Call Center Metrics

Have you ever asked yourself what makes a good customer support service? Is it just a pleasant voice of an operator? Or is it instant solution of your problems and prompt answer to your question? Well, perhaps both. When we call customer support services we expect to listen to polite speech, but what is more important we want to receive answers and fix problems.

What is a good customer support service from managerial point of view? Of course, this is an efficient call center requiring moderate investments and providing customer with high class services. If you are running a sales business, you might also want your call center generate sales, i.e. sell products/service via phone.

Imagine that you are a call center manager. You have certain amount of money to maintain call center and average number of caller every day. You job is to make sure you are using funds efficiently. However, you need to keep balance, and keep both employees/operators and customers satisfied.

Measure customer service performance to find weak points

Use Balanced Scorecard system to evaluate customer service performance

This is where Balanced Scorecard system can help. This is special software that measures key performance indicators (KPI). What are KPIs? These are values that measure certain aspects of business performance. For example, in case of a customer support service the central KPI would be cost per call. You spend a certain amount of money to answer one call (wages to personnel, telecom expenses etc). Logically, the less you spend the more efficiently your call center works. However, be moderate and do not save too much on compensation to operators and telecom solutions.

Customer satisfaction would be the second most important KPI. There is nothing worse than an angry caller. If this person is a current customer of your company you are risking to lose him/her. Ask your personnel to be polite and observe communication etiquette. Besides, call center operators must be 100% competent in the issue related to products or services you sell.

There are also such KPI measured by Balanced Scorecard system as time on hold, one and done calls rate, abandoned calls rate, blockage and a number of others. They all represent certain aspects of a call center performance.

With Balanced Scorecard system you will be able to improve performance and separate KPIs. For instance, you may have lost cost per call, but high rate of abandoned calls and low rate of first resolution calls.

Call center metrics will help you optimize work of a customer support service.

What do you usually do when you have problems with a product or a service you have recently purchased? Sure, you want to talk to representatives of a producer/provider of a service. You cannot meet managers or company CEO in person, so, you need to call a customer support center. As a rule, big companies maintain own call centers to answer customer’s calls and provide them with support and guidance.

Much depends on how you talk to a call center representative. If you made a call but your problem was not resolved you will have a bad feeling about such a company. It may happen that you leave this company and go to competitors. If you are a potential customer you will forget about it just after you hang up.

So, as you can see a call center is an important element in the business structure. Many companies use call centers to accept orders and sell products/services. But most often call centers provide customers with support.

Use Balanced Scorecard system to evaluate call center performance

Evaluate call center performance to find strengths and weaknesses

It is imperative that you regularly evaluate call center performance. Why do you need it? Well, your call center may seem to work normally, while in reality you suffer losses or losing customers because of imperfection in the work of a customer support service. There are many factors and aspects that influence work of a call center. It is very difficult to evaluate them without proper software solutions.

Balanced Scorecard is an effective tool to evaluate call center performance. This software measures certain indicators, commonly known as key performance indicators (KPIs). Call center metrics has own set of KPI which influence call center performance directly or indirectly.

Balanced Scorecard will make it possible to a manager discover weak points in the work of a call center. Thus, you will be able to find problems at different stages: answering calls, finding solutions, making an effective use of IT technologies, saving costs etc.

What are the most important KPIs to be evaluated? Without any doubts, this is cost per call. You need to spend some money to answer one call (wages, expenses for equipment, rent, power expenses). If your calls are too expensive you will suffer losses and run your company into bankruptcy. Think of efficient telecom solutions, and organize your work in an efficient way.

When talking to customers, your call center operators need to answer all questions and solve any problems that customers might have with the product/service. Customer satisfaction is something a call center manager needs to take care of.

If you visit web site of any company selling products or services, you will most certainly find Support menu there with contact details of the company call center. All reputable companies have own call centers to handle calls from existing and potential customers. The importance of a call center can be hardly overestimated. Imagine that you want to purchase a hosting plan from a web hosting provider and you are calling their tech support or a call center. What decision would you make if you do not like conversation with a call center operator? Perhaps, you will look for other companies. What if you have already purchased a hosting plan for 1 month and during this month you had a negative experience in talking with call center operators? Most certainly you will search for another web hosting provider.

Having a call center does not automatically mean that it will work efficiently. A call center should be managed in a smart way. That is why it is important to evaluate call center or helpdesk performance in order to be aware of problems, weak points as well as strengths. It is impossible to make any plans as to further development of a call center without being aware of current problems.

