The modern customer expects a frictionless experience when they contact the call center. They seek personalized service and helpful answers, without having to spend too long interacting with the support agent. With 81% of customers requiring a brand interaction to resolve their issues, the pressure on contact centers to deliver is immense.

The average handle time is a key call center metric that businesses use to track the efficiency of their support teams. It highlights how well support agents resolve issues by combining speed and quality.

What is average call handling time (AHT)?

Average handle time (AHT) measures the total amount of time an agent spends handling a customer interaction. The standard AHT formula includes three core components: total talk time, total hold time, and after-call work (ACW).

Contact centers use AHT as a key performance indicator (KPI) to track agent performance, cost of handling customers, and team productivity. While a lower AHT indicates faster service delivery, speed alone shouldn’t be the goal. The key is to reduce call handling times without sacrificing the customer experience (CX) or resolution quality.

How to calculate AHT

The standard formula for calculating AHT is:

AHT = (Total Talk Time + Total Hold Time + After-Call Work) / Total Number of Calls

For example, if an agent spends 200 minutes on calls, 50 minutes on hold, and 30 minutes on follow-up work across 40 calls, their AHT would be:

(200 + 50 + 30) / 40 = 7 minutes per call

So, what’s a good AHT to strive for? The answer is that it depends on your industry. Data from Zendesk suggests anywhere between 3-4 minutes for retail to 8-10 minutes for technical support. A generally quoted figure, irrespective of industry or team size, is 6 minutes. 

However, it’s worth noting again that chasing these numbers isn’t the best strategy for modern contact centers. An insight-driven approach that seeks to understand the underlying causes for slow and inadequate service helps improve overall contact center performance.

Why is average handle time an important call center metric?

Average handle time is a performance indicator that directly impacts both operational efficiency and customer experience. As a result, it’s one of the most crucial call center metrics for businesses looking to balance service quality with optimal resource utilization. Here are three key reasons why AHT is an important KPI to monitor:

Measures contact center efficiency

AHT provides real-time insight into how effectively your agents handle customer interactions. A high AHT indicates inefficiencies in workflows, outdated tools, or gaps in agent training. On the other hand, a low AHT may suggest optimized call handling and well-structured processes. Tracking this metric helps managers spot performance issues early and implement data-driven improvements.

Impacts customer experience

Customer satisfaction takes a hit when customers wait on hold for long periods. On the other hand, agents who resolve inquiries quickly and accurately create positive customer experiences. Therefore, monitoring AHT ensures that service is not only fast but also aligned with customer needs and expectations.

Helps with workforce planning

When you analyze call center performance by tracking AHT, you get clear insight into workforce planning. For example, you can see if your current staffing decisions are having a positive or negative effect on service speed. With consistent AHT benchmarks, managers can forecast call volume and schedule shifts accordingly. This is valuable for ensuring the right number of agents are available to meet demand, especially during peak hours.

Potential causes of high AHT

When your AHT is higher than expected, it’s usually a sign that your contact center workflows aren’t hitting the mark. Below are some of the most common reasons behind high AHT and what they indicate:

• Inadequate agent training makes it difficult for the frontline support team to quickly resolve customer inquiries. For example, agents with little to no training in working under pressure will likely take longer to handle frustrated customers. Similarly, it’s impossible to leverage AI-driven tools if agents have no idea how to use them!
  
• Lack of automation results in valuable time spent on routine tasks like sifting through call recordings or updating databases. When agents are forced to manually perform such tasks, they are left with even less time to understand and fulfill customer needs. As a result, the total talk time and ACW increase, causing customers to lose patience.
  
• Complex or unclear processes are a major obstacle to effective issue resolution. For instance, when scripts feature outdated or confusing terms, agents struggle to troubleshoot or make the right decisions under pressure.
  
• Fragmented systems or tools create a disjointed experience for agents. Switching between multiple platforms is enough to hinder even the most battle-hardened agents at times. This fragmentation adds unnecessary time to call handling and delays access to essential customer data.
  
• Poor call routing misdirects calls to the wrong agents, contributing to an increase in handle times. For example, a billing issue going to an agent unfamiliar with the payments process will either result in a transferred call or the customer having to re-explain themselves. The result is a far longer call than it would have been if the query reached the right agent the first time around.
  
• Ineffective scripts or rigid protocols prevent agents from putting their best foot forward. Scripts provide a handy template, but if designed poorly, they leave little room for improvisation. If anything, they can result in robotic responses that do little to satisfy disgruntled customers. Similarly, rigid policies can sometimes make it impossible for agents to adapt to complex issues.
  
• Lack of access to knowledge resources means agents end up wasting time searching for information. Without a centralized and up-to-date knowledge base, troubleshooting or fetching the right customer details becomes a headache. It also leads to longer wait times and adds to the manual work that an agent must perform.

5 Strategies to reduce average call handling time

From limited agent knowledge to a lack of automation, there are several factors responsible for high average handle times. The good news is that contact center leaders can chart a course through these choppy waters with six actionable strategies:

1. Equip agents with conversational intelligence software

Support your agents with tools that handle routine tasks, provide easy access to experience data, and help with performance improvements. Conversational intelligence (CI) software brings it all together by leveraging artificial intelligence and automation. It automatically generates call summaries and analyzes 100% of customer interactions to provide accurate and actionable insights.

Among other things, these features drastically reduce ACW by automating processes like data entry, QA, and note-taking. With automated call summaries shown to reduce AHT by up to 33%, CI enables faster resolution and improved customer satisfaction.

Additionally, the AI-powered insights surface the best-performing scripts and responses, allowing teams to resolve issues more efficiently. As a result, agents spend less time on each call and deliver more seamless experiences.

