Abandoned Call Rate

Your Complete Guide to Call Center Success

Ever wondered how many of your customers hang up before reaching an agent? That’s your abandoned call rate, and it’s one of the most telling metrics in the call center world. Let’s break down what it means, how to calculate it, and how your numbers stack up against the industry standard.

What Is Abandoned Call Rate?

Abandoned call rate (sometimes called call abandonment rate or abandoned rate call center) is the percentage of inbound calls where the caller disconnects before speaking to an agent. In other words, it’s the share of customers who give up—often because of long waits or confusing menus—before they get help.

How to Calculate It?

Calculating your abandoned call rate is straightforward. Here’s the formula used across the industry:

Abandoned Call Rate = (Number of Abandoned Calls / Total Number of Incoming Calls) × 100

• Abandoned Calls: Calls where the customer hangs up before an agent answers.
• Total Incoming Calls: All calls received, regardless of outcome.

Pro tip: Many centers exclude calls abandoned in the first 5–10 seconds, since these are often misdials or accidental hang-ups.

Example:
If you received 1,000 calls and 50 were abandoned (excluding short abandons), your abandoned call rate is:

(50 / 1,000) × 100 = 5%

Industry Standard for Abandoned Call Rate

So, what’s a “good” abandoned call rate? Here’s where you want your numbers:

• Industry standard: 3%–5% is the sweet spot for most sectors.
• Best-in-class: Top-performing centers aim for 2% or lower.
• Average: Across industries, 5%–8% is common, but anything above 8% signals trouble.
• Sector specifics:
  • Healthcare & Finance: Under 3% is the target, due to the urgency and sensitivity of calls.
  • Retail: Up to 5% may be acceptable during peak seasons.

What Happens If a Call Is Abandoned?

If your abandoned call rate climbs, customer satisfaction and first contact resolution rates typically drop. Each abandoned call is a missed chance to help, sell, or build loyalty—which means your customer satisfaction (CSAT) and net promoter score (NPS) may take a hit.

Quickfire FAQ

• What causes high abandoned call rates? Long hold times, not enough agents, confusing menus, or technical glitches.
• How can you improve it? Add staff during peaks, streamline IVR menus, offer call-backs, and monitor call data for trends.
• Which rate decreases if calls are abandoned? Your customer satisfaction rate and first contact resolution rate are likely to fall as abandoned call rate rises.

Ready to Lower Your ACR?

At Conectys, we help you keep your abandoned call rate in the “green zone” with smart staffing, tech solutions, and real-time analytics. Want to turn more calls into happy customers—and boost your bottom line? Let’s talk.