By Dick Bucci, The PELORUS Group; sponsored by Altitude Software
Much has been written and said about first contact resolution (FCR) in recent years. The importance of FCR to cost savings and customer satisfaction is well documented. But despite the intense focus, a study by ICMI indicated that only about half of contact centers currently track FCR for telephone contacts and far fewer track FCR for other channels. Unlike more established metrics, there is no uniform definition. Nor is there a broadly accepted means for collecting and tracking the data. In this white paper we tackle head-on the definitional challenges and dissect the various methods of data collection. The paper outlines thirteen specific actions contact center management can take to increase FCR rates. Fortunately, new software applications such as those produced by Altitude Software can materially simplify the process of improving FCR rates and help get to the root causes of callbacks.