What are the best ways to measure service level and occupancy rate?

1 What is service level?

Service level is the percentage of calls that are answered within a certain time threshold, usually set by the call center or the client. For example, if the service level goal is 80/20, it means that 80% of the calls should be answered within 20 seconds. Service level is a key indicator of customer satisfaction and loyalty, as it reflects how quickly and reliably the call center can respond to customer inquiries.

2 What is occupancy rate?

Occupancy rate is the percentage of time that agents are on the phone or performing after-call work, divided by the total time they are logged in. For example, if an agent is on the phone for 45 minutes and doing after-call work for 15 minutes in an hour, the occupancy rate is 100%. Occupancy rate is a key indicator of agent productivity and efficiency, as it shows how well the call center is utilizing its resources and avoiding idle time.

3 How to measure service level?

Depending on the type and volume of calls, the data sources, and the reporting tools, there are several ways to measure service level. Interval-based is a common method that calculates the service level for each time interval such as 15 minutes or an hour and averages them for an overall service level. This is useful for monitoring short-term performance and identifying peak periods or fluctuations. Weighted average assigns different weights to each time interval based on the number of calls or the importance of the interval. This method is helpful for balancing service level across different time periods and prioritizing certain intervals. Lastly, cumulative calculates the service level for the entire day or week without breaking it down into intervals; this is useful for measuring long-term performance and comparing different days or weeks.

4 How to measure occupancy rate?

When measuring occupancy rate, there are different approaches that depend on the type and duration of calls, the data sources, and the reporting tools. Talk time + after-call work is a simple method that adds talk time and after-call work time to the total logged in time. However, it does not factor in other factors that could affect agent availability. Available time is a more comprehensive approach that subtracts the available time from the total logged in time. The Erlang C formula is a more complex and sophisticated method that uses a mathematical formula to consider the number of agents, the number of calls, the average call duration, and the service level goal. This method can help estimate an optimal occupancy rate and staffing level for the call center.

5 What are the best practices for measuring service level and occupancy rate?

Regardless of the methods and formulas used, there are some best practices that can help improve the accuracy and consistency of measuring service level and occupancy rate. To start, define clear and realistic goals that are aligned with the call center's objectives, customer expectations, and industry benchmarks. It is also important to collect and verify data from trusted sources and systems, checking for errors, outliers, or anomalies. Lastly, analyze and report data using appropriate tools and techniques to highlight trends, patterns, gaps, and opportunities for improvement. The report should be clear, concise, and relevant, showing key metrics, indicators, and insights.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?