CALL CENTER
ESSENTIALS
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES
PART 1
CALL CENTER BEST PRACTICES
PART 1
This session explores key performance indicators, how they differ from supporting metrics, and how to select KPIs
that meet the different information needs of executives, management and agents in order to facilitate good decision
making. Also learn how the way in which metrics are measured – the system formulas or custom calculations used –
can impact how they should be interpreted.
Strategy
• Who are we? Why are we here? What do we do?
• What is important to us and our customers?
Metrics
• Key Performance Indicators versus secondary metrics
• What to measure?
• Information Customers: Who gets what?
• Is “industry standard” right for you?
Measurement Methods:
• How to measure KPIs and metrics
• System-‐‑available formulas versus custom calculations
CORE COMPONENTS
Strategy
Roles & Metrics
Responsibilities
Performance
Management
Supporting
Processes
Measures
Objectives
BENEFITS OF A PERFORMANCE
MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK
ü Removes the guesswork from your daily job.
ü Focuses everyone on clear, common and relevant goals.
ü Promotes team success rather than individual competition.
ü Acknowledges and accommodates individual differences.
ü A formal program gives credibility to management
processes.
ü Creates consistency across the organization.
ü Builds trust and ownership.
ü Upholds the rights of all team members.
ü Promotes enthusiasm in a dynamic, cooperative work
environment.
STRATEGY
Your strategic plan should consider four key view points
Customers
Agents
Call Center Managers
Organization
Mission Statement
helps define and align strategies
focuses discussions
aids in decision making
should be short and snappy, easy to understand,
meaningful and lasting
MY STRATEGY
Write your vision statement:
A vision statement demonstrates what you represent and aspire to in the future.
Why are we here?
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Write your mission statement:
A mission statement succinctly identifies the end result of your efforts and ensures
that work and planning support the vision. It’s a reminder to employees of what
you’re all about. “What do we do?”
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
TRANSLATING STRATEGIC GOALS INTO
OPERATIONAL ACTIONS
Key Metrics
• What will we measure? What metrics will directly link our efforts to the overall
goals?
Measurement methods
• How will we measure our performance against the chosen metrics?
Objectives
• What will our targets be for each selected metric, both for Key Performance
Indicators, and Secondary Indicators?
Supporting Processes
• How will we make sure that we continue to contribute and succeed?
• What do we need to do to measure performance and meet the objectives?
Actions: Specific Roles & Responsibilities
• Who does what? What are the expectations of each member of each team?
METRICS
What should we measure?
What indicators will directly reflect our efforts for the mission?
SELECTING METRICS
Service Level
Employee Retention
Customer Satisfaction
Handle Time
Forecast accuracy
Variance
Calls per hour
Conversion Rate
Speed of Answer
Quality Score
Schedule Adherence
Abandon Rate
First Call Resolution
Cost per Contact
Occupancy
Error Rate or Rework
Blockage
METRICS IN CONTEXT
Stakeholder
Performance Area
Customer
Business Productivity
Business
Performance
& Efficiency
Team
CSAT/ESAT
Quality
Agent
Choose KPIs and metrics for each Performance Area that
reflect or respect the needs of all Stakeholders.
METRICS IN CONTEXT
Business Performance
Staffing Performance
Customer Satisfaction
Occupancy
Efficiency Measures
Employee Retention/Sat
WFM Accuracy
Service Level
Cost/Revenue
Group roll-‐‑up of agent
Speed of Answer
measures
First Call Resolution
Technical Performance
Agent Performance
Call blockage
Quality score
Transaction Measures
System/network Calls per hour
response and latency
Conversion/Sales Rate
Schedule Adherence
Interface ease of use
Customer Retention/
Save Rate
Availability
Record Keeping
MY METRICS
Productivity
Quality
calls per hour
quality score
abandon rate
service level
handle time
first call resolution
CSAT/ESAT
Business Performance
Customer Satisfaction Score
conversion rate
Employee Satisfaction Score
revenue/cost per contact
Net Promoter Score
forecast accuracy
Complete for metrics you currently use.
