The Meaning of ACR in Outbound Call Centre

The Meaning of ACR In Outbound Call Centre

I received the case study for completion where I am unable to understand ACR concept.

An outbound contact centre has a daily calling list of 100,000 accounts which is dialled at an ACR of 100, occupancy of 75% and 20 additional vacant seats. All accounts are dialled the next day with an exception of promises and potential fraud.

Additional volume of 50,000 accounts is expected to flow in from next two days which will increase the daily calling list volume to be at 150,000 accounts.

What steps will you undertake to cater to this outbound daily volume of 150,000 for next 4 weeks in the best possible way

Question asked by rahul

ACR Stands for Average Call Rate

Average Call Rate (ACR) measures the average number of calls an agent makes or receives within a set period, often per hour or shift. In an outbound call centre or BPO, ACR helps assess how efficiently agents handle their calls and can indicate overall productivity levels.

For managers, tracking ACR is useful for monitoring individual and team performance. If an agent’s ACR is lower than average, it may signal they need extra support or training.

If an agent’s ACR is higher than average, it typically suggests they are efficient at managing calls. A high call rate can indicate that the agent is skilled at moving through calls quickly and meeting targets, which is often seen as a positive performance indicator.

However, an unusually high ACR could also mean that the agent might be rushing through conversations or ending calls prematurely to maintain a high call count. This could impact call quality and customer satisfaction, as customers may feel that they didn’t receive the time or attention they needed.

ACR also helps set realistic targets. For example, if a call centre has a goal to reach 10,000 customers in a month, knowing the average call rate helps managers estimate the number of agents needed. It can also guide budgeting and ensure resources are optimized effectively.

To determine if a high ACR reflects true efficiency or potential issues, managers also review metrics like customer satisfaction, call resolution rates, and average call duration. If an agent’s ACR is high but satisfaction or resolution scores are low, it may signal a need for coaching to enhance call quality without lowering productivity.

Automated Credit Recovery (ACR) in Banking Collections

Automated Credit Recovery (ACR) is a system that helps banks recover overdue payments by automating parts of the collections process. This reduces manual effort and improves efficiency.

How ACR Works

ACR automatically identifies overdue accounts and triggers actions like reminders or payment plans. For example, a bank may use ACR to send text message reminders, email alerts, or initiate payment scheduling without human involvement.

Examples of ACR

Text Message Reminder – A customer misses a credit card payment. The ACR system automatically sends a reminder via text, including a link to make a quick payment.

Email Alerts – A bank sends an email with the overdue amount and options for extending payment deadlines.

Payment Plans – A customer with a large loan balance can automatically receive an email offering a structured repayment plan, allowing them to pay in instalments.

Author: Jonty Pearce
Reviewed by: Robyn Coppell