Silence analysis is the review of non-speaking time in voice interactions, typically separating customer silence, agent silence, mutual silence, and system-related silence such as holds or transfers. It looks at when silence occurs, how long it lasts, and what was happening in the conversation around it.
Operationally, silence can signal process friction (slow tools, long authentication steps), knowledge gaps (agent searching for answers), or poor call control (unclear next steps). It also helps distinguish acceptable silence (brief pauses while documenting) from dead air that increases handle time and drives repeat questions or escalations.
Tracking silence patterns across queues, teams, and call types supports targeted coaching and workflow fixes, and it can be used alongside metrics like AHT, hold time, and customer sentiment to pinpoint where the experience breaks down.
