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Customer Service Terms Glossary

Explore our concise glossary of essential customer service terms, curated to equip service leaders and professionals with the terminology necessary for success. From foundational concepts to industry-specific jargon, this resource offers clear definitions to enhance your understanding and elevate your customer service capabilities.

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A
B
C
E
F
G
H
I
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U

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360-Degree View of the Customer

360-Degree View of the Customer

A comprehensive understanding of a customer's interactions, preferences, and history across all touchpoints and channels.

A

A

Account Attrition

Account Attrition

The rate at which customers or accounts are lost or discontinued.

Agent

Agent

An individual responsible for interacting with customers to address inquiries, provide assistance, and resolve issues.

Agent Experience

Agent Experience

The overall satisfaction and engagement level of customer service agents in their roles.

Agent Productivity

Agent Productivity

The efficiency and effectiveness with which customer service agents handle tasks and resolve issues.

Agent Unit Cost

Agent Unit Cost

The cost associated with supporting or employing a single customer service agent.

Agent Utilization

Agent Utilization

The percentage of time that customer service agents spend actively handling customer issues.

Average Handle Time

Average Handle Time

The average duration an agent spends on handling a customer inquiry or issue, from initiation to resolution.

Average Initial Response Time

Average Initial Response Time

The average time it takes for a customer to receive the first response from a customer service representative after submitting a request.

Average Reply Time

Average Reply Time

The average time it takes for an agent to respond to a customer message or inquiry.

B

B

Business Hours

Business Hours

The designated operating hours during which a business provides customer service or conducts its operations.

C

C

Call Center

Call Center

A centralized facility where customer service agents handle incoming and outgoing telephone calls.

Canned Response (or, Macros)

Canned Response (or, Macros)

Predefined and standardized responses that agents can use to address common customer queries quickly.

Case Handle Time

Case Handle Time

The time it takes for an agent to fully resolve a customer case or issue.

Case Management

Case Management

The process of tracking and managing customer cases or issues from initiation to resolution.

Case Routing

Case Routing

The method of directing customer cases to the appropriate individuals or teams for resolution.

Case Time Tracking

Case Time Tracking

Monitoring and recording the time spent on handling and resolving customer cases.

Channels

Channels

Various communication avenues through which customers can interact with a business, such as phone, email, chat, and social media.

Chatbot

Chatbot

A computer program designed to simulate conversation with human users, often used in customer service to provide instant responses.

Churn

Churn

The rate at which customers stop doing business with a company or cease using its services.

Contact Center

Contact Center

An integrated platform that manages various communication channels to facilitate customer interactions.

Cost To Serve

Cost To Serve

The total cost incurred by a business to provide service and support to its customers.

Cross-Selling

Cross-Selling

The practice of offering customers additional or related products/services beyond their initial purchase.

Customer Effort

Customer Effort

The amount of effort a customer has to exert to achieve a desired outcome in their interaction with a company.

Customer Effort Score (CES)

Customer Effort Score (CES)

A metric that gauges the ease with which customers can get their issues resolved or their needs fulfilled.

Customer Engagement

Customer Engagement

The level of involvement, interaction, and connection a customer has with a brand.

Customer Expectations

Customer Expectations

The anticipated level of service or product performance that customers believe they should receive.

Customer Experience (CX)

Customer Experience (CX)

The overall impression and perception a customer has of a brand based on their interactions and experiences.

Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV)

Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV)

The predicted net profit a company expects to earn from a customer throughout their entire relationship.

Customer Loyalty

Customer Loyalty

The likelihood of a customer to continue purchasing from or working with a specific brand over time.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

A system or strategy for managing and analyzing customer interactions throughout the customer lifecycle.

Customer Retention

Customer Retention

The ability of a business to keep existing customers over an extended period.

Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)

Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)

A metric that measures how satisfied customers are with a company's products, services, or interactions.

Customer Service Representative (CSR)

Customer Service Representative (CSR)

An individual who interacts directly with customers to address inquiries, provide information, and resolve issues.

Customer Success

Customer Success

A business strategy that focuses on ensuring customers achieve their desired outcomes and derive value from a product or service.

Customer Support

Customer Support

Activities and services provided by a company to help customers use and troubleshoot products or services.

Customer-centric

Customer-centric

A business approach that prioritizes the needs and satisfaction of customers in all aspects of operations.

E

E

Efficiency

Efficiency

The ability to accomplish tasks with minimal waste of time, resources, or effort.

Employee Experience

Employee Experience

The overall satisfaction and engagement of employees within an organization.

Employee Turnover

Employee Turnover

The rate at which employees leave a company and are replaced by new hires.

