Speed to answer
Seconds from first ring to a live answer, usually reported as a median and a 90th percentile.
Speed to answer and abandon rate move together. Alpha Drive's AI answers in under a second; a human queue is measured in tens of seconds at best.
In practice
Speed to answer is how long a caller waits before a person or system picks up and engages. Every extra ring raises the chance they hang up, and callers who wait long are less patient once they reach someone.
Improving it
Staffing helps only during the hours you staff. AI answers every call at once, so speed to answer stops depending on who is free; the residual metric becomes how quickly transfers connect.
Common questions
What is a good speed to answer for a dealership?
As close to immediate as possible. Alpha Drive AI's service level is 95% of eligible calls answered within three seconds.
Does speed to answer matter for sales leads too?
As close to immediate as possible. Alpha Drive AI answers every call at once, with no hold time and no voicemail.
Also called: average speed of answer, ASA.
Read the chapter: BDC metrics and KPIs →
Related terms
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