What is “Aux Time” in Philippine Call Centers?

In the fast-paced, high-stakes world of Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), efficiency is the currency of success. For the Philippines, a nation globally recognized as the premier destination for contact center services, mastering operational metrics is not just a goal—it is the bedrock of its industry leadership. Among the myriad of key performance indicators (KPIs) that managers track, one of the most critical, yet frequently misunderstood, is Auxiliary (AUX) Time. While it may sound like industry jargon, understanding and optimizing aux time is fundamental to the productivity, profitability, and overall health of any modern call center.

The Philippine Contact Center Landscape: A Global Powerhouse

To fully appreciate the significance of a metric like aux time, one must first understand the scale and sophistication of the environment in which it operates. The Philippine BPO industry, particularly its contact center segment, is a global juggernaut. As of 2025, the industry employs over 1.8 million professionals and contributes an estimated $30 billion to the national economy, holding more than 16% of the global outsourcing market share. 

This phenomenal growth is not accidental; it is built on a foundation of a highly skilled, English-proficient workforce, strong cultural affinity with Western markets, and a robust infrastructure dedicated to supporting 24/7 operations for global clients.

Companies worldwide choose the Philippines not just for cost arbitrage but for the high-quality customer experience (CX) its workforce delivers. In this competitive landscape, every second counts. The effective management of a large-scale workforce requires a granular understanding of agent activities, and this is precisely where metrics like aux time become indispensable for any serious operation.

Defining Auxiliary (AUX) Time: Beyond the Basics

At its core, Auxiliary (AUX) Time is a status within a contact center Automatic Call Distributor (ACD) system that signifies an agent is logged in but is not available to receive inbound customer interactions. When an agent places themselves in an “AUX” state, the system bypasses them in the call routing queue. This is a deliberate action taken by the agent, who then typically selects a specific AUX Code to denote the reason for their unavailability.

It is crucial to distinguish aux time from other agent states:

Talk Time: The time an agent spends actively engaged with a customer on a call.

• •Hold Time: The time a customer spends on hold during an active call.
• After-Call Work (ACW): The time an agent spends completing tasks related to a call after the customer has disconnected. While often tracked via an AUX code, ACW is a specific type of productive work.
• Idle Time: The time an agent is available and waiting for a call to arrive.

Aux time, therefore, encompasses all scheduled and unscheduled activities, both productive and unproductive, that prevent an agent from being available to handle customer interactions. Effective management requires a deep understanding of what these activities are and how much time is being allocated to them.

Deconstructing Aux Time: The Three Core Categories

Not all aux time is created equal. To manage it effectively, leaders must categorize it to understand its impact on operations. Generally, aux time can be segmented into three distinct categories, each with its own set of associated activities and management considerations.

Category	Description	Common AUX Code Examples
Paid, Productive Time	Time spent on work-related tasks that are not directly customer-facing but are essential for operations.	ACW, Email, Outbound Calling, Project Work
Paid, Unproductive Time	Time spent on necessary, scheduled activities that do not involve direct productive output.	Training, Coaching, Team Meeting, System Downtime
Unpaid/Break Time	Scheduled time away from the desk for personal breaks, as mandated by labor laws and company policy.	Lunch, Break, Personal

1. Paid, Productive Time

This category includes essential tasks that support the primary function of the call center. While the agent is unavailable for new calls, they are still performing valuable work. Common examples include:

• After-Call Work (ACW): Documenting call details, updating customer records in the CRM, and sending follow-up email.
• Email/Chat Correspondence: Responding to customer inquiries that arrive through non-voice channels.
• Outbound Calling: Making follow-up calls to customers to resolve complex issues.

•Project Work: Participating in special projects or initiatives assigned by management.

This type of aux time is a necessary part of the workflow in a well-run operation. The goal is not to eliminate it, but to optimize it by ensuring agents are efficient in these tasks.

2. Paid, Unproductive Time

This category represents investments in the agent and the operation. While not directly productive in the moment, these activities are crucial for long-term success, quality, and agent development. Examples include:

• Training: Attending sessions on new products, services, or systems.
• Coaching: One-on-one sessions with a team leader to review performance and develop skills.
• Team Meetings: Huddles to discuss daily goals, challenges, and announcements.
• System Downtime: Periods when technical issues prevent agents from working.

Effective management involves scheduling these activities strategically to minimize disruption to service levels, particularly during peak call volume hours.

3. Unpaid/Break Time

This category includes scheduled breaks that are essential for agent well-being and are mandated by Philippine labor law. This typically includes a lunch break and shorter rest breaks throughout the day. While agents are in this state, they are not paid, but tracking it is vital for calculating adherence to schedule and overall workforce management. Some contact centers prefer agents to log out of the system entirely for unpaid breaks, while others use a specific AUX code for tracking purposes.

The Strategic Importance of Managing Aux Time in a Contact Center

Properly managing aux time is not about micromanaging agents or forcing them to be available every second of their shift. Instead, it is a strategic discipline that directly impacts the core pillars of a successful contact center operation.

Impact on Workforce Management (WFM) and Staffing

Workforce management teams in a call center rely on historical data to build forecasts and schedules. Aux time is a critical input in this process. By accurately forecasting the percentage of time agents will be in aux states, WFM can determine the precise number of staff required to meet service level targets. Unmanaged or unpredictable aux time can lead to understaffing (resulting in long wait times for customers) or overstaffing (resulting in excessive labor costs).