2. Improve agent training and onboarding

Agents lacking in confidence or clarity are most likely to take time handling calls. However, these issues aren’t permanent and can be fixed with better training and onboarding.

Start by designing targeted coaching sessions for your agents. CI can help here by analyzing call summaries and highlighting individual weaknesses. For example, you can quickly see if an agent struggles with product knowledge or empathy during most of their calls. This information guides a structured approach to training that helps you generate maximum value from your workforce.

Similarly, a thoughtful onboarding program helps new agents hit the ground running. Create a dedicated team for this purpose, assigning a leader for each aspect of the onboarding process. For instance, a “culture leader” could help new hires build working relationships quickly, while a “technical leader” could guide them on making the most of the tools available to them.

With the help of targeted training, performance insights, and smoother onboarding, your agents will better understand how to exceed customer expectations. Instead of obsessing over raw numbers on a call center dashboard, they embrace a customer-centric approach that helps them improve metrics across the board.

3. Understand customer sentiment better with AI and NLP

When agents can instantly grasp how a customer feels and what they need, they can respond faster and more effectively. This is where AI-powered techniques like natural language processing (NLP) come in.

NLP works by analyzing vast amounts of unstructured data to understand and interpret human language. For example, InMoment’s core NLP engine provides low-latency text mining and analytics that process more than five social media posts per second. A popular application of this technology is sentiment analysis, which automatically detects emotion, tone, and intent in customer interactions at scale.

Since agents don’t have to manually read through feedback or call summaries, they can quickly respond to shifts in sentiment without wasting time. The result is frictionless customer support where agents can prioritize issues and customers can quickly get what they need. It’s a smarter way of handling calls without relying solely on scripts or, worse, guesswork!

4. Leverage the omnichannel voice of customer

Your customers don’t think in channels. They expect a smooth and cohesive experience across every touchpoint of their journey. 

According to a recent InMoment survey, channel preferences are increasingly widespread and changing. For example, while 54% of respondents prefer to pick up the phone for issue resolution, 51% of them use the website for support. There is also a growing preference for self-service among younger customers, with Gen-Z twice as likely to use chatbots as compared to Baby Boomers.

Therefore, the data makes it clear that even a multichannel approach isn’t enough. Treating multiple communication channels independently isn’t the answer to modern customer expectations. A better strategy is to leverage omnichannel platforms, which collect and connect insights across these channels to ensure no piece of experience data falls through the cracks.

The omnichannel customer experience reduces back-and-forth, prevents repeat questions, and helps customers receive targeted support regardless of the channel. Meanwhile, agents don’t have to dig through separate systems or risk customer dissatisfaction by asking them to start from scratch.

5. Monitor performance and provide targeted coaching

Despite advanced CI tools and training programs, your agents may still face challenges during customer interactions. While these instances are normal, they also provide an opportunity to address emerging inefficiencies or gaps in agent performance. When you know exactly where your frontline support staff gets stuck, you can fix it fast.

Performance monitoring tools, powered by conversational insights, help you track how well your agents handle calls over time. Unlike manual processes, you can analyze 100% of calls to reliably spot behavioral patterns and frequent customer pain points. 

These insights help build targeted coaching programs to improve upon strengths and address weaknesses. For example, if an agent frequently puts customers on hold, they either lack decision-making skills or quick access to the right answers. In either case, you can engage them in a one-on-one session to guide them through best practices.

Therefore, agent-specific insights make it possible to go beyond generic and unhelpful advice. They provide unique roadmaps for each agent so that they can confidently bring their best selves to work daily.

6. Improve your self-service options

If customers can easily find the right answers on their own, they won’t have to pick up the phone in the first place. This is the idea behind self-service technology like chatbots, which rely on their knowledge bases to resolve common customer queries.

Start by analyzing customer feedback and call summaries to identify frequently asked questions. For example, if you receive a high volume of calls regarding shipping updates, consider offering proactive order status updates via email or messaging. 

Slightly more complex queries, like questions about product features, can be routed through chatbots, interactive voice response (IVR) systems, or in-app FAQs. 

Since self-service lowers the daily call volume, it plays a key role in reducing average handle times. Additionally, giving customers the option to solve simple problems themselves often results in improved satisfaction.

Reduce calls and resolve issues faster with InMoment

At first glance, the average handle time is all about service speed. However, rushing to end calls isn’t the answer here. When you remove friction from the support experience, from better agent training to leveraging technology, you reduce the AHT while strengthening customer loyalty.

InMoment’s conversational intelligence software helps you reliably reduce AHT by capturing real-time insights, automating repetitive tasks, and identifying issues that slow teams down. It’s a proven solution for leaders ready to deliver faster and more efficient support to maintain a competitive edge.

See how InMoment’s conversational analytics can help your agents intelligently handle calls with insights and empathy—schedule a demo today.

The best call center experiences start with well-coached agents. Data from Zendesk reveals that 41% of customer experience (CX) leaders view relevant training as the most strategic way to improve agent management and enhance the customer experience.

Without call center coaching, even the best tools fall short. The right training program, backed by real-time insights, has the potential to transform call center performance, boost agent retention, and improve customer satisfaction.

What is call center coaching?

Call center coaching is the structured process of training your agents to improve their performance and elevate the quality of customer interactions. The exact format depends on your goals, since onboarding new hires will require a different approach as compared to upskilling existing employees.

However, the common theme across such programs is measurable touchpoints where managers guide agents toward better communication skills, problem-solving, and adherence to workflows. 

Be it improving first call resolution (FCR), reducing average handle time (AHT), or boosting customer satisfaction (CSAT), a strong coaching program empowers agents with the knowledge and confidence to succeed in high-pressure contact center environments.

