As well as the Call Centre Ranking results below, ACXPA Members also have access to a range of additional insights, including all the monthly reports, trend data, additional performance metrics, a downloadable spreadsheet and lots more!
Australian Banks November 2023 Call Centre Rankings
This is our fourth consecutive month of assessing the performance of call centres in the Australian Banking Sector, which first commenced in August 2023.
Each month, we conduct mystery shopping calls to a minimum of six different Banks across Australia to assess their performance posing as real customers and assess both accessibility (how easy it was to connect) and the customer service/quality of the interaction when speaking to a live agent across 48 different performance metrics.
You can read more about the assessment criteria and methodology here >
Just scroll below for additional insights or use the links below to jump directly to a section.
Call Centre Rankings Key:
POOR
BELOW STANDARD
MEETS STANDARDS
EXCEEDS STANDARD
OUTSTANDING
Banks Overall Rankings (November 2023)
The Overall Score Rankings provide insights into the Contact Centres we assessed as being the best in the Australian Banking sector.
Each mystery shopping call we make is assessed against 48 different criteria, and the calls are made by our local (Australian-based) trained assessors at random times and days throughout the month.
The Overall Score is determined by combining the two primary component scores below and applying some proprietary weightings that place a higher emphasis on the quality of the interaction:
- Accessibility Score – measures the experience of connecting to a live contact centre agent.
- Quality Score – measures the experience of the interaction with a contact centre agent.
Key Findings – Overall Scores, Banks (November 2023)
Following the August, September and October results, the Banks were again rated as ‘Poor’ for the fourth consecutive month in November 2023 as assessed against the Australian Contact Centre Quality Standards with an overall score of 33.3%.
The mystery shopping scenarios we used in November were for new business opportunities, so a new revenue generating opportunity for the banks.
- The overall scores for each bank ranged from 23.6% (ANZ) to 58.8% (NAB), the top-rated bank for November 2023, which also led for the previous two consecutive months.
- Accessibility scores (how easy it was to get through to a live person) across the Australian banking sector was rated as ‘Poor’ for the fourth consecutive month with a score of 37.6%, ranging from 21.8% (Commonwealth Bank) to 63.0% (NAB), who has been rated the easiest bank to access for the previous four months.
- The Quality of customer service continues to be low across the sector (rated ‘Below Standard’) with a score of 48.2%, ranging from 39.4% (Westpac) to 56.9% (NAB).
- Banks continue to miss out on a substantial amount of opportunities, failing to answer 39% of the calls we made in November 2023 within our 10 minute threshold. Only one bank, NAB, answered 100% of the mystery shopping calls we made. For the second consecutive month, both ANZ and Bendigo Bank only answered 33% of the calls we made.
- Average wait times across all Banks were again the longest of all industry sectors we assessed, with an average wait time of 05:11 minutes, the longest average wait time we’ve assessed since we began reporting in August 2023, and an increase of 00:53 minutes from the October 2023 results.
- Westpac had the lowest average wait time for the month of November (00:42 minutes), with CBA the longest (07:32 minutes). Recorded messages we observed for some banks advised of delays in excess of 50 minutes.
- Of the five Quality Competencies we assess using the Australian Contact Centre Quality Standards, the ‘Engage’ competency was the lowest rating (27.8%), the lowest result to date, with banks failing to build rapport with customers, take ownership and provide a personalised experience.
- All banks had a minimum of two IVR layers (press one for this, two for that), which took, on average, an additional 00:54 minutes to navigate. Bendigo Bank was the quickest (00:30 minutes), and CBA the longest (01:45 minutes).
- In addition to the lengthy menu options, banks also subjected customers to lengthy pre- and post-IVR recorded messages, adding an additional 00:46 minutes to each call, with ANZ having the longest with 01:22 minutes.
- Talk time averaged 04:54 across all banks, ranging from 03:33 minutes to 08:25 minutes.
