What is the Meaning of EOS?

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In the world of contact centres, the term EOS comes up often, but what does it actually mean, and why is it important?

In this article, we’ll explain the meaning of EOS, how it impacts daily operations, and why setting the right EOS is essential for both customer satisfaction and employee well-being.

What is the Meaning of EOS?

In a call centre, contact centre, or BPO EOS stands for End of Service, and is the term is used to signify the official time that contact centres stop answering new contacts for the day.

However, this doesn’t mean the centre shuts down right away. If a customer reaches out before the EOS but hasn’t received help yet, agents will keep working until all issues are resolved.

This means that while a contact centre may set an EOS of 5pm, for example, an agent will not necessarily finish working at 5pm.

Why is EOS Important?

EOS plays a vital role in helping contact centres manage their daily workflow, defining a clear point when agents stop taking new calls or messages.

It’s not just about setting a cutoff time; EOS allows contact centres to organize their resources and ensures that customers who reach out before EOS still receive support, even if it takes a bit longer.

For example, let’s say a contact centre’s EOS is set at 7 p.m. If a customer starts a chat or makes a call at 6:55 p.m., agents will continue working to resolve that query, even if it extends beyond 7 p.m.

This flexibility is important, as it ensures that all customers who reach out within service hours receive complete support, while also allowing the centre to gradually wind down for the day.

EOS is matters for several reasons:

Balancing Agent Workloads

By defining EOS, contact centres can plan shifts effectively, ensuring agents have enough time to complete their tasks without feeling rushed or overloaded.

Managing Customer Expectations

A well-defined EOS helps customers understand when they can expect to get through to an agent. This helps avoid confusion or frustration that can arise when customers are unsure if the centre is still open.

Ensuring Smooth Operations

EOS lets centres balance their service commitments with the need to manage end-of-day tasks like logging calls, updating records, and preparing for the next day, reducing the risk of overwhelmed staff and rushed service.

3 Tips for Setting the Right EOS

Not sure whether your contact centre has set the right EOS?

Here are three quick tips to make sure that your EOS is right for your operation.

1. Check the Public Transport Schedule

A key question to consider is: Are your shifts allowing people to comfortably finish working for the day, walk to the station and catch the bus?

If this is not the case, you should be wary that your EOS may be shrinking your recruitment pool, as people that cannot drive may not be able to work for you.

2. Learn From Your Contact Volumes

Take a look at what happens when your contact centre is closed. Are many people still contacting you or using self-service?

A key mistake that planners often make is to just analyse contact volumes once the contact centre is open. But you can draw many insights from assessing customer activity after EOS too.

3. Gather Customer Feedback

The most obvious way to judge if you have set the right EOS is simply to ask your customers for their feedback on closing times.

Just remember to be open to considering change – even if it is just for a trial period. These trials can be really effective in helping you to understand your demand for a later EOS.

Make Sure You Signpost Your EOS

Make sure customers know when your EOS is. If it’s unclear, customers may be frustrated if their calls go unanswered because they waited until the last minute. Display your EOS clearly on your website and communication channels.

Also, make sure you clear the queue properly after EOS and lines close. Otherwise customers who called just before your signposted EOS and who were waiting in queue, only to have their call unanswered, will likely call you back the next morning, angry.