How Many Calls Can AI Handle in a Day

Understanding the Average Number

When we talk about the average number of calls an agent can handle, it’s easy to picture one clear, unchanging number. However, in the real world of call centers, that’s rarely the case. There isn’t one universal average that applies to every call center, every industry, or even every agent. This number changes quite a bit, depending on a lot of specific operational details and choices you make.

Generally, you might hear a pretty broad range in the industry, often from around 30 to over 100 calls per agent per day. That wide difference immediately tells you that the situation matters most. The reasons why this number varies are what’s truly important. Things like how complicated a customer’s issue is, the tools agents use, and even the training they get all play a big part.

Knowing why this number moves up and down is far more useful than just having a theoretical average. It helps call center leaders set goals that make sense and build systems that truly support both their customers and their team.

Key Factors Influencing Agent Call Volume

Many different things come together to decide how many calls an agent can realistically handle in a day. Each one can significantly impact an agent’s workload and their ability to solve customer problems well.

Type of Call Center (Inbound vs. Outbound)

The very nature of the calls themselves dictates how many an agent might handle.

Inbound Call Centers

It get calls from customers. These are usually for customer service, technical help, billing questions, or placing orders. The number of calls here often depends on how many customers need help and how quickly those problems can be fixed. Inbound calls usually have different levels of difficulty, which directly affects how many calls an agent can take.

Outbound Call Centers

They are where agents make calls to customers. This could be for sales, surveys, setting appointments, or collecting payments. Agents in outbound centers often have more control over how fast calls happen, though they still have challenges like reaching people or dealing with objections.

Their main goal might be to make as many connections as possible or close as many sales as possible, rather than just handling incoming calls. So, the average number of dials or conversations an outbound agent has can be quite different from the number of incoming calls an inbound agent answers.

Call Complexity and Average Handling Time (AHT)

Average Handling Time (AHT) is a super important measurement in call centers. It tracks the total time an agent spends on a customer interaction from start to finish. This includes:

• Talk time: The actual conversation with the customer.
• Hold time: Time spent with the customer waiting.
• After-call work (ACW) or Wrap-up time: Time right after the call to jot down notes, update systems, or do any follow-up tasks.

The more complicated an issue, the longer the AHT will be. This means the agent can handle fewer calls in a day. Simple questions, such as checking an order or answering a basic, common question, might only take a few minutes in terms of AHT, allowing an agent to handle a large number of calls.

However, complex technical support problems, detailed billing questions, or resolving tricky issues could push AHT to 10, 15, or even 20 minutes. This drastically cuts down how many calls an agent can take daily. This pattern shows that the issues reaching human agents are often getting more complex, since simpler questions are typically handled by self-service options.

Industry and Business Model

Different industries naturally have different call patterns and levels of difficulty:

• Tech Support often deals with really complex troubleshooting, which leads to longer AHTs and fewer daily calls.
• Healthcare questions can be sensitive and need careful record-keeping and privacy, which affects how long calls last.
• Retail and e-commerce may see a lot of simpler calls (such as order status or returns), but also a good number of more complex questions (product problems, delivery issues).
• Banking and Financial Services involve detailed transactions and security rules, leading to thorough, sometimes longer calls.

A company’s specific products or services also play a role. A business with just one, easy-to-understand product might have fewer complex calls than one with many highly technical offerings.

Agent Experience and Training

An agent’s skill level and how well they’ve been trained make a big difference.

Experienced agents usually know more about the products, are better at solving problems, and can navigate internal systems more efficiently. This helps them fix issues faster, leading to shorter AHTs and more calls handled.

Good training is key. Comprehensive training on products, systems, and how to talk to people helps agents handle more types of problems on their own and more efficiently. Agents who aren’t well-trained may lean heavily on supervisors, put customers on hold more frequently, or make mistakes that require follow-up calls—all of which reduce the number of calls they can effectively handle.