How call center coaching improves customer satisfaction

Effective coaching encourages a customer-centric approach to work. Consistent, focused, and data-driven training improves customer satisfaction by accomplishing the following:

Enhances agent communication skills

Coaching helps agents develop key soft skills like tone, empathy, and active listening. With regular guidance, agents learn how to connect with customers in a more human and thoughtful manner. Call center coaching techniques like role playing, feedback sessions, and real-time call reviews help agents recognize emotional cues and confidently interact with customers.

For example, instead of rushing through a script, a well-coached agent knows when to pause, acknowledge the customer’s concern, and adjust their tone to reflect empathy. These moments help transform a standard call into a trust-building interaction, supporting brand reputation management efforts.

Improves problem-solving and efficiency

When you guide your agents through real customer scenarios and instill problem-solving techniques, they gain the confidence to handle complex issues quickly and effectively.

Instead of placing a customer on hold to find answers or escalating the call, a well-coached agent knows how to navigate systems, pull the right information from their knowledge base, and offer a solution in one smooth interaction. This kind of efficiency saves time on the clock and reduces frustration for everyone involved.

The ripple effects from agents consistently solving problems are clear: shorter call times, less repeat contact, and a considerable boost in customer satisfaction scores.

Boosts First Contact Resolution (FCR)

According to InMoment’s 2025 Conversational Intelligence Trends Report, 61% of the 1200+ surveyed consumers expect brands to resolve their issues on first contact. If this expectation is not met, they are willing to consider competitors. 

As a result, first contact resolution (FCR) is one of the most crucial call center metrics for businesses looking to improve satisfaction and retention. Managers can push the needle on improving FCR by training agents to ask the right questions, troubleshoot thoroughly, and follow smart escalation protocols.

Call center coaching, especially when supported by data-driven insights, also surfaces underlying issues in customer service. Once agents understand these root causes, they are able to effectively solve problems and prevent the need for repeat calls.

Reduces agent errors and inconsistencies

It’s human to make mistakes, with call center agents across all levels capable of errors. However, the problem arises when these mistakes occur repeatedly, eroding trust and eventually resulting in churn.

Regular coaching helps minimize these errors by showing agents exactly where they went off track and how to correct it. Reviewing call summaries and QA evaluations allows call center managers to highlight specific missteps, like forgetting to verify a customer’s identity or missing a cross-sell opportunity. The leadership can then replace these slip-ups with best practices, creating a baseline for consistent service across the entire team.

Aligns agent behavior with customer expectations

Today’s customers expect fast, empathetic, and accurate service. Call center coaching that incorporates conversational analytics and real-time customer feedback bridges the gap between company goals and customer realities. 

This approach analyzes tone, sentiment, and common friction points across customer interactions to guide agents on adjusting their behavior accordingly. Whether it’s slowing down for confused callers or mirroring the customer’s communication style, these small shifts can make a big difference for customer loyalty.

Common coaching challenges in call centers

Even with the best intentions, many contact centers struggle to implement coaching sessions that make a difference. High-pressure environments, constant call queues, and varying team dynamics can all get in the way of impactful training. Here are some of the most common roadblocks that managers and supervisors face:

Limited time or resources for coaching

Call centers are fast-paced, and every minute counts. Between managing high call volumes and meeting performance targets, finding dedicated time for coaching can feel nearly impossible. When coaching is deprioritized, agents miss out on the regular feedback and development they need to grow. This results in stagnant agent performance and preventable mistakes that negatively affect call center management and productivity.

Inconsistent coaching approaches across teams

Without a unified coaching framework, each supervisor may take a different approach. For example, some will obsess over planning out a group session while others might feel more comfortable with an off-the-cuff one-on-one interaction.

This lack of consistency creates confusion among agents, who may receive mixed messages about expectations, goals, or best practices. It also makes it harder for leadership to evaluate coaching effectiveness across the organization or scale what’s working.

Lack of visibility into agent performance or behavior

You can’t coach what you can’t see. When managers don’t have access to detailed call recordings, QA scores, or behavioral insights, they’re forced to rely on assumptions or secondhand reports. This makes it harder to pinpoint specific issues or track progress over time. Without the right data, coaching becomes less targeted and, subsequently, less impactful.

7 steps and practices to coach call center agents effectively

The best call center coaching programs aren’t limited to one-off feedback or generic training videos. They feature a repeatable and personalized process that unlocks every agent’s true potential. Whether you’re working with new hires or experienced team members, these seven steps can help you create a program that drives measurable CX improvements.

1. Set clear, personalized coaching goals

Start every coaching journey with specific and achievable goals tailored to each agent. Tie these goals to relevant KPIs like CSAT, first call resolution (FCR), or average handle time (AHT). 

For example, if an agent struggles with long call times, you can set a goal to “reduce AHT by x% within a month”. Personalized goals create clarity, boost motivation, and ensure everyone is working toward outcomes that move the business forward.

2. Use conversational intelligence to surface coaching opportunities

Instead of guessing what agents need help with, use conversational intelligence (CI) to analyze 100% of customer interactions.

For instance, InMoment’s CI tool leverages sentiment analysis to help you spot trends in tone and emotion for empathetic decision-making. It also automates contact center quality assurance to give coaches more transparency and agents more context. As a result, call centers achieve scalable insights without sacrificing depth.

3. Focus on one or two behaviors at a time

It’s tempting to cover everything in one session, but information overload rarely leads to lasting change. Instead, zero in on the one or two behaviors that will have the biggest impact, such as improving call openings or reducing hold time. Once agents make progress on those skills, move to the next set of opportunities. This incremental approach builds confidence and drives consistent improvement.

4. Deliver feedback that’s specific and balanced

Generic comments like “do better on calls” aren’t helpful. Use call recordings and QA data to provide real examples of what went well and what needs improvement. 

