3CLogic's Contact Center Blog

First Call Resolution has been the subject of many recent studies, which show that a high FCR rate is vital to the success of your contact center. In fact according to ICMI, 12% of cus­tomers leave if it takes 2 or more calls to resolve their issue. But while the concept of FCR may seem simple, “properly resolve customer issues on the first call,” putting this into practice and measuring this “metric” is a lot more complicated than simply focusing on a percentage. Here are a few tips to boost FCR, and to ensure the FCR percentage you are recording is an accurate reflection of your call center.

It has been well demonstrated that Customer Service can affect a business just as much as catchy advertising slogans or the newest innovative product. Take the new Apple watch. It has been advertised as the next big thing to the point where it’s impossible not to be aware of it. But as with any new form of innovative technology, people are bound to have general questions, troubleshooting needs, and bug issues. This is where a strong and robust customer service platform comes into play.

Eight out of ten consumers rate speed of service as the number one factor to a great service experience. But still, customer service representatives fail to answer their questions 50% of the time, causing first call resolution (FCR) rates to be extremely low. What is going wrong?

• Mismatch of agent skills with customer needs: 26% of customers report being routed from one agent to another without any resolution of their problem or inquiry

• Inability to quickly access customers’ account information: 60% of low first call resolution rates are due to an agent’s inability to quickly access customer information

• Inefficient processes and inadequate training: 60% of repeat calls are process or training driven

As consumer demands and expectations continue to rapidly evolve, many businesses have turned to advanced software-as-a-service solutions (CRM, Ticketing, WFM, WFO, Telephony) to assist in the daily management of their client relationships and potential prospects. But while individually beneficial as stand alone solutions, many enterprise businesses are still finding it difficult to satisfy the expectations of their respective consumers. Why? Because SaaS solutions are not the answer –integrated solutions are.

Consider the Following: 

• 70% of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated.
• Roughly 9 out of 10 U.S. consumers say they would pay more to ensure a superior customer experience.
• 80% of companies want to use the customer service/experience as a way to differentiate themselves from their competition.
• On average, loyal customers are worth up to 10 times as much as their first purchase. 

Today, it’s not just about servicing your customers—it’s about offering a memorable experience and creating a long lasting relationship. But while 80% of companies believe they deliver “superior” customer service, only 8% of customers agree. And when you consider 86% of consumers will quit doing business with a company following a single bad customer experience, the challenge facing contact centers quickly becomes clear.