What is Service Level?
Service level or service grade is the percentage of calls into the call center that are answered within a set threshold. This period is relatively small as the longer that a call is unanswered the higher the abandonment rate, therefore a threshold level of 30 seconds or below is typical within call centers.
This KPI is a useful indicator for monitoring the efficiency of staff and provides valuable insights that can be used to correctly assess and deploy call handlers for busier periods and less staff for quiet periods.
How to calculate service level
The calculation for Service Levels is relatively straightforward. By taking the total number of inbound calls (including abandoned calls) divided by the total number of calls answered within the threshold a percentage can be calculated.
How to improve service level
Improving Service level should be a high priority within call centers. As service quality has a large impact on revenue it is important to measure and optimize processes that can have a direct and positive impact on this KPI. Here are a few things you can do to enhance your service level:
- By using historic data efficiently, it is possible to identify patterns in call volume, which in turn can help you resources more efficiently. This data can also be merged with any external factors such as a new promotion, product launch or event to ensure you are well prepared with enough call handlers available.
- Taking steps to improve First Call Resolution such as routing calls to specific agents with the knowledge to answer the inquiry and providing additional, automated information channels will help reduce multiple calls from the same customer.
- Expand the channels for support and enquiries by utilizing other mediums such as social media, automated website support systems and if applicable live web support.