The percent of issues resolved by the first contact, also known as the first contact resolution (FCR) rate, is a metric that measures the effectiveness and efficiency of the IT help desk services. It indicates how many customer support issues are resolved on the first interaction with the IT help desk, without requiring any follow-up calls, emails, chats, or escalations. The FCR rate is calculated by dividing the number of issues resolved on the first contact by the total number of customer support issues, and multiplying by 100%1.
The FCR rate is the best indicator of service quality among the four monthly performance metrics, because it reflects the following aspects of the IT help desk services:
Customer satisfaction: Customers are more likely to be satisfied with the IT help desk services if their issues are resolved quickly and effectively on the first contact, without having to wait for a response or repeat their problem to multiple agents. A high FCR rate can improve customer loyalty, retention, and advocacy2.
Cost efficiency: Resolving issues on the first contact can reduce the operational costs of the IT help desk services, such as labor costs, phone costs, or overhead costs. A high FCR rate can also increase the productivity and utilization of the IT help desk agents, as they can handle more issues in less time3.
Service level: Resolving issues on the first contact can improve the service level of the IT help desk services, such as reducing the average handle time (AHT), increasing the service level agreement (SLA) compliance, or decreasing the backlog of unresolved issues. A high FCR rate can also enhance the reputation and credibility of the IT help desk services4.
Therefore, an IS auditor should review the FCR rate as a key performance indicator (KPI) of the IT help desk services, and compare it with the industry standards and benchmarks. According to MetricNet’s benchmarking database, the FCR industry standard is 74 percent. This number varies widely, however, froma low of about 41 percent to a high of 94 percent5. An IS auditor should also recommend ways to improve the FCR rate, such as:
Training and empowering the IT help desk agents to handle a wide range of issues and provide accurate and consistent solutions
Implementing a knowledge base or a self-service portal that provides relevant and updated information and guidance for common or simple issues
Improving communication and collaboration between different departments or teams that may be involved in resolving complex or escalated issues
Using feedback and analytics tools to monitor and measure customer satisfaction and identify areas for improvement
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