How successful are your customer service efforts? Determining that may seem like an impossible task, especially given that some aspects of customer service are somewhat abstract. However, there are some concrete ways to tell how well you’re meeting your customers’ needs. These metrics are critical for measuring the success of your center and making necessary adjustments.

Here are some expert-curated suggestions for how to measure customer service performance in the contact center - and how to improve yours!

What Makes Great Customer Service?

Before you can measure whether your customer service is doing what it should be doing, you need to understand what good customer service really is.

To be a great customer service provider is to meet consumer needs with speed, accuracy, and empathy. All of these are important in creating a great customer experience, but some of these factors may seem too abstract to measure correctly. Thankfully, the contact center industry has come up with numerous ways to approach the issue of measuring customer service success.

How to Measure Customer Service Performance

When determining how to measure customer service performance, the best approach is breaking that KPI down further into several more. These metrics can be used to determine how your customer service is truly meeting consumer needs. Remember, your agents can be delivering textbook customer service but still not satisfying consumers!

Here are six important micro-metrics to consider when deciding how to measure customer service performance:

• CSAT - The CSAT - or customer satisfaction score - is an important factor in overall customer service success. The problem with using this score by itself is that it measures the emotional experience that consumers have with your company - something that can be difficult to quantify. It is also difficult to compare through benchmarking because companies can use different scales for this score, including numbers, images, and anything that can be presented on a scale from positive to negative.
• NPS - Another important score that helps you determine whether you are meeting consumer needs is the NPS, or net promoter score. A promoter is someone who advertises your company through word of mouth and testimonials. Therefore, this score of 0-10 offers a look at how likely your consumers are to recommend your business to others. Those who offer a score of 0-6 are known as detractors; those who would not recommend your business. Those that fall in the 7-8 range are considered passive, and would likely take no action. Those who provide a score of 9 or 10 are called promoters, as they are most likely to promote your business to others. Finding your NPS is as simple as taking the total number of promoters and subtracting it from your total number of detractors.
• SERVQUAL - Speaking of important micro-KPIs, SERVQUAL - standing for the combination of “service” and “quality” - is one of the most crucial. The feedback it gathers from consumers makes up an acronym - RATER - which is comprised of:

1. Reliability - Are you delivering anticipated service in a timely and accurate manner?
2. Assurance - Do your agents create trust and confidence in the consumer with politeness and obvious knowledge of the material being discussed?
3. Tangibles - The appearance of your company and its representatives, whether that means the website or application or the actual employees and building you operate out of. It is important to note that this may not always be applicable.
4. Empathy - The obvious care and attentiveness that your employees provide to consumers are what this KPI measures - and is also an important component in creating satisfied customers.
5. Responsiveness - Do your agents seem ready and willing to serve as needed? Hopefully so; this measures that perception by your consumer.

• Customer Retention Rate - Did you know it costs your company between five and twenty-five times as much to successfully acquire a new customer than it does to retain a previous one? When you already have a satisfied consumer, it’s worth the effort to keep them that way. This score determines how well you’re doing that.
• First Response Time - This is one of the more reliable scores for determining customer satisfaction. After all, every consumer wants a smooth, speedy exchange with the companies they interact with. First response measures the average amount of time it takes for your agents to make the first connection with your consumer. The lower the number, the better.
• Employee Engagement - All the micro-KPIs previously mentioned focus on the feelings and perceptions of the consumer, but it is important not to forget your agents. After all, they are the backbone of your contact center; if they are unhappy in their positions, they aren’t performing as well as they could. Employee engagement scores determine whether your agents are satisfied with their work experience or wish there was something more to love.

That is a lot of information to contend with, but thankfully, there are plenty of programs that make deploying all of these different consumer surveys simple and intuitive. That way, all your staff has to do is sit back and analyze the results to determine how to adjust accordingly.

The Role of Technology in Improving Your Customer Service Performance

As mentioned previously, technology is extremely important when it comes to how to measure customer service performance. Software that allows for quick and easy integration and deployment of these questionnaires and quizzes can help you collect important consumer information without throwing a wrench in the daily operations of your center. That way, you can continue to provide excellent service while also learning what your customers think of the service you’re currently offering.

When you’re ready to improve your customer service approach, talk to the experts at ChaseData. We have the tools and technology you need to make those improvements happen - and to keep your customers happy, day after day. Give us a call to learn more today!