A good example of nuanced feedback: “When the customer expressed frustration, you acknowledged their concern, which is great! But, you missed the opportunity to explain the resolution clearly, which would have avoided the need for a follow-up call.” 

Balanced and constructive feedback builds trust and makes coaching sessions more actionable.

5. Make coaching collaborative

Top-down feedback only goes so far. Great coaching involves the agent in the process so that they feel heard and valued. Ask how they felt about the call, what they think went well, and what they’d change. Encourage them to self-assess, set their own improvement goals, and brainstorm solutions. This approach to coaching not only boosts engagement but helps agents take ownership of their growth.

6. Create an action plan and follow through

At the end of every coaching session, document clear next steps. Whether it’s practicing a new script, shadowing a top performer, or completing a training module, agents should leave each session with a plan. Don’t stop there: follow up regularly to track progress, celebrate wins, and adjust goals as needed.

7. Build a consistent coaching rhythm

Your goal should be to evolve coaching from a reactive process to a natural element of workplace culture. A consistent coaching rhythm encourages agents to look forward to sessions and mentally prepare for them. 

Establish a regular cadence of one-on-one coaching, be it weekly, biweekly, or monthly, depending on team size and call volume. Use each session to check in on previous goals and motivate agents to continue putting their best foot forward. Consistency builds trust, keeps development top-of-mind, and makes it easier to reinforce positive behaviors before issues snowball.

How do you measure the impact of call center coaching?

If you want your call center coaching to drive real results, you need to track progress using the right metrics. Start by investing in a call center dashboard to visualize agent performance and CX quality. The real-time insights help both managers and agents identify opportunities for improvement and set measurable goals.

The next step is to track the right metrics with an insight-led mindset. For example, CSAT is a clear indicator of how well agents are meeting customer expectations. If it decreases despite improvements in your AHT, you might be missing a key piece of the puzzle. It’s possible that agents have been rushing calls (leading to low handle times) without adequately resolving the customer’s pain points (leading to low satisfaction). 

Speaking of metrics, FCR is yet another important KPI for measuring coaching effectiveness. Well-coached agents are confident enough in their knowledge, systems, and tools to resolve most of their tickets on the first try. As a result, there are fewer repeat calls and customers are less likely to consider switching to a competitor.

Look at agent performance trends over time. Are individuals hitting their targets more consistently? Are they making fewer mistakes? Pair these insights with QA scores, which offer a detailed look at how well agents are applying what they’ve learned.

When you track metrics consistently, you get a measurable view of coaching impact. This process helps you optimize your coaching strategy to boost call center productivity and customer loyalty.

Streamline your call center coaching efforts with InMoment

Effective call center coaching is no longer about guesswork or gut instinct. It’s about using real customer data to drive measurable improvements.

With InMoment’s AI-powered conversational intelligence, you can summarize and analyze 100% of customer interactions to ensure nothing falls through the cracks. This comprehensive analysis helps identify coaching opportunities and provide personalized feedback to agents at scale.

The conversational insights make it easier to track performance trends across teams, surface common pain points, and align agent development with what matters most to your customers. Whether your goal is higher CSAT, better FCR, or stronger employee engagement, InMoment’s tool empowers you without adding manual overhead.

Request a demo today to see how analytics and automation can elevate your coaching program to bring the best out of your frontline support agents!

Retail customers today expect more than transactions; they demand experiences that seamlessly connect every touchpoint of their journey. Whether browsing on mobile during their commute, researching products online at home, or visiting your physical store, customers want consistency, convenience, and personalization at every step. The brands that master this integrated approach don’t just satisfy customers; they build loyalty that drives sustainable growth.

It used to be that retailers considered the four “P’s” of marketing when pushing their wares to consumers: product, price, promotion and place. Today, however, not many brands can rely on a single “P” to differentiate, but are instead dependent on one big “E:” experience. Building an omnichannel customer experience in retail isn’t just a competitive advantage; it’s essential for survival in today’s market where customers have unlimited options and sky-high expectations.

What Is an Omnichannel Retail Experience?

An omnichannel retail experience integrates all customer touchpoints (online, mobile, in-store, social media, and customer service) into one cohesive, seamless journey. Unlike multichannel approaches that operate touchpoints in silos, omnichannel creates a unified ecosystem where customers can move fluidly between channels without friction or inconsistency.

This means a customer can research a product on your mobile app, add it to their cart, visit your store to try it on, complete the purchase online, and return it at a physical location (all while receiving consistent messaging, pricing, and service quality). The experience feels effortless because behind the scenes, all systems, data, and teams work together to support the customer’s preferred way of shopping.

Why Is Omnichannel Retail Important for the Customer Experience?

Omnichannel retail transforms convenience from a nice-to-have into a foundational expectation. According to recent research, 73% of customers use multiple channels during their shopping journey, and companies with strong omnichannel strategies retain 89% of their customers compared to 33% for those with weak strategies. Additionally, omnichannel shoppers deliver 30% higher lifetime value than single-channel customers.

The approach improves customer experience by meeting customers wherever they are in their buying journey. Instead of forcing customers to adapt to your preferred channels, omnichannel customer experience lets them choose how, when, and where they want to engage. This flexibility creates deeper personalization opportunities, as each interaction across channels provides data that enhances the overall experience.

Customers also value the reduced effort that comes with omnichannel experiences. When inventory, preferences, and purchase history are synchronized across all touchpoints, customers spend less time repeating information and more time enjoying seamless, efficient interactions that respect their time and preferences. Research shows that omnichannel marketing campaigns achieve 287% higher purchase rates than single-channel campaigns.

Who Should Own Omnichannel Customer Experience Within the Business?

