No, the call center isn’t dead.
In the last few years, digital channels have seen tremendous growth. People can go online to find answers, send a text, chat with an AI agent, or even reach out on social media.
But while the industry’s focus has shifted to text-based communications, call centers aren’t going anywhere.
Since customers are still dialing, we’ve put together some best practices to help call center agents shine.
Show Customers You Care
Providing great customer service starts and ends with emotions. Answering customers’ questions is vital, but you’re really there to connect with them. And it starts with communicating effectively.
Listen
Listening is the first step. It needs to be said because it sometimes conflicts with other productivity goals. Take the time to listen to a customer’s complaints before diving into a script. Not only will you be better equipped to solve their problems (without a bunch of clarifying questions), but you also give the customer a chance to vent their frustrations and feel heard.
Demonstrate empathy
There’s a big gap between customer expectations and reality. Salesforce reports that 68% of customers expect brands to demonstrate empathy, only 37% of customers feel brands actually do.
Make sure to use phrases like “I understand” or try repeating back what your customer said to show you were listening. These types of responses are especially important over the phone when you can’t rely on visual cues like eye contact and head nodding.
Go off-script
Scripts are great tools to help call center agents solve customer problems, but they can sound stiff and stale. Customers can tell when you’re reading from a script, and it can immediately put a wall up between you.
While it’s helpful to follow the general outline to ensure you don’t miss any important information, inject some of your own personality and mannerisms into it.
Add humor when appropriate, double-back if a customer didn’t give a clear answer, or pull together language from a variety of scenarios.
Customers will appreciate it. (Just make sure it’s within company policy first.)
Avoid Transferring Calls
This one’s tough because it relies on so many other determining factors. But customers have come to expect quick resolutions to their problems, especially when choosing to call customer service over other channels.
In fact, Salesforce reports that 83% of consumers expect to solve their complex problems by speaking with one person.
The truth is, customers don’t want to speak with multiple people to solve their problems. It often means they have to repeat themselves (something customers don’t like), and it increases the time they spend on hold.
The best way to limit transfers?
It often comes down to infrastructure—something that is outside of call center agents’ control. This often includes bigger organizational initiatives like:
- Setting up a knowledge base: Information should be easily accessible. That way, when you don’t know the answer, you can pull it up in the knowledge base instead of transferring the call to someone who does know.
- Utilizing call center software: There are tons of call center software options that enhance agent and customer experience alike. Some offer options to notify a manager and have them listen to a call to help agents navigate more complex interactions.
- Having a system to direct calls: If your company has multiple specialized departments, customer service centers should immediately direct calls to the right person. Call centers can accomplish this using an interactive voice response (IVR) system, web chat, or other self-service tools.
- Training agents thoroughly: A knowledge base and customer service software are great tools, but they can’t replace thorough training. Agents should spend time learning the ins and outs of the business, in addition to customer service tactics.
Prepare to Tackle Complex Issues
Call centers aren’t the hub for information anymore. Online communications are growing in popularity.
Between easily accessible information and various other communication channels, making a phone call isn’t the go-to reflex for many customers.
According to Zendesk’s 2020 CX Trends report, 40% of customers choose a channel based on the complexity of their issue. That means when customers have a difficult problem, they’re reaching out to the call center.
Their problem is either too difficult to explain in an email, they’ve tried and failed to search for answers themselves, or they had a bad experience with online customer service in the past. Heck, some people just prefer to talk to someone over the phone. (Yes, they still exist!)
So what does that mean for call center agents? You need to be prepared for anything.
In addition to knowing your products and services inside out, consider conflict resolution training to help upset customers.
Keep these steps in mind when you have to deal with an angry customer:
- Stay calm: Easier said than done (we know), but you’ll only escalate the problem if you respond aggressively or defensively. Take deep breaths, and try not to take any of it personally.
- Validate your customers’ concerns: Tap into that empathy we talked about earlier. Show you’re listening and actually try to understand the core issue. Most of the time, customers just want to know that they’re talking to someone who can actually fix their problem.
- Try not to argue: As much as you want to give the customer all the facts, now’s not the time to correct them. If they’re upset, they aren’t thinking rationally. So, trying to rationalize with them won’t make a difference.
- Take responsibility: Check with your company policy on this one first, but it’s generally a good idea to accept responsibility. Apologize when necessary.
- Find the solution: Once you’ve figured out the problem, try to find a solution that works within the bounds of your capabilities and satisfies the customer.
Sometimes it’s walking them through a difficult application setup. Other times, it’s offering a replacement product when there’s a failure. Ask call center supervisors for guidance on what’s acceptable to offer a customer to keep them coming back.
