Definition of Abandon Rate

The abandon rate refers to the percentage of calls that are made by potential customers to a live operator or by an automatic dialing device to potential customers that are not intercepted by the telemarketer before a disconnection by the customer occurs. A high abandon rate would be indicative of poorly managed resources. Anything higher than a 2% abandon rate is looked upon unfavorably. The abandon rate is affected by several factors including the length of time the potential customer remains in the queue, the potential customer’s level of patience, and the reason behind the call.

The abandon rate also refers to the percentage of individuals who leave their shopping cart without proceeding to the checkout versus those individuals who proceed to the checkout from their shopping cart. Since some individuals will use their shopping cart as a way to size up future purchases, the abandon rate might include shoppers who will make a purchase at a future date.

External links:

• Questions and answers on Abandon Rate Standard
• An Answers.com explanation of abandon rate