The Complete Guide to Call Center Benchmarking in 2025

Call center benchmarking is the systematic process of measuring or comparing your call center’s performance metrics against industry standards, best practices, or competitors' results
to identify gaps and areas of improvement. By comparing key metrics such as response time, call handling efficiency, first call resolution, and customer satisfaction, contact centers can make a strategic plan to improve efficiency and productivity.

There are four main types of call center benchmarking: Competitive, Internal, Functional, and Strategic.

1. Competitive Benchmarking: It compares your call center’s performance with your competitors, helping you understand how your team measures up against others in your industry.
2. Internal Benchmarking: Internal benchmarking compares your current performance to your past performance. It allows you to track improvements over time and identify areas where you’ve made progress.
3. Functional Benchmarking: It compares your call center’s processes and practices with those of organizations in different industries. It focuses on identifying best practices that can improve your operations, no matter the industry.
4. Strategic Benchmarking: Strategic benchmarking involves comparing your long-term goals and strategies with other successful organizations. It ensures your call center is aligned with industry trends and on the right path for future growth.

The key call center benchmarking metrics include First Call Resolution (FCR), Average Speed of Answer (ASA), Average Handle Time (AHT), Customer Satisfaction (CSAT), and Call Abandonment Rate. Tracking these metrics helps evaluate service quality, agent performance, and overall customer experience.

Average Handle Time (AHT) is the average time an agent spends handling a customer call, including hold time, call wrap-up time, and talk time. It is a critical metric to evaluate the agent's efficiency and interaction quality.

The lower the AHT rate, the greater the operational efficiency.

Standard Benchmark: ~6 minutes 10 seconds

Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) measures how satisfied customers are with the service provided, often captured via post-interaction surveys. It indicates how well the call center meets customer expectations.

Standard Benchmark: ~77% (very satisfied)

First Call Resolution (FCR) is a key performance indicator that measures the percentage of issues resolved during the first call, without requiring a follow-up. High FCR rates typically indicate effective call handling and a more efficient support team.

Standard Benchmark: ~68%

Average Speed of Answer (ASA) is the average time it takes for a customer to reach an agent after dialing in. Shorter ASA times indicate reduced waiting time and improved customer experience.

Standard Benchmark: ~28 seconds

Call Abandonment Rate measures the percentage of callers who disconnect before reaching an agent. A high abandonment rate typically indicates issues with long wait times or poor customer experience.

Standard Benchmark: 5% (target)

To benchmark a call center, first define your objectives and select Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Next, collect and analyze both internal and external data to compare your performance against industry standards and internal baselines. Based on the gaps identified, set realistic, actionable goals and develop an action plan to achieve them.

Here’s how to benchmark a call center:

Start by identifying what you want to achieve through benchmarking. Are you looking to improve customer satisfaction, reduce average handling time, or lower employee turnover? Having clear objectives ensures you focus on the most important performance areas.

Select the specific metrics you will measure. Common call center KPIs include:

• Average Handle Time (AHT) – how long each call takes on average.
• First Call Resolution (FCR) – the percentage of calls resolved without follow-up.
• Call Center Service Level – the percentage of calls answered within a target time.
• Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) and Net Promoter Score (NPS) – Customer experience indicator.

Collect accurate and recent data from your call center systems. Use reports from your CRM, call management software, and workforce management tools to gather information such as call volumes, wait times, handle times, and customer feedback.

Research industry standards and best practices to see how your performance measures up. Compare your KPIs to these benchmarks to determine where your call center performs well and where it falls short.

Identify the areas where your call center is underperforming. For example, if your AHT is higher than the industry average, explore possible causes such as a lack of training, inefficient tools, or complex customer issues.

Create a plan to address the performance gaps. Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) for each area of improvement. For instance, aim to reduce AHT by 10% within three months or improve CSAT by five points through additional agent training.

