New Zealanders collectively spent over 22 million hours on hold with contact centers in 2023. While this represents significant frustration for customers and missed opportunities for companies, some contact centres managed to maintain average speed to answer times under 20 seconds. The gap between the best and worst performers isn’t luck — it’s the result of deliberate choices about forecasting, resourcing, and technology.
What Separates the Best from the Rest
The key differentiators include accurate forecasting, dynamic resourcing, and responsive technology integration. Smart rostering, predictive analytics, and flexible staffing models enable rapid scaling during demand spikes. Technology — particularly virtual agents — reduces unnecessary workload by handling routine queries, allowing human agents to focus on complex issues that genuinely require human empathy and expertise.
The Utilities Challenge
The utilities sector recorded the highest complaint volume (62%) in 2023, largely due to disruptions from Ex-Tropical Cyclone Tam. During this crisis, some providers deployed AI-based virtual agents effectively. Telnet’s platform, Tulip AI, handled nearly a third of inbound calls for a major utility, providing real-time outage updates and fault logging without placing callers on hold.
The contrast with providers that saw 1–2 hour wait times was stark. Customers who received instant AI-assisted updates remained calmer and required less repeat contact, reducing total call volume even as the underlying event drove unprecedented demand.
The Underlying Problem
The broader issue reflects misaligned priorities. Many organisations still treat contact centre waiting times as an inevitable cost of doing business rather than a controllable variable. Modern customers expect seamless, responsive service — and the tools to deliver it exist.
With proper planning, staffing, and automation tools, maintaining under-20-second answer times is achievable even during peak periods. The difference between 20-second and 20-minute wait times doesn’t just determine customer satisfaction scores — it can determine customer retention.
The 22 million hours New Zealanders spent on hold in 2023 represents an enormous opportunity. Organisations that invest in the right combination of human expertise and smart technology can reclaim that time and transform it into a genuine competitive advantage.