For performance evaluation purposes use of Balanced Scorecard system is highly recommended for top managers. Sometimes, knowing net profits or total expenses for a call a center is not enough to evaluate its performance. In order to get a full picture it is necessary to measure a series of key performance indicators. These values represent different aspects of a helpdesk performance.

Measure helpdesk performance with Balanced Scorecard system

Use BSC system to measure helpdesk performance

It may happen that you spend too much to maintain helpdesk or you make inefficient investment in the customer support service. Balanced Scorecard system makes it possible to evaluate KPIs (key performance indicators) and compare results to previous indexes. Thus, you will be able to see a trend (positive or negative).

Call center metrics differs from KPIs for other business activities. As the main goal of a helpdesk is providing customers with support and guidance, customer satisfaction is a NUMBER ONE KPI. A customer should like conversation with a call center operator. All his questions must be answered and all problems resolved, if possible.

With a Balanced Scorecard system you will be able to reduce cost per call or increase revenue per successful call, as well as improve time on hold, one and done calls rates, abandoned calls rate etc.

At a first glance a call center has a very simple structure. Customers are calling and call center operators are answering calls. So simple! But in reality a call center is a complex organization with a number of factors that influence performance of the entire company. “What depends on call center performance?” you might ask. Well, the answer is quite clear. With an inefficient call center you will probably earn less money or even suffer losses.

Have you ever called a call center? Perhaps you have. Have you ever had a negative experience in dealing with call center operators? If you haven’t then you are lucky. There can be nothing worse than hearing “We understand your problems and let’s try to find solutions” while no solutions are available. After 5 minutes of a futile conversation, angry caller eventually hangs up with the decision never to deal with this company every again. Loss of existing or potential customers is loss of money.

So, in order to make sure your call center works in an effective and efficient way you need to regularly evaluate its performance. Balanced Scorecard is the best tool to perform business evaluation. This is specifically designed software that measures certain key performance indicators, i.e. values that fully represent company’s performance. Key performance indicators are different in different business types. It is also very important to pick the right indicators having true representative value.

Use call center scorecard to measure business performance

Call center scorecard is the best tool to eveluate call center performance

Call center managers need to pay attention to several KPIs (key performance indicators), depending on goals and tasks of call center operators. Let’s review performance evaluation of a sales call center and a customer support service.

Sales call center. There are two major goals – selling products/services and keeping customer satisfied. Call center operators should focus on revenue per successful call and customer satisfaction. The more money a call center earns the better business performance it has. Of course, such KPIs as time on hold and abandoned calls rate, are very important as well.

If we are talking about customer support services, operators of such a call center need to provide callers with support and assistance. In other words, they answer questions and look for solutions to existing problems. Tech support operators pay a special attention to one and done calls rate, blockage, time on hold, communication etiquette (especially with angry callers) and customer satisfaction.

Use of Balanced Scorecard system is recommended to call center managers and strategic planners who want to expand and further develop call centers.

What is the most important aspect in evaluation of business performance? First of all, evaluation process must be timely. In other words, business should be regularly evaluated in order to take counter measures to fight against problems and imperfections. Secondly, one should evaluate the most important indicators. If you are paying attention to the profits only, you may be ignorant on many other factors that directly or indirectly influence well-being of the business.

As known, a call center is an inseparable part of any big company that takes care of relationships with its customers. A company that values its customers and is willing to find new ones, always takes care of customer support and call center services.

As a part of a big business (usually customer support services do not earn money but consult callers on tech problems), a call center needs to be regularly evaluated. Evaluation process should not necessarily take much time and effort. In the age of IT technologies millions of managers from all over the world are using special automated performance evaluation system. Balanced Scorecard is one of the most popular of such systems. This software needs certain figures and values to measure performance of a company.

Major call center kpi

Evalution of call center KPIs is evaluation of call center business performance

In our case (a call center) Balanced Scorecard evaluates KPIs relevant to call center and customer support service. KPIs are key performance indicators, i.e. values that represent performance of a call center. In other words, these are figures that show how well a call center works.

It needs saying that there are primary and secondary call center kpi. Of course, everything depends on goals and tasks of a particular call center. For instance, if sales are the main goal, then revenue per successful call and conversion rate will be most the important KPIs which need to be measured as often as possible.

If we are talking about tech support or customer support service, then customer satisfaction is the main thing such a call center should focus on. Operators need to take care of such KPIs as cost per call, one and done calls rate (also called first resolution calls), average time on hold, abandoned calls rate etc.

