New Ways to Boost First Contact Resolution (FCR)

First Contact Resolution (FCR) has long been a popular metric. In fact, our research showed that it’s currently being used by 66% of contact centres right now.

But in today’s environment, where customer journeys span multiple channels, and expectations are shaped by instant, personalized experiences, traditional approaches to FCR are starting to fall short.

That’s why we asked our technology panel for their best tips and strategies for boosting First Contact Resolution in a modern contact centre.

Identify the Specific Language, Empathy Levels, and Resolution Pathways Used by Your Top-Performing Agents

FCR has evolved from manual auditing into a data-driven science powered by Conversational AI Analytics.

By analysing 100% of interactions, this technology uncovers the “DNA” of success – identifying the specific language, empathy levels, and resolution pathways used by your top-performing agents, whether human or virtual.

This intelligence builds a strategic roadmap for improvement:

• First, it identifies process gaps by highlighting which intent categories, like billing or tech support, suffer from the lowest FCR.
• Second, it enables targeted coaching, replacing generic training with personalized feedback on actual performance data for the agents who need help, based on the agents who perform best.
• Finally, it drives proactive evolution, allowing leaders to refine self-service workflows by understanding why customers call back.

By converting unstructured dialogue into actionable insights, Conversational AI transforms FCR from a static metric into a dynamic, continuously improving strategy for operational excellence.

Contributed by: Matthew Clare, VP, Product Marketing, UJET

Design for Continuity Across Channels

Customers don’t reset their expectations when they switch channels. If they start in chat and escalate to a phone call, they expect continuity, not repetition.

Therefore, improving FCR in a multichannel world means treating the customer journey as a single conversation – not a series of disconnected events.

When agents have full visibility into previous interactions and attempted resolutions, customers spend less time explaining and more time resolving.

That continuity reduces friction, accelerates outcomes, and significantly increases the likelihood that issues are resolved on the first contact.

Contributed by: Jonathan “Kenu” Escobedo, Customer Success Manager, MiaRec

Make Sure Content Is Structured, Searchable, and Written for Real Customer Questions

Stronger knowledge libraries are a critical lever. When content is structured, searchable, and written for real customer questions, it improves self-service outcomes and dramatically raises the quality of AI-assisted responses.

The same trusted knowledge base should power customers, agents, and automation.

Agents’ questioning skills matter more than ever too! High-performing teams focus on open, diagnostic questioning that uncovers root cause early – rather than reacting to surface symptoms. When data, knowledge, and human curiosity work together, FCR improves naturally and sustainably.

Contributed by: Tara Aldridge, Head of Product Enablement, Vonage

Collaborate on Business Processes With All Relevant Stakeholders

Understand and collaborate on business processes with all relevant stakeholders. This is critical for managing customer expectations and improving FCR.

Not every issue can be resolved immediately, but being clear about the process, what will happen next and when, prevents repeat contact driven by uncertainty and supports ongoing service improvement. NB: Proactive updates during the process are often as important as the final resolution.

Also, join up your data. Integrating line-of-business systems and simplifying agent workflows reduces friction and errors that drive repeat contact and failure demand.

Consolidating the technology estate not only lowers licence costs but also gives frontline teams the insight they need to resolve more enquiries first time.

Contributed by: Lewis Gallagher, Senior Solutions Consultant, Netcall

Analyse and Package Up Previous Responses to Similar Service Issues

As customer service expectations increase and interactions become more complex, truly understanding what your customers need lies at the heart of improving FCR. Every business should leverage analytics and AI to gain that clarity.

This becomes increasingly important as recent data from The Closure Index reveals that nearly 4 in 10 customers leave customer service interactions with lingering concerns. Understanding your customer’s intent can help ensure complete resolution and satisfaction.   

As of today, technology can help you understand why your customers are getting in touch. It can tell you how satisfied they were and whether they’ve been in touch before.

Crucially, it can even analyse previous responses to similar service issues and package those responses in real time for agents and chatbots that have proved successful in the past. This ensures the best chance of a positive and successful customer interaction.

Contributed by: Creovai by Capacity

Combine Traditional Measures With Post-Interaction Insights to Identify “False Resolutions”

Most contact centres still define First Contact Resolution by whether a customer gets back in touch. While useful, this only tells part of the story.

With the tools we have available today, a more effective approach is to redefine FCR around whether the customer’s issue was genuinely resolved first time.

