Call centers are well aware of the importance of answer rates: a critical metric that tracks the percentage of customers who answer your calls. But there are other important metrics as well that can help you gauge the effectiveness of your call center. In our previous blog post Beyond Answer Rates: Call Duration, we saw how the length of a call can indicate call effectiveness. Today, we’re examining the metrics First Call Resolution and First Call Close.
What is First Call Resolution and First Call Close?
First Call Resolution (FCR) measures how often an issue is resolved on the first contact, whether it be an inbound call or outbound call.
In sales, the related metric is First Call Close (FCC). First Call Close measures how often agents are able to close a deal during the first conversation with a client. You can imagine how efficient a salesperson could be (and how profitable their company would be) if a high percentage of sales were closed on the first contact with the customer.
How to Calculate First Call Resolution and First Call Close
First Call Resolution and First Call Close is calculated by dividing the total number of calls resolved (or sales closed) on the first attempt by the number of calls placed.
Alternatively, some contact centers divide the total number of calls resolved/closed on the first attempt by the number of first calls only, so you’ll need to work with your team to find the best approach.
How to improve First Call Resolution and First Call Close
Resolving an issue or making a sale on first contact provides a huge boost to productivity. However, if you have to call your customer multiple times on multiple days before they pick up the phone, then all that productivity gain goes down the drain.
If you’re finding that your call center has to make repeated attempts to reach customers, it could be because customers don't know who is calling. Hiya’s 2022 State of the Call Report revealed that 79% of unidentified calls go unanswered. To solve that problem, your call center may want to consider adding branded caller ID. When customers receive a call from a company using branded caller ID, they will see on their mobile phones the company’s name, phone number, logo, and the reason for the call. Enterprises that have added branded caller ID have seen significant increases in their pick-up rates. See examples from real-life Hiya customers.
To learn more
For more information on call center metrics and how branded caller ID can improve those metrics, check out the following resources:
eBook: The Most Valuable Contact Center Metrics to Optimize
Blog post: Beyond Answer Rates: Call Duration
Website: Hiya Connect
