Measuring Productivity in the Contact Centre

We all like to think that our teams are being as productive as they can be, and that may be the case in terms of the effort put in. But does that mean we are working as productively as we can be? In short, no.

Measuring productivity is a complex task that requires a clear understanding of the demands on our team and the objectives that we are aiming to achieve. In contact centre terms, it's not just about answering calls faster or completing more tasks; it's about delivering value efficiently while maintaining a motivated and satisfied workforce. 

In this guide, we'll explore what productivity means in a contact centre, the challenges of measuring it, and how it supports workforce planning and optimisation.

When we talk about productivity in the contact centre, what do we really mean? In our podcast, , Adam Clough, Practice Lead Workforce Planning & Optimisation at FourNet, says at its core productivity is "the amount of work you do for the amount of time you're supposed to be doing work". This is productivity in its most basic form and we need to balance paid hours against shrinkage (e.g., holidays, sickness, absence, breaks & meetings) in this equation; understanding the available time left for productive tasks.

Adam also stated that productivity often depends on the desired service level: "If for example you wanted an average speed of answer of 10 seconds, you would need your agents to be less productive, perversely, than if you give them an average speed of answer of two minutes."  a target of 60s... There's a happy medium, usually somewhere between 85% and 90% when you look at the service across front office and back office." ." 

Now, if that comment doesn't initially make sense to you, let us explain.

It may sound like an agent is automatically more productive if they are answering the phone faster. However, there are a lot more tasks that an agent is responsible for than just answering the phone, but if they are constantly ready to answer the phone at a moment's notice, they are being less productive in other areas. Finding this balance across both telephony and back-office environments is critical for achieving operational efficiency.

However, in our experience, many organisations struggle to measure productivity effectively. While they may have data on individual tasks, such as call durations or email handling times, they lack the tools to stitch it all together. As Sandip Patel, Senior CX Insight Analyst at FourNet, explained: "The problem most places have is their ability to stitch the data they have together to track what everyone's done against the time they spent doing it."

This may all sound obvious, but when you factor in all the complexities involved with many contact centres and the sheer amount of data available, it’s easy to lose track. When we work with organisations to optimise their workforce, we aim to stick to the fundamentals of the contact centre to ensure that we are solely measuring output.

Accurate productivity measurement is easier said than done without the right expertise, and one common cause is that we see incomplete data. Tasks like admin work or email responses often go untracked, creating blind spots in reporting. Adam highlighted this issue when he said, "You pick up odd e-mail tasks through an Outlook inbox or admin tasks that aren't captured anywhere". These tasks quickly mount up when you're assessing large workforces, meaning that every activity needs to be accounted for to get a clear picture of demand.

Another hurdle is the lack of actionable insights. While most organisations collect significant data, many don't know how to interpret it effectively. This knowledge gap can prevent leaders from making informed decisions about workforce allocation and task prioritisation.

Ultimately, it's not about tools; it's about knowledge and understanding what work needs to be done, how long it takes, and who is best suited for the job.

One advantage of knowing the exact productivity levels of your team is being able to highlight those agents that are performing well and those who aren’t. This will allow you to effectively coach and develop  the members of your team who need extra support.

Coaching in the contact centre is nothing new, but a recurring theme in our podcast  conversation was the need for 'tailored coaching'. Many organisations stick to the approach of having poor performers shadow the better performing members of the team. However, Adam highlighted that this approach doesn't have the desired effect. In fact, the opposite can occur, demotivating people further. Instead of comparing slower agents with high performers and expecting improvement, a more constructive approach is to have high performers guide their peers. As Adam puts it: "Why don't you sit Bob who is a higher performer with Billy who is struggling and make Bob drive what Billy does? This hands-on approach ensures that struggling agents learn by doing, not by observing."

Equally important is assigning tasks based on individual strengths. As Sandip noted: "Some people hate doing emails and quite like speaking to customers. If you just swap roles around and let them do what they're good at, naturally their performance improves." 

