Summary
Let's explore the strategies and tools that allow for better management of incoming and outgoing call flows while optimizing human and technological resources.
Manage Call Volumes Easily with Ringover!What is Call Volume?
Call volume refers to the total number of incoming and outgoing calls handled by a telecommunications system or call center during a specific period. This concept is crucial in professional environments like call centers and customer service departments, where optimal call volume management is essential to ensure customer satisfaction and improve operational performance.
Understanding call volume is critical for several reasons. It enables better planning and allocation of the resources required for effective call management.
Call Volume: Statistics and Indicators
Call management relies on several key figures and performance indicators (KPIs) that are crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of operations. Here are some of the main figures and KPIs to know.
Call Management KPIs
Advanced metrics regarding calls include the total number of incoming and outgoing calls, answered and missed calls, the average call duration, as well as the average wait time. Key indicators such as the response rate, average wait time, and average call handling time are essential for improving agent performance and customer satisfaction.
The call abandonment rate is another critical KPI, representing the percentage of callers who abandon the call before reaching an agent. A high abandonment rate can reveal issues in call management, such as long wait times or a lack of staff.
First-Contact Resolution Rate
The first-contact resolution rate is a valuable metric that measures the effectiveness of a call center in resolving issues during the initial call. A high rate indicates greater efficiency and increased customer satisfaction.
Key Figures on Call Management
Some services handle significant call volumes daily. For instance:
- A salesperson may make approximately 52 calls per day.
- The average service level across technology-sector call centers is 79%.
High Call Volume: What is a Call Spike, and How to Identify It?
A high call volume, often referred to as a "call spike", occurs when the number of calls received significantly exceeds the expected or usual volume. Identifying these spikes requires a deep understanding of the trends and patterns in your call activity.
Characteristics of a Call Spike
A call spike is characterized by a sustained increase in call volume over an extended period, which can range from two to three weeks, depending on the industry and its specifics:
- Retail: Call spikes often occur during promotions or festive seasons.
- Insurance: They are common at the start of the school year or during sales periods.
How to Detect Call Spikes?
To identify call spikes, call center managers must rely on analyses and forecasts based on historical trends. This involves:
- Tracking peak days and time slots: For example, Monday mornings are often a high-demand time.
- Using forecasting tools: Techniques like ARIMA models (AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average) take into account factors such as marketing campaigns, seasonal events, and economic trends.
The most advanced cloud telephony software includes features that allow you to better allocate your resources to better handle activity peaks. Ringover, for example, allows you to visualize your service level by hour throughout the week using a heatmap. Ringover also helps you track your various key indicators so that you are able to observe your performance and adjust your strategy.
Forecast Quality: A Key Metric
Forecast Quality (FQ) measures the accuracy of call volume predictions. It is calculated by comparing the number of calls received to the number of calls anticipated.
- An FQ above 100% indicates that the actual volume exceeded expectations, signaling a call spike. For example, if a call center anticipates 200 calls per day but receives 250, the FQ is 125% (250/200 × 100), revealing a higher-than-expected volume.
Understanding the Causes of Call Spikes
Identifying a call spike also involves understanding its origins, which may include:
- Technical issues, leading to an influx of customer calls.
- Effective marketing campaigns that generate increased interest.
- External events, such as economic crises or extreme weather conditions.
6 Effective Ways to Reduce Call Volume
Managing a high call volume is a major challenge for call centers and customer service teams. Fortunately, several proven strategies can reduce call volume while improving the customer experience.
Here are six tried-and-true methods to achieve this:
- Develop a Comprehensive Knowledge Base and Online FAQs: Empower customers to find answers on their own without needing to call. This knowledge base can be expanded with webinars addressing common customer concerns.
- Offer Alternative Communication Channels: Provide options like live chat, email, and social media to give customers the flexibility to choose their preferred communication method.
- Implement Callback Options or Online Appointment Scheduling: Reduce hold times by allowing customers to schedule a callback or book a time slot online.
- Encourage Self-Service and Online Tools: Use tools like chatbots to offer instant responses to frequently asked questions, promoting self-care solutions.
- Integrate Asynchronous Messaging Options: Allow customers to submit their queries without waiting on hold and return to check for a response at their convenience.
What Technological Tools Can Help Manage High Call Volumes?
Adopting advanced technological tools is essential to optimize the efficiency and quality of customer service when handling a high call volume. Some of these tools include:
- Automatic Call Distribution (ACD) Systems and Interactive Voice Response (IVR): These systems intelligently route calls to the appropriate agents, streamlining workflows and reducing wait times.
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software: CRM platforms centralize customer information, enabling faster and more personalized responses to inquiries.
- Omnichannel Communication Solutions: Tools like Ringover provide a unified view of interactions across multiple channels, enhancing coordination among agents and improving customer satisfaction.
- Real-Time Performance Analytics and Monitoring Tools: These tools help adjust strategies based on call volumes and agent availability, ensuring smoother operations during peak periods.
Don't forget to integrate your business software whenever possible so you can automate your processes and simplify your day-to-day.
Are you ready to reduce your call volume?
Effectively managing a large number of calls requires a thoughtful and diversified strategy. By identifying the root causes of the increase in calls, it is possible to develop specific solutions. Analyzing call data and recognizing trends play a key role in understanding customer expectations and improving the support provided.
Adopting advanced technologies, such as call management systems, interactive voice response (IVR) servers, and self-service options, can significantly reduce the number of calls while enriching the customer experience. Innovative approaches such as offering scheduled callbacks, facilitating online appointment scheduling, and improving mobile app features also help to reduce calls.
Furthermore, continuous call center training, personalizing interactions, and implementing regular feedback systems are essential to ensure high-quality service and great customer satisfaction.
By adopting these strategies, you will not only reduce the call volume but also increase the efficiency of your call center and customer satisfaction. Ringover is here to assist you in this transition. Discover our solutions now through a free trial.
Call Volume FAQ
What are the best practices for reducing call volume?
Best practices for reducing call volume include continuous agent training to improve their efficiency, investing in technologies such as IVR for intelligent call management, personalizing interactions to increase customer satisfaction, and providing self-service resources to allow customers to find answers themselves.
How can self-care help reduce call volume?
Self-care allows customers to resolve their issues without direct agent intervention, using knowledge bases, forums, and chatbots. Voicebots, using artificial intelligence, further enhance this autonomy by pre-qualifying the needs of callers. Integrating self-care with other communication channels provides an omnichannel customer experience, further reducing call volume.
How can online scheduling reduce call volume?
Online scheduling allows customers to book slots for phone calls, reducing incoming calls during peak hours and improving the customer experience with reduced wait times. This strategy, coupled with callback systems, also optimizes human resource management in call centers.
What are the benefits of offering a callback to customers?
Offering a callback to customers decreases the call abandonment rate, improves the customer experience by eliminating wait times, and allows for better management of call peaks. Automated callbacks, personalized with specific information, enhance this personalization and customer satisfaction.
