How Many Calls can BPOs handle in a day? (And the REAL reason you have to wait)

Guess how many calls a call center agent handles in an 8-hour workday.

A hundred? Two? Three? Read on…

If you’ve ever made a complaint via phone call or chat, you know how annoying it could get to be put on hold.  Why does it take so long?

When customers call in to process requests, returns, or complaints, they often think they’re dialing in to a bank branch, an internet provider, or some customer care person sitting on the lone cubicle by the espresso machine.

But more likely, and as we all know, the person on the receiving end works for a Business Process Outsourcer (BPO).  BPOs are goal-oriented.  Numbers-oriented even.  Throughput (the numerical equivalent of a product or service a company can deliver to a customer within a period of time), is a top priority.

Simply put, this means that N% number of calls must be answered within M seconds.

So if they’re so gung-ho about answering as many calls as possible, why do irate clients find themselves listening to Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance for a good 10 minutes?

The low-down is this:

1. The center is understaffed – If the call center company has recently lost staff or if there is a delay in hiring and training new agents, then you’re looking at a staffing issue. This could also include issues that are simply out of the BPO’s control such as inclement weather or illness.

2. There seem to be unexpected spikes in call volume – Companies and their partner BPOs can reasonably predict heavy call volume. (usually, 7 am to 10 am, 2 pm to 5 pm).   Agents are then scheduled accordingly to meet that demand based on the client’s time zone.  But there are instances when promos aren’t brought to the call center’s attention – promotions, product recall, an error in a product manual, among others), wait times will be longer than usual.

And on this note, even expected spikes in calls can be a nightmare, to say the least.  Promos on the client’s part can be unpredictable.  If a thousand decide to go through the CTA (click to action) button, and people decide to call, then the volume can be a challenge.

3. Some agents are slower than others especially when still in training – As with any new employee starting a new job, onboarding, training, and nesting take time. Clients usually have their own software. So there’s an entirely unfamiliar system that they’ll need to get accustomed to from navigating different scripts to accessing FAQs, handling irate callers, recording the incident, to visiting external sites.

4. Some scripts are just lengthy – Some scripts are just so complex. Scripts are there, of course, to give the clients clear and concise information.  But what concise and clear mean depends on the industry, the call type, and the caller.  Agents typically get training to expedite calls. There are scripts to meet challenging scenarios.  But this won’t necessarily reduce call duration.
5. Lines can get tied up when an agent and supervisor are stuck on an escalation call – “I want to talk to your manager now!”. You know that proverbial scene in most movies?  Where the agitated client demands to speak with the manager? It happens more often than we think.  While a skilled agent can de-escalate the call, there are times when the incident can be a struggle.   Connecting a client with a supervisor doesn’t mean the agent is free to take another call.  The agent usually remains on the line and silently listens. After which, both supervisor and agent do a quick recap.  This can take anywhere between 15 to 20 minutes – taking a toll on the call queue.

 

This article hopes to clarify, if only for a tad, why some callers wait too “long” for a call.  A good BPO knows this and seeks to deliver a win-win solution within a reasonable time frame.

BPOs need people with the natural ability for customer service.  Good listening skills matter. Effective communication skills, even more.  What sets the difference between customer service that’s meh and customer service that’s a wow isn’t the account.

It’s passion and work culture.

Empowered agents, are formidable agents.  It’s the intangibles like enthusiasm, passion, the ability to adapt and genuinely care for others, that sets them apart.

Get empowered NOW. Join the NEARSOL family and make a difference!

NEARSOL is a US-based BPO and service company that offers clients custom-design solutions. It began operations in 2006 and has since gained a strong presence in the Latin American regions, the Caribbean, and the Asia Pacific, winning numerous awards for quality and service along the way. Most recent of which is its Great Place to Work-Certified™ Recognition.

The Great Place to Work-Certified™ Recognition is a global accreditation that tells stakeholders what employees think of the company culture.  In brief, it says a lot about the happiness and productivity index in NEARSOL.  Certification means people are happy working here and that leadership trust is palpable and real.

 

Come and be part of the NEARSOL family!

We work hard.  And we always work happy!

Come and discover why our employees and clients think we’re a great place to work!

We want you!  Visit nearsol.us and fill out your details through NIA, (Nearsol Intelligence Automation), our personalized platform for the application process.

And to answer the question posed… how many calls a call center agent handles in an 8-hour workday?

Answer: Our NEARSOL agents successfully handle 500 calls in an 8-hour workday.