Service level is a key performance indicator (KPI) that shows the percentage of incoming calls an agent answers within a specific time limit.

In other words, it is “X% of calls answered within Y seconds“. 

Why is service level important?

No customer likes to wait too long on the phone. They’d rather hang up and eventually switch to a competitor because of poor customer experience.

Of course, you don’t want that. Service levels help you overcome this problem by showing you what to improve. 

Knowing this will help you:

• Improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Reduce customer frustration and complaints.
• Reduce churn rates.
• Increase customer retention and referrals.
• Optimise your call centre resources and costs. 
• Boost your call centre’s reputation.

Considering how vital this metric is, how do you measure service levels?

Here’s how to calculate your service level.

How to calculate service level in a call centre

For starters, you’ll need two datasets:

• The number of calls answered within a specific time limit 
• The number of calls offered (including abandoned calls)

Once you have these, use this simple formula:

Calls answered within the time limit / Total calls offered) x 100%. 

The result is your service level.

Ways to calculate call centre service level standards

The industry standard for call centre service level is usually 80/20. This translates to 80% of calls answered within 20 seconds.

However, this standard varies per call centre.

Some call centres aim for higher service levels. Others have lower service levels.

When choosing, you must consider these 4 main factors:

• Call volume: The number of calls received per period.
• Staffing: The number of available agents.
• Average handle time: This is the average duration of a call. This includes talk time, hold time, and after-call work.  
• Shrinkage: The percentage of time that agents are unavailable to take calls due to breaks, training, or meetings.

These factors influence your service levels. Consider them when setting your threshold standards.

The threshold is the maximum waiting time a caller is willing to tolerate before hanging up or being attended to by an agent.

How do you maintain high service levels in a call centre?

The fact remains, not all calls are equal. 

As such, there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for service level. Your customers may have different expectations or preferences for how long they are willing to wait on a call.

And some agents may be more skilled, experienced, or available than others.

So, to account for all these factors, modify your service level agreement (SLA) standards.

An SLA is a contract between you and your customer. This agreement helps you set expectations with the customer that your brand must meet. An SLA can add more meaning to your call centre’s goals. 

Want to create one today? Follow these tips.

Best practices for creating an SLA for your call centre

Here are 5 best practices to improve service level in a call centre:

• Practise accurate forecasting: Use historical data, seasonal trends, and customer feedback. You can predict call volume and demand patterns and act accordingly.
• Technology is key: Invest in reliable, user-friendly contact centre software like TelebuHub to streamline your communication for the best results. Check out this article to compare the best 10 contact centre software for your business.
• Adjust your average handling time (AHT): This is the total time an agent spends on a call. Although time is money, quality still rules. So, slash AHT tactfully. Speed is cool, but not if it wrecks quality.
• Motivate your agents: Your agents are the frontline of your customer service. Don’t deflate them. Feed their egos with feedback, rewards, and high-fives. Cultivate a dream team vibe.
• Be flexible with staffing: Prepare for unexpected spikes or drops in call volume. Hire additional staff, outsource some tasks if possible, or use our automated software to reduce the load.

Now you know what service level is in a call centre, why it matters, and how to measure it. It’s time to take a bold step forward – pick a great contact centre software like TelebuHub. 

Ready? Then Contact our sales team right away.

Use TelebuHub to boost customer satisfaction

TelebuHub is an automated, secure, and easy-to-use call centre software. You can get started in minutes without any hardware or installation costs.

With TelebuHub, you can do the following:

• Reach your customers wherever they are.
• Set up and track custom service-level targets and alerts
• Use smart routing and IVR to connect callers with the right agents
• Enable call recording and live monitoring 
• Integrate with CRM and other tools to streamline your customer interactions

Get started now to take your service level to the next level. 

Schedule a demo for a free trial and experience the benefits of TelebuHub yourself.