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Return To CRM Article Archive   Search the Article Archives Many Call Centers Falling Short in Measurement of Critical Performance Metrics By ICMI Several key indicators either not measured or measured poorly in numerous organizations. ANNAPOLIS, MD (April 1, 2007)--A large number of call centers are not measuring - or are poorly measuring - such key performance metrics as first-call resolution, customer satisfaction and agent satisfaction - a true concern, considering that these metrics have been shown to have the biggest impact on the customer experience and the centers costs. According to a recent survey conducted by the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI), 39.5% of centers do not measure first-call resolution (FCR), with another 39.3% measuring FCR but doing so using ineffective and/or outdated methods, such as relying on mail surveys or on agents themselves to track FCR success. Such poor measurement and management of this metric is alarming because FCR is considered by many experts to be one of the most critical performance indicators in the modern call center -- with numerous studies linking high FCR to high customer satisfaction, agent satisfaction, lower operating costs and increased revenue generation. Equally concerning is that nearly one in three centers (29.3%) do not bother to formally measure customer satisfaction, and that a whopping 45.6% do not formally measure agent satisfaction. The latter is almost inexplicable, when you consider the fact that: a) research has clearly shown a direct correlation between agent satisfaction and customer satisfaction/loyalty; and b) the cost of re-recruiting, re-hiring and re-training resulting from agent turnover can be significant - and often staggering - in the call center. Not all findings were so gloomy. For instance, the vast majority of call centers surveyed do appear to be doing a decent job of measuring and managing many of the more traditional metrics that have historically ruled the performance measurement roost: service level/response time, quality, schedule adherence, average speed of answer, and abandon rate. And - importantly - most call centers seem to have done away with the type of rigid and lofty average handle time (AHT) objectives that have hindered the customer experience and agent morale for years. Following are other key findings from ICMIs 2007 Call Center KPI/Performance Metrics Survey Report: * The most common email response time objective indicated by respondents was 12.01 to 24 hours, with nearly three quarters stating that they either 'always meet' (15.9%), 'nearly always meet' (49.4%) or 'usually meet' (18.3%) their objective. * Two thirds of respondents reported an average quality score of 81%-90% (43.5%) or 91%-100% (36.9%). The most common method for measuring quality - by far -- was via quality monitoring conducted inhouse (86%). * Only 57.1% of centers surveyed measure forecasting accuracy. * Only 54% of centers surveyed have an IVR system in place that enables customers to complete certain transactions without any agent assistance. Of those centers, only slightly more than half (53.5%) measure customer completion rates (the percentage of customers that start a 'complete-able' transaction in the IVR without opting out to speak to a live agent). * The majority (57.8%) of centers have an adherence to schedule objective of between 90% and 100%; most (78.7%) either always, nearly always or usually meet that objective. ICMIs 2007 Call Center KPI/Performance Metrics Survey Report may be purchased directly from ICMIs Call Center Knowledge Online site (www.icmi.com/ccko). The report is available for free to ICMI members; the cost is $24.95 for non-members. ICMIs Call Center Knowledge Online, launched in 2003, is an online resource center that provides call center professionals with 24-hour access to downloadable documents--such as Call Center Management Review article bundles, ICMI research studies, tutorials, checklists and book excerpts--from the industrys definitive source of call center knowledge. About the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI) ICMI, International Customer Management Institute, is the global leader to the call center industry for consulting, training, management tools, seminars, conferences, trade shows, networking, professional membership and publications. ICMIs mission is to provide the comprehensive information resources required by call center professionals to achieve operational excellence, attain superior business results, and enhance the strategic value of every customer interaction. Our teams sincere dedication, extensive experience, uncompromised objectivity and results-oriented vision has earned ICMI the reputation of being the industrys most trusted resource. For more information about ICMI, visit www.icmi.com, or call 800.672.6177 (410.267.0700). About the Author: (see above) keywords: CRM | Customer Relationship Management | Customer Service | Call Center Call Center Conference

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