Banks Accessibility Rankings (November 2023)
The Call Centre Accessibility Rankings are designed to assess the ease of the phone experience for customers who want to speak to a live person to discuss their banking requirements.
The Call Centre Accessibility Score measures the experience before interacting with a live agent, with our assessment including 30 individual elements grouped into five core components: Search, Design, Ease, Audio and Timing (along with deductions for calls not being answered within thresholds, technical glitches, etc).
Elements included are queue wait times, how easy it was to find the phone number, ease of menu options (i.e. press 1 for this, 2 for that), hold music, audio quality, etc.
Mystery Shopping calls to banks are terminated at 10:00 minutes for sales-related mystery shopping calls. In the event of any calls exceeding 10 minutes, the maximum threshold time of 10 minutes is applied to calculate average wait times (meaning actual wait times would be higher than reported).
ACXPA Members can access the number of calls exceeding the 10-minute threshold in their summary download report.
Key Findings – Accessibility & Average Wait Times, Banks (November 2023)
Overall, the Accessibility of Banks was rated as ‘Poor’ for the fourth consecutive month with a score of 37.6%, a decrease of 4.4% from the October 2023 results.
- Only one bank (NAB) was assessed as ‘Met Standards’ for Accessibility with a score of 63.0%, with four banks rated as ‘Poor’.
- Average Wait Time for the Banks increased by 00:53 minutes compared to the October 2023 results, with an average wait time of 05:11 minutes in November 2023, the longest average wait time since we commenced the reports in August 2023.
- The lowest-rated bank for Accessibility in November 2023 was CBA, with a score of 21.8%.
- Banks failed to answer 39% of the mystery shopping calls we made within 10 minutes for the second consecutive month, potentially costing them millions of dollars in lost opportunities.
- For the second consecutive month, both ANZ and Bendigo Bank failed to answer 66% of mystery shopping calls we made within our 10-minute threshold.
- Westpac achieved the quickest average wait time in November 2023 with a 00:42 minute average wait time, the second consectuive month they have been the quickest to answer calls.
- CBA’s average wait time increased by 04:06 minutes from its October 2023 results to 07:32 minutes, the longest of all banks we assessed.
- On average, across all the banks, an additional 00:54 minutes was required to navigate the Bank’s IVR menu options, with CBA taking the longest at 01:45 minutes (an increase of 00:32 minutes from October).
- In addition to the time it requires customers to navigate the menu and wait for the call to be answered, banks also add substantial time to each call with pre-recorded messaging that customers are forced to listen to, adding an additional 00:46 minutes to each call. ANZ had the longest recorded messages with 01:22 minutes.
- Talk time across all Banks averaged 04:54 minutes, a decrease of 01:25 from the previous month (+01:46 minutes)
Banks Quality Rankings (November 2023)
Whilst average wait times are typically longer for the banks than other industry sectors, it’s still what happens during the call that can have a large influence on the satisfaction of the customer.
Recent CX Statistics continue to highlight the importance of the live interaction with a customer service employee, and the preference to speak to a live agent rather than an automated chatbot/AI etc.
The Quality Insights Score (QIS) measures the experience received during the interaction with the live contact centre agent across five core competencies (Engage, Discover, Educate, Close and Energy) and 18 individual behaviours as defined in the Australian Contact Centre Quality Standards.
Key Findings – Quality Scores, Banks (November 2023)
When assessed against the Australian Contact Centre Quality Standards, the banking sector was again assessed as ‘Below Standard’ for Quality with score of 48.2% which is the second lowest score since we commenced in August 2023, and 10.2% lower than the October 2023 score of 58.4%.
- The top-ranked bank for Quality in November 2023 was NAB, with a score of 56.9% (which is still rated as ‘Below Standard’).
- The most improved from the previous month was Bendigo Bank, with an increase of 17.5% (31.7% to 49.2%).
