To estimate the right abandon rate within a call center, many factors must be considered. Numbers may vary from industry to industry while being unique to differentiated segments. Analysts may also have their own interpretations of numbers that are higher or lower than industry standards.
Additionally, while every company should strive for customer service excellence, many firms choose not to optimize their customer journeys. They’re satisfied with the high abandon rates and would rather focus on conversion as a more illustrative key performance indicator. This is why finding the right abandon rate needs to be embedded within the greater conversion rate calculation that every firm must make.
Evaluating the right parameters
It’s important to evaluate the right parameters when estimating the abandon rate in a call center. Several factors play into the correct methodology behind the calculation. By working with a premier call center provider, you can analyze your individual abandon rate for your enterprise. Also, agent-based abandon rate data can also be compared live.
1. The call doesn’t connect
Companies need to understand the impact of calls not connecting through to a live agent. These calls can be valuable to analyze based on the effectiveness of the customer care program. When calls don’t connect to a live agent, they can be added to the abandon rate calculation. These calls can also be monitored for average wait times, to get a closer estimate of the relationship between the two.
2. The call connects briefly
A large number of calls coming into the call center may connect for a brief moment of time, before getting disconnected on the caller’s end. These calls may be added to the abandon rate calculation, but only if no significant issues occurred within the technology or talent implemented. If the call center is dealing with technological problems, then disconnected calls may be considered as abandoned dial-ins.
3. Customer hangs up because of long waiting times
The enterprise measuring their abandon rate must decide whether they want to add information about hang-ups after long waiting periods. This is so that they can get a better idea of the customer experience while recording their wait times in relation to the larger abandon rate picture.
Focusing on key metrics
At the broad level, a 10% abandon rate is considered to be detrimental to the performance of a customer service team. Brands approaching 10% abandon rates need to enhance their customer service strategy or refocus their values to increase the quality of interactions. General abandon rates, industry-wide, may range within 5% to 8% of total calls.
By focusing on key metrics, within the abandonment rate, businesses can align their customer satisfaction goals with real-world performances better. They can start to chip away at the high abandonment rate by opting for the right provider and by moving towards the cloud.
Opting for omnichannel cloud-based centers
One of the premier ways to enhance your call center’s abandonment rate is to focus on omnichannel integrations. Several industry leaders opt for technologically sophisticated solutions such as Bright Pattern. The company offers omnichannel cloud-based solutions that empower agents at every step of the way.
Added to that, brands can gain access to a comprehensive dashboard that allows them to monitor the performance of their call centers lives. This enables them to make leaner decisions to enhance the effectiveness of the call centers.
Modern solution providers also work within the AI and machine learning framework to develop customer-first solutions. The automated tools offered allow companies to interact with millions of customers at scale, without the added cost of manpower or technology.