Question

a customer support call center prioritizes 10% of the calls. due to some network issues, the call volume is expected to increase by 20%, and this percent increase is expected to be the same across high-priority as well as low-priority calls. the call center is keeping the staffing level and the average time spent in processing a call (i.e., service time) at the same level, and is continuing to prioritizes 10% of the calls. how would this increase in call volume impact the average waiting time for high-priority calls relative to the average waiting time for low-priority calls ?

Answer 1

A 20% increase in call volume at a call center prioritizing 10% of calls would lead to longer overall waiting times, with high-priority calls experiencing a less significant increase compared to low-priority calls due to prioritization practices.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a customer support call center is experiencing a 20% increase in call volume and continues to prioritize 10% of the calls, the average waiting time for both high-priority and low-priority calls will be affected differently. While the call center staff levels and service time remain unchanged, a 20% increase in call volume will likely lead to longer average waiting times overall due to the fixed capacity to handle calls.

However, since the center continues to prioritize 10% of calls, high-priority calls will likely experience a relatively smaller increase in waiting times compared to low-priority calls, which comprise the remaining 90%, as the same proportion of resources is allocated to them as before.