Telecom Achieves Higher CSAT by Focusing on First-Call Resolution 

In March 2020, we started supporting the Inbound Repair line for a major U.S. Telecom. Covering two large regional markets in the U.S., our frontline teams provide Tier 1 technical support to thousands of customers for both Wireline and Cable markets, as well as Wireless/Data, which offers Internet, Voice and TV services. Through an extensive process of training, coaching, and quality assurance, we have delivered consistently and reliably on key performance metrics, launching a dedicated task force to uncover new efficiencies and process enhancements. This has allowed us to improve our agents’ performance over time, leading to enhanced first-call resolution, evidenced by a 10% decrease in transfers to Dispatch and a 15% decrease in referring support tickets to senior teams, while maintaining a consistently high CSAT between 85%-86%.  

Challenge 

Technical support has its own unique challenges, especially when supporting such a large customer base. Telecom customers have a myriad of support requests, ranging from device problems to troubleshooting service disruptions. These are often complex problems that take longer to resolve, and though first-call resolution is always the primary goal, some issues may require consultation with other support tiers or on-the-ground investigation by local dispatch teams. Because of the inherent unpredictability of each customer request and their varying levels of complexity, this makes achieving certain performance metrics, like a consistent Average Handle Time, sometimes challenging.  

In fact, when a new performance metric, called “Agent Dispatch Rate”, was introduced in Q4 of 2023, our Repair team initially struggled to meet the required target. This new metric was meant to more accurately measure the rate of call transfers to other departments, such as Dispatch, to see if agents were correctly following transfer protocols. When the data revealed inconsistent agent performance, we launched an immediate intervention. 

Solutions 

Our first goal is always to equip agents with the foundational skills they need to succeed in their roles. Our initial training programs are comprehensive and involve everything from customer service fundamentals to basic call handling procedures.

Repair agents are carefully chosen for their prior experience in technical support or their tested technical abilities. They also benefit from extensive training on client products, client-based systems, as well as how to troubleshoot most technical issues, learning how to access internal resources that support first-call resolution. Agents are taught in gradual levels, first learning how to support Voice and Data, before moving on to more complex support channels, such as those for TV. This process ensures maximum knowledge retention, while also making sure that agents master one product line before continuing to the next.  

Our rigorous focus on quality assurance ensures that when any performance issues arise, we immediately intervene, using a combination of AI-enhanced data capture and analysis, as well as live call monitoring and scoring, to quickly identify opportunities for retraining or upskilling.  

To address inconsistency in call transfers, we deployed additional agent retraining, with a focus on correct transfer procedures. This included supplying guides and access to online resources that enabled agents to troubleshoot before deferring to other support teams. This was combined with refresher modules delivered via a client-supplied learning platform, which uses gamification to make learning fun, interactive, and accessible. 

To support continuous improvement in this area, a new, specialized task force was also created, called DAART (Dispatch After Action Review Team), whose aim is to review dispatch calls to ensure all protocols are being followed. They also find any areas that could benefit from new processes or more training reinforcement.  

Outcomes 

After these interventions, we noticed significant improvement in our Agent Dispatch Rates, and we rapidly went from “meeting minimum expectations” to exceeding them, with transfer rates 10% lower than the client’s ideal target range.  

Quarter over quarter, we saw a noticeable decrease in the tickets queued to our Tier 2 support team, by as much as 15%, and overall transfer levels also fell below industry average. Agents had a better grasp of correct transfer protocols and have continued to be more vigilant about how often they transfer customers to other departments.  

Our teams have also maintained consistent Average Handle Times (AHT), despite the unpredictability of technical support requests. Even when dealing with complex customer issues, agents have either met or exceeded the client’s “ideal” AHT target, while our “Would Hire” score, another way to measure customer satisfaction, remains consistently above threshold target, sitting at 86% or higher. 

Conclusion 

For any Telecom, consistent, reliable technical support is crucial, especially when dealing with service disruptions that can affect customer satisfaction, and ultimately, long-term loyalty. 

Our Repair team has been able to provide that dependable, high-quality support experience, where most issues are resolved on the first call and repeated transfers to other agents are avoided.  

This is why we have been able to maintain such a high customer satisfaction score, and now, with a 10%-15% lower transfer rate, we have minimized the chances of customer frustration, which positively reflects on the client’s brand and industry reputation. With years of reliably serving this telecommunications client, we are now looking toward implementing new processes and systems that boost efficiency and enhance our teams’ overall performance.  

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