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Call Center Glossary: Key Metrics, Acronyms, and What They Really Mean

From FCR to CSAT to AHT, here’s a plain-English guide to the abbreviations that drive customer experience and contact center performance.

6 min read
GlossaryCall Center MetricsCX Fundamentals

Call Center Glossary: Key Metrics, Acronyms, and What They Really Mean

If you work in a contact center or manage customer experience, you’ve probably heard terms like FCR or CSAT thrown around. But not everyone wants to admit they’re fuzzy on the details.
This glossary cuts through the jargon and explains why each metric matters.

FCR — First Call Resolution

  • Meaning: The percentage of customer issues resolved on the very first call, without transfers or follow-ups.
  • Why it matters: Higher FCR means lower cost per contact and happier customers. It’s one of the strongest predictors of customer satisfaction.

CSAT — Customer Satisfaction Score

  • Meaning: A simple survey measure (“How satisfied were you with this interaction?”), usually on a 1–5 scale.
  • Why it matters: CSAT is the most direct way to track how customers feel about your service. Improving clarity during calls often lifts CSAT quickly.

NPS — Net Promoter Score

  • Meaning: A measure of customer loyalty based on the question “How likely are you to recommend us?” scored -100 to +100.
  • Why it matters: High NPS signals customers aren’t just satisfied — they’re advocates. Inconsistent communication drags this score down.

AHT — Average Handle Time

  • Meaning: The average duration of a call, including talk time and after-call work.
  • Why it matters: Shorter isn’t always better. The goal is balance: efficient calls that still resolve issues. Tools that improve clarity often reduce wasted minutes.

CES — Customer Effort Score

  • Meaning: A survey metric: “How easy was it to resolve your issue?”
  • Why it matters: High effort kills loyalty. Misheard details or repeated spelling raise effort dramatically.

QA — Quality Assurance

  • Meaning: Internal review of agent interactions (often scored with rubrics).
  • Why it matters: Ensures compliance, coaching, and consistency. QA teams love clarity tools that reduce repeat errors.

IVR — Interactive Voice Response

  • Meaning: The automated phone menus (“Press 1 for billing”).
  • Why it matters: Still the gateway to most call centers. Poor IVR routing hurts FCR from the start.

Why share this?

Because language matters. If your team understands the metrics, they can improve them.
At EOV6, we focus on clarity during the call — and that clarity flows straight into higher FCR, higher CSAT, and lower AHT.

Did we miss a term you hear daily? Drop us a note — we’ll keep this glossary growing.