Financial services sector bucks UK trend and cuts call centre queues

Waiting times drop from 21 minutes in Q2 to seven minutes in Q3

The financial services sector cut call centre queues at busy periods to seven minutes in Q3 2006, from 21 minutes during the previous quarter. New research by Netcall, based on a sample of over one million queued calls, shows that the financial sector performed well against the UK national average which saw the British public having to wait on hold for an average of 13 minutes in Q3 during busy periods. 

Richard Farrell, Technical Principal at Netcall, the leading provider of callback solutions,said: “It is reassuring to see that the financial services sector is working hard to reduce the time people are being kept on hold. The reduction of queue times from 21 minutes to seven, which represents a decrease of over 60 per cent, is a positive move by the sector, especially as the average UK waiting time during busy periods in Q3 was almost twice as long. 

With competition fierce in the financial services market and customer service regarded as an absolute necessity for the retention and acquisition of new customers, it is perhaps not surprising that the sector has improved its waiting times. We do however feel that any time spent on hold is avoidable. We are already helping many leading organisations in the financial services sector, improve customer service by offering an alternative to waiting on hold. Hopefully the next time we produce a survey, queue times will have decreased again.” 

Netcall’s QueueBuster provides an alternative to waiting on hold in call centre queues, by offering callers the option to leave their details, maintain their place in the queue and receive a callback as soon as an agent is available, usually within minutes. 

Related Pages

New solution launched to help call centre queues

  

The Call Centre & Customer Services Summit – 23rd & 24th April 2012

  

Made In Britain paints positive picture of contact centre sector

  

Liked this article? Why not get our latest articles delivered to you by email every week.