Ensuring Service Level Agreement (SLA) Compliance

Clients of Philippine BPOs have strict SLAs that must be met, such as answering 80% of calls within 20 seconds. Excessive or poorly managed aux time directly threatens the ability to meet these targets. When too many agents are in an aux state simultaneously, the number of available agents to handle incoming calls decreases, leading to longer queue times and a higher call abandonment rate. This can result in financial penalties and damage the client relationship.

Driving Financial Performance and ROI

In a contact center, labor is the single largest operational expense. Aux time represents a significant portion of this cost. By analyzing aux time data, managers can identify inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement. For example, if agents are spending an excessive amount of time in After-Call Work, it may indicate a need for process simplification or better systems integration. Reducing unproductive aux time by even a small percentage can translate into substantial cost savings across a large-scale BPO operation without compromising quality.

A Real-World Case Study: Optimizing Aux Time in a Manila BPO

To illustrate the tangible impact of effective aux time management, consider this real-world case study from a leading third-party contact center in Manila.

The Challenge: A 200-seat technical support program for a US-based software company was consistently failing to meet its Service Level Agreement of 85/30 (85% of calls answered in 30 seconds). The operation suffered from high agent burnout, and the client was threatening to pull the business. An initial analysis revealed that agent utilization was below 70%, a figure well under the industry benchmark of 75-90%. A deep dive into their ACD data showed that unscheduled “Personal” aux time was abnormally high, particularly during peak hours.

The Strategy: The call center management team, led by a seasoned operations director, implemented a multi-pronged strategy:

1.Data Analysis and Root Cause Identification: They analyzed aux time patterns for each team and individual agent. They discovered that agents were using the “Personal” AUX code to avoid difficult calls or to recover after a stressful interaction.

2.Process Refinement and Coaching: The management team introduced a new AUX code called “Follow-Up,” to be used for a maximum of 90 seconds after a complex call to allow agents to update documentation and compose themselves. They also retrained team leaders on how to conduct supportive, real-time coaching sessions focused on stress management and de-escalation techniques.

3.Proactive Workforce Management: The WFM team adjusted break schedules to better align with call arrival patterns, ensuring more agents were available during the busiest periods. They also implemented a new policy requiring team leader approval for any unscheduled aux time exceeding five minutes.

The Results: Within three months of implementing these changes, the contact center saw a dramatic improvement in its key metrics:

• Service Level: Improved from below 70/30 to a consistent 88/30, exceeding the client’s target.
• Agent Utilization: Increased from 68% to 82%.
• Unscheduled Aux Time: Reduced by 45%
• Agent Attrition: Decreased by 15% over the following six months due to improved support and reduced burnout.

This case study demonstrates that managing aux time is not about punishment but about understanding the underlying causes of agent behavior and implementing supportive, data-driven solutions. This is the level of operational excellence that distinguishes a world-class Philippine vendor

Best Practices for Aux Time Management

Achieving the results seen in the case study requires a disciplined and consistent approach. The following best practices are essential for any Philippine operation looking to master aux time management.

1. Standardize and Limit AUX Codes

Clarity is key. A common mistake is to create too many AUX codes, which leads to confusion and inaccurate data. Most industry experts recommend limiting the number of codes to a manageable number, typically between 5 and 8. The codes should be intuitive and clearly defined in the operational handbook. For example, instead of having separate codes for “Toilet,” “Water Break,” and “Stretch,” a single “Personal” code is more respectful and efficient.

2. Set Clear and Realistic Targets

Management must establish clear benchmarks for different types of aux time. For example, a target for ACW might be set at 60 seconds per call, while team meetings may be scheduled for 15 minutes at the start of each shift. These targets should be based on historical data and industry benchmarks, and they must be communicated clearly to all agents. It is also important to build a certain amount of aux time into the overall schedule to account for necessary activities like coaching and training.

3. Monitor in Real-Time and Coach Proactively

Modern call center platforms provide real-time dashboards that allow team leaders to monitor agent states. Leaders should use these tools to identify anomalies, such as an agent spending excessive time in a particular aux state. When an issue is identified, the approach should be supportive, not punitive. A team leader should engage the agent to understand the reason for the extended aux time and provide coaching or assistance as needed. This proactive approach helps prevent small issues from becoming major problems.

4. Prevent Aux Abuse Through Positive Reinforcement

In some cases, agents may misuse aux time to avoid calls, a practice known as “aux jumping” or “aux toggling”. The best way to combat this is not through fear, but by creating a positive and supportive work environment. When agents feel overwhelmed, they should be encouraged to seek help from their team leader rather than hiding in an aux state. Recognizing and rewarding agents for their hard work and adherence to schedule is far more effective than punishing them for minor infractions.

In the highly competitive and dynamic Philippine contact center industry, operational excellence is not a luxury—it is a necessity. Auxiliary time is a powerful metric that, when properly understood and managed, provides deep insights into the efficiency, productivity, and well-being of a contact cente most valuable asset: its people. By moving beyond a superficial understanding of aux time and embracing a strategic, data-driven approach, BPO leaders can unlock significant improvements in performance, reduce costs, and enhance both client satisfaction and agent morale.

The journey to mastering aux time is one of continuous improvement. It requires a commitment to clear standards, proactive coaching, and a culture of support and accountability. For the call centers in the Philippines that get it right, the rewards are substantial, solidifying their position as global leaders in the delivery of exceptional customer experience.