Conversational Intelligence Terminology

Actionable Signal

An actionable signal is a repeatable finding from call data (such as phrases, behaviors, or outcomes) that indicates a concrete change should be made in the contact center. It goes beyond describing what happened by linking the pattern to a decision or task, like updating a script, fixing a process, coaching a behavior, or escalating a product issue.

Operationally, a signal is actionable when it is specific enough to assign to an owner, prioritize by impact, and verify with metrics. This matters because contact centers generate many insights, but only a subset can be turned into work that reduces handle time, improves resolution, lowers repeat contacts, or reduces compliance risk.

Actionable signals typically include context (which call types, teams, or queues), frequency, and the expected effect of the change. That makes it possible to move from “we’re hearing this a lot” to “we will do this by this date and measure the result.”

Example:

In a week of billing-support calls, many customers say “I already submitted the form” and agents spend several minutes searching for it; the actionable signal is to add a CRM field and a standard verification question to reduce hold time. The ops lead assigns the change to the CRM admin and tracks average hold time and repeat contacts for that call reason.

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