In the first case a call center should do everything possible to keep expenses low and sales rate high. In the second case tech support need to do everything possible to keep customer satisfied, i.e. answer all questions and resolve all controversial issues.

What do you usually do if you are having problems with the product or service you have just purchased? Sure, you call tech support or a company call center. It does not matter which products you have bought or what service features aren’t working. You still pick up the phone and dial a number to hear pleasant voice saying: “Tech support welcomes you.” Of course, you do not only want to hear a pleasant voice, but also have your problem solved or question answered.

Many customers form their judgment about the company based on their experience of talking to call center operators. You may have bought the best products or services ever, but if customer support service is unable to answer your questions about the products you may get discouraged with the company or even get angry.

Call center or service desk efficiency is a must for all companies providing such services. Tech support does not earn money, so in a way this is unprofitable department of the company, and that is why many managers do not pay due attention to call center performance. But as said above, inefficient call center may take the company down and lower sales rates. It will be increasingly difficult to find new customers while existing customers may go to your competitors.

Measure service desk efficiency with Balanced Scorecard system

Use effective software to measure service desk efficiency

From time to time service desk efficiency must be evaluated. Balanced Scorecard is an ideal tool to perform evaluation of business performance. This system can be used by managers at all levels, since it is very easy to use and provides very accurate evaluation results.

Balanced Scorecard will help you concentrate on major factor5s influencing performance of a call center. For example, increase time on hold (period of time customers have to wait to talk to an operator competent in the certain area) may have more serious and dreadful consequences for a call center than increased cost per call.

So, Balanced Scorecard system evaluates a number of KPIs (key performance indicators) which altogether represent overall performance of a call center. These indicators are not numerous, however extremely important for anyone who wants to optimize call center work.

Balanced Scorecard will provide you with evaluation results of such indicators as cost per call, time on hold, revenue per one call, one and done calls, conversion rate and others. With figures and graphs you will be able to analyze business performance and find solution to existing problems.

Have you ever wondered what makes an efficient call center or customer support service? Is it only pleasant voice of an operators and politeness? Well, these are very important factors for customers. But the most important is the ability of a call center operator to solve customer’s problems and answer his/her questions. A customer will be only then satisfied when all his problems are resolved and questions answered.

From a managerial point of view a perfect call center is a call center that need not much money to be maintained or a call center that can generate sufficient profits (for example by selling products and services).

Support efficiency plays an important role in the work of any company or a service producer. If customers have no one to address with their problems or concerns such a customer will leave the company and find another business which will offer support and guidance.

Customer support efficiency

What makes customer support efficiency?

Taking into account the abovementioned facts, an effective manager should evaluate support efficiency from time to time. This sounds easy, but in practice this process can become very complex. If you call center earns enough money it does not mean that it works perfectly. You are to take into account numerous factors and indicators representing REAL performance of a customer support service.

What is the best way to evaluate performance of a call center? This is certainly Balanced Scorecard system. With this powerful tool any manager will be able to see how well his business is performing. Balanced Scorecard evaluates key performance indicators which are different in different business types. By evaluating, for instance, 5 KPI (key performance indicators) it is possible to have a full picture and be well informed on current and potential problems.

What are major KPIs in the work of a call center and support service? Sure, everything depends on the goals. If a call center aims at selling products and services then revenue per successful call will be a NUMBER ONE indicator.

In case of a customer support service, operators need to concentrate on customer satisfaction, abandoned calls rate, time on hold, blockage, cost per call and a number of other KPIs. Balanced Scorecard will provide users with evaluation results in forms of graphs, figures and percents. If you regularly use this system it is possible to track change dynamics and analyze trends, which in its turn can help develop strategic plans.

If your company is selling products or renders services there should be some way customers can contact your company. There are no ideal products, and there can be certain problems with services, especially if these services are related to telecommunication technologies (television, web hosting company or ISP). Your customers should know how to solve problems with products/service. They must be able to ask questions and get qualified answers.

For these purposes most companies start work of call centers or customer support services. As a rule it is possible to contact support team via the Internet (email or live chat) or via the phone (as a rule this is a long tool-free number). Many people still prefer to call as they got used to hearing human voice instead of typing in live chat and getting support there.

Customer support services (also called service desks) are extremely important elements in the business structure. With a poorly working call center you will have your customers churn to your competitors, even you are providing better services. So, it is imperative that you evaluate customer support service performance in order to improve it. If you have satisfied customers you will most certainly succeed in your business.

