How To Improve First Call Resolution Rate To At Least 75%?

Ever called a customer service line and hung up the phone with a feeling of annoyance? 

We all know how frustrating it can be to call customer service and fail to get a resolution on the first call. Long wait times, transferring from one agent to another, and explaining the issue repeatedly can leave customers feeling frustrated and dissatisfied with your company. 

That's where the first call resolution rate comes in the picture.

A report by the Ascent Group reveals that measuring the First Call Resolution for 1 year helps companies improve overall performance levels by up to 30%.

In this blog post, we'll discuss different ways to improve the FCR rate with the help of AI.

Understanding First Call Resolution

First call resolution (FCR) in a call center is a metric used to measure the percentage of customer issues resolved on the first call. It is a crucial metric for contact centers as it directly impacts customer satisfaction and loyalty. 

When a call center resolves customers’ issues quickly and efficiently, those customers are likely to remain loyal to the business and even recommend your services to others.

What is first call resolution rate and how do you calculate it?

To calculate your first call resolution, you must divide the total number of issues resolved on the first call by the total number of customer calls received. 

For example, if you receive 100 calls and resolve 75 issues on the first call, your FCR would be 75%. It's important to track this metric regularly to monitor performance and identify areas for improvement.

Improve FCR rates

Why Is First Call Resolution(FCR) Important?

As an important metric for achieving good customer service in call centers, it is crucial for you to understand the benefits of first call resolution.

First call resolution is important for several reasons:

1. Improves Customer Satisfaction

Customers want their issues resolved as quickly and efficiently as possible. When a customer's issue is dealt with on the first call, they are more likely to be satisfied with the service they received, leading to higher customer satisfaction.

2. Increases Efficiency

When a customer's issue is tackled on the first call, it reduces the need for additional calls or follow-ups. This saves time for the customer and the call center agents, allowing them to focus on other tasks, improving overall efficiency, and boosting agent performance.

3. Reduces Costs

Handling multiple calls for the same issue can be expensive for a company, especially if the customer needs to be transferred to different agents or departments. Resolving issues on the first call can help reduce multiple calls and transfer costs.

4. Enhances Brand Image

Providing great customer service, including resolving issues on the first call, can enhance a company's brand image and reputation. Customers are more likely to recommend companies that maintain a good reputation.

Coming to the most vital section of this blog, we will cover why first call resolution is so important and how we can reduce it using artificial intelligence. Let's get started!

Improve FCR rates

Why Does FCR Rate Matter to Customer Service Teams?

In the world of customer service, the FCR rate holds immense significance. It measures the ability of teams to resolve customer issues promptly. 

This section highlights the importance of the FCR rate to customer service team members, which can be attained easily using customer service software.

FCR (First Call Resolution) rate is a crucial metric for customer service teams for several reasons:

1. Customer Satisfaction

First call resolution directly impacts customer satisfaction. When a customer's issue is resolved on the first call without needing follow-up interactions, it significantly enhances their experience. 

Customers appreciate the efficient and effective resolution of their problems, leading to higher satisfaction levels and a positive perception of the company or brand.

2. Time and Cost Efficiency

First call resolution help optimize time and resources for the customer and the customer service team. Resolving an issue on the first call saves the customer's time, as they don't have to make multiple calls or engage in lengthy back-and-forth communication. 

Similarly, it reduces the workload on the customer service team, allowing them to handle more inquiries and focus on other tasks. This efficiency contributes to cost savings for the company.

3. Reduced Customer Effort

First call resolution reduces the effort customers require to resolve their problems. When customers have to contact customer service repeatedly for the same issue, it leads to frustration and increased effort on their part. 

By achieving a high first call resolution, customer service agents minimize customer effort, making it easier and more convenient for customers to get their issues settled.

4. Customer Loyalty and Retention

A high first call resolution positively impact customer loyalty and retention. When customers consistently experience quick and satisfactory resolutions to their problems, they develop trust and confidence in the company's ability to address their needs. 

This increases customer loyalty and reduces the likelihood of customers switching to competitors.

5. Brand Reputation

First call resolution plays a significant role in shaping a company's brand reputation. When customers receive efficient and effective support, they are more likely to share positive experiences with others, leading to positive word-of-mouth marketing. 

Conversely, a poor FCR rate can result in negative customer feedback and reviews, tarnishing the brand's reputation and potentially deterring potential customers.

Eliminate negative customer feedback and reviews.

Reducing First Call Resolution With AI

A conversation intelligence software listens and records all agent-customer conversations and then analyzes them to deliver insightful data. This data contains everything to get remarkable call center management strategies.

With its insights, you can - 

• Boost agent performance
• Increase customer satisfaction
• Streamline processes
• Integrate with your tech stack for seamless visibility
• Cover conversations for your omnichannel call center

Here’s a glance at various features of Convin that will help you reduce your first call resolution.