That means looking beyond call closure and asking whether the customer achieved their intended outcome, whether the root cause was addressed, and whether the resolution was clear and actionable.

An interaction may be handled efficiently, but if expectations aren’t set or next steps aren’t fully understood, repeat contact is almost inevitable.

New ways to boost FCR include combining traditional measures with post-interaction feedback, journey analytics and quality insights to identify “false resolutions”.

By focusing on clarity, confirmation and customer confidence at the end of every interaction, contact centres can drive more meaningful and sustainable FCR improvements.

Contributed by: Dennis Gleitsmann, Account Manager, Enghouse Interactive

Collect Key Details While Customers Wait in the Queue

High FCR starts with capturing context before the customer reaches an agent: who are they and why are they calling? This includes identity validation or collecting key details through forms while customers wait in the queue.

During the interaction, AI acts as a second pair of ears, analysing conversations in real time and prompting agents with approved knowledge articles and next best actions.

After the interaction, AI can automatically generate follow-up messages or summaries, reducing confusion and the need for repeat contact.

While FCR matters across all channels, it is especially critical in voice interactions. Calls are typically the most complex, urgent, and emotionally charged journeys, and they are also the most expensive channel for organizations to operate.

Improving FCR in voice, therefore, delivers the most benefits in both customer experience and operational efficiency.

Contributed by: Martin Taylor, Co-Founder and Deputy CEO, Content Guru

Pinpoint the Types of Enquiries That Often Require Multiple Interactions

Improving FCR today starts with giving agents the right support. Analyse your contact data to pinpoint the types of enquiries that often require multiple interactions.

Use this insight to coach agents and provide quick-access knowledge tools so they can resolve issues confidently on the first contact.

Pair this with smart multichannel routing, ensuring the customer reaches the agent best equipped to help, and you reduce repeat contacts. Real-time monitoring also helps: supervisors can step in quickly if an agent falls behind, keeping service levels high.

When agents have the right information, skills, and support, first contact resolution becomes a natural outcome, improving customer satisfaction while reducing operational friction.

Contributed by: Patricia Merchan, Marketing Director, Peopleware

Go Even Further by Adding Zero Contact Resolution (ZCR) Into the Mix

Deliver Predictive and Convenient Self-Service the Customer Doesn’t Have to Go Looking For

What is better than first contact resolution? Zero (inbound) contact resolution! Zero Contact Resolution (ZCR) means anticipating the customer need and serving it proactively.

The volume of data that organizations have about consumers and their products is immense, but too often that data is not put to good use.

Anticipating what the customer may need before they even pick up the phone, and sending them a message or a call to action that allows them to address the problem they would be facing is the next level of self-service.

It’s a well-worn adage that customers don’t WANT to contact you, but the underlying truth to that statement is that they don’t want to have the NEED to contact you.

Product fault? Here’s how to fix that! Consumable running low? Here’s the product you need, would you like to check out now?

Predictive, conversational and convenient self-service that the customer doesn’t have to go looking for? That’s a win for everyone!

Contributed by: Ben Willmott, Principal Solution Consultant, Route 101

The Best Contact Centres Start Before the Customer Ever Gets in Touch

Thinking about this in terms of first contact is a bit old school. In 2026, we should be thinking about ZERO contact resolution. We have the tools, data, and technology to proactively see what may be customer issues and get to them before they need to contact us.

The best contact centres can start before the customer ever gets in touch. They can communicate early proactively through the preferred channel, set clear expectations, and remove the need for customers to come back again and again.

Having said that, when someone does reach out, agents have the full picture straight away. They know who the customer is, what has already happened, and what needs to be done, without asking the same questions twice.

Improving FCR today is not about pushing agents harder or blindly adding more technology. It is about fixing the problem properly and designing the experience around that goal, assessing the tools and skills needed.

Contributed by: Chris Angus, VP for CX Expansion, 8×8

If you want to find out more about level zero support, read our article: Everything You Need to Know About Level Zero Support

What Have You Tried to Boost First Contact Resolution (FCR) in Your Contact Centre?

Click here to join our Readers Panel to share your experiences and feature in future Call Centre Helper articles.

For more great insights and advice from our panel of experts, read these articles next:

• Ways to Boost Customer Loyalty in a Digital World
• Get the Best Out of Your Hybrid Agents
• New Ways to Help Agents Build Rapport

Author: Megan Jones
Reviewed by: Xander Freeman