ReferenceAverage speed of answer (ASA)
The average time callers wait in the queue before an agent answers.
Also called: speed of answer, ASA.
Why it matters
It is how the wait feels to the caller on average, and it moves sharply when a queue runs close to its capacity.
Before you compare
- An average hides the long waits. A few callers waiting many minutes can sit behind a short average.
- Some systems include calls answered at once (zero seconds) and some do not.
Published figures
What publishers report for this measure. Each counts something slightly different, so read the definition before you compare; nothing here is averaged across publishers.
Service level targetsPractice range
The common target is a convention. A few regulators set their own standard for the centers they oversee.
SQM Group, 19 Jan 2023. What Are the Industry Standards for the Top Call Center KPIs?- 80% in 20 sTraditional service level standardSQM adds that it finds no satisfaction penalty for calls answered within 120 seconds.
- 80% in 30 sCalifornia water utilities, Class A and BRegulatory standardShare of callers reaching a representative in business hours; abandoned calls at or below 5%.California Public Utilities Commission, 2009. General Order 103-A, Appendix E, customer service standards for Class A and B water utilities (effective 10 Sep 2009).
- 2:00Medicare Advantage lines, CMS standardRegulatory standardAverage hold after the phone menu. CMS test calls measured 0:32 in January to June 2025.CMS, 2025. 2026 Part C and D Display Measures Technical Notes, Attachment A (in the 2026 display measures download).
- 74 sAverage speed of answer, USBenchmark studyOne third above the pre-pandemic average.ContactBabel, 2026. The 2026 US Contact Center Decision-Makers' Guide, key findings.
- 6%Abandon rate, industry standardBenchmark studySQM counts below 5% as favourable.