The fundamental aim of establishing a contact center is to provide seamless resolutions to the customers. And to achieve this, it is essential to ensure that the callers get the suitable resolution as quickly as possible. Therefore, First Call Resolution (FCR) is an important aspect, not only for customer satisfaction but also for building a strong brand image. In this article, we will discuss the essence of FCR and why it is essential for your brand.
What is a First Call Resolution?
First Call Resolution or FCR essentially means providing the customers appropriate resolution to their queries on the very first call. It is one of the most important metrics to measure customers experience management, as solving the problem at the very first contact is significant for higher customer satisfaction. Better FCR also helps optimum usage of human resources and reduces cost substantially. But more than anything, FCR plays a pivotal role in building your brand. Following are a few ways in which First Call Resolution enhances your brand image:
1. Adds Credibility to Your Brand
The biggest component of a strong brand image is the credibility that it commands. There’s a reason why Ford sells hundreds of thousands of F150s or why Apple ships millions of iPhones year after year. It’s because people trust them, not only for the product but also for the after-sales service, and that’s exactly what a customer expects from you. A customer will make the effort to pick up the phone and dial your contact center only when it’s absolutely necessary or urgent. To solve the query at the very first contact creates a sense of assurance in the mind of the customer, which helps a great deal in building trust and credibility, which solidifies the brand image.
2. Encourages Brand Loyalty
A company needs a loyal set of customers to build a strong brand image. Customers loyal to the brand are likely to spread positives about the brand, creating a sound image among the masses. If you are able to solve the customer’s query at the very first contact, you win their trust and turn them into loyalists. For instance, if you provide customer support for WhatsApp users, and your agent is able to solve the query on the chat without the customer needing to make a phone call, there’s a good chance that the customer will stay connected to your brand for a long time. The quality of resolutions given also matters a great deal in developing loyalty among customers.
3. Reduces Grievance Resolution Time
The biggest challenge for a company in terms of customer support is to reduce the time a customer takes to connect with the contact center. The lesser time a customer invests, the better the experience a customer will have. Eventually, this helps in building a healthy brand image. If your contact center agents are able to deliver more First Contact Resolutions, it will translate to a significant reduction in network congestion.
Moreover, solving issues in lesser time will underscore the efficiency of the organization.
4. Helps Build CRM
Customer Relationship Management or CRM is an important business function focused on interacting and connecting with the clients. CRM involves a number of strategies, and providing quick resolution to the customer is one of them. If a customer calls the contact center and the agent is able to provide a quick resolution, there’s an opportunity for the agent to interact with the customer and introduce new products or take feedback. The AI-powered customer service system will also come into play and prompt the agent to ask questions that will engage the customer. Productive interactions like this help strengthen the CRM, which is necessary for a healthy brand image.
5. Allows Connecting with More Customers
To build an image among the customers, the organization first needs to connect with them. The greater number of customers you can connect with, the better image you will have among them. FCR allows your agents to connect with more customers as the callers don’t need to make repeated calls if their queries are resolved in the very first instance. This helps in two ways – the agents can attend to new customers and market the brand after solving the query, and/or they can take references from happy customers to pitch to potential customers if you have outbound call service. This will help in effective brand marketing, resulting in a healthier brand image.
Key Takeaways:
- Helps in reducing costs and time consumption.
- Allows new references and lead generation from existing customers.
- Enables building of trust and credibility among the customers.
- Motivates long-term brand loyalty among existing customers.
- Strengthens CRM, which in turn helps build a strong image.