5 Ways to Optimize First Call Resolution KPIs

Posted by Aarti Mehta on September 23rd, 2016

Of all the metrics measured in contact centers to improve customer service, FCR (or first call resolution) remains a frontrunner. Also known as “first contact resolution” in today’s omnichannel world, the principle of resolving end-user issues quickly & thoroughly defines a great customer experience. This approach helps cut down on support costs and increase an efficiency of customer service.

However, it can be a struggle to achieve FCR without compromising the quality of a customer service interaction. In reality, many factors affect FCR, ranging from the size & management of a contact center to support technologies used. Here are seven ways to optimize first call resolution KPIs while delivering a great customer service every time.

1.Put a clear process in place: When a customer makes contact with the support team, the team of agents should know exactly which responsibilities they bear in the flow of the interaction. Assigning agents to specialized roles and making customer information available at various stages of the support process are critical to increasing FCR by reducing re-routes.

First call resolution targets can be achieved by viewing all the operations of a contact center as a whole and strategically improving the resources used to deliver services. Thorough agent training, regular customer feedback analysis and use of the right tools like knowledge management software ensures optimized FCR KPIs.

2.Use scripts and surveys in the right way:An important aspect of a call center structure is the use of scripts & surveys, that helps enhance customer service language and gain post-contact feedback from customers. Empowering agents with call scripts to follow is a wise approach to maintaining consistency and thoroughness in customer service delivery. And, post-contact customer service surveys are critical to understanding the needs of customers and know what agents need to focus on. Both these factors combined together ensure the better quality of service and improved first call resolution rate.

3.Switch channels when necessary: Embracing the omnichannel approach by switching channels for a better service is crucial to FCR. If a customer service interaction is taking too much time on a certain channel, staying on the same might prevent first call resolution.

For example, if too many messages are being exchanged with the customer, via email or chat, it could be a complex problem. Here, the interacting agent should proactively switch to another channel such as voice, to ensure quick and better resolution to the problem.

4.Identify & address common customer concerns:For every customer service provider, there are certain queries/issues that customers face commonly. Customer experience managers should identify those areas using tools such as speech analytics and others to track and analyze inquiries. The analyzed data can be used to create and deploy centralized knowledge management software and self-help options for common queries.

This data, along with customer feedback, can also be shared across departments to help employees learn about their weak points & improve accordingly. Such a strategy saves employees’ and customers’ time, building agent confidence and improving FCR, with a better customer experience. Moreover, support agents are better prepared to resolve issues quickly.

5.Route support calls to appropriate agents: Using intelligent call routing and IVR menu options, contact centers should route calls to agents with the appropriate skills to handle the type of query. However, regular monitoring and training can help managers identify weak spots among the team and work with them to improve a quality of customer service.

Some support calls related to complex queries might need agents to spend more time with the customer. But, one long customer service interaction that achieves FCR equates to lesser average handling time on an overall basis, as compared to that with multiple contacts from a frustrated customer.

Thus, first call resolution rate can be improved by empowering agents with the right script and tools like knowledge management software, and following the other tips as discussed above.