- After having the best quality score in Australia for October 2023, 83.8%, ANZ had the largest decrease in score, down 31.7% to 52.1%.
- Of the five quality competencies we assessed, collectively, the banks were rated ‘Below Standard for four of them: ‘Engage’, ‘Discover’, ‘Educate’ and ‘Close’.
- ‘Energy’ was the best-rated competency with a score of 61.8%.
- The lowest rated quality competency was ‘Engage’ with a score of 27.8%.
- Of the four elements we assess within the ‘Engage’ competency, using a customer’s name appropriately was one of the poorest-rated elements of the Engage Competency, with five out of the six banks we assessed scoring 0%. Only one bank, NAB, was rated as ‘Met Standard’.
- Training is available for all Banks to improve their customer service quality (View: frontline employees courses and Team Leader courses).
Additional information on the quality competency scores is below (or just click here to jump to it).
Banks Quality Competencies Summary (November 2023)
The Australian Contact Centre Quality Standards have been developed and refined over 30 years, and when businesses consistently achieve high ratings in these core competencies, there is a direct correlation to improved business metrics however you measure them – Sales Conversions, NPS, Customer Effort Score, improved efficiency, reduced AHT etc.
The standards apply to all contact centres and are adapted to customer service or sales calls.
Breaking quality performance into five core competencies (and 18 individual metrics) enables you to identify strengths and weaknesses that can be used for coaching to improve the agent’s performance (and we have courses that can help both Team Leaders and frontline employees).
Quality is assessed across five core competencies and 18 call-handling behaviours that directly correlate to better customer and business outcomes: Engage, Discover, Educate, Close, Energy.
Learn more about the Australian Contact Centre Quality Standards >
Download the ACXPA Members Summary Report (Banks November 2023)
The ACXPA Members Summary Report for Banks November 2023 contains additional data exclusive for ACXPA Members, including the results for three random Banks each month.
Companies who purchase the Contact Centre CX Benchmarking service will see the FULL data for ALL Banks we assess.
What type of scenarios do we use to conduct the Mystery Shopping calls?
We use enquiries that are general in nature that don’t require us to disclose personal information such as new customers looking for home loads, term deposits, credit cards etc.
How does the scoring work?
Over the past 30 years we’ve developed standards based on consumer preferences and the metrics that matter – the ones that can influence the customer experience. You can learn more about the framework we use here >
How many calls are assessed?
For the public monthly report, we include at least three calls per Bank – more assessements are conducted if Banks purchased the Contact Centre CX Benchmarking service, (minimum of six calls assessed for every Bank included). Larger sample sizes can also be purchased – please refer to our Customer Service Benchmarking service >
How can we improve our score?
Our Mystery Shopping program has been designed to provide Banks with the insights they need to improve performance! You’ll receive detailed information on your performance against over 48 individual elements so you know exactly where to focus, and we also include a quarterly report that provides you with personalised key recommendations on areas to focus on.
We also offer a range of training courses that can help teach your frontline employees the skills they need to deliver great customer service (Customer Service Phone ‘Essentials‘ & ‘Professional‘), as well as training courses for your Team Leaders/Managers so they know how to coach effectively using the Quality Framework to improve your performance (and scores!).
How do I get my Bank included?
If your Bank is not listed in our reports, by purchasing our Contact Centre CX Benchmarking service, your bank will then be automatically included in the monthly ranking reports. Learn more >
How do I order the service?
We have an online ordering form that makes it easy to order the service, nominate the Banks you’d like to benchmark against, who you’d like the reports to be sent to etc. View the online order form >
How do I access the data for Banks?
ACXPA Business Members get full access to the summary monthly data for Banks (and other sectors) along with a host of other benefits which contains the data for three random Banks each month.
An ACXPA Business Membership starts from just $497 per year and includes five individual memberships you can allocate to key employees who could benefit from gaining access to leading industry insights for contact centres, customer experience (CX), digital service, and in-person customer service.