1. Reduced Ramp-Up Time

Remember the formula to find the first call resolution in your contact center?

Clearly, it is determined by the ability, knowledge, and resources available to the agents to get optimized results. This is where call center coaching comes in!

Automated call center coaching has the ability to let managers and supervisors train their agents directly or get them trained via peer-to-peer coaching. 

Agents can stay motivated with the leadership board while you can monitor their progress concerning the deadlines. Overall, this continuous process of shorter wait times and effort while achieving the best results reduces ramp-up time by up to 60%.

2. Learning Management System (Library)

The learning management system is a storehouse of information one uses to skill and upskill agents. The library is your go-to place for any material, resources, or small updates in your business. 

For e.g., you can store product updates, product roadmaps, new product training materials, etc. 

In short, the library is accessible to you and your agents to share and align any information. 

Additionally, you have the ability to generate personalized assessments for agents, allowing you to evaluate their progress using the assessment feature.

3. Automated Call Center Quality Assurance

Automated quality assurance enables you to store all the recorded and transcribed conversations. 

Auto QA automatically audits conversations in an organized manner–saving time and effort. 

Overall, auto QA streamlines monitoring, ensures consistency, identifies trends, and enhances agent performance in contact centers.

4. Analytics Dashboard

The analytics dashboard in call center software is a consolidated view of the overall contact center performance. 

The analytics dashboard is a consolidated destination for various business-driven insights like competitor analysis, negative sentiment analysis, win-behavior analysis, customer complaint reports, etc. 

You can also keep track of any occurrence of call center compliance violations along with training, monitoring, and identifying areas of improvement for the agents.

Focus on FCR Rate Improvement

Achieving a high first call resolution rate and other call center metrics is essential for any business that wants to provide excellent customer service and build a loyal customer base. 

With Convin's Auto QA, you can streamline operations, provide intuitive feedback to agents, and automate call center quality assurance while achieving at least a 75% first call resolution rate. 

By partnering with Convin, you can exceed what the customers expect, improve customer satisfaction and loyalty, and set your business apart from competitors. Finally, with a reduced first call resolution, your customers will do nothing but smile while hanging up the call! 

Start Your Journey To Improve Call Center Performance Today!

Frequently Answered Questions

1. What is a good first call resolution rate?

A good first call resolution rate for a contact center typically falls within the range of 70% to 90%. 

This means that 70% to 90% of customer issues or inquiries are resolved during the first interaction with the agent without needing subsequent contacts. 

However, the optimal first contact resolution rate can vary depending on the industry, the complexity of customer issues, and the specific goals and benchmarks each organization sets.

It is important for contact centers to continually monitor and strive to improve their first call resolution rate to enhance customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

2. What does first call resolution mean in KPI?

First call resolution (FCR) is a key performance indicator (KPI) used in contact centers to measure the percentage of customer issues or inquiries that are successfully resolved during the initial contact with an agent, without requiring the customer to make any further follow-up calls. 

It signifies the effectiveness and efficiency of the contact center in addressing customer needs and resolving their concerns in a single interaction. 

A higher first contact resolution indicates that the contact center delivers satisfactory and timely solutions to customers, reducing the need for additional contacts and improving overall customer satisfaction.

3. Why is first contact resolution low?

There can be several reasons why first call resolution (FCR) is low in a contact center. Some common factors contributing to low first call resolution include:

1. Inadequate training

Insufficient training provided to agents may result in a lack of knowledge or skills to effectively resolve customer issues during the initial contact. This adversely affects the call resolution rate. 

2. Limited access to information

Agents may not have access to comprehensive customer data or relevant resources, making it challenging to address complex or unique customer service inquiries on the first call.

3. Complex or technical issues

Some customer issues may be inherently complex or require specialized knowledge. This affects the call resolution directly by a higher likelihood of escalation or needing multiple contacts to resolve the problem.

4. Inefficient processes or systems

Inefficient workflows, outdated systems, or fragmented processes can hinder agents' ability to quickly and effectively resolve customer issues during the initial interaction.

5. Incomplete or inaccurate customer information

If customer data is incomplete or outdated, agents may struggle to understand the customer's situation fully. This results in a lower likelihood of resolving the issue on the first call and ends up in a chain of repeat calls. 

6. Lack of empowerment or authority

In a customer interaction, agents may not have the authority or empowerment to make decisions or take necessary actions to resolve complex issues independently, leading to the need for escalation or additional contacts.

7. Communication barriers

Language barriers, poor call quality, or ineffective customer interactions can impede call resolution on the first call.

8. Lack of clear processes or guidelines

Inconsistent or unclear guidelines for issue resolution may cause agents to take longer or miss opportunities to resolve issues during the initial interaction.