We often find that the metrics and measures used in the call center are those that are readily available from the systems and tools such as the Automatic Call Distributor (ACD). These include such things as speed of answer (service level or ASA or both), average handle time (AHT), and abandon percentage. Executives often ask us if these metrics are the most relevant ones or if there are better options. On the other hand, we hear complaints from contact center managers that executives are micro-managing their contact center operations and focused entirely on cost controls. This disparity is often driven by lack of alignment of the goals and call center metrics. Let’s take a look at the contact center and determine what we should be measuring.
There are three major stakeholders in the success of the contact center - customers, staff, and owners (represented by executive management). Metrics should be in place that ensure that the organization is meeting the needs of those three groups. Generally speaking, we see the long-term health of the organization dependent upon the following concerns:
- Customer acquisition, retention, and growth
- Employee engagement, retention and development
- Profitability
- Brand image and market position
With the mission and vision of the contact center strategy defined in a way that aligns it with the customer loyalty aspects of the enterprise strategic plan, the next step is to develop a performance management strategy by asking the following questions:
- What does the customer care about most and how can it be measured?
- What does the employee care about most and how can it be measured?
- What performance measures will demonstrate contribution to enterprise business objectives?
1. I want my problem/question resolved quickly and easily.
- Error and rework rates
- Quality call center call monitoring scores
- First call resolution rates and contact center customer conflict management
- Transfer rates
- Self-service utilization rates
- Customer satisfaction scores (for both self-service and agent-handled transactions)
2. I want to be able to contact the company whenever I need/want to.
- Hours of operation match to customer contact patterns
- Network blockage – busy signals
- Speed of answer – service level or ASA and abandon rates
1. I need to balance my work life and my personal life.
- Employee satisfaction (including compensation plan, schedule options, opportunities for career development, management processes and recognition)
- Agent occupancy and fairness of work distribution
- Call center absentee rate and attendance (often an early warning sign of dissatisfaction)
- Turnover rate (by work type, schedule, supervisory team, and length of employment) including movement to other departments and out of the company separately
2. I want to have the tools and support to do a good job.
- System availability and functionality to meet contact handling needs
- Orientation and ongoing training and call center coaching plans
- Reward and recognition programs
- Employee satisfaction (including supervisor support, training and tools)
1. We need to acquire and retain customers to grow the company.
- Sales results (whether new orders, cross-selling, in-bound selling, or outbound selling or referrals to other sales agents). Even service centers and help desks can at least acquaint customers with options and companion products
- Customer satisfaction (including the product, services, resolution of problems, and willingness to recommend the company to others)
- Effectiveness of marketing efforts (contact volumes that were driven by various campaigns and the sales rates associated with each)
- Contact center intelligence gathered and shared with the enterprise on customer satisfaction, product desires, competitive position, etc. (as measured by the receiving departments)
- Cost per contact
- Revenue per contact
- Revenue cost ratio per contact
- Up-sell, cross-sell percentages
