What is the difference between the metrics Call wait time and Call answer time?

Question

Can you explain why I see different information when using the metric Call wait time instead of Call answer time? 

Answer

Both of these metrics are calculated from the end-user's perspective. They count the amount of time the end user waits on a call during specific moments.

The main difference is that Call answer time starts when the customer first picks up the phone to call your number and then calculates the time until the customer's first connection to an agent. Call wait time starts after the customer was initially routed in the system and then calculates the time the customer waits to reach an agent.

Tip: An expression to help understand the relationship between these two metrics is: Call Answer time = Call wait time + interactive voice response (IVR). Additionally, Call wait time = time spent in queue + agent routing and pick up.

See additional clarifications about these two metrics below:

• Call answer time includes the initial queue wait time of the call where the end user is waiting for the first connection to your system or to an agent. Available agent recording time is also included in Call answer time.
• Once a customer is routed, Call wait time calculates the time the customer waits to speak with an agent after that initial route.
• Call wait time does not include the time a customer has spent on hold. 
• Call wait time can include the total duration a call spends in various queues. This includes any subsequent queue times for example, when a call is transferred from one group to another. In certain scenarios, the Call wait time may be greater than the Call answer time.
• Call answer time would not include the time a customer spends waiting while being transferred or any voicemails left by the same number. 

For more available metrics and attributes, see the article: Metrics and attributes for Zendesk Talk. 

Examples

For example, if a call is abandoned by the end user in the IVR, Call answer time becomes null. After IVR, Call wait time would start calculating the time until the agent answered or the end user gave up and disconnected the call.

The following customer experience below highlights another example of these metrics. 

1. A customer dials your customer support number and the phone rings. 
2. The call is answered by a welcome message or IVR. 
3. The customer selects their routing option and waits for the next available agent. 
4. Your Talk account locates an available agent and starts to ring the agent. 
5. The agent answers and the call begins. 

Steps 1, 2, 3, and 4 are counted when calculating Call answer time. Steps 3 and 4 are counted to calculate Call wait time. 

The definitions of these two metrics are listed in the article: Key call metrics.