Erlang C Calculator for Call Center

After Call Work (ACW):

The time an agent spends after a call to complete any necessary administrative tasks, such as entering notes or filing paperwork.

Answer Time: 

The amount of time it takes for an agent to answer a customer’s call.

Average Handle Time (AHT): 

The average time it takes for a call center agent to handle a customer call, including talk time and any after-call work.

Average Speed of Answer (ASA): 

The average amount of time a caller waits in the queue before an agent answers the call.

Abandoned Call: 

A call that was terminated by the caller before being answered by an agent.

Agent: 

A call center employee who handles customer calls and provides support.

Automatic Call Distributor (ACD):

A software system used by call centers to automatically distribute the traffic of incoming calls to available agents based on predefined rules and criteria.

Call Blending: 

A process that allows agents to handle both inbound and outbound calls during the same shift.

Callback: 

A feature that allows customers to request a call back from an agent instead of waiting on hold.

Call Center: 

A centralized facility where agents handle customer calls and provide support.

Call Deflection:

This refers to the practice of diverting incoming calls to self-service channels such as IVR or chatbots to reduce the workload of agents.

Caller ID:

A feature that displays the phone number of the person calling.

Call Monitoring: 

The process of listening to and recording customer calls for quality assurance purposes.

Call Recording: 

The process of recording customer calls for training, quality assurance, or compliance purposes.

Call Volume: 

The number of calls received by a call center over a given period of time. 

Customer Relationship Management (CRM): 

A software system used by call centers to manage customer interactions, track customer information, and improve customer service.

Dialer: 

A system that automatically dials outbound calls for agents.

Escalation: 

The process of transferring a call to a higher authority or manager for resolution.

Erlang Calculator: 

A tool developed by the Danish mathematician Agner Krarup Erlang which is used to help businesses calculate the number of staff required to handle a certain volume of calls in their call center.

Erlang C: 

The most commonly used Erlang Calculator, also known for its accuracy and reliability.

First Call Resolution (FCR): 

The percentage of calls that are resolved on the first call without the need for further follow-up.

Forecasting:

The process of predicting future demand for resources, such as staff or phone lines. A call center forecasting calculator is mainly used for this feature. 

Headcount: 

The total number of employees needed to handle the workload. 

Hold Time: 

The amount of time a caller waits on hold before being connected to an agent.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR): 

A system that interacts with callers through voice prompts and allows them to select options via keypad.

Inbound Call:

A call initiated by a customer.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

These are metrics used to measure the performance of call centers, such as AHT, ASA, FCR, customer satisfaction, and agent productivity.

Lead Generation: 

The process of identifying and qualifying potential customers.

Live Chat: 

A method of customer service that allows customers to chat with agents in real-time via a website or mobile app.

Metrics:

Data used to measure call center performance, such as AHT, FCR, and ASA.

Multichannel Contact Center: 

The ability to handle customer inquiries through multiple channels, such as phone, email, and chat.

Net Promoter Score (NPS): 

A metric used to measure customer loyalty and satisfaction.

Occupancy Rate:

The percentage of time agents are on calls or completing after-call work.

Offshore Call Center: 

A call center located in a different country than the company it serves.

Onshore Call Center: 

A call center located in the same country as the company it serves.

Outbound Calling: 

A process where agents make calls to customers or prospects for sales, marketing, or support purposes.

Overflow Call: 

A call that is routed to another department or outsourced call center when the primary center is at capacity.

Predictive Dialer: 

A system that uses algorithms to predict when agents will be available to handle calls and dials accordingly.

Quality Assurance (QA): 

The process of monitoring calls and providing feedback to agents to improve performance.

Queue: 

The line of calls waiting to be answered by an agent.

Sales Conversion Rate: 

The percentage of calls that result in a sale or conversion.

Service Level Agreement (SLA):

An agreement between two parties that outlines the quality and speed of service that is expected from one party (typically a call center). It is usually expressed as a percentage.

Service Level Objective (SLO): 

The service level objective (SLO) is usually expressed as a percentage of calls answered within a certain time frame.

Surveys: 

Feedback tools used to measure customer satisfaction and improve call center performance.

Scripting:

The practice of providing agents with pre-written scripts to help them handle customer interactions more efficiently and professionally.

Speech Analytics: 

The process of analyzing recorded calls for data and insights to improve call center performance.

Silent Monitoring:

The practice of listening to live or recorded calls without the caller or agent’s knowledge.

Skill-Based Routing: 

A system that routes calls to agents based on their skills, experience, or other predefined criteria.

Talk Time: 

The amount of time that an agent spends actively talking with a customer during a call.

Technical Support: 

The process of providing assistance to customers with technical issues or product-related inquiries.

Telemarketing: 

The process of selling products or services over the phone.

Training: 

The process of providing agents with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle customer inquiries and provide excellent service.

Third-Party Call Center: 

A call center that is outsourced to a third-party vendor.

Ticketing System: 

A software system that tracks customer inquiries, issues, and resolutions.

Total Working Time: 

The total amount of time available to the team for handling calls in a given period of time. 

Up-Selling: 

The process of offering customers an upgrade or higher-priced product during a call.

Virtual Call Center: 

A call center that allows agents to work from remote locations.

Voice of the Customer (VoC): 

The process of capturing customer feedback and using it to improve call center performance.

Voicemail: 

A system that allows customers to leave a message when an agent is not available.

Workforce Management (WFM):

A software system used by call centers to forecast call volumes, schedule agents, and manage staffing levels more effectively.

Workload: 

Generally refers to the amount of work that needs to be done in a given period of time. It includes both tasks and calls. 

Wrap-Up Code:

A code used by agents to categorize the reason for a call.

Wrap-Up Time: 

The amount of time an agent spends after a call to complete any necessary documentation or follow-up tasks.

Zero Queue:

The process of routing calls to agents immediately, without putting them in a queue.

24/7 Support:

Customer service that is available around the clock.