Metrics that Belong on Every Dashboard

The contact center is a dynamic environment. From one day to the next, the challenges may vary. With so many external factors impacting how our day will go, knowing what other departments are doing to impact the customer experience is of vital importance. Additionally, it is crucial to have policies, procedures, metrics and KPIs in place for operational effectiveness.

One of my favorite quotes is, “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” Though it’s often attributed to Peter Drucker, no one is quite certain who first penned the words. However, regardless of who said it, I get the point. To measure and access contact center performance, a variety of KPIs are used. We all have our favorites, and we debate the validity of some with a passion. In my opinion, what you measure should be unique to your organization requirements, combined with your customer needs, satisfaction level, and expectations. The challenge is ensuring this information is effectively communicated throughout the department.

One such way, as it relates to KPIs and metrics, is the use of dashboards. Dashboards provide real-time information that is immediately visible to all. It helps agents, and those who support the front line staff, deliver better service.

Managing a contact center requires analytical, strategic, tactical skills and awareness. I believe these metrics should be on every dashboard, as they offer a perspective not only on agent level performance, but also aid in making real-time tactical decisions, to ensure you meet your strategic objectives. In my opinion, the ideal dashboard should display the following:

• Average abandonment rate: The percentage of callers who hang up before reaching an agent.
• Average handle time: The average amount of time an agent spends speaking with the caller.
• Customer satisfaction: Measurement (in percent) of customers who are satisfied with the service offered.
• First contact resolution – The percentage of contacts resolved during the first interaction with the customer.
• Service level – The percentage of calls answered within a specified time frame.

With visibility throughout the contact center, everyone, regardless of their role, will be aware of the day’s performance. For those in management roles, the dashboard can serve as an alert to necessary performance management steps in real-time. Finally, it can foster healthy competition on the team and agent level.

While this list doesn’t include all KPIs and metrics that I am very much concerned about, in the context of real time monitoring and evaluation, it gives me exactly what I require.

Which metrics do you include on your agent dashboards? Share your comments below.