Reducing call queue times is crucial for keeping customers satisfied and maintaining efficient service. Long waits can frustrate customers, making it vital to address the issue with effective strategies.
To find out what contact centres can do, we asked Colin Mann, Global Demand Generation Director, Enghouse Interactive, to share four ways to reduce call queue time.
Video: How to Reduce Call Queue Time
Watch the video below to hear Colin explain four ways contact centres can reduce call queue time:
With thanks to Colin Mann, Global Demand Generation Director, Enghouse Interactive, for contributing to this video.
Four Ways to Reduce Call Queue Time
1. Enable Self-Service Options
Encourage customers to find information through digital channels, such as online FAQs or chatbots. This reduces the number of incoming calls and helps decrease waiting times.
“There’s a number of different ways that you can leverage to reduce call queueing time.
Self service is one of them, so if you’re enabling a greater volume of your customers, or prospects, to find what they want using digital channels and online, obviously it’s going to reduce the number of calls coming into into the company.
And that’s going to have a positive effect on waiting times.”
2. Prioritise Calls
Use IVR systems to prioritise calls based on urgency or complexity. For instance, give VIP accounts higher priority to ensure the right customers are served faster.
“Think prioritization. You can use your IVR systems to prioritize calls based on the urgency the complexity, maybe a VIP account for example, that’s going to reduce call waiting times for the right customers.”
3. Empower Agents with Knowledge
Provide agents with robust knowledge bases and tools for collaboration. Well-informed agents can resolve issues more quickly, helping to shorten queues.
“Empowering agents with knowledge as well, so if you can empower knowledge bases and collaboration that’s only going to have a positive effect.”
4. Adopt an Omnichannel Approach
Offer multiple communication channels, such as email, chat, and social media, to distribute enquiries more evenly. This reduces pressure on phone lines and improves waiting times for callers.
“And then also driving omnichannel. So if you have a contact centre, whether it’s a formal one or an informal one, where you’re offering different channels for people to reach you, that’s going to average out the number of enquiries.
So all of those enquiries that historically might have come into a phone line are now being spread across different channels, which is going to have a positive effect on call waiting times for those people who are on the phone.”
By implementing these methods, contact centres can streamline operations and deliver a better experience for their customers.
If you are looking for more great insights from the experts, check out these videos next:
- Methods to Calculate Forecast Accuracy
- Self-Service and Why Contact Centres Should Offer It
- What’s the Difference Between Empathy and Sympathy?
- Tips to Reduce Repeat Contacts
Author: Colin Mann
Reviewed by: Robyn Coppell
Published On: 5th Dec 2023 - Last modified: 29th Apr 2025
Read more about - Video, Colin Mann, Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), Enghouse Interactive, Queues, Top Story, Videos
