First Contact Resolution (FCR) is the rate at which you solve customer problems on the first try. This metric measure the efficiency and quality of your customer experience. It can also predict the customer satisfaction rating (CSAT), as customers are more likely to be satisfied if they only have to contact you once to solve their problem.

You can attain and maintain a high FCR rating by:

• Hiring the right people to interact with customers via a call center and properly training them to respond to a wide range of inquiries
• Using the right technology to run digital communication channels and improve call center efficiency
• Programming digital channels to provide fast but friendly responses to as many customer inquiries as possible

Not every problem can be resolved on the first try. How your business reacts to complex problems is just as important as keeping your FCR rate as high as possible. When it becomes clear that the customer will need to call back later or continue the interaction through another channel, do you:

• Express sympathy for the customer’s situation and promise to work quickly to resolve their problem as soon as possible?
• Offer to make it up to the customer with partial refund or a discount on future services?
• Stay in contact with the customer and provide regular updates about what you are doing to resolve the issue?

OutPLEX has over two decades of experience with providing efficient support to clients and their customers in all industries. We can improve your First Contact Resolution rate—and soothe irate customers whose problems cannot be solved on the first try—by:

• Monitoring current interactions to determine what your current rate is and whether or not it is satisfactory to you
• Working with you to brainstorm ways of improving your FCR rate
• Implementing solutions such as providing additional training for call center agents or reprogramming digital channels
• Regularly checking to see if the implemented solutions are working and, if not, what can be done to improve their efficacy

FCR rates can fluctuate, especially when a business introduces a new product or experiments with new communication technology. It is important to monitor these changes and to deploy solutions as necessary.

OutPLEX can help you improve your First Contact Resolution rating. Call 1.866.531.5773 or visit outplex.com/contact/ to learn more.