Running a high-performing contact center requires more than just well-trained agents and efficient tools. To truly understand and improve operations, you need to track the right Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These metrics give you the data-driven insight to reduce costs, improve service quality, and increase customer satisfaction.

At J11, we believe in fast, real-time results, not six-month strategy decks. Whether you’re in healthcare, legal services, property management, or BPO, tracking the right KPIs is your first step toward operational excellence.

Ready to identify and act on real-time KPIs that matter? Talk to our consultants and get results now, not months from now.

Here are 9 essential contact center KPIs you can’t afford to ignore:

1. First Call Resolution (FCR)

FCR measures how often customer issues are resolved during the first interaction. It’s one of the clearest indicators of efficiency and customer satisfaction. If customers need to call back multiple times, frustration builds and your costs go up. Improving FCR often leads directly to better CSAT and lower call volumes.

2. Average Handle Time (AHT)

This is the average amount of time agents spend on a call, including talk time and after-call work. While lower AHT can indicate efficiency, it’s not about rushing calls, balance is key. You want agents to be effective, not hurried. The right processes and training can lower AHT without sacrificing service quality.

3. Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)

A classic but powerful KPI, CSAT tells you how satisfied customers are with a specific interaction. Typically collected through post-call surveys, it gives a snapshot of how well your team is meeting customer needs. A strong CSAT score often reflects solid performance across multiple KPIs.

4. Net Promoter Score (NPS)

NPS measures customer loyalty, how likely customers are to recommend your service to others. It’s broader than CSAT and gives insight into overall brand perception. A high NPS is a good sign that your contact center is not just solving problems but also building strong customer relationships.

5. Service Level Agreement (SLA)

SLA refers to the agreed-upon standard for how quickly customer inquiries should be answered, such as answering 80% of calls within 30 seconds. It’s a critical measure of responsiveness and your ability to meet customer expectations. Missing your SLA can signal understaffing, poor call routing, or inefficiencies in your system. Meeting or exceeding SLA targets is essential for maintaining trust and high satisfaction levels.

6. Abandonment Rate

This KPI shows how many customers hang up before reaching an agent. High abandonment rates typically signal long wait times or confusing IVR systems. It’s a red flag that something in your call flow or staffing needs to change, fast.

7. Call Volume

Knowing how many calls come in each day, week, or season is crucial for planning. It also helps in forecasting and staffing appropriately. Unexpected spikes in call volume can stress your team and drive down other KPIs, so tracking volume trends is critical.

8. Agent Occupancy Rate

This KPI measures how much of an agent’s shift is spent actively handling calls or in after-call work. A healthy occupancy rate balances productivity with enough time for training, breaks, and development. If it’s too high, agents may burn out—too low, and you may be overstaffed.

9. Average Speed of Answer (ASA)

ASA reflects how long it takes for a customer to reach a live agent. Long ASA times can lead to lower CSAT and higher abandonment rates. It’s one of the most immediate signals of your center’s availability and responsiveness.

Why These KPIs Matter

Each of these KPIs offers a unique window into your contact center’s performance. But they’re even more powerful when viewed together. That’s where expert consulting comes in. At J11, we help organizations not just track KPIs, but act on them.

Our consulting services specialize in delivering real-time, actionable solutions, not the kind of strategies that take quarters to roll out. We’ve worked with companies in the medical field, including patient support centers, where precision and empathy matter most. But our expertise goes beyond healthcare. We support legal offices, property management firms, customer service BPOs, and more, any operation where customer experience is a priority.

Want to see how J11 can help your team hit the right metrics and deliver results fast? Schedule a free discovery session today.

Let’s move beyond reports and start creating change where it matters, at the point of contact.

Contact us today to grow your patient and customer experience, fast.