What is after-call Work and How to Reduce it?

After-call work (ACW) is often seen as a necessary evil for call centers. It makes agents juggle the demands of customer interactions and administrative tasks.

But what if there was a way to manage this process, allowing your agents to spend more time engaging with customers and less time entangled in paperwork?

In this article, we will explore the details of ACW. You’ll discover effective strategies on how it can be reduced.

So, let’s get going🚀

What is after-call Work?

After-call work (ACW) is any activity that an agent performs once a customer contact has been concluded. These tasks are critical to the accuracy of record-keeping and ensuring follow-up is effective. These usually include, but are not limited to:

• Updating customer records: Logging details of the interaction.
• Sending follow-up emails or messages: Ensuring unresolved queries are addressed.
• Filing feedback or reports: Documenting insights for future reference.

While necessary, ACW adds to the time agents spend on each call, increasing AHT and decreasing their availability to take incoming calls.

Why is Managing ACW Important?

After-call work (ACW) is an important element in contact centers. It has the ability to greatly enhance operational efficiency, agent well-being, and customer satisfaction if managed effectively.

Effects of High ACW:

1. Agent Burnout: Too much ACW overwhelms the agents. It leads to stress, fatigue, and burnout. When agents have to spend too much time on post-call tasks, it reduces their focus and morale.
2. Call Queue Times: Longer ACW means for an extended period, agents are not available to receive the calls that come in. This prolongs call queues and increases customer wait times.
3. Customer Satisfaction: High ACW can delay issue resolutions, frustrate customers, and impact their overall experience with the service.

Benefits of Optimized ACW:

1. Faster Resolution Times: Efficient ACW processes enable agents to handle calls and complete tasks more swiftly, reducing delays for customers.
2. Enhanced Team Efficiency: Optimizing ACW ensures agents are available to manage more calls, improving the overall productivity of the contact center.

Managing ACW effectively results in a balanced workload for agents, reduces operational delays, and elevates customer satisfaction, making it a priority for any customer-focused organization.

Challenges in Managing ACW

These factors pose significant challenges in ACW management:

I. Inefficient Tools or Systems

Outdated systems increase the amount of time required for repetitive tasks.

For example, an agent might have to manually log every detail of a customer query into separate systems because the call center lacks an integrated CRM platform. This increases the amount of time spent on repetitive tasks.

II. Lack of Proper Training

Agents may lack the skills to manage wrap-up time efficiently.

For example, new agents are likely to spend significant time updating a customer record due to a lack of familiarity with the call center software, affecting their average handle time (AHT).

III. High Call Volumes

Leads to bottlenecks and longer after-call work time.

For example, during peak hours, agents rush to wrap up calls without properly completing call notes, leading to incomplete records and potential errors in follow-ups.

These challenges not only increase ACW time but also impact agent performance and customer satisfaction. Addressing them is critical to meeting industry standards and improving operational efficiency

How to Reduce After-call Work: Top Strategies

1. Automation of Repetitive Tasks

• Using CRM Systems: The work of CRM systems automates data entry for agents. Whatever essential information is needed while one is on the call can be recorded in these automated tools, freeing agents to focus on the conversation rather than manual tasks.
• AI Tools for Transcription and Summarization: AI-powered tools save time by auto-transcribing calls and highlighting key points. Agents can quickly access call notes and follow-up tasks, removing the need to update records by hand.

2. Standardized Workflows

• Implementing Templates: Designing the template for regular or routine tasks saves the agents much time from scratch in performing after-call work. Such a template helps to guide the agents to pursue common follow-up activities in standardized ways and, therefore, speedily.
• Clear Guidelines: The policies and their procedures concerning the after-call work should be clearly provided so that there are few misunderstandings concerning this. Clear views reduce misunderstanding hence ACW tasks being executed speedily.

3. Employee Training and Upskilling

• Time Management Techniques: Teaching effective time management skills helps agents to focus on what matters the most. These techniques will minimize their after-call work (ACW) time.
• Regular Workshops: Business tool workshops improve proficiency among agents. Agents, once adequately trained, do things quicker. That reduces their handle time, therefore increasing their overall productivity and efficiency.

4. Real-time Monitoring and Feedback

• Using Analytics: By using analytics to track the trends in ACW, valuable information is derived on the time agents spend on after-call work. This may reveal areas for improvement.
• Actionable Feedback: Regular feedback using the performance metrics will motivate agents to follow the best practices and be efficient in handling ACW tasks

5. Leveraging Technology

• Utilizing Omnichannel Platforms: Omnichannel platforms help communicate smoothly through different channels. It reduces repetitive work, speeds up the process of solving customer queries, and hence increases productivity overall.
• Integrating Ticketing and Communication Tools: Merging ticketing systems allows agents to handle customer interactions more effectively. It cuts down on the time wasted switching between different software applications, leading to improved agent performance and productivity.

The Best Tools to Reduce ACW

To effectively reduce ACW, call centers can use various tools developed to streamline processes and improve agent productivity. Here’s an overview of some of the most helpful tools available:

A. Overview of Helpful Tools

• CRM Platforms

CRM platforms reduce ACW by automating routine tasks of data entry, call logging, and follow-up scheduling so that agents can focus on core work. Similarly, it provides single-point access to customer information and makes post-call documentation easier and faster, reducing the time utilized by after-call work.

