Call Center Staffing Calculator
Rough math to estimate how many support agents you need. Not a substitute for real workforce planning, but good enough to ballpark costs.
Your Numbers
Include talk time + typing up notes
Salary + benefits + overhead (not just base pay)
Add extra capacity for busy hours (typical: 15-25%)
The Math
Assuming agents work 6h/day at 75% utilization
How we calculated this:
1. Total ticket time/month: 26,000 min
2. Agent hours available/month: 173.2h each
3. At 75% utilization: 130h productive time
4. Plus 20% buffer for peaks
If AI Handles Some Load
If a chatbot handled simple stuff (password resets, FAQs, "where's my order"), you'd need fewer people. Realistic range: 20-40% of tickets.
⚠️ Reality: depends entirely on your ticket mix and how well you train the bot.
About Chatisto
AI chatbot with guardrails. Handles routine tickets, hands off complex ones to your team. Won't hallucinate fake answers. $29/mo flat.
Try Free for 14 DaysWhat This Calculator Doesn't Account For
- Peak hours: If all your tickets come between 9am-11am, you need more agents than this suggests.
- Skill requirements: Technical support takes longer than "reset my password."
- Queue time targets: We're not calculating wait times or SLA compliance here.
- Breaks and PTO: We assume 75% utilization, but your mileage may vary.
- Training time: New agents aren't productive immediately.
- Seasonal spikes: Holiday rush? Black Friday? You'll need temporary staff.
Bottom line: Use this for rough budgeting. For actual workforce planning, use proper WFM software or hire a consultant.
Common Questions
Why 75% utilization?
Agents need breaks, bathroom time, meetings, training. They're not ticket-answering machines. 75% is realistic. Going higher burns people out.
What should I put for hourly cost?
Take their salary, add 25-40% for benefits (health insurance, payroll tax), add another 10-15% for equipment, software, management overhead. If you pay $15/hr base, your real cost is $20-22/hr.
Can AI really handle 30-40% of tickets?
Depends what kind of tickets you get. Password resets, order status, "how do I cancel" - yes, absolutely. Complex troubleshooting or "my account was hacked" - no. Most teams see 20-40% automation on simple stuff if the chatbot is well-trained.
What if my volume varies throughout the day?
This calculator assumes steady flow. Real call centers use shift scheduling to match staffing to demand curves. If you get hammered from 2-5pm, you need more agents during those hours and fewer at night.
Is this accurate?
It's ballpark math. Real workforce management uses queuing theory (Erlang C/A formulas) and accounts for abandonment rates, service levels, shrinkage, etc. This calculator is useful for "do I need 3 agents or 30?" but not for precise shift planning.