Creating effective omnichannel experiences requires cross-functional ownership that breaks down traditional organizational silos. While customer experience (CX) teams often lead the strategic vision and measurement, successful implementation demands collaboration across marketing, product, operations, IT, and customer service departments. Retail customer experience success depends on this unified approach.

The most effective approach establishes a dedicated omnichannel team with representatives from each key function, led by a senior executive who can drive alignment and remove barriers. This team should include CX managers who understand customer journey mapping, marketing leaders who control messaging and brand consistency, operations managers who handle inventory and fulfillment, and IT specialists who ensure technical integration.

Customer Experience and Insights Managers typically own the measurement and optimization of the experience, using feedback tools and analytics to identify improvement opportunities. However, without buy-in and active participation from every department that touches the customer, even the best CX strategy will fail to deliver the seamless experience customers expect.

What Makes an Effective Omnichannel Customer Experience?

Effective omnichannel experiences share five critical elements that work together to create seamless customer journeys. First, channel integration ensures all touchpoints communicate with each other in real-time, sharing customer data, inventory levels, and interaction history to prevent frustrating disconnects. Studies indicate that 74% of consumers research online before visiting physical stores, making this integration essential.

Unified customer data forms the foundation, creating a single source of truth about each customer’s preferences, behaviors, and history that every channel can access and update. This eliminates the need for customers to repeat information and enables personalized experiences regardless of how they choose to engage.

Consistency across all touchpoints—from visual branding to pricing to service quality—builds trust and reinforces brand recognition. Customers should feel they’re interacting with the same company whether they’re on your website, in your store, or speaking with customer service.

Personalization leverages unified data to tailor experiences based on individual customer preferences, purchase history, and behavior patterns. This might include personalized product recommendations, relevant offers, or customized communication preferences. Research demonstrates that 80% of customers are more likely to purchase when they receive personalized choices.

Finally, seamless handoffs between touchpoints ensure customers can start an interaction in one channel and continue it in another without losing context or momentum. Whether moving from online browsing to in-store purchase or from chat support to phone support, the transition should feel natural and effortless.

How to Build an Omnichannel Retail Experience Step by Step

Building a successful omnichannel retail experience requires a systematic approach that prioritizes customer needs while ensuring operational efficiency. The following steps provide a roadmap for creating experiences that truly connect every touchpoint in your customer’s journey.

1. Segment Your Customers and Build Personas

Understanding your customers forms the foundation of every effective omnichannel strategy. Start by analyzing customer data to identify distinct segments based on demographics, shopping behaviors, channel preferences, and purchase patterns. Look beyond basic information to understand motivations, pain points, and decision-making processes.

Create detailed personas for each key segment, including their preferred channels, typical journey paths, and specific needs at different stages. For example, busy professionals might prioritize mobile-first experiences with quick checkout options, while product enthusiasts may prefer detailed online research followed by in-store consultations. These personas will guide channel prioritization, messaging strategies, and experience design decisions.

2. Select and Prioritize Your Channels

Not every channel deserves equal investment. Analyze where your target customers actually spend their time and prefer to engage, then focus resources on optimizing these high-impact touchpoints. Consider both current usage patterns and emerging trends that might affect future preferences.

Prioritize channels based on customer preference, business impact, and your ability to deliver excellent experiences. A boutique retailer might focus on Instagram, email, and in-store experiences, while a large electronics retailer might prioritize mobile apps, physical stores, and customer service chat. The key is doing fewer channels exceptionally well rather than spreading resources too thin across every possible touchpoint.

3. Map and Analyze the Full Customer Journey

Create comprehensive journey maps that trace every interaction customers have with your brand, from initial awareness through post-purchase support. Include all touchpoints—paid advertising, social media, website visits, store interactions, customer service contacts, and follow-up communications.

Identify pain points, friction, and opportunities at each stage. Pay special attention to moments when customers transition between channels, as these handoffs often create the most frustration. Use this analysis to prioritize improvements that will have the biggest impact on customer satisfaction and business results.

4. Unify and Integrate Customer Data Across Channels

Create a single, real-time view of each customer by connecting data from all sources—online behavior, in-store purchases, mobile app usage, customer service interactions, and beyond. This requires integrating your technology stack, including customer relationship management (CRM) systems, point-of-sale (POS) systems, inventory management, and customer service platforms.

Invest in customer data platforms (CDPs) or similar technologies that can consolidate information from multiple sources and make it accessible across all channels. Ensure data flows in real-time so that a customer’s online cart is visible to in-store associates, purchase history informs customer service interactions, and preferences gathered in one channel enhance experiences in others.

5. Ensure Consistent Branding and Messaging

Maintain a unified brand voice, visual identity, and messaging strategy across every channel and touchpoint. This consistency builds trust and reinforces brand recognition, making customers feel confident they’re receiving the same quality experience regardless of how they choose to engage.

Develop comprehensive brand guidelines that cover visual elements, tone of voice, key messaging, and service standards. Train all customer-facing teams on these standards and implement approval processes to ensure consistency. Regular audits across all channels help identify and correct inconsistencies before they impact customer perception.

6. Offer Seamless Cross-Channel Experiences

Implement features that make it easy for customers to move between channels without losing momentum. Buy online, pick up in store (BOPIS) services let customers combine the convenience of online shopping with the immediacy of in-store pickup. Over 80% of retailers plan to implement BOPIS services by 2025, and 67% of customers make additional purchases during pickup visits. Easy returns across any channel reduce friction and build confidence in the purchase decision.

Ensure pricing consistency across all channels to prevent customer confusion and maintain trust. Reserve online, try in store programs let customers secure products online before visiting to make final decisions. These cross-channel capabilities should feel natural and effortless from the customer’s perspective.

