While metrics and key performance indicators are normal in every industry, the standards can be higher in call centers. This is since they have to keep up with customer demands at any given time.
Service level is one of the crucial metrics in a call center. This metric indicates the level of service your customers get from your team when they reach out to your company.
A consistently low service level in a call center could make you lose your customer’s trust – and worse, revenue. Luckily, there are different ways to improve your service level easily.
What is service level in a call center?
Call center service level refers to the percentage of calls answered in a specific period. This is measured over any period, the shortest being 30 minutes. Service level could also refer to the quality of service you give to each customer over a call.
The higher your service level percentage is, the better service you give. It could also indicate the satisfaction your customers have with your company since they spend less time waiting on each call or queue.
The service level in a call center serves as both a goal and performance measure.
Calculating service level in a call center
There is no specific industry standard indicated for call center service level. This is since call volumes per company could change depending on several factors such as marketing efforts, customer base, and service level objective.
The presence of IVR, virtual reception, and recorded messages make the 80/20 rule irrelevant in calculating service level. Nowadays, contact centers use either of the following formulae for more accurate calculations.
- Simple formula. The simplest way to calculate service level is by taking the total number of calls answered within a period over the total number of calls received multiplied by 100.
- Abandoned calls. Taking a look at the abandoned calls could also affect the calculation in general. You can either take the total abandoned calls and include them in the calculation or take the number of abandoned calls before or after a certain threshold.
- Considering first-contact resolution. Lastly, you can consider using the first-contact resolution (FCR) rate if you aim to look at the actual customer service quality.
Factors that could cause low service level
Service levels are not constant in a specific period. It could change in an hour or a day, depending on the service your team provides.
However, a constant decline in your service levels indicates something needs to change in your practices. Here are some of the factors that usually cause your service level to decline.
Inaccurate forecasting
Several factors such as company promotions, season, and call history could determine the number of calls expected by your company.
Giving inaccurate forecasts could lead to an unexpected surge of calls from your customers.
Outdated call center software
An outdated call center software could also affect your service level in general. Agents would experience difficulties in navigating and using your system, causing delays in answering calls or solving concerns.
Low employee morale
Lastly, you cannot live up to your expected service levels when your employees are not satisfied at work. Absenteeism, lack of schedule adherence, and high attrition even worsen your team performance when ignored.
Best practices to improve service level in a call center
Improving your call center service level still comes down to aligning your team and technology with your objectives.
Here are some of best practices you can consider to enhance your service level.
Practice accurate forecasting
Accurate call forecasting can be learned better by taking a look at your existing data. While having better daily forecasts can be challenging at first, your call data is your best guide in getting a more accurate prediction.
At the same time, a more accurate forecast helps you organize your agent’s schedule and workload better.
Use updated tools and equipment
Technology plays a crucial part in improving your service levels. Always make sure to update your tools and equipment used by your team, whether for voice or non-voice channels.
You can add additional features to to ease your team’s workload, including self-service options and Interactive Voice Response (IVR). Meanwhile, a good CRM system makes it easier for your team to store, update, and record information from customers.
Adjust your average handling time
When an agent handles a call for too long, it could affect the next caller on queue for some time. This results to longer wait times and unnecessary queues that could decrease your clients’ satisfaction.
Monitor your average handling time (AHT) through your previous call recordings. See what should be done to adjust your handling time, including streamlining your call processes.
Motivate your agents
Employee satisfaction translates to your customers and their experience. Find ways to motivate your agents at work and increase their productivity.
Some of the most common practices for this include team-building activities, incentives for reaching service levels, and continuous training programs.
Scale your team when needed
One of the advantages of hiring an outsourced team is that you can easily scale your agents when needed. You can hire additional staff in peak seasons or when you simply expect a surge of calls from new customers.
If you have an in-house support team, call center outsourcing could as well help you ease your team’s workload in return.
