When it comes to customer service, personalized interactions are still king and a survey from 2022 (First Orion) suggested that over half of respondents preferred having a phone option for support when an urgent issue arises. The phone is still the first tool consumers turn to when trying to solve problems or get resolution. From a customer service perspective, contact centers must focus on ‘First Call Resolution’ to deliver the best possible solution in the fastest manner possible. Frontline agents, or Level 1 Agents, may be highly trained in taking those level 1 calls but FCR is only possible when the agent has the needed skills and processes to offer an acceptable solution to the customer on that very first interaction. The benchmark in the industry is to resolve calls 79% of the time on the first try but frontline agent skill set and ability can impact that number in either direction. Agent development in upskilling can positively impact productivity and customer experience which drives KPIs and efficiency of the contact center.
Frontline Agents Represent the Brand
Contact center agents are essentially the face of the business. When customers need support for problems, the brand representation becomes even more critical as that customer may already have their defenses up and are most likely in a stressed or agitated state. The concept of First Call Resolution is meant to handle customer concerns on the very first try so that the customer hangs up the phone with a positive mindset regarding the interaction and more importantly, the brand. In the past, frontline agents may have been incorrectly designated as Level 1 support with limited abilities to handle customer issues and potential conflict. The concept of ‘levels’ is a very unfriendly process for customers and does not promote exceptional interactions. Keeping already agitated customers waiting or shuffling them around will not diffuse any tension nor bring the problem closer to any solution. Giving frontline agents the tools and resources they need to solve customer challenges on their call is critical in elevating and maintaining a strong customer focused culture. Contact center leadership can achieve this level of customer satisfaction by focusing on agent development and defining a strategy to increase the individual’s ability to quickly and positively resolve customer problems and concerns.
Driving Productivity Through Development
First Call Resolution should be the goal of each and every incoming customer interaction and agents that have the training and appropriate skill set can deliver on that critical metric. Developing frontline agents in handling customer problems and conflict can yield three distinct benefits to the business:
- Reduces per call cost as interaction duration is drastically reduced in FCR
- Elevates worker experience and potentially decreases costly turnover with ongoing agent engagement and development
- Increases brand reputation and word of mouth marketing with consistent top level service
Contact center performance is based on a strictly defined set of metrics and focusing on FCR will positively impact many of the most crucial KPIs as well as customer experiences. With limited opportunities for customer engagement, businesses that look for opportunities within customer challenges will be better positioned to boost output and control operational costs.
Upskilling in a Fast Paced Environment
Upskilling is a modern and efficient way to train individuals when time and resources are in short supply. Frontline agents require essential skills at the very minimum to engage customers in a positive manner. Handling more complex customer interactions and concerns does require some advanced skills:
- Communication skills
- Tone control
- Vocabulary usage
- Conversation pace
- Active listening
- Identifying and diffusing customer tension
- Business specific skills
- Internal processes
- Location of resources
- Fully understanding company policies or regulations
- Accuracy and reasonability
Upskilling is better as an informal process and can be deployed during casual chats and check-ins while the agent is working or during group meetings. Ongoing upskilling and development are key factors in high performing contact center teams.
The Bottom Line
Competition for customers is at an all time high. With dicey economic prospects, more consumers are becoming more ‘precise’ in how they spend their money and interactions with the brand can greatly influence future business and brand reputation. Customers that have problems will always have higher expectations and have shown preference to personalized interactions. The other factor at play is First Call Resolution. With those higher expectations, customers have also come to expect their problem solved on the very first interaction or call. Frontline agents that possess skills and process knowledge to handle customer issues are in a better position to resolve customer opportunities on the first call. Developing agents and improving their abilities is essential in maintaining high levels of performance and efficiency in a highly measured business. Effective customer resolutions will also have positive effects on the brand and can increase word of mouth marketing as consumers become much more appreciative of outstanding service and elevated interactions. Ultimately, customers who have a positive mindset regarding a brand are more likely to be loyal and increase spending at that brand.