7. Provide Real-Time Inventory Visibility and Consistency

Enable customers and staff to see accurate, up-to-date inventory across all channels to prevent disappointment and build confidence in your brand. Nothing frustrates customers more than finding a product online only to discover it’s unavailable for their preferred pickup or delivery method.

Implement inventory management systems that sync across all channels in real-time. Train staff to access and communicate inventory information accurately, and ensure your website and mobile app reflect true availability. Consider offering alternatives when preferred items are unavailable, such as suggesting similar products or different fulfillment options.

8. Invest in Omnichannel Customer Support

Deliver knowledgeable, consistent support across all channels (phone, chat, email, social media, and in-store) to resolve issues quickly and maintain satisfaction. Customers shouldn’t have to explain their situation repeatedly when moving between support channels. Omnichannel contact center strategies ensure seamless support experiences.

Implement unified customer service platforms that give agents access to complete customer histories and previous interactions regardless of channel. Train support teams on all products and services, and establish clear escalation procedures. Consider offering self-service options through FAQs, chatbots, and knowledge bases for customers who prefer to resolve issues independently.

9. Leverage Mobile and In-Store Technology

Enhance experiences with mobile apps, QR codes, digital kiosks, and other technologies that bridge the gap between digital and physical shopping. Mobile apps can provide personalized experiences, store locators, inventory checking, and exclusive offers that complement in-store visits.

In-store technology like digital kiosks can provide access to extended inventory, product information, and customer reviews. QR codes can link physical products to online reviews, detailed specifications, or how-to videos. The goal is using technology to enhance rather than complicate the shopping experience.

10. Create a Unified Loyalty Program

Design a rewards system that works seamlessly across all channels, encouraging engagement and repeat business wherever customers shop. Points earned online should be redeemable in-store, and vice versa. Loyalty program benefits should enhance rather than complicate the omnichannel experience.

Ensure loyalty data integrates with your customer data platform to enable personalized offers and communications. Consider tiered programs that reward different types of engagement, from social media sharing to product reviews to referrals. The program should feel valuable and relevant to customers’ actual shopping behaviors.

11. Prioritize Security and Data Privacy

Protect customer data and ensure compliance with privacy regulations as you unify and leverage information across platforms. Customers need to trust that their personal information, purchase history, and preferences are secure regardless of how they choose to engage with your brand.

Implement robust security measures across all systems and touchpoints. Be transparent about data collection and usage, and give customers control over their privacy preferences. Regular security audits and staff training help prevent breaches that could damage customer trust and business reputation.

12. Gather and Act on Customer Feedback

Collect feedback at every touchpoint and use it to continuously improve your omnichannel experience. This includes post-purchase surveys, in-store feedback, social media monitoring, and customer service interaction analysis.

Implement systems that can aggregate feedback from all channels to identify patterns and improvement opportunities. Share insights across teams and establish processes for acting on customer suggestions. Close the loop by communicating improvements back to customers, showing that their feedback creates real change.

13. Automate, Test, and Optimize

Use automation like chatbots, triggered email communications, and personalized recommendations to enhance efficiency while maintaining personal touches. AI-powered solutions are transforming retail operations, with 69% of retailers reporting increased annual revenue from AI adoption. Implement ongoing testing through A/B testing, analytics, and customer journey analysis to refine every aspect of your strategy.

Set up measurement frameworks that track key performance indicators across all channels, including customer satisfaction scores, conversion rates, average order values, and customer lifetime value. Regular optimization based on data and testing ensures your omnichannel experience continues improving over time.

How Can Technology Enhance the Omnichannel Retail Experience?

Technology serves as the backbone that makes seamless omnichannel experiences possible. Integrated customer feedback tools provide real-time insights into satisfaction levels across all touchpoints, enabling quick responses to issues before they escalate. These platforms can automatically collect feedback through email surveys, in-app prompts, and post-interaction questionnaires while providing unified reporting across all channels.

Sentiment analysis technology monitors customer conversations across social media, reviews, and customer service interactions to identify trends and emerging issues. This proactive approach lets retailers address problems before they impact the broader customer base and identify opportunities for experience improvements. Recent industry data shows that 86% of retailers want to use generative AI to enhance customer experiences.

Cross-channel experience management platforms tie together customer data, interaction history, and feedback to create comprehensive views of each customer’s journey. These solutions enable personalized experiences by predicting customer needs, identifying the best channels for engagement, and ensuring consistent treatment regardless of touchpoint.

Advanced analytics and artificial intelligence can predict customer behavior, optimize inventory placement, and personalize marketing messages based on individual preferences and past interactions. The AI in retail market is projected to grow from $9.36 billion in 2024 to $85.07 billion by 2032, demonstrating the technology’s critical role in retail transformation. Machine learning algorithms continuously improve recommendations and experiences as they process more customer data.

Create an Omnichannel Experience for Retail Customers With InMoment

Building a truly seamless omnichannel retail experience requires more than good intentions and disconnected tools—it demands an integrated approach that unifies customer data, feedback, and insights across every touchpoint. The retailers that succeed understand that omnichannel isn’t just about having multiple channels; it’s about creating connected experiences that anticipate customer needs and deliver consistent value wherever customers choose to engage.

InMoment’s integrated CX platform helps retailers achieve this vision by connecting customer feedback, sentiment analysis, and experience management across all channels. Instead of managing separate tools for surveys, reviews, and customer service insights, retailers can access a unified view of customer sentiment and behavior that drives better decisions and more personalized experiences.

Ready to transform your retail customer experience with a truly integrated omnichannel approach? Discover how InMoment can help you build seamless experiences that drive loyalty and growth.