Call Center Technology and Tools

The technology an agent has can either speed things up or slow them down. Automatic Call Distributors (ACDs) route calls to the most suitable agent, thereby reducing transfer times and ensuring that customers are connected with someone who can assist them effectively.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) systems let customers solve simple issues themselves (like checking an account balance or paying a bill) without needing to talk to an agent. This takes away routine calls, letting human agents focus on more complicated questions.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems give agents instant access to customer history, past conversations, and important info. This means they don’t have to ask the same questions repeatedly and can solve problems faster. Knowledge Bases act as a central place for information, helping agents quickly find answers to common questions or steps to fix problems.

AI tools, such as chatbots and virtual assistants, are increasingly handling everyday questions, order tracking, and basic support. While this might mean human agents handle fewer total calls, the calls they do get are often more complex. This could increase their individual AHT, but it improves the overall efficiency of the call center by freeing up agents for more important interactions.

Workforce Management and Scheduling

Having the right number of staff and a well-structured schedule is crucial for maintaining a manageable number of calls per agent.

Accurate forecasting of call volume is essential. If a call center lacks sufficient staff during busy periods, agents will become overwhelmed, customers will wait longer, and agents will experience increased stress.

Dynamic scheduling makes sure that the right number of agents with the right skills are available when call volumes are highest. Efficient scheduling reduces wasted time during slow periods and helps prevent burnout during busy periods.

Quality vs. Quantity

It’s tempting to focus solely on the number of calls an agent handles. But only looking at the number of calls without thinking about quality can have serious negative effects:

• Lower customer satisfaction: Rushed calls often mean that problems aren’t fully resolved, customers become frustrated, and they have to call back again.
• Agent burnout: Constantly pushing agents to hit high call numbers without considering how complicated calls are or their well-being leads to stress, lower morale, and agents leaving the job.
• Higher operational costs: Poor quality can mean more callbacks, longer overall time to solve problems, and damage to your brand’s reputation. The goal is to find a balance where agents are efficient but also have enough time to provide excellent service.

Optimizing Agent Call Handling Capacity

Improving the average number of calls an agent can handle isn’t just about making agents work harder; it’s about using smart strategies that help them be more efficient and effective.

Invest in Comprehensive Agent Training

Thorough training is probably the most impactful thing a call center can do.

• Product and Service Knowledge: Agents need to deeply understand what they’re helping customers with. This means knowing facts, common problems, and solutions.
• System Proficiency: Ensure agents are proficient in using all internal software, CRM, and knowledge bases.
• Communication Skills: Training on listening well, being understanding, calming difficult situations, and speaking helps agents manage conversations efficiently and avoid having to repeat themselves.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Give agents ways to figure out problems and find solutions, instead of just memorizing answers.

Leverage Call Center Technology Smartly

Technology should help, not get in the way.

• Optimize IVR for Self-Service: Design your IVR system to effectively guide customers to help themselves with simple questions. This sends easy calls away from agents, letting them focus on more complicated problems. Regularly check your IVR paths to make sure they’re easy to use and work well.
• Integrate CRM and Knowledge Bases: Seamless integration means agents have all customer information and solution guides right at their fingertips. This cuts down on search time and helps them solve issues on the first call (FCR).
• Strategic Deployment of AI: Use chatbots and virtual assistants for common questions and simple tasks. When AI handles these tasks, human agents can utilize their time and expertise for interactions that truly require human judgment, empathy, and complex problem-solving. This might mean the type of call changes for human agents, possibly leading to longer individual call times, but the entire contact center becomes more efficient.

Implement Effective Workforce Management

Having the right number of agents working at the right time is crucial.

• Accurate Call Volume Forecasting: Use past data, seasonal patterns, and marketing campaigns to predict how many calls you’ll get in the future.
• Dynamic Scheduling: Create schedules that match when your agents are available with when you expect the most calls. This keeps agents from being idle during slow times and prevents long waits for customers.
• Skill-Based Routing: Ensure calls are directed to agents who are best suited to handle them based on their skills and expertise. This means fewer transfers and faster problem-solving.

