A high call abandonment rate can be a significant problem for businesses, affecting customer satisfaction, loyalty, and overall brand reputation. When customers frequently hang up before speaking to an agent, they show frustration with long wait times or complicated call navigation systems.
The good news is that there are some proven ways to reduce call abandonment rates. Join us as we explore how to calculate abandonment rates and provide some actionable tips to get customers the help they need.
What Is Call Center Abandonment Rate?
A call center abandonment rate refers to the percentage of customers who call your service line and hang up before connecting with an agent. When hold times are long, customers are more prone to hanging up or abandoning calls.
Keeping hold times to a minimum will reduce abandonment and help you get your customers the support they are looking for.
How to Calculate Abandonment Rate
The formula for calculating the abandonment rate percentage is as follows:
Abandonment rate = (number of abandoned calls/ the total number of calls) x 100
Let’s consider a simple example where the total number of calls is 1,000, and the number of abandoned calls is 100.
Abandonment rate = (100/1000) x 100
Abandonment rate = (0.10) x 100
Abandonment rate = 10%
So what constitutes an acceptable abandonment rate? Ideally, you want to reduce the percentage as much as possible. The lower, the better.
8 Tips to Reduce Call Abandonment
Here are eight tips to reduce call abandonment:
- Hire More Agents
Hiring more agents is one of the best ways to reduce call abandonment. However, this is also one of the most expensive ways. You can’t expect to deliver exemplary customer service with a grossly understaffed support center.
Staffing changes are about striking the perfect balance. You need a well-trained, adequately staffed team while always careful not to create a bloated payroll. Outsourcing offers an excellent middle ground: you can scale your workforce and enjoy predictable support costs.
- Optimize Call Routing
Implementing an efficient call routing system can drastically reduce wait times by directing customers to the best agent to handle their support issues. You could also take advantage of interactive voice response (IVR) tech, which allows customers to self-select their needs and ensure proper routing.
Modernizing your call routing processes will reduce transfers, ultimately increasing agent availability. When agents consistently receive calls that align with their expertise, they can resolve requests faster.
- Add Self-Service Options
Offering comprehensive self-service options through your website, chatbot, and IVR system can help resolve common customer queries without the need to speak to an agent. However, there are a few key considerations when adding self-service tools to your support infrastructure.
For one thing, you have to ensure that customers know about your self-service tools if you want them to be used. For another, don’t force people to help themselves. Instead, present self-service as an option while making connecting with a live agent easy if necessary.
- Expand Your Channels
Diversify your customer support beyond phone-based interactions. Implement live chat, email support, social media engagement, and a detailed FAQ section on your website. Making these strategic changes can reduce the volume of calls and abandonment rates.
However, don’t build out your support channels too fast. Ensure you have the agents and infrastructure to accommodate customer inquiries across multiple touchpoints.
- Leverage Call-Back Technology
Offering a call-back option when wait times are long can significantly improve customer satisfaction and reduce abandonment rates. This allows customers to avoid waiting in line, knowing they’ll receive a call as soon as an agent is available.
A big part of frustration during holding periods is that staying on the line interrupts the customer’s day. They have to keep their phone in hand and listen to boring, repetitive hold music as they wait for an agent to hop on the line.
Callbacks eliminate this point of friction between your customers and support agents. When an agent calls back, the customer will be relieved and happy instead of frustrated due to spending countless minutes on hold.
- Monitor Peak Hours and Adjust Accordingly
Sometimes, one of the best ways to reduce call abandonment is to simply adjust your schedule. Check whether you have too many agents clocked in during slow periods and too few during times of high call volume. If the balance is off, restructure your schedule.
Before hiring more agents, make sure you are using the ones you’ve got in the most efficient way possible. This is especially important during predictable spikes in call volume, such as during the holiday season or the weeks following a new product’s launch.
- Train Your Agents
Well-trained agents deliver better support faster than their less skilled counterparts. The quicker your agents can resolve issues, the shorter the customer wait times. Regular training and feedback sessions can improve agent performance and customer satisfaction.
Generally, you should avoid blanket training sessions and instead focus on agent-specific upskilling efforts. Use performance reports, feedback, and skills testing to identify each agent’s greatest strengths and weaknesses. Then, provide personalized training to your team to help them reach their true potential.
- Adjust and Improve
The customer service landscape is always changing. What works today may not work tomorrow. Regularly review your call abandonment data, customer feedback, and the effectiveness of your strategies.
If call abandonment rates begin to climb, make changes to bring them back down. Be prepared to adjust your approach to continuously improve your customer service experience.
Reducing Call Abandonment Through Holistic Strategies
Remember that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach when applying these tips to reduce call abandonment. Most organizations have to use a combination of these strategies and techniques to bring call abandonment rates within acceptable levels.
Remember, too, that the goal is not just to reduce abandonment rates but to improve the overall quality of your customer service. By doing so, you not only retain your current customers but attract new ones as well, driving the success of your business.