How to track and improve the average speed of answer for your business

There’s nothing quite like hold music and long wait times to kill the customer experience.

56% of customers say that long holds and wait times are the most frustrating aspect of bad customer service. Many large enterprises still struggle to meet expectations over the phone due to high call volumes, tight budgets, and understaffed teams.

Customers want efficient and accurate phone support, and your average speed of answer (ASA) is a key indicator of whether you’re meeting those expectations.

What is average speed of answer?

ASA measures the average time it takes for a customer call to be answered by your contact center.

A quicker response time enhances customer satisfaction by reducing wait times and shows the efficiency of your contact center operations. Rising ASA may signal bottlenecks or inefficiencies in your contact center processes.

By deploying a voice assistant to resolve high-volume call types, agents should be able to pick up calls quicker, significantly cutting down average wait times for all customers, not just those whose inquiries are fully automated.

What is a “good” average speed of answer?

Depending on which corner of the internet you search, a “good” average speed of answer is under 1 minute. The industry your organization operates in and the call types you manage will impact what is considered a good industry standard ASA. A successful voice assistant implementation should decrease ASA by as much as 60%.

How do you calculate average speed of answer?

You can calculate your average speed of answer by dividing the total wait time for answered calls in a given period by the total number of answered calls in that same timeframe.

For example, on a particular day, five calls in your contact center were answered with wait times of 25, 30, 40, 45, and 50 seconds. The total wait time for these calls would be 190 seconds. Dividing this total by the number of answered calls gives an ASA of 38 seconds. This means that, on average, customers waited 38 seconds before their calls were answered by a call center agent.

Why it’s important to understand your average speed of answer

Low ASA highlights the efficiency of your operations and your agent’s ability to effectively and accurately resolve customer issues. There are a number of reasons why it’s important to understand your average speed of answer.

1. Identify friction in your processes and improve operational efficiency

When agents are occupied with repetitive tasks, your ASA will increase, signaling potential issues like inefficient processes, inadequate staffing, or a need for better training. Reviewing ASA alone won’t provide all the answers, but when analyzed alongside other call center metrics like average handle time (AHT) and call abandonment rates, it can help pinpoint areas where processes need improvement. This insight allows you to allocate resources more effectively and better meet customer demand.

2. Identify areas to automate

With a clearer view of your operational bottlenecks, you can identify points in the customer journey that can be automated. PolyAI clients have reported that 30-60% of agent time is spent answering queries that could easily be resolved online or through other, cheaper channels. These calls ‘clog’ up’ customer service lines, increasing wait times for everybody. Automating the low-value portion of a call, like customer order numbers or simple FAQs, can drive down wait times and give your contact center additional capacity.

3. Customer satisfaction

Whether you’re standing in line at the bank or left on hold by a customer service representative, the process of having to wait creates frustration. Customers who can resolve their issues effectively and efficiently are happier. Nearly 90% of customers would switch to a different company if it could provide better CX. Responding quickly demonstrates attentiveness and shows that you value your customer’s time, which often leads to higher customer satisfaction. Providing an efficient response creates a positive first impression and can significantly influence how the customer perceives your overall service.

4. Customer retention

Consider how you view a brand that resolves your issues quickly and accurately versus one that keeps you waiting. Which brand are you more likely to remain loyal to? Quick and effective resolutions in your contact center help build trust and a strong reputation with customers. Decreasing ASA is a step in the right direction to increase customer loyalty and make your contact center a powerful tool to elevate your brand reputation.

5. Better employee morale

High ASA can be a sign that your agents are struggling to keep up with call volume. Agents who are constantly under pressure to reduce ASA without adequate support will experience frustration and burnout. Implementing a voice assistant to handle repetitive inbound calls will reduce ASA and give your agents the freedom to focus on more complex and meaningful calls. Agents can dedicate time to each customer and add value to the conversation instead of rushing to the next call.

PolyAI helps Carnival UK answer calls faster for improved guest experiences

After the COVID-19 travel restrictions and lockdowns were lifted, Carnival UK saw a surge in support and sales calls. This influx placed a significant burden on advisors, leading to increased wait and abandonment rates. They needed a solution to handle the high volume while maintaining excellent service.

PolyAI collaborated with Carnival UK to develop a branded voice assistant that effectively addresses common questions. PolyAI’s large language models ‘understand’ detailed and complex queries without relying on specific keywords. When the assistant needs more information, it asks clarifying questions to guide the guest without requiring repetition.

The voice assistant is designed to sound like a real person and engages even the most skeptical guests, allowing the call center team to focus on those needing more assistance. It now manages up to 14% of calls, with customers praising its “very charming voice” and calling it “the best voice assistant I’ve ever spoken to.”

Strategies for improving your average speed of answer

There are several tried-and-tested strategies that help improve your average speed of answer, significantly streamline your operations, and elevate customer satisfaction. Here’s how these strategies can make a difference:

1. Implement effective call routing

When calls are misrouted, your agent’s time is spent guiding customers to the right department instead of resolving the issue, leaving other customers waiting. Efficient call routing ensures that customer calls are directed to appropriate support faster.

When customers don’t have to repeat their issues, it saves time for both the customer and the agent. Giving agents context allows them to direct customers to the right department, avoiding repeated explanations.

2. Maximize your digital self-service channels

Encouraging your customers to use digital self-service tools can help lower the number of incoming calls and allow your agents to tackle more complex issues. Customers often struggle to navigate FAQ pages or prefer to pick up the phone. AI voice assistants can send an SMS with a direct link to relevant online resources, making it easier for customers to find answers on their own and reducing the number of routine calls your agents need to handle.

3. Monitor and analyze customer metrics

With effective call data and insights, you can see when your contact center receives the highest call volume, which calls are creating long wait times, and what your company could be doing to serve your customers better. This not only helps you adjust resources to the teams that need them the most, but it also allows you to begin identifying the low-value, high-volume calls that can be automated.

4. Implement an AI voice assistant

Hiring and training enough agents to meet customer demand continues to be a major problem for contact centers. AI voice assistants provide round-the-clock customer support, handling calls 24/7 without the extra costs of a full-time call center. They can manage every call at any time, resolving issues or collecting information to pass on to your agents when they’re available. This means your customers can get the answers they need whenever they need them, not just during business hours.

Speed up your customer service success with PolyAI

A PolyAI voice assistant is designed to enhance ASA and overall customer service efficiency by automating the time-consuming portion of calls. PolyAI’s voice assistants can handle tasks like caller authentication and triage, reducing the amount of time your agents spend on each call.

Here’s an example of a PolyAI voice assistant helping John with a billing query:

Optimizing call routing with partial automation

A PolyAI voice assistant can initiate a customer service request by gathering essential details like the issue and account number, which are then displayed on the agent’s desktop as a screen pop.

Partially automating the initial call handling means customers don’t have to repeat themselves, allowing your agents to deliver quick and accurate responses and get to the next customer efficiently.

Creating structured conversational data for better customer insights

Instead of restricting customers to pre-set interactive voice response (IVR) menus, our voice assistants engage in more natural and context conversations while gathering detailed information from each interaction.

With real-time structured conversational data, you can identify friction in the customer journey, forecast staff requirements accurately, and highlight opportunities for further automation. As a result, you have the resources and insights to be there for your customers when they need you.

Discover how PolyAI can help cut your average speed of answer and supercharge your contact center efficiency.