on your customer satisfaction and first call resolution performance!
Most call centers assume their call quality monitoring practices are helping them improve their first call resolution (FCR) and customer satisfaction (Csat) performance. However, this assumption is seldom validated from a customer point of view. SQM’s research also shows that 95% of call centers have a formal call quality monitoring program and the average call center monitors 6 calls per CSR per month. SQM’s groundbreaking research on call quality monitoring’s impact on FCR and Csat shows that there is very little correlation between call quality monitoring ratings and FCR and Csat ratings. Specifically, our study shows that only 20% of CSRs’ call quality monitoring ratings have a positive correlation to FCR and Csat ratings. Based on the fact that most call quality monitoring practices have little or no impact on FCR and Csat and given that call quality monitoring is very expensive, it is essential that you evaluate your call quality monitoring program to assess what impact your call quality monitoring program has on FCR and Csat and to determine what is needed to improve your call quality monitoring practices. At SQM, we believe the only way to ensure your call quality monitoring practices are helping your call center achieve high levels of FCR and Csat is to use your FCR and Csat survey ratings and to link those ratings to your call quality monitoring ratings at the call center, management and CSR levels. This study assesses the impact your call quality monitoring program has on your FCR and Csat performance and provides recommendations on how to improve your call quality monitoring practices.
Why Participate in SQM’s Call Quality Monitoring Impact Study
SQM delivers:
- Independent third-party assessment of your call quality monitoring practices
- A proven process to examine whether your call quality monitoring practices have a positive impact on your FCR and Csat performance
- Accurate assessment of your call quality monitoring practices, FCR and Csat performance and potential cost savings
- Benchmarking comparison to over 450 leading North American call centers
- Benchmarking comparison to peer group, call center industry and world class call center
Top 5 Reasons to Improve your FCR and Csat Performance
Reduce operating cost – for the average call center that SQM benchmarks, a 1% improvement in their FCR performance equals $276,000 in operational savings. If you are performing at the call center industry average of 67% first call resolution rate, you need to understand that at least 33% of customers calling your call center have to call back because their inquiry or problem is not resolved on their first call. The cost to the call center is enormous.
Improve call center customer satisfaction – by having high first call resolution. In fact, every 1% improvement in FCR equals a 1% improvement in call center customer satisfaction. Call center customer satisfaction drops an average of 15% with each repeat call, so the impact repeat calls have on your overall customer satisfaction is enormous.
Reduce customers at risk – customers that are at risk of going to competitors are a result of unresolved customer inquiries or problems and have the biggest impact on the call center’s financial performance. The cost to the organization of customers at risk (as a result of not getting their call resolved) is 5-10 times greater than the operational savings received from improving FCR performance. Most call centers are not aware how much revenue they are losing as a result of the customer’s inquiry or problem going unresolved. SQM’s research shows that if the customer’s call is not resolved in the first call, 40% or more of those customers will not call back. Therefore, the call center has lost the opportunity to resolve those customers’ calls and retain those customers.
Increase opportunities to sell – the customer’s inquiry or problem must be resolved before the CSR has earned the right to move onto any sort of sales activity. If the CSR moves to the cross sell too early the customer is irritated and feels the CSR is pushing the organization’s needs, rather than serving the customer.
Improve employee satisfaction – an organization with low first call resolution often has low employee satisfaction and high turnover. Interestingly, only 10% of employees are satisfied that management focuses on improving FCR! The stress on the employee of taking the second and third call from that customer whose issue wasn’t resolved the first time is huge. In fact, for the average call center, 52% of total calls handled by CSRs are not resolved in one call.
Call Quality Monitoring Impact Study Methodology
Our Call Quality Monitoring Impact Study has 5 phases:
Phase 1
Post-call surveying
The call center sends a list of calls that have been either recorded by your call quality monitoring system or have come from your telephone system. SQM will then conduct 400 post-call phone surveys. All surveys are conducted by SQM’s telephone survey representatives within 1 day of the customer’s call to the call center. SQM then gives you a list of customers surveyed.
Phase 2
Rating the monitored calls
You have two options in this phase. If you sent us a list of calls that have been recorded you would then rate the 400 calls that SQM surveyed using your call center’s call quality monitoring form. If you sent us a list of calls from your telephone system, you would only need to rate calls using your call quality monitoring form at the same time that SQM would be surveying your customers.
Phase 3
Analyzing the ratings
We take your call quality monitoring ratings and your survey ratings and assess whether your call quality monitoring has an impact on FCR and Csat.
Phase 4
Analyzing call quality monitoring practices
An SQM consultant interviews call quality assurance evaluators, managers and representatives to get feedback on strengths and weaknesses of your call quality monitoring practices. In addition, SQM will assess your call quality monitoring form, policies, standards and reporting technology.
Phase 5
Reporting the results
SQM will produce a comprehensive Call Quality Monitoring Impact Study report within 5 business days of completing call quality monitoring evaluation and customer surveys. A SQM senior consultant will present the Call Quality Monitoring Impact Study report findings at your call center.
Call Quality Monitoring Impact Study Report Deliverables
A 75 page Call Quality Monitoring Impact report will be delivered to you and your management team via a conference call or on site with a senior SQM consultant.
Specifically, SQM’s Call Quality Monitoring Impact Study will deliver the following:
- Comparison of your call quality monitoring results to your FCR and Csat results
- Strengths and weaknesses of your call quality monitoring practices
- Assess if your call quality monitoring is primarily focused on customer or company needs
- Determine if your call quality monitoring measures are weighted properly
- Assess if you have the appropriate call quality monitoring scoring ranges and scales
- Assess if your call quality monitoring is providing good value for your money
- Determine potential cost savings if you improve call quality monitoring effectiveness
- Recommendations on how to improve your call quality monitoring practices
Other deliverables from the Call Quality Monitoring Impact Study:
- Provide FCR/Csat ratings and call center benchmarking comparison ratings for your call center
- Determine what call quality monitoring metrics are most important to your customers
- Provide targeted opportunities for your call center FCR and Csat improvements
Call Quality Monitoring Impact Study Timeline
We recommend no longer than one month for this project to be completed. Often the longest part of the process is for your staff to complete 400 call quality monitoring ratings.
However, keeping a tight timeline on the process ensures that the focus and momentum is not lost.
Your Investment
The total investment for the Call Quality Monitoring Impact Study is $12,000 plus applicable taxes. The only additional charge would be to cover travel and accommodation expenses for a SQM senior consultant to present the results to you and your team on site.
