A properly configured dialer is a vital component to help support both call agents and customers. When a dialer works correctly, it helps to make calls easier for agents and provides a smoother experience for customers. The dialer configuration should take on the “heavy lifting” of calls, allowing agents to focus on converting leads and assisting customers more efficiently.
Have you considered your software dialer configuration and its effectiveness? Adjustments to your dialing can go a long way in reducing frustrations for agents and improving success. Keep reading to learn the importance of your dialer configuration and nine key performance indicator metrics to monitor to help you assess proper configuration.
Abiding by Compliance
Not only does a poorly configured dialer impact your agents’ workflows, but it could also result in violations of compliance standards. According to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act through the FCC, call centers must follow specific predictive dialer guidelines. The rules that must be followed include:
- Each number that is called must ring for at least 15 seconds, preventing any early hang-ups.
- Abandoned calls should not exceed 3% of all live calls.
- After a call connects, the call should not be held in the queue for more than two seconds after the customer greeting.
Analyzing your dialer configuration can help your team effectively meet these TCPA guidelines.
Mitigating Call Labels
The Secure Telephone Identity Revisited (STIR) and Signature-based Handling of Asserted Information Using toKENs (SKAKEN) standards are frameworks that measure the validity of a call based on the caller ID. Improper or poor dialing habits can result in phone number flags, labels, and blocked calls. Carriers and analytics engines use software that assesses a call’s quality to detect spam or potential spam calls.
Your dialer configuration can play a factor in blocked calls. You can prevent negative call labels or potentially blocked calls by configuring your dialer properly.
9 KPI Metrics to Monitor
Let’s explore nine key performance metrics to monitor on your dialer configuration.
1. Answer Success Rate (ASR)
Also called the answer seizure rate, the answer success rate (ASR) refers to the number of connected calls versus the number of attempted calls. On average, your call center should aim for an ASR of at least 40% to 50%. To help boost your ASR, take a look at measures you can use to remove invalid numbers from your call list and focus on calling validated phone numbers only.
2. Average Handle Time (AHT)
Another component to consider as you analyze your KPI metrics is average handle time (AHT). This metric helps measure the efficiency of your call agents by tracking how long each phone call lasts. Agents with shorter AHTs may communicate better, while an AHT that is too long may indicate a need for better communication skills.
3. Occupancy Rate
An occupancy rate performance indicator helps track the percentage of time agents spend on call-related activities versus the amount of time spent idling. Measuring this KPI can help determine the pace at which agents work, allowing you to find ways to improve the workflow.
4. Calls per Agent
How many calls does each of your agents take? Measuring how many calls each agent takes can help you determine which agents are on task. Furthermore, you can also use this data to determine how well your agents manage their workflow relative to the number of calls received.
5. Average Hold Time
The average hold time measures how long customers wait on hold before speaking to an agent. If customers are waiting too long on hold, you may need more call agents or an improved workflow.
When agents place outbound calls, customers should not have to wait long (or at all) to speak to an agent. Too long of an average hold time can impact your success and lead to more abandoned calls.
6. Average Dropped Call Rate
Too many dropped calls can significantly impact your success in generating leads. By measuring the average dropped call rate, you can determine ways to revamp your dialer configuration. If there are too many dropped calls, ensure you have adequate agents on staff and are using your dialing tools effectively.
7. Abandoned Call Rate
The abandoned call rate metric refers to calls that result in hang-ups before speaking with a call center agent. The abandoned call rate is determined by dividing the total number of calls by the total number of abandoned calls.
8. Rejection Rate
Your rejection rate refers to how many calls are received but not answered. If your rejection rate is too high it could indicate your phone numbers are being blocked or flagged. In addition, this can indicate poor list quality or issues with your dialer configuration.
9. Agent Wait Time (Between Calls)
The agent wait time between calls refers to how long it takes for an agent to review a customer’s file before proceeding with their next call. You want to keep this time low, allowing your agents to move quickly from call to call. Using a preview or predictive dialer before making the following call can help agents promptly get the info they need and keep the time between calls to a minimum.
Analyzing Your Predictive Dialer
As you can see, keeping a close eye on your key performance indicators (KPIs) is crucial for call centers to monitor the effectiveness of their predictive dialer. Learn more about the world’s best call center software today and find out how Call Tools can help you achieve your call center performance goals.
