How many times do your customers have to contact you to resolve a single issue? If the answer is "more than once," you have an FCR problem.
First Contact Resolution (FCR) is one of the most revealing indicators of the effectiveness of your customer service. A high FCR means satisfied customers, reduced costs, and less stressed agents.
In this guide, learn everything you need to know about the FCR: its definition, how to calculate it, how to interpret it, and, most importantly, how to improve it in practical terms.
FCR (First Contact Resolution) measures the percentage of customer requests resolved during the first interaction, without requiring follow-up, callbacks, or ticket reopening.
In other words: the customer asked their question, got their answer, case closed.
This is a key indicator because it reflects both:
According to a study by SQM Group, each additional contact required to resolve an issue causes customer satisfaction to drop by 15%. Conversely, an FCR of 70%+ correlates with a CSAT of over 80%.
Every callback or ticket reopening is costly: agent time, infrastructure, lost opportunity. Improving FCR by 1% can represent significant savings at scale.
Dealing with the same issue multiple times is frustrating for agents. A good FCR improves their morale and reduces turnover.
Resolve on the first attempt = fewer tickets in the queue = improved response time for everyone.
The basic formula is simple:
FCR = (Number of tickets resolved at first contact / Total number of tickets) × 100
Over the course of a month, your team processes 1,000 tickets:
FCR = (750 / 1000) × 100 = 75%
Defining what constitutes a "first contact resolution" can be tricky:
Benchmarks vary depending on the channel and sector:
Reasonable target: aim for a minimum of 70%, with a target of 80% for phone and chat.
Automatically track tickets that are reopened within a defined time frame (e.g., 7 days). This is the most objective method.
Ask the customer directly: "Has your problem been resolved?" after each interaction. Simple, but depends on the response rate.
The agent indicates whether the ticket is "permanently resolved." Be aware of bias (agents who overestimate).
Recommendation: combine methods 1 and 2 for a comprehensive view.
Before making improvements, identify the root causes:
Well-trained agents solve more problems on the first attempt. Focus on:
The agent must have access to everything they need at the click of a button:
If the agent has to request authorization for a commercial gesture or an exception, the FCR drops. Define clear margins for maneuver.
AI can suggest specific responses based on similar cases that have been resolved, increasing the chances of immediate resolution.
That's exactly what Klark does: provide agents with contextual and accurate answers to resolve requests on the first try.
Analyze the types of requests that generate the most reopenings. These are your priorities for improvement.
Reducing average handling time (AHT) at the expense of quality is counterproductive. It is better to spend 5 extra minutes on one call than to have two 3-minute calls.
The FCR does not exist in isolation. It interacts with other metrics:
For a comprehensive overview of your KPIs, check out our guide on how to measure customer satisfaction.
"Resolved on first contact" must have a precise definition that is shared by the entire team.
A customer who switches from chat to phone for the same issue = FCR failure, even if each channel has "resolved" the issue on its own.
Some issues legitimately require multiple contacts (complex cases, waiting for external information). Do not penalize these situations.
The overall FCR hides different realities. Analyze by channel, type of request, team, etc.
70% is a good baseline target. Above 80%, you're excellent.
The FCR measures whether the problem is resolved on the first attempt (objective). The CES measures the effort perceived by the customer (subjective). The two are complementary.
Identify the three types of requests with the most reopenings and focus your efforts on them.
Yes! A customer who uses your FAQ and then contacts you anyway = self-service failure.
First Contact Resolution (FCR) is much more than a metric: it reflects your ability to truly help your customers.
The keys to a good FCR:
Ready to improve your CSAT? Discover how Klark helps your agents resolve requests on the first try.
