Why is First Call Resolution important?

FCR is one of the key metrics for inbound call centers to measure customer service effectiveness, agent performance, and a call center’s overall operational efficiency. High First Call Resolution rates are usually associated with higher customer satisfaction and improved customer experience. A high FCR rate also helps optimize support costs by reducing the number of repeat calls, escalations, and follow-ups.

What is the difference between First Contact Resolution and First Call Resolution?

First Contact Resolution rate and First Call Resolution rate are both customer service metrics, often used interchangeably. The only difference is that First Contact Resolution measures the percentage of customer inquiries resolved on the first attempt regardless of the support channel (phone, email, website chat, social media, etc.), while First Call Resolution is specifically related to phone interactions or IVR touchpoints.

What affects the First Contact Resolution FCR rate?

Numerous factors can affect First Contact Resolution rates. That includes the overall complexity of your products or services, your daily call volume and agent staffing levels, the quality of agent training and internal knowledge base resources, call routing options set in your call center software, and the quality and availability of customer self-service tools.

What is a good First Call Resolution rate?

A good benchmark for the FCR rate may vary based on the industry, the complexity of the products or services a company provides, and the call type. In general, the industry standard for a good FCR rate ranges between 70% and 79%. If an FCR rate within a contact center is below 70%, it might indicate that certain improvements are needed, otherwise, it can negatively impact customer satisfaction levels.