How to Prove “Faster Doesn’t Always Mean Better”

Too often, speed is treated as the holy grail in the contact centre! But in the pursuit of faster interactions, an important reality is often overlooked: getting a customer off the phone quicker doesn’t always mean serving them better.

Yet despite this obvious truth, it can be REALLY hard to embed this message firmly across the contact centre.

That’s why we asked our consultants panel – featuring Sean Spurgin, Jen Tait, Emma Lloyd, Helen Beaumont Manahan, and more – for their most effective ideas on how to prove that “faster doesn’t always mean better”.

Play Back Calls to Your Speediest Agents, So They Can Hear for Themselves What They’re Missing

When I was an agent, I was consistently the fastest. I handled the most calls, and I was always at the top of the contact leaderboard. I thought speed and efficiency mattered more than anything!

But one day a customer complained about me, and so I was summoned by my team leader and forced to listen to one of my calls.

I’m a happy, chatty person when you meet me, but the person on the recording was not. There was no emotion, no empathy. It was filled with closed questions and abrupt answers. It wasn’t me, but it was. It was the me who was competitive at the expense of empathy!

This happened over 20 years ago, but it made such an impact that I still use it as an example of why fast isn’t always better in my customer service training.

Contributed by: Kim Ellis, Chief Learning Architect at Go Ginger Learning Solutions

Run Smart Pilots – Including Both Top and Bottom Performers

In a world obsessed with speed, it’s easy to assume that shorter calls mean better performance.

But when I was asked to improve sales results for an inbound team, I saw an opportunity to challenge that mindset by:

• Starting with Insight – Listening to calls revealed a rigid, code-heavy structure that left little room for genuine customer engagement. It was fast – but not effective.
• Designing for Connection – I rewrote the call-flow to include natural conversation: asking why customers chose a product and what they planned to cook. It was an online butcher – food stories matter!
• Piloting with Purpose – To ease concerns about longer calls, we trialled the new approach for a month with a small group – including both top and bottom performers. This gave us a balanced view of impact across skill levels. By testing over an extended period of time, we were able to establish whether the improvement could be sustained.
• Measuring What Matters – The result? Just 6 extra seconds on AHT – but an 18% increase in bottom-line sales. All agents’ results improved. Customers were more engaged, and agents had more opportunities to upsell and cross-sell, whilst building trust and consumer confidence.

Contributed by: Elaine Lee, Managing Director and Consultant, Reynolds Busby Lee Limited

Highlight the Conversations Where Advisors Are Both Efficient AND Effective

We use a “bright spots” approach, studying the conversations where advisors are both efficient and effective; where customers feel heard, understood, and helped first time round.

What we find is powerful. These calls aren’t necessarily shorter, they’re smarter. Advisors use empathy to build trust early, they listen with intent, and they apply judgement confidently.

That human connection actually reduces repeat contacts and lifts NPS, because the customer feels the issue has been genuinely resolved.

What often shifts leaders’ mindsets is listening to those calls side-by-side. When they hear the difference, they see that slowing down in the right places delivers better outcomes.

So instead of asking “how do we make calls faster?”, the better question is “how do we make them matter?”

Contributed by: Sean Spurgin, Learning Director at Elev-8 Performance

Encourage Agents to Think of Calls Like Conversations – Not Tasks

I encourage agents to think of calls like conversations, not tasks. Simple things like “I want to make sure I understand exactly what’s going on” or “Let’s figure this out together” show the customer we care.

And yes, it might make the call a bit longer, but the payoff is huge – happier customers, less repeat work, and agents who feel more connected to the people they’re helping. When we shift the focus from speed to empathy, everyone wins.

Contributed by: Jen Tait, Learning Specialist and Founder of Rise Learning Group

Pause to Listen – Rather Than Chase Speed Metrics

As Niki Lauda (F1 driver) once said, “The secret is to win going as slowly as possible.” He wasn’t talking about coasting, he meant understanding the rhythm of a race, conserving what matters, and knowing when to hold back to reach the finish line and win!

So, how do we make this mindset stick?

