One of the key measurements in most call centers is Service Level (SL), sometimes referred to as grade of service (GOS). Simply stated how quickly are we responding to customer calls. This is shown as a percent of calls answered within a specified number of seconds, such as 80% in 30 seconds. This means 80 percent of our calls are being answered in 30 seconds or less, the remaining 20 percent are taking longer to answer. To further understand how much longer it takes to answer the calls, you will need to look at your ACD reports. Many of the call centers I work with have this information broken down in half-hour increments so that it is easy to determine when the busiest half hours are and when objectives are not being met.
Is there an industry standard? During training sessions, I always get asked that question. And my answer is NO. Every organization has their own goals and objectives, based on the customers they serve. If it is sales center, missing service levels can easily be translated into a missed sale. There are other organizations, such as utilitiy companies that are mandated by government agencies to meet a specific service level or suffer the consequences of a penalty. Then there is the “wouldn’t it be nice if we could” and “based on our staff this is the best we can do” scenarios.
So getting back to the question is it important, the answer is yes – very important. This basic metric can help define the resources needed in a center. If the service level is so bad that customers are complaining, then a disservice is being done to the agents (who must listen to customer complaints for being on hold for so long), the customer and the organization as a whole. When everyone is working to the max and service level is still not being met, this would indicate either more agents are needed or other technology needs to be implemented to off load the calls.
If the call center has a Management Information System configured with the ACD, then the service level stats are updated in real-time minute by minute throughout the day. This helps management stay on top of what is occurring right now, which provides them with the opportunity to react to the situation. As a manager of the call center you should be aware of the call center’s service levels at all times.
Author: Linda Hogan
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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