The Power of One Call Center Agent

See how just one agent missing from a shift can dramatically impact wait times and customer service levels. Backed by data, this article shows why every agent counts.

Why One Agent Makes a Difference

When a call center agent is late returning from a break—or misses the start of their shift—it doesn’t just affect their own productivity. It puts extra pressure on teammates, increases caller wait times, and drops the overall service level. Every agent counts more than most people realize.

💡 Quick fact: Even a single absence can reduce service levels by over 50% and increase delays from 18 seconds to more than 3 minutes.

Visualizing the Impact

Here’s a breakdown of how a small drop in staffing affects key performance indicators in a call center:

Workload Hours Available Staff Average Delay Service Level (answered in 20 sec)
505518 sec75%
505428 sec66%
505346 sec55%
505284 sec40%
5051201 sec22%

Just one fewer agent results in an increase of wait time by over 183 seconds and a 53% drop in service level performance. That’s a clear signal that every agent on the schedule truly matters.

Try This Interactive Activity

Use the Pass the Blocks team activity in your next training session to help agents experience firsthand how one person’s absence affects the flow and service pace.

Want to Go Deeper into Call Center Excellence?

 

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