The Global Association for Contact Center Best Practices & Networking

"Good, executive need it for Decision Support System"

"Agreed - my centres do have AHT as KPI but only for reference and guideline towards achieving professionalism. Main KPIs are on scoring of Quality Assurance Assessment, Service Level as well occupancy and absentism."

"For newbies, average call duration should not be the focus. I will prefer to have a balance between productivity and customer satisfaction"

"This is very good idea if the company has the budget to do it. This needs the financial justification."

"My shop reports to the executive dashboard daily. Date includes calls offered, calls completed and speed of answer."

"To some extent i agree to the idea but then again in the emerging contact center markets, removing the meaures altogether might not be good idea. however, we can analyze the impact in a step by step approach, offcourse alongwith CSAT benchmarks / scores."

"Good - the customer deserves the time it takes"

"AHT is one good parameter but this shouldn't become a major KRA for the professional. Infact the present system allows good amount of deviation if the customer has more questions \ not satisfied etc.,"

"It should be a combination of front line performance and customer satisfaction :- currently,companies are looking at contact centre set up to provide customer service support vs walk-in customer service : to ensure effectiveness, we will need to measure front line performance to ensure at least 80% of the customers calls are answered effectively"

"Well, this has been talked about for a long time now. Call duration is linked to customer satisfaction. However, this can be a 2-edged sword. Depending on the industry, this needs to be balanced with many factors such as FL professional's efficiency and call volume. One way is to analyse the type of calls which entail long duration and then provide solutions."

"Good & Bad, you can never get rid of these completely, they are important when you drill down to the reasons, however you can remove them from the leading indicators /KPI's"

"There still has to be a balance between statistical information like call duration, service level and other metrics given to executives because our front-line professionals don't control all aspects of the customer experience. Executives need to understand the customer frustration from long hold times, puzzling menus and even the quality problems that customers may face."

"Good and Bad. The customer satisfaction is key but the average call duaration is a measurement to identify the area with potential improvement. Professionals spend one hour with the customers to tell them how to use a product and keep the customers happy at the very beginning is for sure. However, how to change the deisgn or to provide the right information to the customers without getting them call and stay on the phone would not be professional anymore."

"Agree. The resolution helps to ensure that quality calls are more important than quantity calls for the CSOs"

"agreed"

"Average call duration is a measure of efficiency, not effectivenes. Both are important and have a place in the measurement of an agent's performance, though call duration may not be the most important such measure."

"Effective call control that results in a happy customer is always more valuable than compliance with a clock"

"and up-sell/cross-sell, money talks..."

"There is a need to differentiate between performance indicators and operational metrics that are essential in planning and managing the future. It is not as simple as simply removing these measures but they do not need to be shared with executives. Use the data wisely."

"Gosh, focusing on customer satisfaction. Do we actually want to sell anything"

"Agreed. A list of preferable measures need to be introduced i.e. % first call resolution"

"Good and bad. Long average call duration drives costs in many ways."

"Makes total sense."

"Disagree,
Some measure such as GOS are certainly not measurements that staff should be managed by, however call duratoins, wrap times, adherence levels are vital components of being able to effectively manage a call centre and these are all things that staff have control over. Use of proper call control, adequate note taking and being in the proper mode are essential parts of consultants roles."

"Undecided - Both measurements have a place in the business - one drives efficiency, the other customer service - together they drive the direction of the business in terms of profitability efficiency and customer service."

"I do not completely agree. Yes, CSat scores should be values the most and that should be the sole effectiveness KPI however, call duration translates in terms of cost as well. We need to be effective and efficient both. What can be done is that the Avg Call Duration should be given less weightage in KPIs but lets not take it out."

"Bad - unfortunately time-based measures are cost-based measures and, especially as an outsourcer, the focus to get the job done faster and better is always front-of-mind"

"Absolutely. AHT/Avg. call duration is an input and should never be an output measure. Have thresholds to review with staff as it impacts staffing and call levels but don't use it to reward/penalize your staff. Instead focus on customer experience and getting it right first time for the customer and the business."

"bad- BPO earnings are based on AHT and Quality scores, you score high in both, customer satisfaction also follows, stakeholders are also satisfied."

"It is good to ensure that the customer are being attended and there is no hurry. The front line professionals need to ensure that they answer all the calls promptly and should be trained enough to resolve all the complaints or issues faster in order to take other calls keeping mind all the customers are equally important. They should be no show haste while answering the calls."

"Brilliant!"

"good resolution - we already remove AHT from performance measurement"

"Good;"

"Not sure if we are prepared to get rid of this framework, I preffer to start includding new metrics and see how professionals work with the new ones. step by step"

"Agreed. We are moving towards this practice. It's Quality that Counts!"

"It should still be a combination of these 2 metrices."

"This may work or may not work well. I have my own doubts as it may be misused and CSAT survey are taken once a year."

"Agree to an extent that there is a defined balance and focus on a balance between the income and output revenue"

"Yes and sales per hour, meening sales every positive interaction"

"TRUE"

"Call duration is a budget and planning measure that cannot be ignored. However coaching to the right behaviors ie call control, vs call duration is more effective"

"Good- Focusing more on call duration drives the wrong behavior as experience has shown that professionals rash customers and first contact resolution is compromised and this translates in customer dissatisfaction"

"i agree - we still use ACW and Ave Talk Time, etc. to keep technicians focused. We consider they types of support they are performing."

"Would like to focus on having effective leading KPIs that delivers the business objectives."

"Good- Helps to count productivity"