Every year we analyse how UK contact centres are performing and where leaders are gaining an edge.
This year’s results reveal a sector that’s working harder than ever. Workloads are rising, some KPIs are slipping, and AI is continuing to widen the gap between top performers and everyone else.
If you’re planning targets, resource, or deciding where to invest for 2026, this report gives you the clarity you need.
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KPIs only tell half the story. Without a benchmark, it’s hard to know whether you’re ahead, behind, or simply keeping pace. This report gives you:
It’s practical, it’s honest, and it’s built around the data that matters most to contact centre leaders.
This year’s dataset reveals a sector at a turning point, with widening gaps between average and top-performing operations. Here’s what you’ll take away:
Certain KPIs, particularly in collections and outbound, have fallen across the UK. We break down the operational, economic and customer-behaviour factors that are most likely behind the drop, including the KPI that has seen one of the steepest year-on-year declines.
Connect, contact and conversion rates are much tougher to achieve compared to last year.
Almost half of UK contact centres report declining outbound performance. You’ll learn how teams are adapting, which dialler strategies are proving to be the most effective, and what “good” now looks like across different industries.
Lower FCR, fewer promises to pay and longer recovery cycles are affecting every team.
We share the numbers behind these shifts, including the metric where high performers are now pulling significantly ahead of the average. Plus, learn the techniques and workflows that are helping collections teams to protect recovery rates in the face of rising customer vulnerability.
Daily activity levels, success-per-call and revenue per call all paint a clear picture of changing buyer behaviour. You’ll learn which channels are converting, where sales cycles are slowing, and how top teams are maintaining momentum.
Abandonment, average handle time (AHT) and speed-of-answer benchmarks reveal how customer expectations continue to rise. We show how leaders are balancing speed, quality and cost, and where technology is making the biggest difference to service levels.
AI is improving productivity in some areas but not universally. This report shows where AI is adding genuine value today, where it still creates friction, and the skills, processes and data foundations teams need before scaling it further.
Rising workloads, resource constraints, attrition and confidence gaps are shaping next year’s strategies.
We highlight the specific pressures agents and managers are under, and how high-performing teams are protecting wellbeing while lifting results.
Our dataset represents 300 UK contact centres across sectors including financial services, utilities, telecoms, retail, healthcare, professional services, and BPOs.
Participants included:
This breadth means benchmarks reflect real, day-to-day UK contact centre performance.
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Get the full 2025/26 KPI Benchmarking Insights Report and see how your operation compares. Use the data to plan smarter, improve performance and prepare for 2026 with confidence.