MY METRICS
Metric
What does it tell us?
Why is it right for us?
How does it support the
mission & strategic goals?
e.g. Service Proportion of calls we are treating Consistent and timely response
Level
within our target time. to customer calls = improved
Quality of service in speed of customer satisfaction.
response. Accuracy of WFM plans.
HOW TO VALIDATE KPIS
Go back to the top.
Consult the mission and vision statements….often
Consult with upper management and executive suite on
strategic goals and direction.
Most strategic goals boil down to specific, measurable actions.
Is it truly a Key Performance Indicator or a secondary indicator
or supporting metric?
Ask the questions:
Why should we measure this?
What does it mean to us?
What does it mean to our customers?
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR OR
SUPPORTING METRIC?
E.g. Agent Productivity
KPI
True calls
per hour
Tier 2 metrics
Handle Time
Schedule
Adherence
Availability
Tier 3 metrics
Talk Time
Post-‐‑call
work
Non-‐‑contact
work
Sign-‐‑on
hours
Complete for metrics you currently use.
MY METRICS
Metric
What performance area Is it a KPI or
does it reflect?
supporting metric?
e.g. True calls Agent productivity/efficiency
KPI, influenced by Handle Time,
per hour
Schedule Adherence and
Availability
INFORMATION CUSTOMERS:
“WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO ME?”
Whose
What are they concerned about? Key Performance Indicator
Perspective? or Secondary
Agent 1. Am I providing quality service according to our team’s 1. Quality scores
documented quality definitions?
2. % of my shift I am expected to be logged on and available for 2. %Availability
or performing work.
3. KPI: True Calls/Hour
3. Length of time I spend on each call.
2nd: Average Handle Time
4. Am I following procedures for classifying work? 4. Use of Activity/NR Codes
Supervisor/
1. % of time agents are logged in and available for or performing 1. %Availability
Shift Leader work.
2. Real-‐‑time: do we have enough staff on to answer the call 2. %Service Level
volumes?
%Forecast Accuracy
3. Overall productivity or use of resources (too high risks 3. Schedule Adherence
turnover, too low is inefficient) %Occupancy
Manager 1. Set team goals and assist staff in seging personal goals
1. Continuous
2. What proportion of staff time is spent on non-‐‑productive 2. Not Ready %
activities? What are the impacts on productivity & staffing?
KPI %SL & ASA
3. Why are people calling? Do we have the right skills? 3. Activity Code %
Senior
1. Set dept. goals and assist staff in seging personal goals
1. Quality
Management
2. Meeting overall operational requirements based on 2. Cost
Team organizational mission and goals. 3. Productivity
BEWARE THE BUZZ ABOUT
“INDUSTRY STANDARD” METRICS
E.g. First Call Resolution (FCR) does not work for everyone:
• Hospital bed/transfer booking
• Field technicians/Dispatch
• Sales support
• Travel agent
• Advanced tech support
Ask the questions:
Why should we measure this?
What is it really telling us?
Do we know it’s important to our customers,
or are we making an assumption?
COMMON PRACTICE
VERSUS BEST PRACTICE
• Take advice with a grain of salt.
• Do your homework, but be prepared to reject industry
standards.
• Make sure metrics represent actions that support strategic
goals in your organization.
MEASUREMENTS
How should we measure?
What data sources and calculations will most accurately measure
our key performance indicators and supporting metrics?
• Data sources
• ACD, IVR, WFM, QM, CRM, manual/spreadsheets
• Calculations (system and custom)
• E.g. how is Service Level calculated in your system?
• Does the standard formula make sense for us?
