First Call Resolution Tracking

[ganitjam]

Our company is interested in beginning to track first call resolution. I would like to get input from anyone who has set up this type of tracking and would welcome suggestions on processes you might have used to successfully set this up.

[mikael]

Successfully tracking FCR is not hard, but it does require that you take some care in going about it.

I recall one client whose VP bragged to me at the beginning of the Review process that their FCR rate was 94%. He was scheduled to be on an industry convention panel in a couple of weeks to tell the world how they had acheived such excellent results. Unfortunately, what I found in the course of the Review was that their real FCRR was about 40%. What made them think that it was so much higher? The stats from the call-tracker. How did they get those stats? When an agent took a call, they would give the caller their best guess at a resolution and hang up, marking the case as closed. When the caller called back a few minutes later to report a failed "solution," the agent that took the 2nd call opened a new case record -- and marked it closed at the end of the conversation. Magic!

Set up a cross-check in your call-tracker, such that you run a report to identify repeat calls from the same customer within a short period of time. Where you find a number of new cases from the same customer about the same issue, go have a strong chat with your CSA's about not marking cases as closed until they really are Closed.

You should have one FCRR set by call category and another as an average. For RTM (Read The Manual) calls, an FCRR of 98% should be attainable. For complex, honest "bugs," (Does Not Work As Documented), an FCRR of 98% is not reasonable.

The first step is to set your categories. The next is to find out what you are currently doing in those categories. Then you can take a look at what your future-state might be, and make some plans as to how to acheive it.

--mikael

Mikael Blaisdell
mikael@mblaisdell.com

[JoeB]

When tracking FCR, just like any other help desk performance indicator, you must consider the measurements and goals in perspective. For example, given unlimited time on the phone with the caller, most agents will be able to attain higher FCR, but will handle fewer calls during their shift. In our pressure to improve stats like ASA and AHT we often jeopardize FCR. Your goals should represent a BALANCE between efficiencies (internal perspective) and efficacy (customer perspective). There are various methods, ranging from highly formalized to more intuitive to accomplish this balance. Let me know if you need more information or have any questions.

Joe Barkai
DIAGNOSTIC STRATEGIES
http://www.DiagnosticStrategies.com/
Tel. 781-433-0833

[gkern]

I have some FCR numbers for various products/services that you might want to benchmark against. As the others have stated, how you measure will move your results around. But given that you have a reasonable process in place I can give you some numbers to look at.

Greg Kern
CallTech
512-261-0409

[Christine 3]

I have given the opportunity to reduce callbacks and am having a terrible time trying to get to results --- I have had our IT team create a report that identifies Member ID#, Confirmation #, total calls handled and total callbacks --- I just am so overwhelmed with how to proceed. I have gathered a team of SME's covering the main categories on the callbacks such as: Claims, Prior Authorization, Eligibility, Where Is My Order (WISMO), etc... and began having weekly meetings to identify what the issues are and who owns them. Now, everyone is on board with bringing action item deliverables to the table, but the meetings are beginning to fill like grocery lists meetings all I do is ask did you do it, when it will be done, check, check, check, etc... I need to drive the members in a different more "results oriented" direction so that I will have something good or bad to report to my upper leadership --- what do I do??? Any & all feedback willl be appreciated --- thanks!!!