Are You Really Calculating Your Contact Center's

True Cost Per Call?

Running a contact center comes with plenty of moving parts—agents, software, telephony, and countless other expenses that keep the operation running. But here’s the big question:

Do you actually know how much each call costs your business?

Most companies don’t. Why? Because calculating cost per call isn’t as simple as dividing a few line items. Many businesses leave out critical expenses like shared services such as IT, HR, or partially dedicated executives; as well as abandoned calls, leaving them with incomplete (and inaccurate) data. Without a clear picture, you could be missing significant opportunities to benchmark yourself and create a reliable baseline to justify initiatives that will result in saving money and improving efficiency.

Here’s what you need to know about understanding your cost per call—and why an audit is the perfect first step toward improving your contact center’s performance.

Why “Cost Per Call” is Often Misunderstood

Most companies underestimate their cost per call because they don’t factor in all the overhead costs required to keep their contact center running. These often-overlooked areas include:

• Total Operating Expenses (OPEX): Your actual annual budget (not forecasts).

• Amortized CAPEX Expenses

• Partial Headcount: Costs for executives, IT staff, HR, and others who dedicate part of their time to supporting the contact center.

• Technology Costs: Telephony systems, call center platforms, subscriptions, and maintenance.

• Vendor Costs (Recruiters, BPO, Software, Security, Payroll Support etc.)

• Transferred and Abandoned Calls: Even these contribute to your overall costs.

• Workstation and Premises Costs (including; utilites, common areas, taxes etc.)

If you don’t include these elements, you’re only seeing a fraction of the full cost. This makes it harder to find areas where resources are being underutilized, or where processes can be streamlined.

The Step-by-Step Guide to Calculating Cost Per Call

To get an accurate number, our partner Tele-Centre Assist recommends this proven approach:

   1.  Start with Your Total Actual Budget (OPEX+CAPEX):

• • • • •  Use your actual operating expenses for the year—not projections.

        •  Include the partial costs of executives, IT teams, and HR personnel who support the contact center.

   2.  Collect Your Call Volume Data:
        Break down your total call volumes by type:

• Simple, transactional calls (e.g., order status, billing questions)

• Complex calls that require live agents

• All inbound channels: voice, chat, and email

    3. Apply the Math:

• Determine what percentage of total volume each call type represents.

• Apply that percentage to your budget number to see the cost contribution of each call type.

• ​Identify the AHT for each call and non-phone work type and calculate total minutes by call/work types for an entire year.

    4. Include Headcount and Contact Minutes:

• Identify your team by role and queue, then calculate the cost per contact and cost per minute for each type of inquiry, transaction; including non-phone work output.​

    5. Simplify When Needed:

• If detailed data isn’t available, start with an average across all inbound calls. This includes both simple and complex inquiries handled via voice, chat, and email.

If gathering this data sounds overwhelming, it’s a sign that your business could benefit from a call center audit. Audits not only collect the missing data but also identify where your people, processes, and technology may be falling short.

So, What’s Next? Lower Your Cost Per Call with AI - Self Service and Intelligent Routing

Once you understand your cost per call, the next step is to bring those costs down—efficiently and sustainably. This is where AI-powered self-service solutions, like Verascape’s Intelligent Virtual Agents (IVAs), come in.

Here’s how Verascape can help:

1. Handle High-Volume Calls Automatically and Eliminate the Need for Multiple 800 #’s:

• Verascape’s IVA tackles common, repetitive inquiries—like “Where’s my order?” or “How do I reset my password?”—without involving a live agent.

2. Reduce Abandoned Calls and Wait Times:

• The IVA resolves inquiries instantly, which improves efficiency and eliminates long wait times for customers, and also reduces costs.

3. Save on Operational Costs:

• By automating transactional calls, you reduce the workload on live agents—cutting wage expenses and freeing agents to focus on complex, high-value interactions.

4. Deliver a Personalized Experience:

• Verascape’s IVA9Conversational IVR) uses your company’s brand messaging and integrates real-time customer data to provide natural, personalized interactions every time.

5. Seamless Integration:

• No need for expensive tech overhauls—Verascape integrates effortlessly with your existing contact center infrastructure.

Why You Should Start with a Call Center Audit

If you’re not sure where to begin, an audit is your best first step. A call center audit, like those offered by our trusted partner Tele-Centre Assist, will give you:

• A clear understanding of your true cost per call by type

• Insights into where your people, processes, and technology are underutilized

• Actionable recommendations to improve efficiency and customer experience while reducing costs

Once you have those insights, Verascape’s Intelligent Virtual Agents can take things even further by automating high-cost, high-volume calls—helping you save money, improve customer satisfaction, and scale your operations effortlessly.

Ready to Take Control of Your Contact Center Costs?

Stop leaving money on the table. Start with a clear understanding of your contact center’s performance and costs. A call center audit will give you the data you need to make smarter decisions, while Verascape’s IVA solutions will help you cut costs without sacrificing quality.

Let’s Get Started.

Contact us today to learn how Verascape and Tele-Centre Assist can transform your contact center—one call at a time.