If you’re running a support or sales team, you know the flood of calls can get messy fast. Just staring at a pile of numbers doesn’t help anyone get better—or make your life easier. This guide is for managers, operations folks, and anyone who wants to turn all that call data into something useful. We’ll walk through building custom call reports in Freshcaller, figuring out what’s actually worth tracking, and using those insights to make your team sharper—not just busier.
Step 1: Know What You Actually Want to Measure
Before you click anything in Freshcaller, stop. Ask yourself: what are you trying to fix or improve? Don’t build reports just because you can.
A few questions to help you focus: - Are customers waiting too long? - Are calls getting routed to the wrong people? - Is one rep secretly carrying the team? - Do you need ammo to ask for more headcount?
Popular metrics that are actually useful: - Average call duration - Wait/hold times - First-call resolution rate - Missed/abandoned calls - Calls per agent - Call outcome or disposition
Ignore these (unless you have a very specific reason): - “Total talk time” if you don’t care about quality - Overly granular “mood” or sentiment analysis—AI isn’t magic
Pro tip: Pick two or three metrics to start. More data just means more noise.
Step 2: Get Your Freshcaller Data Ready
Custom reports are only as good as your setup. You need to make sure your agents, teams, and call flows in Freshcaller are labeled and organized. Otherwise, your reports will be a mess.
Quick checklist: - Agents have real names, not “User123” - Teams/groups are set up to match how you actually work (Sales, Support, Billing, etc.) - Call tags and dispositions are being used consistently - Time zones are set correctly (trust me, this trips people up)
If you find a mess, fix it now. Reports built on garbage data will just waste your time.
Step 3: Building a Custom Call Report in Freshcaller
Let’s get into the weeds. Here’s how you actually build a custom report:
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Go to the Reports section
Log in, click ‘Analytics & Reports’ on the left sidebar. This is where you’ll find built-in and custom options. -
Choose ‘Custom Reports’
You’ll see options for default dashboards, but ignore those if you want something tailored. -
Click ‘Create Report’ or ‘New Report’
The name might change depending on your Freshcaller version, but it’s usually obvious. -
Pick your data sources
You can select things like Call Logs, Agent Performance, or Queue Stats. Start with Call Logs for most use cases. -
Set your filters
This is where you make the magic happen: - Date range (last week, this month, custom)
- Teams or individual agents
- Call direction (inbound, outbound)
- Call status (answered, missed, abandoned)
- Tags or dispositions
Don’t go overboard: Too many filters = no data.
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Choose your metrics/columns
Click and add the numbers you actually care about (see Step 1). Usually, you can customize columns to show things like “Wait Time,” “Call Duration,” “Resolution Status,” etc. -
Decide on your visualization
Tables are fine for most managers. Use charts only if it helps you spot trends—don’t get sucked into pretty graphs for the sake of it. -
Save and name your report
Use a name that’s obvious, like “Weekly Support Wait Times.” Future-you will appreciate it. -
Schedule or export (optional)
Most versions of Freshcaller let you schedule regular email exports. This is handy if you want to automate sharing with your team or your boss.
Pro tip: Run your report for a short time frame first (like yesterday) to check if the results make sense. If they don’t, tweak your filters.
Step 4: Interpreting and Acting on Your Reports
A report is only as good as what you do with it. Here’s how to avoid “analysis paralysis” and actually use your findings.
Spot the Outliers
- Is one agent taking way more or fewer calls? Dig in—maybe they’re overloaded, or maybe they’re slacking.
- Did average wait time spike on Tuesdays? Maybe you’re understaffed certain days.
Look for Trends, Not Just Blips
Don’t panic over one bad day. Look for week-over-week or month-over-month patterns. If you see steady improvement (or decline), that’s what matters.
Share with Your Team—But Don’t Weaponize Data
Use reports for coaching, not punishment. Share wins and call out areas for improvement in private, not just blasting the team with numbers.
Take Action
- If calls are piling up at a certain time, adjust schedules.
- If missed calls are high, check if your IVR is confusing or if agents are stepping away too much.
- If first-call resolution is low, maybe your training or resources need a tweak.
Honest take: Most call centers get stuck making reports for the sake of reports. If you’re not doing something different because of the data, you’re just wasting time.
Step 5: Common Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
Mistake #1: Measuring Everything - Don’t try to track 50 metrics. Pick the few that match your goals.
Mistake #2: Bad Data In, Bad Data Out - If agents aren’t tagging calls or dispositions right, your reports are useless. Make it easy and remind folks why this matters.
Mistake #3: Ignoring Context - If there was a system outage, a holiday, or a promo, numbers will be weird. Always ask “why” before you act on any blip.
Mistake #4: Overcomplicating Reports - Fancy dashboards impress no one if you can’t explain them. Stick to what you’ll actually use.
Step 6: Iterating and Improving Your Reporting Process
You’re not going to get this perfect the first time. That’s fine.
- Review your reports every month. What’s helping? What’s just noise?
- Ask your team for feedback—sometimes the people on the phones have the best ideas.
- Don’t be afraid to kill a report that isn’t helping.
Pro tip: If you’re spending more time building reports than acting on them, you’re missing the point.
Quick FAQ
Can I build reports that combine call data with CRM or ticketing info?
Not natively in Freshcaller. You’ll need to export the data and join it elsewhere (Excel, Google Sheets, or a BI tool). There are some integrations, but they’re not always smooth.
How far back can I report?
Depends on your Freshcaller plan—some limit historical data. Check before you promise your boss a year-over-year report.
Do agents see the same reports as admins?
Not by default. You control visibility—be mindful of privacy and morale.
Wrapping Up
Custom call reports in Freshcaller are powerful, but only if you keep things simple. Start with the basics, make sure your data is clean, and focus on the stuff that actually helps your team improve. Don’t get distracted by shiny dashboards or every possible metric. Build, test, tweak, repeat.
And remember: a report should make your next step obvious—otherwise, it’s just a pretty spreadsheet.