What is Service Level Call Center & How to Improve It?

Call center service level shows how effectively agents respond to customer calls within a defined timeframe. Maintaining a high service level is vital for customer satisfaction and operational success.

This guide explains what service level means and provides proven strategies to improve it.

What is call center service level?

Service level in a call center is a metric that indicates the percentage of calls answered within a specific timeframe.

The service level is usually expressed as “X% of calls answered in Y seconds.” For example, a common target might be to answer 80% of calls within 20 seconds, known as the 80/20 rule. This metric is essential for evaluating call center performance, customer satisfaction and identifying areas that need improvement. 

The service levels aren’t one size-fits-all. A “good” and “bad” service level can vary by industry. They can look very different depending on:

• The industry you’re in – healthcare callers expect quicker responses than retail customers.
• The type of customers you serve  – VIP clients may demand shorter wait times.
• Call traffic patterns – spikes during promotions, holidays, or emergencies shift the benchmarks.
• Agent skill and experience – a seasoned team can handle more calls efficiently than new hires.

Some contact centers stick firmly to the 80/20 rule and call anything below it unacceptable; others may allow 70/30, especially during busy seasons.

Achieving a high service level depends on several factors, including agent performance, staffing levels, average handling time, and systems like Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and automatic call distribution (ACD).

How is call center service level measured?

Service level call center measurement starts with setting a target, also known as a service level objective. The target defines the percentage of calls that need to be answered within a specified time parameter. An example of a 90/30 service level target is responding to 90% of calls within 30 seconds. 

Once the target is set, managers track performance during different periods, such as hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly, to see if the team is meeting the target. 

Formula, 

Service level = (number of calls answerd within a time/ total calls answered)X 100

For example, if 80 calls are answered within 30 seconds and 20 after 30 seconds, the service level is 80%.

Service level = (80/ (80+20)) X 100

As service level directly relates to agent performance, average handle time, and first call resolution, it is among the most crucial call center metrics to evaluate. Managers can monitor it using real-time dashboards to gauge performance and implement improvements. 

Why is service level important in call centers?

Service level evaluates the number of calls your agents received within a specific time frame. It helps to measure how well your team is meeting its targets for call handling and customer satisfaction. 

Here’s why it matters: 

• Improved customer satisfaction: Enhanced service levels lead to reduced wait times and faster resolutions for customers. It ensures that customer issues are resolved quickly, increasing CSAT scores. 
• Improved customer loyalty: Tracking service level helps ensure customers receive a satisfying experience. This increases trust towards your business, word-of-mouth marketing, and improves loyalty. 
• More efficient operations: Staffing is determined based on measuring service level metrics. It helps to optimize agent scheduling, which ensures that the right number of agents are available during peak and low call volume times. 
• Enhanced revenue growth: High service levels reduce churn, increase customer lifetime value (CLV), and increase the brand reputation. This leads to more referrals, repeat business, and long-term revenue growth.
• Intelligence for decision quality: Tracking service level metrics gives managers clear insight into how the call center is performing. When metrics indicate underperformance, they can quickly take corrective action, whether that’s adjusting staffing or optimizing schedules.

What are the factors affecting call center service level?

Call center service level is influenced by several factors, which make it much more challenging to meet customer expectations. 

Here are the factors affecting call center service level:

• Inconsistent call volumes: Call volumes spike during product launches, promotions, advertising campaigns, and seasonal or event-based changes. These fluctuations make staffing increasingly challenging and might decrease your call center service level. 
• Unexpected incidents: Technical issues or outages can disrupt operations, lead to more incoming calls, and reduce your service level performance unexpectedly.
• Staffing and schedule adherence: Poor service levels, such as inadequate staffing during busy hours, poor agent performance, and high turnover, can increase average handle time and reduce your first call resolution rates.
• Burnout and call avoidance: Intense workloads and strict targets result in burnout, and specific agents will even go so far as to avoid taking calls, adversely impacting your service level.

How to improve call center service level? 

Improving call center service level performance requires a balance among customer expectations, agent productivity, and ideal technology. 

