How Much Does Staff Churn Really Cost?

Every contact centre manager knows staff turnover is expensive — but few know how quickly those costs spiral when small process gaps add up.

At Smart Service Queensland (SSQ) or any similar service hub, onboarding a new agent isn’t just a name tag and headset. It’s four weeks of full-time pay in training, plus supervisory time, payroll overhead, and insurance. Using conservative numbers:

| Cost Element | Typical Value | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | Base training (4 weeks × 36.25 h/wk × $25/hr) | $3,625 AUD | classroom + floor time | | Superannuation (11%) | +$398 | compulsory contribution | | Payroll tax, insurance, HR processing | +$200–300 | varies by department | | Lost productivity while new hire ramps up | ≈ $2,000+ | senior staff supervision, slower AHT |

Total real replacement cost: around $6,000 per agent.

A churn rate of just 15% in a 100-seat centre means roughly $90,000 per year burned before any growth.

The invisible trigger

Agents rarely quit over pay — they quit over friction. When privacy statements, acknowledgements, or details are constantly misheard or lost, it creates stress, rework, and blame.

The clarity dividend

EOV6 gives every agent a six-digit safety net: a secure, temporary chat for hard-to-hear details. It keeps the call moving, logs acknowledgements accurately, and wipes data on close.

• Faster calls → lower AHT
• Accurate records → fewer re-contacts
• Happier agents → less churn

Even a 10% retention boost pays for the software many times over.

EOV6 — clarity at every call.