First call resolution measures how often a customer's request is fully handled the first time they get in touch.
FCR = issues resolved on the first contact ÷ total issues × 100
The hard part is deciding what counts as resolved. Three common methods:
- Repeat contacts: the issue counts as resolved if the customer does not get back in touch about it within a set window, often 7 days.
- Disposition: the agent marks the call as resolved or not with a call disposition.
- Survey: the customer says whether the issue was solved.
Each method has blind spots, so teams often combine two. Track FCR by queue and by reason for calling, since some requests can never be settled in a single call.
Every repeat contact costs agent time and tests the customer's patience. FCR improves when agents can see the customer's history, have the authority to solve common issues, and receive calls that a clear IVR menu has already sent to the right team. A shared history per customer, as in OVOKY's omnichannel inbox, also reveals repeat contacts that come in on another channel.