• Model It from the Top – Leaders who pause to listen, rather than chase speed metrics, send a strong signal that thinking time is valued. What’s celebrated shapes what’s repeated, and what we permit, we promote.
• Protect Thinking Time – Build small pauses into the workflow… A moment to breathe between calls or reflect after handling a complex issue. Those few seconds often prevent hours of rework and support learning and development.

Contributed by: Emma Lloyd, Experience Director, Facilitator, Creator of Ripples

If you want to spot if your team leaders are chasing metrics, read our article: Are Your Team Leaders Too Busy Chasing Metrics?

Celebrate Calls Resolved Right – Not Just Calls Handled Fast

Efficiency and empathy aren’t opposites; they’re teammates that simply need better coaching.

If you want to shift the “speed = success” mindset, start by changing what you measure:

• Celebrate calls resolved right, not just calls handled fast.
• Recognize emotional intelligence as a measurable performance skill.
• Share stories where taking time saved time.

Because in today’s service economy, the real differentiator isn’t speed – it’s sense.

Contributed by: Natasha Doren, Customer Experience Consultant

For a closer look at what’s happening with talk time and after-call work, read our article: Why You Should Embrace the Complexity of Longer Talk Time

Clearly Distinguish Between “Output” and “Outcome”

The root of this problem lies in an age-old tension: the battle between quality and quantity.

In my recent work developing leaders, I’ve noticed that many fail to distinguish clearly between output and outcome.

In a “delivery above all” culture, performance metrics often reflect output – but not necessarily outcome. The result? Impressive KPIs, low AHT, yet not always happy customers or meaningful business results.

So where is the sweet spot? As always, balance is the key!

Have you analysed how many mistakes occur because agents focus so much on speed that they sacrifice what feels less urgent in the moment – genuine empathy, active listening, and thoughtful communication?

Contributed by: Olha Yevsikova, Chief Learning Officer at Qlab

Show Agents How They Actually Create MORE Work for Themselves in the Long Run

In our drive to be quick, we can lose sight of what really matters: quality, accuracy, and customer trust. I once had a team member rush through their workload to hit daily targets.

In their haste, they made several Data Protection Act breaches by skipping essential verification checks. The result? Escalations, complaints, and rework, all of which took far longer to fix than doing it right the first time.

It’s a reminder that when we move too fast, we risk creating more work for ourselves and frustration for our customers. A short call that misses key details can easily lead to multiple follow-ups, whereas one slightly longer, well-handled conversation can resolve everything first time. That’s not just efficient, it’s memorable service!

To shift the “speed above all” mindset, we need to redefine what good looks like. Celebrate first contact resolution, customer satisfaction, and compliance as much as raw handling times. Encourage teams to take the extra minute to listen, confirm understanding, and double-check details.

Contributed by: Rebecca Whittaker, Partnership Operations Manager at Customer Contact Panel

Stop Saying “We Value Human Connection” in One Breath While Penalizing Advisors for Taking the Time Required to Deliver It in the Next

Did you know that rushing affects tone? It encourages colleagues to skip the moments where support matters most.

Faster doesn’t always mean better, especially when someone is in a vulnerable situation or when a conversation needs careful troubleshooting.

The shift I advocate is small but culturally significant: train and coach colleagues to spot and respond to emotional cues, and empower them to flex the time they need to do that based on the individual customer in front of them.

Because leadership can’t say “we value human connection” in one breath while penalizing advisors for taking the time required to deliver it in the next.

The good news? A more nuanced approach to time doesn’t have to hurt efficiency over the long term.

Taking slightly longer to help someone understand their options and prevent an escalation or repeat contact is more efficient than a quick call that simply kicks the problem forward.

Contributed by: Helen Beaumont Manahan, Director of Client Success & CX, National Support Network

What Have You Tried to Prove to Your Team That Faster Doesn’t Always Mean Better?

Click here to join our NEW Readers Panel to share your experiences and feature in future Call Centre Helper articles.

If you are interested in learning more about improving your contact centre, check out our webinar: Best Practices in Performance and Quality Management

For some great advice to help you improve customer service in your contact centre, read these articles next:

• Stop Doing These Stupid Things to Your Customers
• Are You Falling Into These Customer Service Traps?
• Build a Customer Support Strategy That Shines

Author: Megan Jones
Reviewed by: Xander Freeman