• Available tools and technology
• Reporting options:
• standard reports from various systems
• export and manipulate in Excel
• custom reports
• integrated data management
CUSTOM FORMULA
1. Service Level = {(Total calls answered within threshold +calls
abandoned within threshold)/(total calls answered + total calls
abandoned)} * 100%
2. Service Level = (Total calls answered within threshold) / (Total calls
answered)*100%
3. Service Level = (Total calls answered within threshold) / (Total calls
answered + Total calls abandoned)*100%
4. Service Level = (Total calls answered within threshold) / (Total calls
answered + Total calls abandoned after threshold)*100%
5. Service Level = Total calls answered/(total calls offered - calls
abandoned within 6 seconds)
6. Service Level = Calls answered within 20 seconds/(total calls
answered + calls abandoned after 20 seconds)
MORE THAN A NUMBER
Variance Percentage Average Trend
These are all modifications to the raw data that apply some context
and can bring the picture into beder focus.
Which is more meaningful:
Metric
Raw number
With context
Handle Time
00:03:45 per call
Variance: 8% below target
Not Ready
02:04:50 per day
Percentage: 26% of login time
Calls handled
125 per day
Average: 25 per busy hour
Abandon rate
4.2% for the day
Trend: down 1.2% month-‐‑to-‐‑date
KPI MEASUREMENTS
TEAM & MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE
Cost per Call
Service Level
Efficiency Measure
Formula:
%Service Level =
Quality [{(CallsAnswered + CallsAbandoned) –
Scores
(CallsAnsweredAftThreshold +
CallsAbandonedAftThreshold)} / (CallsAnswered
+ CallsAbandoned)] * 100
E.g. Objective: at least 80% (on threshold of 20 seconds)
SL & ASA
Example:
Time
CallsAnsw
Ans>20sec
CallsAban
Aban>20sec
9:00-‐‑930
100
12
25
10
Target
Forecast & %SL = [{(100+25) – (12+10) }/ (100+25)] * 100 = 82.4%
Achieved!
Staffing
Accuracy
THINK ABOUT THIS…
In the calculation for %Service Level:
%Service Level =
[{(CallsAnswered + CallsAbandoned) -‐‑(CallsAnsweredAftThreshold
+CallsAbandonedAftThreshold)} / (CallsAnswered + CallsAbandoned)]
* 100
should it include call results other than Answered or Abandoned
(i.e. opted out to voicemail or otherwise terminated, with
Calls Offered as the denominator)?
KPI MEASUREMENTS
TEAM & MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE
Cost per Call
Forecasting Accuracy
Effectiveness Measure (WFM)
Formula:
Quality
Scores
% Offered of Forecast =
Calls Offered/Calls Forecasted * 100
E.g. Objective: +/-‐‑ 10% or 90% -‐‑ 110%
SL & ASA
Example:
Time
Forecasted
Offered
9:00-‐‑9:30
125
118
Target
Forecast & % Offered of Forecast = 118/125 * 100 = 94.4%
Achieved!
Staffing
Accuracy
SUPPORTING METRICS
TEAM & MANAGEMENT
Abandon Average Handle Time
Rate
Team Efficiency/Productivity Measure
Formula:
Transfers & Average Handle Time (AHT) =
Other Call
Results
(Skillset Talk Time + DN Talk Time + Pre-‐‑Post
Time) / (Skillset CallsAnswered + DNInAns +
DNOut)
% Calls by
Activity
E.g. Objective: 18 min +/-‐‑ 10% or ~16 – 20 min
Example:
(Totals for all agents in LoB)
% Occupancy
CallsHandled Talk Time
DN Talk
Pre-‐‑PostTime
204
2457 min
546 min
577 min
AHT = (2457 + 546 + 577) / 204 = 17.5 min
Target
Achieved!
Average
Handle Time
WHAT IS TRUE CALLS PER HOUR?
