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According to a survey, 44% of customers are unsatisfied with 5-15 minutes of wait time. Additionally, 56% of them said that long wait times are the most frustrating forms of poor customer service.
To avoid a negative impression, track your contact center’s Average Wait Time. If necessary, make changes to help shorten it. Read on to learn more about this KPI, its importance in your business and a few tips to improve it.
Average Wait Time definition Average Wait Time a contact center refers to the typical amount of time a customer spends waiting in a queue before their call or inquiry is answered by a customer service agent. Average Wait Time is a key metric used to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of a contact center’s operations, as well as the level of service provided to customers. |
The formula for calculating Average Wait Time is:
| AWT = | Total Wait Time | |
| Number of Calls |
Where:
This formula shows the average time customers wait in the queue before a representative answers the call.
Industry benchmarks for Average Wait Time vary based on the contact center type, business nature, and customer expectations. However, here are some general benchmarks for Average Wait Time in different types of contact centers:
These benchmarks are not fixed standards and can vary based on industry norms, company policies, and customer expectations. Contact centers should track and improve Average Wait Times regularly to meet benchmarks and provide excellent customer service.
Measuring Average Wait Time in a contact center is important for several reasons.
Long wait times can lead to frustration and dissatisfaction among customers. Measuring Average Wait Time helps contact centers spot improvement areas and reduce wait times to boost customer satisfaction.
Many contact centers have SLAs in place that define the acceptable level of service, including response times. Measuring Average Wait Time allows contact centers to track their performance against these SLAs and ensure compliance.
Understanding Average Wait Times helps contact center managers allocate resources more effectively. They can adjust staffing and schedules to match call volumes and peak times, ensuring enough agents are available to reduce wait times.
By monitoring Average Wait Time, contact centers can identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in their processes. This allows them to implement improvements and streamline operations to reduce wait times and increase productivity.
Long wait times increase costs due to more call abandonments and extra staffing needs during peak periods. Measuring and reducing Average Wait Time helps control costs by improving efficiency and lowering the need for extra resources.
Overall, tracking AWT supports better customer experience, greater operational efficiency, and helps contact centers reach their goals.
Using AWT Let’s consider a customer support hotline for an e-commerce company. Before implementing any changes, the contact center’s Average Wait Time is calculated to be 3 minutes using the formula: Now, let’s add these values into the AWT formula:
The company’s management realizes that a 3-minute Average Wait Time is higher than desired and could potentially lead to customer dissatisfaction and increased call abandonment rates. They decide to hire additional customer service representatives to handle the incoming call volume more efficiently. They add 3 more agents to the team, increasing the total number of agents from 10 to 13. They also implement a more sophisticated call routing system that directs calls to the most appropriate agent based on the nature of the inquiry. This reduces the time spent transferring calls between agents and ensures that customers are connected to the right representative more quickly. Management provides additional training and coaching to the existing agents to improve their efficiency and effectiveness in handling customer inquiries. This includes techniques for reducing call handling times without sacrificing quality. After implementing these changes and allowing some time for adjustment, the contact center measures the Average Wait Time again and finds that it has decreased to 1.5 minutes. This led to improved customer satisfaction, lower call abandonment rates, and increased efficiency in the contact center’s operations. |
Average Wait Time is important for most contact centers, but its significance depends on operations, industry standards, and customer expectations.
Some contact centers should prioritize low wait times, while for others, it may be less critical.
Reasons for high Average Talk Time High call volume: A sudden influx of calls or peak periods can overwhelm the contact center’s capacity, leading to longer wait times as callers queue up for assistance. Understaffing: Insufficient staffing levels, especially during busy periods, can result in longer wait times as there are not enough agents available to handle the incoming call volume. Inefficient call routing: Poorly designed call routing systems or inadequate training for agents on how to route calls effectively can lead to delays in connecting callers to the appropriate representative. Complex issues: Calls that require more time to resolve due to the complexity of the issue or the need for multiple levels of support can contribute to longer wait times for other callers in the queue. Technical issues: Technical problems such as system outages, slow response times from software applications, or equipment failures can hinder agents’ ability to handle calls efficiently, leading to longer wait times for callers. Lengthy call handling times: Agents taking longer than necessary to resolve customer inquiries or not being adequately trained to handle calls efficiently can prolong wait times for other callers. Poor forecasting and planning: Inaccurate forecasting of call volumes or inadequate planning for staffing and resource allocation can result in longer wait times during peak periods. Call abandonment: As wait times increase, some callers may choose to abandon their calls rather than wait for assistance, which can further exacerbate the problem by increasing call volume and prolonging wait times for other callers. Addressing these factors through improved staffing, better call routing systems, efficient training programs, and proactive planning can help reduce wait times and improve the overall customer experience in contact centers. |
Here are some important KPIs to consider measuring along AWT for maximum efficiency:
FCR measures the percentage of customer issues resolved during the first interaction without follow-up calls or escalation. A high FCR shows efficient problem resolution and reduces repeat queue wait times for the same issue.
Service Level Agreement (SLA) Compliance
SLA compliance tracks the percentage of calls that are answered within a predefined target time frame, typically measured in seconds or minutes. Meeting or exceeding SLAs ensures that customers receive timely assistance and helps maintain customer satisfaction levels.
AHT measures the average amount of time it takes for a customer service representative to handle a call, including both talk time and after-call work (such as documenting the interaction or follow-up tasks). Monitoring AHT helps identify opportunities to streamline call handling processes and improve overall efficiency.
Occupancy Rate
Occupancy rate shows the percentage of time agents spend handling customer interactions, including calls, transactions, and after-call work. Keeping this rate optimal ensures efficient agent use without causing burnout or lowering productivity.
Call abandonment rate measures the percentage of callers who hang up while waiting in the queue for help. A high rate may indicate long wait times or service issues, often linked to queue management or staffing problems.
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) Score
CSAT measures how satisfied customers are after interacting with the contact center, usually through post-interaction surveys or feedback. Tracking CSAT scores gives insight into service quality and highlights areas for improvement to boost customer satisfaction.
