First contact resolution (FCR)

First contact resolution (FCR) is the share of contacts in which the customer's request is settled the first time they get in touch. If the customer did not have to call again, write in, or get passed to another team and explain everything twice, the contact counts as resolved first time. FCR is one of the call center metrics most closely tied to customer satisfaction. It is also harder to measure than anything based on time.

How it works

There is no single correct way to measure FCR, so most teams combine a few methods. At the end of the call, the operator or voice agent picks an outcome code such as "resolved" or "follow-up needed". Repeat calls from the same number within a set window, for example a few days, count as unresolved contacts. A short post-call survey asks customers whether their issue was solved. Whichever method you choose, keep the definition fixed so that you can compare one period with the next.

Why it matters

Every unresolved request turns into another call, which means the customer's time and the team's capacity are both spent twice. There is a natural tension between FCR and average handle time: a team focused on shorter calls may leave problems half-solved. When a transfer is unavoidable, a warm transfer keeps the context so the caller does not have to repeat themselves, and a call summary passed along with it helps the next person grasp the issue straight away.