Here’s a scene most of us can recall far too well. You’re on the line with customer service, stuck on hold, all because you need to speak to a live agent.
Just the other day, I found myself in this exact predicament, trying to pay off my car warranty. I’d already logged into my customer portal, but – surprise, surprise – the option to pay online didn’t exist. So, I had no choice but to call.
A glance at my phone showed five minutes had ticked by as I sat listening to the familiar “elevator hold music” looping endlessly, broken up by a voice chiming in to assure me my call was important: if only they had the agents to prove it.
I’d tried calling the day before, too, and here I was, giving it another shot, wondering how long it would take this time.
Minutes kept ticking by...six...seven...eight. Around the nine-minute mark, wild thoughts ran through my head, like a relay where one runner passes the torch to another:
- Had the company disappeared overnight, scampering off with my money?
- Were they even legit? I double-checked with a quick Google search to reassure myself.
11 minutes in, I was about to hang up when – at last – someone picked up. After the usual “Sorry for the wait,” they fumbled around, put me through a lengthy authentication process, and then I was finally able to explain why I was calling.
Then, the real kicker: the agent condescendingly informed me that I could make the whole payment through my customer portal. I assured them I had already tried that route before calling.
Flustered, they put me on hold. Several minutes later, they came back and, mercifully, processed my payment over the phone.
Oh, golly, that was a nightmare! Just to be sure, I checked my bank account immediately to confirm the transaction went through and kept a close eye on my account for the next week, just in case.
Needless to say, as soon as my warranty expires, I won’t be renewing. Why, you ask? Maybe because if it took me this long to give them money, what would I have to go through to submit a claim?
When done right...WFM helps you prove that every minute a customer spends with your brand is well spent.
If you’re thinking the same way as I am you’re absolutely right. A lot was happening during that call, but one thing stands out: every minute a customer spends on hold chips away at their experience and your brand’s reputation. Along with the likelihood of staying as a customer, let alone referring others to them.
Did you know that a 2012 study identified 60% of customers wouldn’t wait on hold for over a minute? At five minutes, over 90% would hang up altogether.
And let’s be honest, customers today have even less patience. I’d bet that at least 75% wouldn’t wait past a minute, and at four minutes, nearly all of them would hang up.
Where WFM Comes In
This is where workforce management (WFM) comes in. Every thriving call or contact center has a foundation of solid WFM, the true backbone of the customer experience (CX).
It’s not just about putting agents in seats. It’s about having the right agents ready at the right time to create a smooth, satisfying interaction for every customer.
When done right, WFM keeps calls short and sweet and builds trust and loyalty. It helps you prove that every minute a customer spends with your brand is well spent.
So, how do top centers execute WFM well? From what I’ve noticed, they use a mix of strategies and cutting-edge technologies, from forecasting tools and intelligent scheduling to real-time adjustments and AI-driven tools that help agents focus on the customer.
Before looking at some strategies to reduce wait times through effective WFM, we need to understand the difference between WFM and workforce planning (see FIGURE 1) and how to measure your current service numbers. I will be discussing those numbers-related topics here in Part 1. Then I will be outlining the strategies, specifically identifying the root causes, and taking action, in Part 2.
Identifying the Numbers
Service Level (SL)
Formula: SL = Calls answered within target time/Total calls x 100
Example: If 200 out of 250 calls are answered within the target time (e.g., 20 seconds), the service level is 200/250 x 100 = 80%
Purpose: Measures how well your call or contact center meets its goal of answering calls within a set duration.
Average Handle Time (AHT)
Formula: AHT = Talk Time + Hold Time + After-Call Work (ACW)
Example: If a call involves three minutes of talk time, one minute of hold time, and one minute of ACW, then AHT = 3 + 1 + 1 = 5 minutes.
Purpose: Helps determine the average time an agent spends on each call, which is useful for staffing needs because it helps determine the number of agents needed to meet demand while maintaining service quality.
Occupancy Rate
Formula: Occupancy Rate = Time on calls and ACW/Total available time x 100
Example: If agents spend 45 minutes of each hour on calls and after-call work, occupancy is 45/60 x 100 = 75%
Purpose: Shows how busy agents are. A high occupancy rate (85% – 100%) can lead to agent burnout if maintained for too long. If it is too low (below 70% – 75%), it increases operational costs since agents are waiting longer to engage with customers. It also leads to agent disengagement. An ideal rate would usually be between 75% – 85%.
First Call Resolution (FCR)
Formula: FCR = Calls resolved on the first call/Total calls x 100
Example: If 90 out of 100 calls are resolved on the first attempt, FCR is 90/100 x 100 = 90%
Purpose: Indicates how effectively issues are resolved without needing to reach back out to the customer as a follow-up.
Abandonment Rate
Formula: Abandonment Rate = Calls abandoned/Total incoming calls x 100
Example: If 10 out of 100 callers hang up before reaching an agent, the abandonment rate is 10/100 x 100 = 10%
Purpose: High abandonment rates often indicate long wait times, which causes customers to hang up before speaking to an agent. However, the calculation may need to consider the number of calls that hang up within specific timeframes, such as 30 seconds, 60 seconds, or 90 seconds.
Average Speed of Answer (ASA)
Formula: ASA = Total wait time/Total calls answered
Example: If agents spent a total of 500 seconds answering 100 calls, then ASA = 500/100 = 5
Purpose: Tracks how quickly calls are answered on average.
Regular longer hold times may mean additional training is needed...
After-Call Work (ACW)
Formula: ACW = Total after-call work time/Total calls
Example: If agents spend a total of 200 minutes on ACW for 100 calls, the ACW is 200/100 = 2 minutes per call.
Purpose: Helps optimize post-call processes and reduce call handling times. Agents may need to go into ACW for a few calls. Usually, AHT, hold time, and ACW will be longer for newer agents.
Still, suppose you start to notice an increase in any of these numbers. In that case, you may need to start investigating why they are going up, which agents, and what type of calls, as agents may need additional training or coaching, or may be experiencing other challenges.
Agent Adherence
Formula: Agent Adherence = Time spent following schedule/Total scheduled time x 100
Example: If an agent spends 7 hours out of an 8-hour shift on scheduled activities, adherence is 7/8 x 100 = 87.5%
Purpose: Ensures agents follow their schedules, essential for handling demand. A lower adherence score can cause calls not to be answered promptly, which causes the center to struggle with meeting SL.
Hold Time
Formula: Average Hold Time = Total hold time/Total calls
Example: If the hold time totals 50 minutes for 100 calls, the average hold time is 50/100 = 0.5 minutes (30 seconds)
Purpose: Helps measure how often and for how long customers are placed on hold. Regular longer hold times may mean additional training is needed, better-performing knowledge management system (KMS), agent support, or system issues.
Average Cost per Call
Formula: Average Cost per Call = Total call center costs/Total calls
Example: If monthly costs are $60,000 and the center handles 5,000 calls, the cost per call is 60000/5000 = $12
Purpose: Helps calculate how much each call costs, which is helpful for budgeting and efficiency analysis.
Escalation Rate
Formula: Escalation Rate = Calls escalated to a higher level/Total calls x 100
Example: If 20 out of 200 calls require escalation, the escalation rate is 20/200 x 100 = 10%
Purpose: High rates may indicate training needs, agent authority gaps, or policy and procedure updates.
IVR Containment Rate
Formula: IVR Containment Rate = Calls resolved by IVR/Total calls x 100
Example: If 100 out of 500 calls are resolved in the IVR system, containment is 100/500 x 100 = 20%
Purpose: Shows how well the IVR system resolves issues without needing an agent to assist the caller.