For performance evaluation purposes managers tend to use Balanced Scorecard system which is an effective tool to find out strengths and weaknesses of your company, or call center in particular. Balanced Scorecard evaluates certain factors, called key performance indicators (KPI). KPIs vary from business to business, as they take into account specific character of every business type.

A call center should first of all provide high quality support for existing and potential customers. With Balanced Scorecard system you will need very little time to find problems in work of a call center. This program will help you focus on primary factors and indicators directly influencing call center performance. It is impossible to expand the call center or further develop it without being aware of existing problems and imperfections.

Balanced Scorecard system will provide you with information on such indicators, as cost per call, revenue per successful call (if this is a sale by phone center), customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, time on hold, blockage rate, one and done calls, abandoned calls rate and many others.

Balanced Scorecard system you will be able find weak points in the work of a call center which will increase self-confidence and motivation of your employees and operators.

Any producer of products and provider of services must always stay in touch with its customer. Business is about making money, and these are customers who bring profits. It does not matter what kind of business a company is running, but relations with customers are all important.

If a company has loyal customers who are willing to buy from the company, overall business performance will be set on a very high level. Of course, business performance must be always measured, including customer relationship performance. The more effectively you work with customers the more profits you have. If your customers are satisfied with services and products you offer them, they are more likely to stay with your company.

What is a linking element between company management and customers? Of course, the company CEO rarely talks to customers in person. For these purposes businesses often open call centers or customer support services. By evaluating call center performance it is possible to evaluate customer relationship performance, and thus whether or not a call center works efficiently.

The best tool designed for evaluation of business performance (including call center performance) is Balanced Scorecard system. This tool was specifically developed to evaluate key performance indicators (KPI) in numerous businesses. Every business type has own KPIs. A call center concentrates on keeping costs low and improving customer satisfaction.

Measure customer relationship performance of a call center to improve KPIs

Balanced Scorecard is an effective tool to measure business performance through evaluation of separate set of KPIs. In case of a call center there are not many KPIs that really influencing business performance, however, some of them are extremely important.

Armed with Balanced Scorecard system you will need to evaluate the following KPIs to measure customer relationship performance.

1. Customer satisfaction. This is perhaps the most important KPI to measure customer relationship performance. Ask your customers to rate conversation with call center operators. If it turns out that many customers are not satisfied with how they talked to operators and how their problems was solved or questions answered, you need to take urgent measures.
2. Time on hold. This is the time a customer spends waiting for someone to solve his problem. Saying “wait a minute please, I will find someone competent in this issue” is generally OK, but a customer should not wait for too long.
3. One and done calls. If customer solved his problem with just one call, this is called one and done call. The more such calls you have, the more efficient and competent operators your call center has.

Imagine you want to purchase a laptop, or buy web hosting plan from a web hosting provider. You have found numerous web sites with attractive offers. But, perhaps, the first thing you will do is finding a toll free number to which you can call and ask questions about the products and services you are about to buy. So, basically, your decision to buy products/services pretty much depends on how successful your call to the company will be.

Why did we start this article with hypothetic situation? It is to describe how important a call center is. It does not matter what goals a call center pursue it is definitely a mediator between customers and business itself. Call center operators are soldiers who are located at the forefront of a business. These are the people who persuade potential customers buy products and services, and thus they generate income.

It is important to feel sure that a call center works perfectly. Sure, there are no perfect things, and if you are aspiring to perfection you will most certainly succeed. In order to develop and expand any business, one should first evaluate it. The same concerns call center. If you plan to increase the number of operators or organize training sessions, you fist need to evaluate current performance to find strengths and weaknesses.

Using Balanced Scorecard system you will be able to perform evaluation of call center performance within a short period of time. With the help of automated software it is possible to find out all weak and strong point. The program will provide you with results in form of graphs, figures and percents.

Start with support control in evaluation of call center performance

Support control is one of the ways to monitor call center performance

What exactly does Balanced Scorecard system evaluate? There is such a notion as key performance indicator. In case of a call center, these are indicators that directly influence work of a call center, thus making it either effective or ineffective.

So, if you want to organize support control you need to take into account the following KPIs (key performance indicators):

1. Revenue per successful call. Balanced Scorecard system will divide total revenue generated by call center operators by total number of calls. If it turns out that net revenue per successful call is lower than cost per call, your call center does a poor job.
2. Cost per call. This is the amount of money you have to spend to answer one call.
3. Customer satisfaction. Ask your customers to rate calls. Satisfied customers turn into the most loyal customers of your company.