Understanding the Contact Centre CX Across Australian Industries
How do customer experiences vary across sectors – and what does that say about industry performance?
Below, you’ll find independent benchmarking results across five key metrics from the Australian Contact Centre CX Standards, drawn from real interactions with Australian contact centres. While direct comparisons between sectors have their limits – after all, a query about a Council bin collection is very different from applying for a home loan or seeking a new car insurance policy – these insights shine a light on how easy (or difficult) it is for customers to get help across a range of industries.
It’s not about picking winners – it’s about understanding the different journeys customers take when seeking help, and where the friction lies. For example, you might notice that calls for a new internet connection are answered promptly, while calls to a bank about a mortgage are much harder to navigate. It’s these differences that help highlight best practices, common gaps, and opportunities to improve.
Whether you’re benchmarking your own centre, comparing industry norms, or just curious about how things stack up – this section gives you the data to explore it all.
Metric 1 of 5
Overall CX
Overall CX is our headline metric – a single score that captures how easy it is for customers to connect with a live agent and the quality of that interaction.
- The latest Quarterly Leaderboard – comparing sector performance in the most recent quarter
- The latest Monthly Leaderboard – available exclusively for Subscribers and Members
- 12-Month Trend Chart – track sector performance across the past four quarters
Latest quarterly leaderboard
Public — everyone can see this.
Data accurate as of August 2026
Latest monthly leaderboard
Subscribers and Members.
Colour legend
- 91+
- Outstanding
- 76–90
- Exceeds Standards
- 61–75
- Meets Standards
- 45–60
- Below Standard
- <45
- Poor
Ratings are based on the ACXPA Contact Centre CX Standards >
12-month trend by sector
About this metric
The Overall CX Rankings gauge how effortlessly customers can connect with and communicate to a live customer service agent via the contact centre channel.
The final score is calculated using 48+ individual metrics drawn from across the customer journey. These include factors such as wait times, IVR usability, voice quality, agent soft skills and behaviours, and more.
Each metric is weighted according to its impact on the customer experience. For example, Agent Mastery is weighted more heavily than accessibility – because a flawless connection is meaningless if the agent delivers a poor experience.
To learn more about how these metrics align with our best-practice approach, view the Contact Centre CX Standards.
Metric 2 of 5
Accessibility
Accessibility measures how easy it is for customers to reach a real person when they need help – no dead ends, IVR mazes, or unnecessary friction.
- The latest Quarterly Leaderboard – comparing sector performance in the most recent quarter
- The latest Monthly Leaderboard – available exclusively for Subscribers and Members
- 12-Month Trend Chart – track sector performance across the past four quarters
Latest quarterly leaderboard
Public — everyone can see this.
Data accurate as of August 2026
Latest monthly leaderboard
Subscribers and Members.
Colour legend
- 91+
- Outstanding
- 76–90
- Exceeds Standards
- 61–75
- Meets Standards
- 45–60
- Below Standard
- <45
- Poor
Ratings are based on the ACXPA Contact Centre CX Standards >
12-month trend by sector
About this metric
Accessibility Rankings reveal how easy it is for customers to get in touch with a live agent without hitting roadblocks.
This includes a range of metrics covering:
- How quickly and easily the phone number can be found
- IVR design and complexity
- Navigation ease and acceptance of input
- Queue times and system responsiveness
Every step a customer takes before they hear a human voice is evaluated. Because no matter how good your people are, it doesn’t matter if your customers can’t reach them.
To see how this fits into the full experience, check out the Contact Centre CX Standards.
Metric 3 of 5
Agent Mastery
Agent Mastery measures how effectively customer service agents perform – not just what they say, but how they say it.
- The latest Quarterly Leaderboard – comparing sector performance in the most recent quarter
- The latest Monthly Leaderboard – available exclusively for Subscribers and Members
- 12-Month Trend Chart – track sector performance across the past four quarters
Latest quarterly leaderboard
Public — everyone can see this.
Data accurate as of August 2026
Latest monthly leaderboard
Subscribers and Members.
Colour legend
- 91+
- Outstanding
- 76–90
- Exceeds Standards
- 61–75
- Meets Standards
- 45–60
- Below Standard
- <45
- Poor
Ratings are based on the ACXPA Contact Centre CX Standards >
12-month trend by sector
About this metric
Agent Mastery is all about the human element – how well your frontline team handles conversations that matter.
This metric draws from 30+ soft skills and behaviours indicators, including:
- Empathy and rapport-building
- Clarity and confidence in communication
- Active listening and problem-solving skills
Each interaction is assessed against proven frameworks and customer expectations. Because even the best systems fall flat if your people can’t deliver when it counts.
Learn how this connects to best-practice by exploring the Contact Centre CX Standards.
Metric 4 of 5
Calls Answered %
Calls Answered % tracks the percentage of inbound calls successfully answered by a live agent within an acceptable timeframe – reflecting a contact centre’s availability and responsiveness.
- The latest Quarterly Leaderboard – comparing sector performance in the most recent quarter
- The latest Monthly Leaderboard – available exclusively for Subscribers and Members
- 12-Month Trend Chart – track sector performance across the past four quarters
Latest quarterly leaderboard
Public — everyone can see this.
Data accurate as of August 2026
Latest monthly leaderboard
Subscribers and Members.
12-month trend by sector
About this metric
Calls Answered % reflects how many inbound calls are answered within a set threshold after they have been placed into the queue, specifically:
- 10 minutes for sales-related calls (e.g. switching providers, new product enquiries)
- 15 minutes for customer service enquiries (e.g. general info, general queries)
This benchmark recognises the urgency and behaviour behind different call types – sales prospects often won’t wait, while service enquiries may allow slightly more leeway.
Explore how this metric supports the broader CX journey via our Contact Centre CX Standards.
Metric 5 of 5
Average Wait Time
Average Wait Time shows how long customers typically wait in queue before speaking with a live agent – a key driver of satisfaction, trust, and abandonment.
- The latest Quarterly Leaderboard – comparing sector performance in the most recent quarter
- The latest Monthly Leaderboard – available exclusively for Subscribers and Members
- 12-Month Trend Chart – track sector performance across the past four quarters
Latest quarterly leaderboard
Public — everyone can see this.
Data accurate as of August 2026
Latest monthly leaderboard
Subscribers and Members.
12-month trend by sector
About this metric
Average Wait Time tracks the amount of time customers spend waiting in the queue before speaking to a live agent – from when the customer is placed into the queue to when a human picks up (so it ignores the time spent navigating menus, listening to messages, etc).
This metric is influenced by staffing levels, call volume, queue prioritisation, and system efficiency. It directly impacts customer frustration and abandonment.
Note: Wait Time is measured only for calls that are answered – to isolate queue performance and avoid skewing results due to customer hang-ups.
For broader CX context, view our Contact Centre CX Standards.
Turn Insights Into Action
You’ve seen how customer experiences vary across Australian sectors – now it’s time to take the next step. Whether you’re exploring, optimising, or leading the way, we’ve got the tools to help you go further.