Everything slows down when call volumes rise. Agents struggle to keep up, call queues grow longer, and customers waste little time looking for alternatives to your business.

Unless you’re expecting a seasonal spike, a high inbound call volume is far from good news. It’s usually indicative of operational issues, with negative consequences for agent wellbeing and customer satisfaction.

But the solution isn’t to throw more agents at the problem. It’s to eliminate unnecessary calls altogether. A strategic approach leveraging self-service technology and call analysis is key to lowering call volumes and achieving customer experience (CX) improvements.

What Constitutes a High Call Volume?

While there’s no universal benchmark for high call volume, every call center knows when it’s receiving more inbound calls than its staff can reasonably handle. In general, industry standards tell us that high call volume is 10% higher than the expected level for the team.

It’s also important to note that this surge in calls must persist for more than a week to qualify as high call volume. However, this figure (and the threshold mentioned above) can vary depending on the size and scale of your business.

When the volume of inbound calls continues to overwhelm agents for a sustained period, teams are vulnerable to burnout and struggle to lower wait times for customers. The result is poor agent and customer experiences that hinder business growth.

Why Reducing Support Call Volume Should Be a Priority

Businesses must reduce inbound calls as a strategic imperative to boost operations and provide better customer experiences at a lower cost. Here are three key benefits to consider:

Lower Operational Costs

Each call has a cost, since it requires time, staffing, infrastructure, and training for effective handling. Reducing unnecessary calls through automation or self-service options allows teams to redirect budget toward long-term improvements.

Increased Agent Productivity

Fewer calls mean fewer interruptions, better focus, and more time to solve complex issues. When agents are no longer dealing with repeat questions or avoidable contacts, they have enough breathing room to handle the calls that do come in with greater care and attention. This enhanced productivity leads to faster issue resolution and higher job satisfaction.

Improved Focus on High-Value Interactions

Not all incoming calls are created equal. When you reduce call volume, you give agents the bandwidth to invest their resources and emotional energy into impactful conversations. These interactions could include retaining frustrated customers or guiding someone through a critical decision.

Factors That Contribute to High Call Volumes

High call volumes are the result of customers running into roadblocks as they try to resolve their issues. While you can handle more calls by hiring more agents, you won’t be able to address the root cause of the problem if you neglect the customer’s perspective. The following factors explain why customers usually have no choice but to reach for the phone:

• Ineffective self-service options make it difficult for customers to address their problems themselves. If your interactive voice response (IVR) systems, chatbots, and FAQs aren’t up-to-date and helpful, your agents will be scrambling to resolve calls all day.
  
• Lack of proactive communication keeps customers in the dark and compels them to pick up the phone. A single timely update regarding issues or key changes can save many hours’ worth of call handling.
  
• Complex or confusing processes, such as unclear policies and vague instructions, will leave most customers scratching their heads. They will naturally follow up with your contact center for clarification and guidance.
  
• System outages or technical issues lead even the calmest customers to your frontline agents. Even if your services go down temporarily, it won’t be long before potentially upset customers start reaching out for updates and solutions.
  
• Product or service changes like new features and pricing updates can cause confusion (and inbound calls) if you don’t communicate them clearly.
  
• Lack of channel diversification means customers often can’t find the right answers through chat, email, or self-service options. A phone call to customer support becomes the only path forward.
  
• Seasonal spikes or campaigns are busy periods that bring a wave of new and existing customers with questions and complaints.
  
• Incomplete customer experiences in other channels are the result of an inadequate omnichannel system. Customers often escalate their issues through phone calls when questions are left unanswered on other channels.

10 Strategies to Reduce Call Volume in a Call Center

It’s easy to think that you can address high call volume through staffing changes. However, hiring more people is a temporary fix that fails to address the underlying inefficiencies responsible for recurring calls. Here are ten powerful strategies to implement for contact center optimization and customer retention.

1. Enhance Self-Service Options

Customers don’t want to wait on hold for information they can easily find themselves. But too often, help centers are either poorly organized, outdated, or buried in navigation menus. It’s no wonder, then, that 81% of the customers surveyed for InMoment’s 2025 Conversational Intelligence Report preferred brand interactions over self-service channels.

A well-built self-service experience gives customers fast and frictionless access to answers. For example, maintaining an up-to-date knowledge base ensures customers are in the loop regarding new product updates or better troubleshooting techniques. 

Similarly, tap into your support tickets and call summaries to identify frequently asked questions (FAQs) around your product or service. Organize these FAQs in a user-friendly page, allowing customers to immediately find helpful answers.

Good self-service works because it empowers customers to independently resolve their issues. This ability has a positive impact on agent productivity as well, since they can spend more time and effort addressing complex tickets.

2. Implement Chatbots and Virtual Assistants

Some types of customer issues involve a few simple steps that one can perform without relying on live agents. For example, checking the status of an online product delivery or confirming if a restaurant is open.

Chatbots and virtual assistants offer a scalable way to automate these types of interactions. They’re available 24/7 and offer instant responses to FAQs and other basic customer inquiries, which is key for call center cost reduction and customer satisfaction. According to IBM’s Digital Customer Care in the Age of AI report, businesses can resolve up to 80% of routine questions using chatbots, which helps cut customer support costs by 30%.

As a result, agents are better able to focus on complex tasks requiring human judgment and emotional energy. On the other hand, customers get quick answers, avoiding the need to wait in call queues for a standard question.

3. Improve First Call Resolution (FCR)

When customers have to call back more than once to solve a problem, it creates unnecessary volume and damages trust. The negative impact of repeat calls makes First Call Resolution (FCR) one of the focal call center metrics for customer loyalty.