True or Adjusted Calls per Hour is a performance measure of
agent productivity
More fair and representative than a straight count of Calls
Answered
• eliminates elements that are not in agent’s control, such as shift
lengths and time spent waiting for calls
More informative than Average Handle Time (AHT)
• is impacted by availability or login time, rather than just talk
time and not ready or aux time
True Calls per Hour =
Calls Answered / (Login Time – Idle or Waiting Time)
KPI MEASUREMENTS
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE
True Calls True Calls per Hour
per Hour
Agent Productivity Measure
Formula:
True Calls per Hour =
Quality Calls Answered / (Login Time – Idle Time)
Scores
E.g. Objective: at least 5
% Example:
Availability
Time
CallsAnsw Login Time Idle Time
9:00-‐‑1:00
20
3.75hr
0.5hr
True Calls per Hour = 20 / (3.75 – 0.5) = 6
Target
Achieved!
TRUE CALLS PER HOUR EXAMPLE
Agent 1000
Agent 1001
AHT = 10min
AHT = 10min
Answered 35 calls during Answered 16 calls during their shift
their shift
Login time 3.6 hours
Login time 6.75 hours
1 hour spent waiting for calls
1 hour spent waiting for calls
True Calls per Hour = Calls Answered/(Login – Waiting Time)
TCH = 35 / (6.75 -‐‑ 1) = TCH = 16 / (3.6 -‐‑ 1) =
6.1 True Calls per Hour
6.1 True Calls per Hour
The Moral of the Story:
Even though these two agents worked different shift lengths and answered a very different absolute
number of calls, their productivity result was the same because their effort (AHT) was the same,
proving TCH as a valid comparator.
% AVAILABILITY EXAMPLE
Agent 1000
Agent 1001
Shift length 8 hours (480 min)
Shift length 4 hours (240 min)
Scheduled breaks: 60 min
Scheduled breaks: 15 min
Soft time: 15 min
Soft time: 10 min
Target Availability: 405 min
Target Availability: 215
Actual Login Time: 398 min
Actual Login Time: 220
% Availability = Actual Login / Target * 100
% Availability = % Availability =
(398 / 405) * 100 = 98% (220 / 215) * 100 = 102%
MEASURING QUALITY
Scorecard
Score
Points & Weighting
¢ ¤ ¢ ¢
5 points x 0.20
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
þ
☐
☐
5 poinds x 0.10
yes
no
n/a
Comments:
These comments can be subjective, since the caller’s assessment of the call will also be
subjective. The comments allow the certified quality listener to give an overall “feel” of
the call. Comments should focus on what the agent DID or DIDN’T do, directly related
to contents of an established quality call document or guide. or what the customer did or
said, and avoid using “should have” language
Overall Score for call
Total: __ / 10
Quality Score for agents is an average of all the call results for the period.
When coaching, identify where the agent may be losing points, and note any trends that
come up in the comments. Talk about these things in the coaching session.
MY MEASURES
How are your KPIs and metrics calculated?
KPI/Metric
Calculation
SL %
(Calls Answered<=threshold) / (Calls
Offered)*100
STRATEGIC à TACTICAL
Strategic Goals
Supporting Operational
Performance Metrics
Reports
Processes
Key Indicators
(Team & Mgmt)
Improved
Affordability
Management
and Sustainability
Quality
Abandoned Reports
Cost Management
%
Continuous Improvement
Service Level
Cost per Call
Operational Key
Improved
Performance
Customer
Forecast & Indicators per Line
Average Speed
Experience
Quality Assurance
Staffing
Accuracy
of Answer
of Business
Efficient Service Delivery
Key Indicators (Individual)
Agent Performance
Improved
& Login/Logout
Business
Schedule
Training and Development
% Login
Reports
Outcomes
Adherence
True Calls per
Workforce Management
Hour
Quality Scores
Call Log Detail
Average
Optimized use of
% Availability
Handle Time
Reports
Human Resources
CORE COMPONENTS
Strategy
Roles & Metrics
Responsibilities
Performance
Management
Supporting
Processes
Measures
Objectives
THANK YOU!
Questions
?
Symmetrics Contact Center Performance Management
Sources: mindtools.com prosci.com Centerserve: call-‐‑center.net harrisonwebster Advanced Performance Management Program Management By Objectives principles