Put your improvement plan into action and regularly track progress. Use dashboards and performance reports to monitor changes in your KPIs. Provide feedback to agents and adjust your strategies as needed to ensure continuous improvement.

Benchmarking helps call centers measure their performance against industry standards. It identifies performance gaps, improves efficiency, and enhances customer satisfaction by highlighting issues in handle time, resolution rates, and costs.

• Identify Performance Gaps: Benchmarking reveals where your call center’s performance falls short or exceeds industry standards.
• Drive Continuous Improvement: It provides consistent data that helps you evaluate and refine your processes over time, ensuring ongoing improvements.
• Enhance Customer Satisfaction (CX): Benchmarking highlights service issues like long wait times, helping you address them and improve the overall customer experience.
• Pinpoint Cost Reduction Opportunities: Comparing your operational costs to industry averages, benchmarking helps you identify areas where you can improve efficiency and reduce costs.
• Set Realistic, Data-Driven Goals: It allows you to set clear, achievable goals based on objective industry standards, making your targets more realistic and actionable.
• Improve Agent Productivity & Engagement: Benchmarking motivates agents by showing how their performance compares to industry standards, leading to increased focus and productivity.

Call center benchmarks vary across industries, reflecting the unique needs and expectations of customers in each sector. For healthcare, finance, insurance, and retail, key metrics such as FCR, AHT, and CSAT play a significant role in driving operational success and customer experience.

Here are some examples of industry-specific call center KPIs benchmarks:

Healthcare call centers face complex customer needs, from scheduling appointments to providing urgent medical advice. The KPIs relevant to efficiency and empathy are key in this sector.

Call centers in the finance and insurance sectors handle sensitive data and require high levels of accuracy. Customers look for critical assistance, such as financial planning or policy claims.

Retail call centers focus on handling transactions, product queries, and returns efficiently. The performance metric is generally based on the quick service and customer experience.

Insurance call centers handle complex inquiries, ranging from policy questions to claims assistance. Clear communication and compliance are essential for maintaining customer trust in this type of industry.

To effectively benchmark your call center, set realistic goals aligned with your business objectives and regularly update them to stay relevant. Use analytics tools to track progress, involve your team in performance reviews, and encourage continuous improvement.

Establish benchmarks that are both achievable and aligned with your call center’s specific needs. While industry benchmarks provide a good reference, you can also tailor your goals to fit your business objectives, customer expectations, and operational capabilities.

Benchmarking isn’t a one-time activity. As industry standards and customer expectations change, regularly review and adjust your benchmarks to ensure they remain relevant.

Leverage real-time analytics tools and dashboards to track key performance metrics. These tools provide clear insights into performance gaps, making it easier to compare your call center’s data to industry benchmarks and take informed action.

Engage agents and managers in the benchmarking process. Share your goals with them and help them understand how their performance impacts the overall success of the call center. Involving the team encourages ownership and focus.

Benchmarking should be part of an ongoing process of evaluation and improvement. Continuously monitor your call center’s performance, identify areas for improvement, and implement changes to enhance service quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Different industries have different benchmarks. For example, AHT may be naturally higher in healthcare due to the complexity of calls. Ensure your benchmarks reflect the unique demands and expectations of your industry for more accurate comparisons.

Set challenging but achievable targets and celebrate achievements when benchmarks are met. This will help keep your team engaged and focused on continuous improvement.

Call center benchmarking is not just a choice; it’s essential for consistent growth. It gives you a clear view of the call center’s performance, highlighting strengths and areas for improvement.

To make the most of benchmarking, call centers need tools that offer accurate insights and real-time metrics on team performance. Having the right platform ensures that you’re not only gathering data but also turning it into actions that improve customer satisfaction and overall service quality.

Calilio makes this process seamless. Its advanced analytics system provides accurate data to measure key metrics. Plus, features like call monitoring and recording tools help supervisors evaluate AHT, FCR, and agent performance. Moreover, its real-time dashboard offers clear visibility into important call metrics and productivity.