What is the Estimated Wait Time?
Estimated Wait Time (EWT) refers to the predicted amount of time a customer is expected to wait before speaking with a live agent or receiving service. It helps customers understand how long they may need to wait and allows them to decide how they want to proceed.
From the perspective of the consumer, if a person realizes they will need to stand in line for an hour, they can arrange other plans, like-
- Use self-service options
- Request a callback
- Switch to another support channel such as SMS or web chat
How to Measure EWT- Methods and Techniques
EWT is calculated dynamically using customer queue data and system algorithms.
Modern customer service systems continuously update the estimated wait time based on real-time queue conditions. The software will provide that to an operational manager and, preferably, to customers in line.
The initial factor that EWT accounts for is the duration that the latest customers had to wait for service.
Another factor is how long the customer has already been waiting in the queue. If the system starts with a two-minute wait estimate, it will indicate a one-minute wait after one minute has passed.
The third element is the typical duration of handling ongoing calls. As this increases and decreases, the EWT will follow suit.
A key consideration is that the wait times you communicate to customers must strike a balance between optimism and practicality!