The first step is to analyze call center performance to identify your agents’ strengths and weaknesses. Use the insights to develop tailored coaching programs that empower each frontline support team member to put their best foot forward. Guide them toward actionable strategies that avoid unnecessary escalations and incomplete responses in favor of swift and comprehensive resolutions.

Besides the right training, agents also require access to tools, data, and documentation for this purpose. An easy-to-navigate knowledge base, along with a unified view of customer data, empowers agents to solve issues with confidence.

The payoff of FCR improvements is clear: fewer repeat customer calls, higher CSAT, and stronger feelings of brand loyalty. It also gives teams more time to handle new inquiries without falling behind or burning out.

4. Conduct a Repeat Call Analysis

Repeat calls from the same customer or regarding the same issue are indicative of flaws in the call resolution process. These calls account for a significant chunk of the total call volume, with a Dialpad case study discovering that 32% of inbound calls are from repeat callers. 

As a result, managing repeat calls is crucial for lowering overall call volume. Repeat call analysis is the first step here, as it helps uncover areas for improvement in the call resolution process.

Start by analyzing your call data to identify repeat callers and recurring complaints within a specific timeframe. Dive into the insights to understand the root cause of these repeat calls. Use post-call surveys to understand specific customer needs and pain points.

Therefore, repeat call analysis helps flag training gaps and system limitations responsible for unnecessary volume. These insights enable teams to improve their scripts and agent coaching, which helps prevent similar follow-ups from piling up in the future.

5. Address Product or Service Friction

If your agents receive repeat calls about the same issue, you might want to take a closer look at your product or service. Maybe a feature isn’t working as intended, or it’s just confusing to use. Either way, every support ticket tied to a recurring issue is a signal that something upstream needs fixing.

Businesses should try to zoom out and identify the root cause of product or service friction, instead of troubleshooting the same problems. Are unclear instructions leading to setup questions? Is a billing process triggering complaints each month? Are customers struggling to complete an online task without support?

A cross-departmental effort involving product and marketing is also valuable here. It enables CX leaders to smoothly identify, fix, and communicate product issues and updates. As a result, customers stay in the loop, making it less likely that they will follow up about the same issue.

6. Monitor and Act on Feedback

Customer feedback is one of the most direct signals for a contact center to reduce inbound volume. When you keep your finger on the pulse of customer sentiment, you quickly spot the pain points leading to unnecessary calls.

Start by capturing feedback through surveys or post-interaction ratings. Layer that data with call summaries to identify trends. Identify the recurring issues that leave customers with no choice but to contact support agents. These issues could range from inadequate self-service to unclear product updates.

Act on the repeat call drivers once you understand them. Update your knowledge base, improve navigation, and implement better call center coaching techniques. Close the feedback loop with customers to ensure satisfaction and prevent further frustration.

7. Proactively Communicate with Customers

Proactive communication keeps customers in the loop, making it less likely that they reach out for clarification. If there’s an expected delay, a system outage, or a billing change, a well-timed message can stop hundreds of calls in their tracks. It also shows customers that your brand is transparent and reliable.

Create automated alerts for common service interruptions and updates. Ensure the messaging is clear, timely, and sent through the right channels. Don’t bury important notices in lengthy newsletters or inaccessible dashboards.

When you keep your customers informed, they are less likely to panic and reach out to the contact center. Proactive communication also supports online reputation management efforts, as customers are more likely to rate and recommend your business.

8. Streamline Onboarding and Product Education

One way to lower the number of repeat calls is to just improve your product onboarding process. The better your customers understand your product, the less likely they are to call the support team for answers.

As a result, it pays off to make product education part of your CX strategy. Offer guided tutorials, interactive walkthroughs, and bite-sized content that answers common questions. Video demos and setup wizards are also helpful resources for reducing confusion for new customers.

9. Use Conversational Intelligence to Spot Patterns

High call volumes provide opportunities to better understand your customers’ struggles and sources of frustration. This is where conversational intelligence comes in.

When you summarize and analyze call transcripts at scale, you can immediately identify common pain points. With the help of artificial intelligence, you can dig into the interactions further to surface agent performance gaps and shifts in customer sentiment. This information provides a valuable starting point for reducing call volume.

InMoment’s conversational intelligence software makes this process faster and smarter. It automatically summarizes call content, categorizes interactions by topic, and uses sentiment analysis to reveal instances of friction. These insights help teams prioritize what to fix, from digital experience issues to agent coaching opportunities.

10. Optimize Website and Mobile App UX

Your website and mobile app are often the first places customers visit when they are learning about your brand. Therefore, if essential information is difficult to find, they are more likely to reach for the phone.

With 56% of customers preferring to visit the website when researching a brand’s offering, optimizing the digital experience should be a strategic priority. Ensure that account information, order status, billing details, and support options are easy to locate and clearly explained. Work with your developers and UX designers to include a well-placed knowledge base or chatbot prompt. Improve your FAQ page to make it readable and easy to understand.

Regular usability testing can help you spot where real users struggle. The feedback helps you create a smoother customer journey that doesn’t rely on frequent calls for support.

Reduce call volumes and improve CX with InMoment

High call volumes are the result of inefficient workflows, poor agent performance, and little to no reliance on self-service technology. While it’s a pressing challenge for businesses looking to lower costs, it can be managed through a customer-centric approach. Enhanced self-service, root cause analysis of customer dissatisfaction, and proactive communication are key strategies for call volume reduction.

InMoment helps you take this one step further. Our AI-powered conversational intelligence software gives you real-time visibility into what’s driving calls, where friction exists, and how to fix it. From summarizing interactions to uncovering emotional insights, the tool transforms everyday conversations into clear and actionable opportunities for improvement.

Ready to reduce call volume without compromising the customer experience? Schedule a demo today and see how InMoment helps contact centers work smarter towards customer satisfaction!