfaction
By measuring key performance indicators (KPIs) like average call handling time, first call resolution, and customer satisfaction scores, call centers can make targeted improvements that lead to better customer service and satisfaction.
| 💡Also Read | 10 Great Insights from Contact Center Survey for Better Customer Satisfaction |
Cost Efficiency
Benchmarking can highlight cost-saving opportunities by revealing inefficiencies in staffing, technology use, or operational processes. It enables call centers to optimize resources without compromising quality.
Employee Performance and Engagement
Comparing agent performance against benchmarks helps in identifying training needs and motivating employees to meet or exceed performance standards. This leads to better employee engagement and productivity.
Goal Setting and Strategic Planning
Benchmarking provides data-driven insights that help set realistic goals and align the call center’s strategy with industry standards. It also aids in future planning by identifying trends and opportunities for growth.
Competitive Advantage
Keeping up with or surpassing industry benchmarks can give a call center a competitive edge. It positions the business as a leader in customer service, potentially attracting more clients and improving brand reputation.
Data-Driven Decision Making
Benchmarking offers concrete data to guide decision-making processes, ensuring that changes are based on proven metrics rather than assumptions.
Customer Retention
Improved service quality and faster resolution times, driven by benchmarking, help in retaining customers and reducing churn rates, contributing to long-term business success.
Wrapping Up!
In conclusion, it could be noted that customer experience is now the heartbeat of business success, and call centers are feeling the pressure to keep up. With AI revolutionizing interactions and customers expecting quick & tailored responses, the game is changing fast. The stats don’t lie: excelling in key areas like First Call Resolution (FCR), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), and Net Promoter Score (NPS) is a must to stay competitive.
This is where call center benchmarking comes in. It’s the guide that helps you continuously improve performance, boost customer satisfaction, cut costs, and maintain a competitive edge. By adopting industry-specific KPI benchmarks, you’ll streamline operations and foster long-term loyalty. As customer interactions become increasingly data-driven, benchmarking will be key to delivering top-notch service and staying agile in this fast-evolving landscape.
