The #1 reason that a call center is inefficient is really something quite simple to fix. But first you need to know to look for it. Simple as it sounds, if the call center management team and employees aren't tracking the right metrics, running the right call center reports, and setting the right goals based on these numbers, it's nearly impossible to achieve the right results.

Running an efficient operation without taking advantage of the detailed metrics available in call center reports is like trying to drive to a specific location across the country without directions. However many managers find that even once they have numbers to look at, they are confused how to use these numbers to improve call operations and make a better department.

Finding The Right Metrics

Although monitoring software offers a number of standard call center reports, a better option is to tailor those reports to your phone center's individual needs. What are customers complaining about? What frustrates agents? What operations need to be improved?

If agents are getting a lot of complaints about long hold times, the first step would be to design call center reports that reproduce metrics that directly affect queue length. Looking at call length might reveal some agents are spending too much time with each client and need training on how to actively control the conversation to reach resolution more quickly. On the other hand, metrics might show agents are spending too much time on non-phone duties leaving the department understaffed during high traffic periods. By focusing on relevant statistics, the problem and the solution can be found more quickly.

Customizing Reports To Each Person

Giving people too much information can create problems. Call center reports should go only to the people who need them, and each report should contain information appropriate to that person's area of responsibility. Giving someone irrelevant information can create confusion about the limits of a person's limit of authority.

Realtime statistics visible to agents should have the information they need to respond to minute-by-minute changes in call volume. Reports generated for team leaders will list metrics meant to help them make short-term, daily operational decisions. They need to be able to see how traffic patterns change on different days of the week, or how quickly new agents get up to speed. Call center reports meant for higher level managers would be more strategic in nature, helping with staffing decisions or in comparing the performance of different contact centers within the same company.

Translating Numbers Into Decisions

With customized reports and clearly defined areas of responsibility, each person in the company can contribute to the improvement of phone center operations as a whole.

An agent currently responding to customer emails sees an increase in traffic, so gets back on the phone until the traffic spike has passed. A team leader notices call volume is always higher on Wednesday afternoons and arranges shifts to overlap, giving extra coverage during these times. A director realizes call volume has risen steadily as the company has become more successful, so arranges to open a second call center to handle the extra business. Each person is making decision based on the information received and the authority given.

Call center reports are just numbers until they are translated into policies and actions that make those numbers change for the better.