How to Measure Success in Contact Centers: What Are the Key Customer Service Metrics? 

The long-term performance of a contact center, whether powered by cutting-edge Cloud Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) or not, is closely linked to customer service metrics. Hence, it becomes imperative for customer service leaders to connect the dots between the overarching organizational goals and these metrics.  

From this standpoint, we can categorize customer service metrics into two – operational KPIs and those linked to customer experience and satisfaction.  

Let us explore both of them in greater detail and assess how they affect cloud contact center success.  

Operational KPIs and their role in contact center success 

Operational KPIs rely on numerical data derived from various contact center operations. These metrics enable contact center business leaders to gauge efficiency and appraise the performance of their agents, teams, and the entire contact center. 

They typically include the following: 

Number of customer interactions 

This number indicates the number of calls/emails/chats handled by a contact center. It can be recorded on a daily, weekly, monthly, or annual basis.  

It aids business leaders in evaluating spikes in customer interactions at different times of the year. Accordingly, they can plan resource allocation and agent training with minimum disruption to normal operations.  

It also helps to investigate when there is an unexpected increase or fall in contact center interactions.  

Agent Utilization 

This metric indicates how well agents are utilized during their work hours. It provides valuable insights into resource allocation and case dispersal.  

It also provides insights into how to optimize workforce management for higher operational efficiency.  

Average Call handling time (AHT) 

AHT is an important customer-focused metric. It helps businesses understand how efficient their agents are at handling customer inquiries.  

Higher AHTs warrant immediate investigation and remedial action. This can usually involve better agent training and monitoring and offering proactive customer service. Automation of initial customer interactions and self-service options can also drastically reduce AHT in the long run.  

First Contact Resolution (FCR) 

Customers are usually happiest when agents give them the resolution they desire in the first interaction, without any follow-ups. The metric tracking this is known as First Contact Resolution (FCR). When FCR is low, vigilant monitoring of contact center performance becomes essential for call center managers. 

FCR serves as a direct indicator of a company’s responsiveness, influencing Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) across all contact channels. While the industry standard aims to resolve approximately 75% of calls on the first contact, certain business segments, such as technology, may face challenges adhering to this benchmark. 

Number of interactions per case 

This metric is linked to FCR, and it measures how many interactions occur before a ticket or query is closed. The lower the number of interactions per case, the better the contact center operations are.  

Total resolution rate 

This metric tracks successfully closed cases or tickets. However, for better customer experiences it becomes important to link this metric to higher customer satisfaction rates also. Hence, organizations must continually evolve and streamline processes to make this metric meaningful over time.  

Customer experience metrics 

Unlike straightforward operational metrics, this one is more about the customer. It reflects how customers feel during interactions and whether they will stay with a business or move on. Hence, it serves as a key measure of customer loyalty and retention.  

In a cloud contact center, where customer experience is crucial, these metrics play a vital role. 

CSAT or customer satisfaction 

Customer satisfaction rates are usually based on feedback surveys. They reflect how satisfied a customer is with a service. Hence, CSAT scores can be both positive and negative. So, the overall CSAT will help a company assess the overall customer satisfaction levels for an agent or department.  

Net Promoter Score or NPS 

Customers will usually recommend a business to their network only when a service or product makes them happy. NPS uses this concept to measure customer satisfaction. It uses a scale of 0 to 10 when asking customers if they would recommend their service to others.  

Abandonment rate 

Abandonment rate is an important customer service metric that reflects the percentage of customers who leave their interactions mid-way. This is a valuable metric that enables business leaders to find out the specific juncture during a customer interaction where intervention is essential. By assessing what prompts the abandonment, the business can optimize their operations to improve customer experiences.  

Customer Effort Score or CES 

Questions like “How easy did you find it to resolve your issue” on a customer survey relate to the CES. This helps the organization evaluate how well the contact center deals with customer issues.  

Value Enhancement Score or VES 

VES emphasizes two key areas – the customer’s ability to use the product and their conviction that they made the right decision buying it. Unlike other customer service metrics, this one is a new metric that Gartner recently introduced. The main intention of this metric is to evaluate customer loyalty. It also helps the business understand if the customer values the product and if there is scope for upselling or cross-selling.  

Important Takeaway: How to improve KPIs for contact center success? 

From all these KPIs, one thing we can identify is that no single metric defines overall contact center success. Instead, there is some overlap between different KPIs. Effective management of both operational and customer service metrics is essential for a well-functioning and customer-centric contact center.  

To improve KPIs in a cloud contact center, some of the best practices to consider include:  

• Implementing Advanced Analytics to gain deeper insights into customer interactions and agent performance. 
• Optimizing Technology for efficiency, incorporating features like intelligent routing and self-service options. 
• Continuous Training to enhance agent interaction skills, product knowledge, and problem-solving abilities. 
• Establish feedback channels for collecting and analyzing customer and agent feedback to identify areas for improvement. 
• Integrate automation where possible to streamline processes, reduce AHT, and enhance overall efficiency. 
• Ensure that your cloud contact center infrastructure is scalable to accommodate fluctuations in call volume and business growth without compromising performance. 

A cloud contact center’s ability to deliver exceptional customer experiences depends on continuous improvement across these diverse metrics. Take the next step towards success by exploring how Voxtron CCaaS can empower your organization, optimize KPIs, and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Click here to schedule a demo.