A recent study by Intradiem has revealed that 97% of contact centre leaders believe agent tenure directly impacts customer satisfaction (CSAT), with 46% reporting that longer-tenured agents tend to achieve higher CSAT scores. The study highlights the critical role of agent engagement in providing superior customer experiences.
Moreover, 58% of leaders indicated that satisfied agents are more likely to remain in their roles longer, further highlighting the connection between employee satisfaction and customer service quality.
“This research validates the critical role that agent engagement plays in boosting customer satisfaction. Businesses that invest in solutions to create more efficient and rewarding environments for their agents will deliver better customer experiences and better service,” said Jennifer Lee, President and Co-CEO of Intradiem.
Furthermore, the study highlights idle time as a key performance indicator, with only 54% of companies actively tracking this metric. According to the study, 22% of agents experience over an hour of idle time during an 8-hour shift, and nearly half of this idle time occurs in short increments. By leveraging automation technology, contact centres can optimize these idle moments for training and coaching, reducing inefficiencies and improving agent productivity.
Another important finding concerns shrinkage. Companies allocate an average of 26% of agent time to this factor, a number expected to rise as contact centre roles become more complex. Agents typically spend 30 to 60 minutes per week on training and professional development, and optimising this time can significantly reduce shrinkage.
Integrating training, coaching, and other necessary tasks directly into workflows helps maintain agent engagement, leading to more consistent and higher-quality customer service.