First Call Resolution? Frayed Endings aren't Happy Ones.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Have you ever climbed a hill thinking you've reached the top, only to discover that you've only got to the first ridge? This is the feeling that your customers have when interactions have frayed endings.


All the delight and relief in resolving an issue, or finalizing a negotiation, turns into frustration, regret, and anger.



Have you ever made a big purchase, or got to the end of a long negotiation, and come away confused about the price, or services you will receive? A really bad start to the relationship, wouldn't you say?


Frayed endings are not happy ones. Inevitably, they lead to trust and satisfaction issues. Which can then lead to increased servicing costs, cancelled orders, returns, bad reviews, etc.




First Call Resolution implies that a resolution was reached. If your customer leaves an interaction believing that an agreement has been reached, and is then surprised when the package arrives, or the installation is completed, or the bill arrives...you've got a frayed ending. 




Summarizing = Happy Endings


Interactions are not fully complete if they lack a summary. The Summary is where loose ends are bound and sealed.


A Summary should be an overview of the complete interaction. It should be like the driving instructions you get from Google Maps. 


It should include:

  1. 1.Beginnings - the initial request

  2. 2.Alternatives that were explored

  3. 3.Recommendations that were made

  4. 4.The agreed upon resolution, including a detailed breakdown of costs

  5. 5.Expected and promised follow-up.

  6. 6.Confirmation that all concerns have been resolved or discussed.


Better by Design


Call Intelligence Inc. is a Transactional Intelligence and Design Consultancy with over 24 years helping our clients to better understand and improve the outcomes of interactions with their prospects and customers.



Our analyses allow us to map, correlate and prioritize thousands of possible relationships between marketing programs, call handling systems, calls, callers, concerns, agents, competition, etc. and outcomes.