Escalation Management

Escalation Management

The process of routing customer issues to higher levels of support or management for resolution.

F

F

Feedback Loop

Feedback Loop

A continuous process of collecting, analyzing, and applying customer feedback to improve products or services.

Field Service

Field Service

On-site support or services provided by technicians or representatives directly at the customer's location.

First Contact Resolution Rate (FCRR)

First Contact Resolution Rate (FCRR)

The percentage of customer issues that are resolved on the first interaction without the need for further contact.

First Response Time (FRT)

First Response Time (FRT)

The time it takes for a customer to receive the initial response after reaching out to customer support.

G

G

Gamification

Gamification

The use of game-like elements, such as rewards and competitions, to encourage and motivate customer service agents.

H

H

Help Desk

Help Desk

A resource or support center where customers can get assistance and information regarding products or services.

I

I

In-app Support

In-app Support

Customer support services provided within a software application or platform.

K

K

Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

Key Performance Indicator (KPI)

Metrics used to evaluate the performance and effectiveness of a business or individual.

Knowledge Base

Knowledge Base

A centralized repository of information that provides answers to frequently asked questions and guidance on using products or services.

Knowledge Centered Service (KCS)

Knowledge Centered Service (KCS)

A methodology and approach to customer service that emphasizes the creation, management, and reuse of knowledge as a fundamental asset in supporting customers. KCS aims to transform customer service from a reactive, transactional activity to a proactive, knowledge-driven practice, ultimately improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction of both customers and service providers.

L

L

Likert Scale

Likert Scale

A survey scale that measures respondents' agreement or disagreement with a series of statements.

Live Chat

Live Chat

Real-time online communication between customers and customer service representatives through a chat interface.

M

M

Multi-Channel Support

Multi-Channel Support

Providing customer support through various communication channels, such as phone, email, chat, and social media.

N

N

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

A metric that measures customer loyalty by asking how likely customers are to recommend a company to others.

O

O

Omni-Channel Support

Omni-Channel Support

Seamless integration and consistency of customer support across multiple channels for a unified experience.

P

P

Personalization

Personalization

Tailoring products, services, or interactions to individual customer preferences and characteristics.

Proactiveness

Proactiveness

Taking initiative and being proactive in addressing customer needs and resolving issues.

Profitability

Profitability

The measure of a company's ability to generate profit, often expressed as a percentage of revenue.

Q

Q

Queue

Queue

A waiting line of customers or tasks, often used in the context of call centers or ticketing systems.

R

R

Resolution Rate

Resolution Rate

The percentage of customer issues or inquiries that are successfully resolved.

Response Time

Response Time

The time it takes for a customer to receive a response from customer service after initiating contact.

Responsiveness

Responsiveness

The promptness and timeliness with which a company or its representatives address customer inquiries or issues.

Right First Time (RFT)

Right First Time (RFT)

Resolving customer issues correctly on the first attempt without the need for follow-up.

Round Robin Distribution

Round Robin Distribution

A method of distributing tasks or inquiries evenly among a group of agents or resources.

S

S

Salesforce

Salesforce

A customer relationship management (CRM) platform that provides tools for managing and analyzing customer interactions.

Self-service

Self-service

Allowing customers to find information, troubleshoot issues, or perform tasks on their own without direct assistance from a representative.

Self-service ratio

Self-service ratio

The percentage of customer issues that are resolved through self-service methods without agent intervention.

Service Cloud

Service Cloud

A customer service platform or software that facilitates and manages customer interactions.

Service Culture

Service Culture

An organizational culture that prioritizes and values excellent customer service.

Service Level Agreement (SLA)

Service Level Agreement (SLA)

A formal commitment regarding the level of service a customer can expect, including response and resolution times.

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)

Individuals with expertise and in-depth knowledge in specific areas, often consulted for complex problem-solving.

Support ticket

Support ticket

A record of a customer inquiry or issue in a tracking system, used to manage and monitor the resolution process.

Survey

Survey

A method of collecting feedback and opinions from customers to assess satisfaction and gather insights.

T

T

Ticket

Ticket

A record or case representing a customer inquiry, issue, or request for support.

Ticket routing

Ticket routing

The process of directing customer tickets to the appropriate department or individual for resolution.

Tiered support

Tiered support

A support model with multiple levels or tiers, each handling issues of increasing complexity.

U

U

Unassigned Ticket

Unassigned Ticket

A ticket that has not yet been assigned to a specific customer service agent or team.

Upselling

Upselling

The practice of persuading customers to purchase additional or upgraded products or services.

Utilization

Utilization

The efficiency and effectiveness with which resources, such as agents or equipment, are utilized.

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