By aligning tasks with skills and preferences, contact centres can foster a more engaged and productive workforce. But this approach is often at odds with many contact centres, where managers feelthat sharing tasks is better for morale, giving everyone a chance at each task. However, in our experience, we have seen the opposite results. Allowing people to focus on the areas where they perform best, gives them a better sense of achievement and is a more comfortable role for them.

On the surface, focusing on productivity might seem like it would lead to overworked and dissatisfied employees; because in essence, agents are being asked to deliver more work. However, the opposite is true. Effective organisation and task distribution can create natural breaks for agents, such as small breaks between calls when previously, they would be moving from call to call with no gaps between. This is because a more productive team will be on top of call queues and admin tasks, meaning that they aren't constantly firefighting an ever-increasing queue. This reduces the sense of being "flogged on the phone call after call after call" as Adam puts it.

One example shared in the podcast demonstrated this point well. A client's team faced high sickness rates and low engagement because of a persistent call queue at the start of the day. By realigning shifts to handle the initial spike, they eliminated the queue, reduced abandonment rates, and lowered average handle time. The result? "Agents had natural gaps between calls, leading to improved satisfaction and better performance." Moreover, by focusing on achievable targets, employees can work without feeling overwhelmed.

In the podcast, Adam explains why he thinks the role of technology in productivity optimisation is often misunderstood. He says technology is often seen as the sole answer; when in fact there is a lot of operational work that needs to be done in order to enable technology to work effectively.

While advanced systems can enhance productivity, they’re most effective after fundamental optimisation efforts are in place. “If you haven’t got your team working efficiently, with optimised productivity; technology won’t deliver the benefit”.

Technology becomes valuable when it reduces customer and agent effort, streamlines processes, and builds on an already efficient foundation. Adam concludes: “You have to do the optimisation first. Then you can put technology in.”

This was demonstrated in our recent work with Newcastle City Council, when they approached us to deliver a technology solution that they believed would tackle their contact centre performance challenges. Before we sold any tech, our experts  first went on-site in Newcastle to get a clear picture of the root causes of their challenges, which we found would be solved by adjustments to their operations, without the need for any additional technology.

Once we had completed this project, Newcastle City Council was  ready to onboard technology to realise further benefits. Read the full case study, here.

A common question is whether productivity directly impacts customer satisfaction scores (CSAT). The answer, as Adam clarified, is nuanced: "Customer satisfaction is more around ...service levels. How fast you answer the phone or how quickly you turn an email around will impact CSAT. Nothing else does."

Customers rarely see the intricacies of productivity metrics. For them, the experience is defined by how promptly their needs are met. "All they see is, I found that number, and I get answered in a minute or I get answered in 10 minutes".

To influence CSAT positively, contact centres must focus on service levels; ensuring calls are answered before customers abandon them. This requires careful balancing of productivity targets and customer expectations. In as simple terms as possible, Adam says: "The key is to answer the phone before they hang up."

Productivity data is a powerful tool for workforce planning. By analysing metrics like call volumes, handle times, and occupancy rates, leaders can make informed decisions about shift patterns and task assignments.

For instance, distributing tasks across different channels or reallocating agents based on their strengths can significantly boost efficiency. "It's not that you've got the wrong people; it's just that you've got the wrong people doing the wrong job," Adam noted. As mentioned earlier, matching the right person to the right task not only improves productivity but also enhances job satisfaction.

Additionally, monitoring productivity as a whole, rather than focusing on isolated metrics, ensures a balanced approach. As Adam puts it: "The work-to-pay ratio is the great equaliser in measurement, providing a holistic view of performance across teams and channels."

Measuring productivity in the contact centre is about more than numbers; it's about understanding people, processes, and priorities. By defining productivity clearly, addressing measurement challenges, and using data to inform coaching and workforce planning, organisations can achieve a harmonious balance of efficiency and employee satisfaction.

Another advantage that is commonly overlooked, is its ability to highlight the root cause of challenges in the contact centre. When you know the root causes, you're in a great position to assess new technologies and tools that will then work effectively. We see many organsations that start by implementing new technology, without properly understanding their challenges, and we always start the other way around.

Ready to transform productivity in your contact centre? Get in touch today to learn how we can help implement the lessons shared in this guide.