Contact Center Metrics to Track
Tracking the right contact center metrics is key to improving both agent performance and customer experience. Without clear benchmarks and data-driven insights, even the most talented teams can fall short of their goals. By focusing on a core set of metrics, you’ll be able to pinpoint areas for improvement, streamline operations, and deliver consistently excellent service.
While every organization has its unique needs, these five foundational contact center performance metrics offer a well-rounded view of how your team is doing and where to optimize. Mastering these metrics will help you drive measurable gains in efficiency, satisfaction, and long-term loyalty.
Average Handle Time (AHT)
Formula: AHT = (Talk Time + Hold Time + After-Call Work Time) / Total Number of Calls
Average Handle Time (AHT) is one of the most widely used contact center metrics. It reflects the total amount of time agents spend handling customer inquiries, from the initial greeting to the final documentation. While lower AHT often signals greater efficiency, it’s important to strike a balance. An AHT that’s too low may indicate rushed interactions that compromise quality.
To optimize AHT without sacrificing customer satisfaction:
- Build out a robust internal knowledge base so agents can find answers quickly.
- Equip your team with real-time guidance tools to reduce time spent searching for solutions.
- Automate repetitive tasks such as call summaries or ticket categorization.
Improving AHT isn’t just about speed, it’s about empowering agents to resolve issues quickly and thoroughly.
First Call Resolution (FCR)
Formula: FCR = (Number of Issues Resolved on First Contact / Total Number of Issues) × 100
First Call Resolution (FCR) measures your team’s ability to resolve customer issues during the first interaction, no callbacks or follow-ups required. High FCR is often associated with increased customer satisfaction, reduced operating costs, and stronger brand loyalty.
Improving this critical contact center performance metric requires a combination of tools, training, and systemic insight:
- Ensure agents have full access to customer history and context.
- Train agents to handle complex issues confidently and independently.
- Analyze repeat calls to uncover and fix recurring problems.
Ultimately, a higher FCR means fewer touchpoints for the customer and a more efficient operation for your team.
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)
Formula: CSAT = (Number of Satisfied Customers / Total Survey Responses) × 100
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) is a direct reflection of how your team is perceived. Typically gathered through post-interaction surveys, CSAT gives customers the opportunity to rate their experience, often with a simple question like, “How satisfied were you with your support today?”
To increase CSAT:
- Send surveys immediately after the interaction while the experience is still fresh.
- Follow up on negative responses to identify coaching opportunities and process improvements.
- Focus on empathy and soft skills during training to build a stronger rapport with customers.
CSAT is a leading indicator of your team’s emotional impact on customers and a critical input into broader customer experience strategies.
Service Level
Formula: Service Level = (Calls Answered Within Threshold / Total Calls Answered) × 100
Service level tracks how quickly your team is answering incoming calls. Most contact centers set a goal like answering 80% of calls within 20 seconds. Meeting or exceeding your target helps reduce call abandonment and ensures customers feel heard.
To stay on top of this key contact center metric:
- Improve forecasting accuracy to anticipate spikes in demand.
- Adjust staffing in real-time to avoid undercoverage.
- Use interactive voice response (IVR) systems to route calls more efficiently.
When service levels drop, customer frustration rises. That’s why maintaining high availability is so critical.
Abandonment Rate
Formula: Abandonment Rate = (Abandoned Calls / Total Incoming Calls) × 100
Abandonment rate tells you how many customers hang up before ever reaching a live agent. A high abandonment rate is often a red flag that wait times are too long, or that your system isn’t meeting customers where they are.
To reduce abandonment:
- Offer virtual hold or scheduled callback options to eliminate long waits.
- Display estimated wait times so customers know what to expect.
- Implement better routing or self-service tools to resolve simple issues faster.
Monitoring abandonment closely is essential for understanding both your staffing efficiency and overall contact center performance.
Key Next Steps
Tracking the right contact center metrics lays the groundwork for stronger agent performance and happier customers. But metrics alone aren’t enough. The real impact comes from acting on those insights; adjusting workflows, coaching agents, and evolving your strategy over time.
Set a regular cadence for reviewing performance, and benchmark your results against industry standards and internal goals. Whether you’re focused on voice support or expanding into contact center chat metrics, aligning your KPIs with business outcomes will keep your operation running at peak efficiency.
Call Center Agents are the Frontline
Call centers are still the backbone of the customer service industry. And the most important thing to remember as a call center agent is this: You are your company’s representative.
Follow company policy, but don’t stop there. Put these best practices to use to deliver stellar customer service experiences.
