Need to Improve First Contact Resolution? Upgrade Support Tools

Posted On: January 18, 2017

Earlier first call resolution had been the focus of service providers, but things have changed, and the focus has turned to first contact resolution. Yes, call with an agent is not always the first point of contact today as various self-service tools have taken place. To achieve the desired FCR rate, telecom operators need to upgrade their customer service regarding both channels & support tools.

Change in Customer Behavior

Today, customers need accurate and relevant answers at the first point of contact with their service providers, as per Forrester’s blog. Further, it states that the use of the web and mobile self-service has surpassed that of agent-based on-call support. This indicates the changing preference of customers to non-calling channels, and hence, the need to focus on for better FCR.

How to Improve First Contact Resolution?

As discussed above, operators need to focus on delivering a better self-care to achieve their first contact resolution targets, but still, many customers prefer on-call support. So, focusing only on one channel is not going to help deliver the desired support.

• Enhance Self-service & FAQs: FAQs are a commonly used on-site self-help tool available for customers. Service providers should upgrade those to answer the evolving standard queries of customers, with time. Also, telecoms need to update their self-service portfolio with new free mobile self care apps and other tools that end-users prefer to use.
  Delivering a better self-service helps resolve more end-user issues at their preferred first point of contact.
• Deploy an Integrated Knowledgebase: A knowledge base adds value to self-care solutions by supporting users with the required information, as and when required. Integrating a robust database with agent-assisted channels helps customer service representatives deliver final resolutions instantly.
  However, you need a knowledge base software that adds the required information to your support system. Also, the KM tool should bring intuitive interface, easy search & navigation options, and more features to simplify finding resolutions for the user.
• Choose the Right Channel: As per Forrester’s study mentioned above, use of web- and mobile-based self-care tools has increased significantly. Other self-service options like forums, communities, and virtual agents follow the trend. Thus, it is essential for you to find the channel your customers prefer using before placing a support call and upgrade the same.

Thus, telecoms should focus on freeing up agents’ time by diverting common queries to FAQs and advanced self-service channels. This helps solve most issues without being redirected to a human agent, allowing them to focus & resolve complex queries easily and efficiently. In short, investing in the right tools and solutions with a strategic approach helps service providers improve first contact resolution rate.

Willing to save costs & improve efficiency of your support performance? Click here to get a walk-through on how to put the right tools to use.