If you purchase the Contact Centre CX Benchmarking Service, you will gain access to ALL data from ALL Banks.
Is there someone I can speak to to learn more?
Absolutely! If you’d like to speak to someone further about the Benchmarking Service, please get in touch with our General Manager of Quality Insights, Simon Blair – 0407 002 113 or [email protected]
What type of scenarios do we use to conduct the Mystery Shopping calls?
Questions about credit cards, home loans, savings accounts, term deposits etc – most of our scenarios are about new business opportunities for the Banks that don’t require us to disclose personal information.
Do the Banks really care about the service they provide?
We’d really like to say yes as it’s a highly competitive marketplace and research consistently shows that when customers aren’t happy, it’s bad for business.
But sometimes whether it’s through a lack of resources or skills, the customer experience that is delivered is well below expectations.
When banks focus on delivering a better customer experience, not only is it good for you, but it also helps make them more profitable so everyone wins.
How do I get my Bank included?
We encourage you to contact your Bank and ask them to ensure they are included. Just send them a link to this page!
Why does ACXPA publish results each month?
Our mission is to improve the level of customer experience in Australia so by publishing the results monthly, we’ll continue to ensure that Banks are accountable for the level of customer service they are providing.
What type of services does ACXPA offer?
In addition to the Mystery Shopping CX Benchmarking, we offer a range of services and resources for people working in contact centres, customer experience (CX), digital service and in-person customer service/retail. You can learn more about us here >
Purchase exclusive insights for your Bank
If you’d like to gain insights specifically for your contact centre performance, and benchmark your results against other Banks, we’ve got a new, cost-effective, fixed-price benchmarking service that makes it easy!
Starting from just $1,297 per month, by purchasing our Contact Centre CX Benchmarking Service, you’ll receive the following:
- Six Mystery Shopping calls into your call centre each month at random times and days where you’ll receive the full assessment against 48 metrics, our quality assessor’s notes, the employee’s name (where provided) and the full call recordings.
- Six Mystery Shopping calls each for any five banks you nominate, so you can benchmark your performance against other Banks that matter the most to you.
- Aggregate data from all the other Banks we assess providing you with sector-wide results to further compare your results to.
- A monthly email with data to track your performance along with the call recordings.
- A quarterly report containing insights and trends that are easy to understand, along with actionable recommendations to help improve your performance.
- An optional Quarterly Insights workshop for your team (conducted live via Zoom) that can provide additional insights, coaching and guidance.
- Access to training to help you improve results.
CX Roundtables - Upcoming Guest
Live and interactive sessions for customer experience professionals in Australia.
Contact Centre Manager Roundtables - Upcoming Guest
Live and interactive sessions for contact centre professionals in Australia.
Next Members Symposium Livestream: Tuesday, 21st May, 2024, 13:30 AEST
The Members Symposium sessions are only available to ACXPA Members!
ACXPA Members can watch the symposium live, and, can watch any of the sessions at any time in their Video Library.
Preview of upcoming Symposium Sessions:
IVR Best Practice
Over 90% of contact centres are using an IVR (Press 1 for this, press 2 for that), and we've encountered many contact centres with over four layers of options for customers to select from. In this session, Nadine will be sharing some best practice tips on IVR design for 2024.
Presented by Nadine Power, Chief Product Officer, Datagamz (and ACXPA National Advisory Board Member)
Tips to Boost Engagement on Calls
Of the five quality competencies we assess as part of the Australian Call Centre Rankings, the 'ENGAGE' competency from the Australian Contact Centre Quality Standards has consistently been at the bottom of the rankings throughout 2023 and into 2024.
In this session, Simon will provide some tips that can be shared with agents on how to increase engagement with customers at the start of calls.
Presented by Simon Blair, General Manager Quality Insights, ACXPA
More sessions announced soon!
(If you're interested in speaking at one of our events, click here to learn more >)
