What Do Repeat Calls Mean in a Call Center, and How Do You Reduce Them?

I ordered a pair of shoes online. I was told that it would be delivered between 7 pm and 10 pm on a particular day. I stayed home to receive the delivery.

Around 9.30 pm, I received a text from the seller stating that a delivery agent attempted delivery and we weren’t home to receive it. So, it would be attempted the next day, and the timings would be confirmed later.

I didn’t want to waste another day waiting for the delivery to happen.

So, I called their customer care and told them that I was home and no one attempted delivery. Besides, I did not even receive a call.

The agent said that she would try to organize the delivery immediately. After a while, she called me to inform me that she was not able to reach the delivery agent. However, she would take this as a priority and have it delivered first thing in the morning.

I waited till 10 am the next morning. The delivery did not happen, and so I called customer care again. This time, I was told that it would be attempted within an hour. I stayed home for another hour, but the delivery didn’t happen.

Then, I called customer care again and told them to arrange the delivery for that evening after 7 pm. That request was taken, and I received a text stating that it would be attempted between 7 pm and 10 pm.

Again, at around 9 pm, I received a text stating that the delivery failed because no one was present at the delivery address. This was a blatant lie, as I was home during that time. I again called customer care and gave them time till 10 pm for the delivery to happen.

They weren’t successful. I canceled my order and got a refund. Since then, I have never bought anything from that platform.

So, I repeatedly called them four times, and despite those many attempts, I failed to get my delivery. The experience was so bad that I never felt like visiting that site for any of my requirements.

This is what you would call a repeat call.

Let us take a moment to define what a repeat call is.

What Is a Repeat Call?

A repeat call is something where a customer calls for the same issue within a specific period, typically 7 to 30 days.

This means the initial resolution was incomplete, unclear, or ineffective.

What Is the Repeat Call Rate?

Repeat call rate is the percentage of calls from customers who call again for the same issue within a given time frame.

Repeat call rate = (Repeat calls within X days/Total calls in X days) x 100.

A healthy repeat call rate is below 20%, but high-performing call centers aim for below 10%.

6 Effective Ways to Measure Repeat Calls

It is crucial to measure repeat calls to improve customer service, optimize call center performance, and reduce operational costs.

Here are some ways by which it can be measured.

Caller ID Tracking

The call center system logs incoming phone numbers and checks if the same number calls multiple times within a set timeframe (e.g., 7 days, 14 days, or 30 days).

You can flag calls from the same number for the same issue as a repeat call.

The only limitation to this method is if customers call from different numbers, you may miss flagging repeat calls.

CRM & Ticketing System

With CRM and ticketing systems, you can log each customer interaction. Besides, you can tag each call with a case number and issue type (e.g., billing dispute, product issue).

If the same case number appears multiple times, it indicates a repeat call.

The advantage of using this method is that the CRM and ticketing systems can distinguish between repeat calls for the same issue vs. different issues.

Voice Analytics

With voice analytics, you can scan recorded conversations for phrases like these:

• I called before, and this is still not fixed
• This is the third time I have called about this
• Last time, I was told something different

You can assign a probability score to categorize these as repeat calls.

With voice analytics, you can easily identify the root cause of repeat calls.

Feedback Surveys

Have you ever structured your feedback surveys with open-ended questions like these:

• Did we resolve your issue completely?
• Do you think you’ll need to call back?

While not all customers complete surveys, these can provide you with valuable trends.

Call Disposition Analysis

Agents categorize each call with a disposition code (e.g., resolved, escalated, pending follow-up, etc.). Calls marked ‘pending follow-up’ often turn into repeat calls. Besides, high transfer rates (customers being passed between multiple agents) also correlate with repeat calls.

Reducing transfers can cut repeat calls by ensuring better agent training.

First-Call Resolution (FCR) Metrics

FCR measures the number of calls that are resolved in the first attempt. A low FCR rate of anywhere below 70% means a high repeat call rate.

Repeat call rate vs. FCR rate can be used to spot gaps effectively.

While these are different methods that can be used to measure repeat call rates, you should consider using a combination of these to accurately arrive at the repeat call rate and the possible reasons for them to avoid it completely.

How to Reduce Repeat Calls Effectively: Best Practices

The best way to reduce repeat calls is to provide the best possible customer service when they call you the first time.

While it may not be possible to do that always, here are some practices that you should consider:

1. Improve First Call Resolution (FCR)

Is there anything else I can help you with? This is one question that would help you avoid multiple issues surfacing later.

Ensure that your call center has omnichannel solution, which give you a single view of your customers across channels and interfaces. This would help you access all customer interactions and avoid unnecessary transfers.

2. Enhance Agent Training

Teach your agent active listening and problem-solving techniques. Many repeat calls happen because agents miss key details or fail to understand the full issue.

Ensure they listen carefully, ask clarifying questions, and confirm resolutions before they end the call.

Look at this example.

A customer calls the bank’s customer care to report a lost card. What do you do as an agent? You help the customer by blocking the card, but you don’t tell the customer how to request a replacement.

Now, the customer calls you again the next day to request a new card. With active listening and a problem-solving attitude, you could have easily handled this in the first call itself.

3. Empower Agents with Better Tools

Use AI-powered chatbots for the next steps and troubleshooting. Let me explain this with an example.

You are an eCommerce service provider, and you often receive calls about delivery status. An AI-powered chatbot pre-emptively updates customers via WhatsApp and SMS about delays. Besides, it can provide real-time tracking information before escalating it to an agent.

This would easily reduce your repeat calls by 20%.

4. Predictive Analytics Can Flag High-Risk Calls That Are Likely to Generate Repeats

Let me explain this with an example.

A utility company notices that customers calling about high electricity bills tend to call back within three days if they don’t understand the charges.

Your analytics detects these high-risk calls and automatically prompts agents to explain the billing breakdown clearly before ending the call.

This can considerably reduce repeat calls.

5. Improve Follow-Ups

Proactive follow-ups help ensure that customers don’t need to call back to check on unresolved issues.

Recently, I renewed my auto insurance using my insurance provider’s IVR billing system. I immediately received a text from them stating that my policy renewal was complete and the start date of my policy coverage. They also gave me a link to download my policy document.

This meant they avoided a repeat call from me inquiring about my policy renewal.

Solving issues right the first time is the best strategy for reducing repeat calls. As an organization, you should do whatever it takes – agent training, empowerment, analytics, automation, AI, self-service, follow-ups, and omnichannel capabilities to ensure that you reduce the number of repeat calls. 

After all, reducing repeat calls enhances efficiency, lowers costs, and improves customer satisfaction.