Here’s how to improve service level in a call center:

1. Forecast call volume accurately

Accurately forecasting call volume improves service level in the call center because it helps to balance staffing with customer demand. 

Instead of predicting, utilizing historical data offers insights into peak hours, busiest days, average handle time, and abandoned call rate. Call center managers can leverage these insights to anticipate when more agents will be needed. Don’t just estimate, use call center software like call center analytics tools for precise forecasting. 

2. Optimize agent scheduling

Optimizing agent scheduling ensures the right number of agents are available during peak hours while preventing overstaffing during slower periods. Managers can leverage workforce management tools to coordinate shifts efficiently and adjust staffing as needed. 

Incorporating skill-based scheduling further enhances productivity by directing calls to agents who are best equipped to handle them. This strategic approach minimizes idle time, optimizes costs, and ultimately boosts customer satisfaction. 

Why it helps:

• Decrease wait times: Sufficient agents at busy times means customers won’t have to wait.
• Enhance first-call resolution (FCR): Correct agents at the right time to improve service quality.
• Enhance productivity: Balanced workloads keep agents motivated and reduce burnout.

3. Monitor real-time metrics

Track real-time call center metrics such as average wait time, service level, call queue length, and agent availability. 

With instant visibility, managers can quickly spot issues such as rising queues or long handling times. This allows for immediate adjustments, like reallocating call center agents or activating backup staff. 

Proactive monitoring ensures consistent service quality and prevents customer dissatisfaction. 

Why it helps:

• React immediately to call spikes by diverting staff.
• Recognize bottlenecks and eliminate them before they impact service.
• Maintain consistency in the customer experience throughout the day.

4. Use call routing smartly

Implement well-structured IVR and ACD systems to direct calls to the appropriate agent or department. Using call routing efficiently ensures customers are connected to the right agent or department without unnecessary transfers. 

Tools like skill-based routing, IVR menus, and priority routing help match callers with agents who can resolve issues faster. This reduces call handling time, increases first-call resolution, and improves customer satisfaction.

Adopt these best practices for call routing:

• Keep IVR menus short and intuitive.
• Use skill-based routing to align customer inquiries with agent expertise.
• Regularly analyze call data to refine routing rules.
• Allow callers an option to reach a live agent quickly.

5. Reduce shrinkage and idle time

Shrinkage factors like breaks, absenteeism, or unplanned downtime should be monitored and minimized through better scheduling and adherence tracking. 

Reducing shrinkage and idle time helps maximize agent productivity and maintain strong service delivery. You can cut idle time by setting clear performance goals for agents and implementing real-time monitoring. 

By optimizing workforce utilization, call centers can lower costs and improve customer response times.

6. Train your agent

Agents need weekly or monthly training sessions to enhance their skills and knowledge. Ongoing training on communication, product updates, and efficient call handling techniques keeps performance consistent.

Well-trained agents can manage various types of call scenarios, including complex issues, efficiently. 

During training, replicate real-world situations by incorporating call simulations and role-playing activities to better prepare for actual challenges. Investing in training builds confidence, reduces escalations, and enhances customer satisfaction.

7. Use technology

Most call centers now use advanced technology to automate workflows, streamline customer interactions, and maintain high service levels. Tools like AI-powered analytics, CRM integration, and cloud-based telephony provide real-time insights and automate routine tasks.

Technology enables smarter forecasting, efficient call routing, and better workforce management. Adopting the right solutions helps call centers reduce wait times, improve agent productivity, and boost customer satisfaction.

Additionally, you can offer self-service options through knowledge bases, chatbots, and customer portals.

Boost service levels and customer experience with the KrispCall contact center solution

You can’t afford to be at a basic service level when customers expect fast, efficient, and personalized support. Quick response times, minimal wait periods, and providing excellent customer service are crucial for every business. 

KrispCall’s cloud-based contact center platform is built for performance, scalability, and ease of use. With powerful features like advanced call routing, interactive voice response (IVR), real-time call monitoring, and Unified Callbox, your team can manage every customer interaction seamlessly from a single platform.

Ready to transform your customer service? Experience KrispCall today and see how our all-in-one contact center solution can elevate your service level, increase agent productivity, and delight your customers like never before.