First Con­tact Res­o­lu­tion (FCR) is at the top of the list for many orga­ni­za­tions when it comes to the met­rics they’re track­ing. Also referred to as first-call res­o­lu­tion in con­tact cen­ters where the pri­mary mode of con­tact is by phone, FCR helps orga­ni­za­tions track the effi­ciency with which their rep­re­sen­ta­tives are able to resolve cus­tomer issues. It’s no great sur­prise that cus­tomers who call with any kind of ques­tion — billing, account sta­tus, prod­uct infor­ma­tion, tech­ni­cal assis­tance, etc. — want their ques­tions answered as quickly as pos­si­ble. Com­pa­nies share this goal, as faster res­o­lu­tion equates to lower sup­port costs. For basic issues, this may be accom­plished on the customer’s first inbound call; for more tech­ni­cal or com­plex issues, mul­ti­ple con­tacts are often inevitable. Some issues require research and can­not be resolved on the spot. In either case, ongo­ing com­mu­ni­ca­tion with the cus­tomer while the prob­lem is being resolved is the crit­i­cal factor.

1. First Contact
Resolution Rate
F
Contact Resolution (FCR) is at the top of the list for many
irst To provide FCR in situations where
organizations when it comes to the metrics they’re tracking. such resolution is possible, keep the
Also referred to as first call resolution in contact centers following tips in mind:
where the primary mode of contact is by phone, FCR helps
organizations track the efficiency with which their representatives Provide training in both techni-

are able to resolve customer issues. cal skills and communication
skills to ensure agents have the
It’s no great surprise that customers who call with any kind of tools they need to handle as
question—billing, account status, product information, technical many customer issues by them-
assistance, etc. —want their questions answered as quickly as selves as possible.
possible. Companies share this goal, as faster resolution equates
Empower agents with the

to lower support costs. For basic issues, this may be accomplished
expectation that they can
on the customer’s first inbound call; for more technical or complex
resolve many or most issues
issues, multiple contacts are often inevitable. Some issues require
themselves.
research and cannot be resolved on the spot. In either case, ongoing
communication with the customer while the problem is being Emphasize the importance of

resolved is the critical factor. FCR: make sure all customer-
facing agents understand
To effectively measure FCR, organizations need to track the number the business implications on
of customer contacts per issue regardless of the communication customer satisfaction and cost
channel. This can be a difficult task! A January, 2008 study by ICMI that derive from FCR.
showed that:
 ust over 50 percent of the almost 300 contact center
J
professionals surveyed measured FCR for live agent calls.
 percent said they tracked FCR for e-mail.
25
Less than 4 percent measured FCR for issues processed via chat.

As with other contact center metrics, one of the main advantages of For more information contact:
tracking FCR is to help measure the effectiveness of new initiatives. Impact Learning Systems International
By measuring FCR prior to implementing a new procedure or % 800.545.9003
initiative, a baseline can be established. This baseline can then be % 805.781.3283
compared to subsequent measurements taken after the procedural info@impactlearning.com
www.impactlearning.com
change, training, or coaching. If an improvement in FCR is observed,
progress can be tracked; if not, the training or procedural change
may need to be revisited.