Monitor and Analyze Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Don’t just look at how many calls are handled; also consider how efficiently they are handled. You need a full picture.

• Average Handling Time (AHT): Although not the only measure, a higher AHT typically indicates fewer calls per hour. Look at its parts to find out where things might be slow.
• First Call Resolution (FCR): Fixing a problem on the first contact greatly reduces callbacks, freeing up agents.
• Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) and Net Promoter Score (NPS): These metrics directly indicate the quality of interactions. High satisfaction usually means efficient, effective service.
• Agent Occupancy Rate: This measures how much time agents spend on call-related activities. If it’s too low, you might have too many staff; if it’s too high, agents might burn out.

Foster a Supportive Agent Environment

Happy agents who feel supported are usually more productive.

• Prevent Burnout: Make sure agents get regular breaks, offer ways to manage stress, and give them chances to step away from their desks.
• Provide Continuous Feedback and Coaching: Regular, helpful feedback helps agents improve. Coaching sessions can focus on specific areas where they can grow.
• Empower Agents: Give agents the authority and tools to solve problems on their own whenever possible. This means they don’t have to rely on supervisors as much, and problems get solved faster.

Continuous Process Improvement

Call centers are always changing, and so should your ways of doing things.

• Regularly Review Call Flows: Look at common customer journeys and see where things might get stuck or are inefficient.
• Refine Procedures: Make complicated processes simpler, automate tasks that happen over and over, and get rid of unnecessary steps.
• Agent Feedback Loops: Encourage agents to share their thoughts on what works and what doesn’t. They are on the front lines and often have the best ideas for making things better.

Conclusion

Understanding the average number of calls an agent can handle is more nuanced than simply looking at a single number. It’s a changing result of many things working together, like the type of calls, how complicated they are, the tools agents use, and the training they get. There’s no single perfect answer, but usually, an agent might handle anywhere from 30 to over 100 calls per day, depending on all these different things.

Ultimately, running a successful call center isn’t just about getting agents to take as many calls as possible. It’s about finding the right balance between being efficient and providing quality service. By investing in quality training, utilizing smart technology, managing your team effectively, and continually monitoring key metrics beyond just call volume, call centers can truly empower their agents.

This approach not only makes things more productive but also leads to happier customers and a healthier, more engaged team of agents. Try applying these strategies to enhance your call center’s performance, benefiting both your team and your customers.

Get an AI call center if you wish to boost sales or customer support. It can handle 100 to 100 million calls a day.

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FAQs

What’s a good number of calls for a call center agent to handle daily?

A “good” number depends on the situation, but it often ranges from 30 to over 100 calls per day. It heavily relies on how complex the calls are, how long they take to handle, and what industry you’re in. For example, agents doing tech support might handle fewer, more complicated calls, while agents taking orders could handle many simpler ones. The key is to balance quality with quantity.

On average, how many calls a day does a call center agent take?

The average number of calls a call center agent takes daily can vary a lot, typically somewhere between 30 and 100 calls. This number is affected by things like how long each call lasts, how difficult the customer’s problems are, the industry, and the technology the agent has.

How can I increase the productivity of my call center agents?

To boost agent productivity, focus on thorough training, using CRM and knowledge base tools well, making your IVR system good for self-service, managing your workforce effectively, and giving continuous feedback and coaching. Also, try to reduce the work agents have to do after a call and make processes smoother.

What is Average Handling Time (AHT), and why is it important?

Average Handling Time (AHT) is the total time an agent spends on a call, from when the customer first calls to when the agent finishes all follow-up tasks. It’s important because it directly impacts the number of calls an agent can handle, operating costs, and the customer’s experience.

Should call centers care more about call volume or customer satisfaction?

Call centers should aim for a balance between call volume and customer satisfaction. While handling a high volume of calls is important for efficiency, cutting corners on quality to meet high call volumes can lead to frustrated customers, increased callbacks, and agent burnout. High customer satisfaction often shows that your service is both effective and efficient.