• Call Transcription Software

Call transcription software converts spoken conversations to written text for agents. AI-driven transcriptions even highlight key discussion points from calls so that agents can focus on follow-up rather than dedicating more time to documenting information and concentrating on follow-up actions without dedicating additional time to documentation.

• Workflow Automation Tools

Workflow automation software automates routine tasks, including data entry and follow-up scheduling. By automating after-call work, the tools increase efficiency and enable agents to focus on more complex customer queries, which enhances their performance.

B. Some Examples of Top Tools Used by Call Centers

1. Sprinklr Service

This is a platform that uses AI automation to enhance ACW. It automatically generates case summaries and populates case dispositions. It streamlines the after-call process, thus greatly reducing the time agents have to spend on mundane tasks.

2. JustCall

JustCall is said to have a plethora of features. It auto-summarizes calls and transcripts, hence capturing customer sentiment. It also has real-time reporting of agent performance and can integrate well with CRM systems for easy data logging.

3. Emitrr

Emitrr is committed to automating the tasks that generally keep agents busy. It automates activities such as data entry and record updates across multiple systems. Its tools refine workflows so agents can complete their ACW or after-call work in minimal time.

4. Talkdesk

It focuses on AI to empower customer service processes with features such as session routing and speech analytics, improving call handling and reducing after-call work time as much as possible.

5. Zendesk

It is known for its intuitive interface and power in automation. Zendesk lets agents handle interactions smoothly while offering efficient tools for data entry and follow-up task organization.

By utilizing these tools effectively, call centers can significantly reduce ACW time, improve operational efficiency, and enhance the overall customer experience.

Metrics to Track ACW Effectiveness

The only way to ensure that after-call work is minimized effectively for better performance at the call center is through monitoring the KPIs. This set of metrics gives valuable insights into agent efficiency, customer satisfaction, and operational effectiveness. Some key metrics to remember include:

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Average Handle Time (AHT)

Average Handle Time refers to the length of a customer’s average engagement with an agent, including his talk time, hold time and after-call work.

This is one important metric in relation to the handling of calls by agents. It would mean a lower AHT if the processes were slick and issues got resolved faster; a high AHT may indicate further training or enhancement in the system.

AHT=Total Talk Time+Total Hold Time+Total After-Call Work Time,​Total Number of Calls Handled

Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)

CSAT measures the satisfaction of customers about their experience with the service. It is usually measured through surveys conducted after the interactions.

It is important that CSAT be monitored along with AHT to ensure that efforts to reduce ACW do not compromise the quality of service provided. There needs to be a balanced approach in doing so, as while reducing AHT increases productivity, this should not be at the expense of rushed interactions that will affect customer satisfaction.

CSAT (%)=(Number of Satisfied ResponsesTotal Survey Responses)100

Agent Utilization Rate

This metric looks at the effectiveness of agents’ time utilization while on shift. This is typically inclusive of the percent of time spent on calls against time spent on ACW or other tasks. A high utilization indicates that the agents are managing their workload, and conversely, a low utilization rate may indicate inefficiency or underutilization of the agents.

Agent Utilization Rate (%)= (Total Time Spent on Calls + After-Call WorkTotal Scheuled Time)100

How to Use These Metrics to Refine Strategies?

Tracking these KPIs allows call centers to identify areas for improvement and refine strategies accordingly:

Analyze Trends

Routine or periodic analysis of AHT, CSAT, and agent utilization allows trending over time. 

For example, if AHT is going up and CSAT is going down, that could indicate an increase in complex issues or a lack of training for the agents.

Set Benchmarks

Setting industry benchmarks for these metrics lets call centers gauge their performance against competitors. Such a comparison may highlight operational strengths and weaknesses, guiding focused improvements.

Implement Training Programs

It is also good to target training programs based on metrics when some agents regularly have higher AHT or lower CSAT scores, showing certain skill gaps. Ongoing coaching sessions based on performance data can help improve agent skills.

Optimize Workflows

By examining the time agents spend on After Call Work (ACW) versus handling calls, management can pinpoint workflow bottlenecks. Simplifying post-call processes and utilizing automation tools can help minimize unnecessary ACW time.

Conclusion

By the time we are through, it will have become clear that minimizing ACW is not a question of efficiency but about creating a better experience for agents and customers.

Enable them to perform as required or beyond by implementing this article’s key elements and strategies within your call center. This assures timely and professional support for any customer.

It, therefore, remains pertinent that you reassess your current processes, invest in the right technology, and make training a priority for your team. The benefits of reducing ACW are within reach-embrace these changes today and watch your call center thrive!

FAQs

What is an example of after-call-work?

Logging customer interaction details, updating records, and sending follow-up emails are common examples of after-call work.

What are the after-call work industry standards?

Industry standards recommend completing after-call work within 2–5 minutes to maintain efficiency.

Can the Employer Call You After Work Hours?

Policies vary, but many companies avoid contacting employees after hours unless it’s urgent to respect work-life balance.

How long should after-call work take?

Ideally, after-call work should take less than 5 minutes, depending on the complexity of the tasks.