1. What is Call Center Shrinkage?

Call center shrinkage refers to the percentage of time that agents are being paid but are not available to handle interactions. This includes breaks, meetings, training, and other non-customer-facing activities.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the shrinkage formula:

Where:

• Non-Productive Time — Hours spent on non-customer-facing activities
• Total Time Available — Total paid hours available for work

Explanation: The formula calculates the proportion of paid time that is not spent on productive customer interactions, expressed as a percentage.

3. Importance of Shrinkage Calculation

Details: Accurate shrinkage calculation is crucial for workforce management, staffing optimization, budget planning, and ensuring adequate coverage during peak call volumes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter non-productive time and total time available in hours. Both values must be valid (non-negative, total time > 0, non-productive time ≤ total time).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What activities count as non-productive time?
A: Breaks, meetings, training, coaching, system downtime, and any other time not spent handling customer interactions.

Q2: What is an acceptable shrinkage percentage?
A: Typically 25-35%, but varies by call center type and operations. Higher shrinkage may indicate inefficiencies.

Q3: How often should shrinkage be calculated?
A: Most call centers calculate it daily, weekly, and monthly to track trends and make staffing adjustments.

Q4: Can shrinkage be negative?
A: No, shrinkage percentage cannot be negative as non-productive time cannot exceed total available time.

Q5: How does shrinkage affect staffing requirements?
A: Higher shrinkage requires more staff to maintain the same level of customer service coverage.