Average Hold Time in UK Call Centres: How to Reduce It and Improve CX
Average hold time is one of the most important metrics for any UK call centre aiming to deliver a high-quality customer experience. Long wait times frustrate customers, increase call abandonment, and often result in poor reviews.
Whether you’re running support for a taxi company, retail business, or logistics firm, managing and reducing your average hold time can help retain customers and improve first-contact resolution rates.
What Is Average Hold Time?
Average hold time is the amount of time a caller spends on hold while waiting to speak to an agent. It’s calculated by dividing the total hold time by the number of calls that included a hold period.
In most industries, an average hold time of under 2 minutes is considered acceptable. However, expectations are shifting, and UK customers now demand even quicker responses, especially in urgent, real-time services like taxi dispatch.
Why Average Hold Time Matters
1. Impacts Customer Satisfaction
If callers are kept waiting too long, they become frustrated. This affects your CSAT score, online reviews, and brand reputation.
2. Increases Abandonment Rates
A high average hold time often leads to higher call abandonment rates. When customers hang up, you lose the chance to resolve their issue or secure a booking.
3. Reduces Agent Efficiency
Agents who place too many calls on hold or take longer to answer increase the queue length. This creates a ripple effect that affects the entire contact centre.
4. Hurts First Call Resolution
The longer someone waits, the more impatient they become. This leads to rushed conversations, incomplete resolutions, or follow-up calls, all of which drive up operational costs.
Key Causes of High Average Hold Time
Understanding the reasons behind high hold times is the first step toward solving them.
1. Understaffing
When there aren’t enough agents to answer calls, queues grow, and so does hold time.
2. Poor Call Routing
If calls are not directed to the right department or agent from the start, they end up being transferred, causing longer holds.
3. Lack of Agent Training
Inexperienced call centre agents may need to consult resources or ask for help more often, placing customers on hold frequently.
4. Outdated Technology
Legacy systems can slow down agent response and reduce visibility into customer history, increasing average handling time and unnecessary holds.
UK Benchmarks for Average Hold Time
While average hold time varies by industry, research suggests that UK call centres should aim for:
- 60–90 seconds for general customer service
- Under 60 seconds for time-sensitive sectors like transport or health
- Under 45 seconds for premium or VIP service lines
Meeting or exceeding these benchmarks helps ensure a better customer experience and lower drop-off rates.
How to Reduce Average Hold Time in UK Call Centres
1. Improve Call Forecasting and Scheduling
Use call volume data to predict peak times and schedule the right number of agents. Workforce management tools help you align staffing with actual demand.
2. Invest in IVR and Call Routing
Interactive voice response (IVR) systems can reduce hold time by routing callers to the correct department or allowing them to self-serve basic queries.
3. Offer Callbacks
Instead of keeping customers on hold, offer them the option to receive a callback. This keeps them from waiting and reduces pressure on your team.
4. Train Agents for Efficiency
Effective agent training improves call handling speed and quality. Focus on:
- Fast system navigation
- Product knowledge
- Soft skills for managing calls calmly
5. Use Real-Time Monitoring
Supervisors should monitor call queues and agent performance in real time. If hold times spike, they can step in to assist or reroute calls.
6. Keep Your Knowledge Base Updated
The faster agents can find answers, the shorter the call. Regularly update your internal knowledge base and make it easy to search.
Tools That Help Reduce Average Hold Time
- Automatic Call Distributors (ACDs): Route calls based on agent availability and skill
- Live Dashboards: Provide real-time visibility into call queues and agent status
- Speech Analytics: Identify patterns in calls that lead to long holds
- CRM Integration: Give agents quick access to customer data to speed up resolution
These tools can work together to streamline operations and keep your average hold time within target levels.
How Average Hold Time Affects Customer Loyalty
In a competitive market, especially in sectors like transport or e-commerce, customers will not wait more than a minute or two before trying another provider. Reducing your average hold time is one of the simplest ways to show customers you value their time.
It also increases the likelihood of them calling back in the future, recommending your service to others, or leaving positive reviews.
Make Every Second Count
Reducing average hold time is not just about speed; it’s about delivering better service. Every second a customer waits is a moment of friction. By using the right strategies, tools, and training, UK call centres can turn hold time into a non-issue and focus on what matters most: solving problems and building trust.
Reduce Your Average Call Hold Time With CabCall Experts
At CabCall Experts, we help UK taxi businesses, such as TakeMe and Compass Taxi, optimise their customer service experience. Our services include:
Each service is delivered by trained agents who follow structured support frameworks to ensure accuracy and consistency.Ready to level up your customer support? Get in touch with CabCall Experts to learn how our call centre outsourcing and quality assurance support can help you deliver smoother, smarter customer experiences.
