Which of the following metrics is a leading indicator?

The metric that is considered a leading indicator is the average handle time. Leading indicators are metrics that can signal future performance and outcomes, allowing organizations to make proactive adjustments. In the context of a support center, average handle time can help predict customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. A reduction in average handle time may correlate with improved service levels, leading to enhanced customer experiences and potentially better loyalty rates in the future.

When support team members are able to resolve issues more quickly, this often reflects positively on overall performance and customer perceptions. Consequently, by monitoring average handle time, a team can gauge and influence future outcomes, making it a valuable leading indicator for continuous improvement in service delivery.

In contrast, customer loyalty rates are typically a lagging indicator, as they reflect past performance and customer satisfaction rather than predicting future behavior. Overall revenue is also a lagging indicator, capturing the outcomes of previously executed strategies. Employee job satisfaction, while important for performance and retention, does not directly forecast future metrics in this specific context. Thus, average handle time stands out as the right choice for a leading indicator in a support center environment.