How to prepare for call center spikes.
customer service,
peak management,
Published on Thu May 15 2025
Updated on Fri Aug 08 2025
8 minute read
Spikes are generally bad. The same goes for customer service. Let's talk about how to handle them effectively to give your customers the experience they deserve.
What is a call center spike?
When might you experience a call center spike?
- New product releases or promotions.
- Announcement of important company or industry news.
- Holidays or seasonal events.
- Technical issues or errors.
- Natural disasters or socio-political events.
- PR emergencies or sudden product recalls
How can a call spike impact your business?
The customer is always right.
Avoiding burnout and turnover.
Your agents are your greatest asset, and without their commitment and performance, it will be difficult to handle not just call volume spikes, but daily operations in general. Many employees report feeling overwhelmed during such spikes and feel as though more can be done to ease the impact on their workflow.
In an industry where high turnover is already a challenge, there are many initiatives you can put in place to ensure that agents feel supported even during moments of additional pressure.
Lost business and opportunity.
Customer frustration, employee stress, and amidst it all… losing out on opportunities to connect with your consumer base and drive further business. Call center spikes, whether expected or not, can significantly impact KPIs not just in the moment, but for months to come.
Keep reading to find out how best to prepare for increased call volumes and go from wary to ready.
Our top tips for preparing for call center spikes.
- Call tracking and forecasting.
- Have extra staff on hand.
- Train your teams well.
- Use tech to ease the pressure.
- Consider using self-service.
- Activate remote agents
Call tracking and forecasting.
Call tracking is the process of monitoring, recording, and analyzing telephone calls made to and from a call center. This information can be used to improve call center operations and identify areas for improvement.
Call forecasting is the process of predicting future call volumes based on historical data. This information can be used to plan for call center staffing and ensure that agents are available when call volume is high.
Both call tracking and call forecasting can be useful tools for preparing for call center spikes. By understanding call patterns and volume, you can better plan for times of increased call volume and ensure that your call center is prepared to handle the spike.
Have extra staff on hand.
When a spike occurs, you're going to need all hands on deck. Have a plan in place for bringing in extra staff, whether that means calling in reinforcements from other departments or hiring temporary workers.
By analyzing data from call forecasting and working closely with other departments such as recruitment and HR, you can ensure that everyone in your organization is aware and prepared for any necessary ramp ups before a call volume spike.
Train your teams to handle call spikes.
The role of data.
Keep your employees happy.
- Make sure that call center agents are adequately compensated for their overtime hours.
- Provide employees with breaks during long shifts.
- Offer incentives or bonuses to those who perform well during spikes.
- Give agents the opportunity to take vacation days or personal days during call center spikes.
- Train call center managers on how to effectively manage call center staff during spikes.
- Have a plan in place for employees who call in sick or are otherwise unable to work during a call center spike.
In conclusion.
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