Last Updated: August 7, 2025
06 May
Introduction
Every customer has some other essential things to go to. They want to avoid spending time arguing with the call center agents or waiting hours on a helpline. Irritated customers are not considered a good sign for a business; therefore, customers must be provided with timely and quick resolution of their issues.
“As per Research and Markets, the global call center was valued at USD 31.97 billion as of 2025 and is expected to grow at a rate of 8.33% to reach USD 47.61 billion by 2030.”
The reason behind repeated calls is that the customers’ problems still need to be resolved, or the desired assistance needs to be provided to the customers. It becomes monotonous for customers and call center agents to interact about the same issues repeatedly.
Why Reducing Repeat Calls in Call Centers Is Critical?
Repeated calls are a sign of a low satisfaction rate and low conversion rate and lead to a falling customer retention rate. For a growing call center business, improving first-call resolution is its primary goal to reduce repeated calls.
It becomes vital to reduce such calls, and some of the effective methods to accomplish that objective are:
1. Connect Customers with the Right Agent from the Start
Identifying the precise reason for the customer’s call before matching the request with the appropriate agent. This is a crucial stage in call centers’ repetitive call reduction strategies. In this digital era, most businesses have implemented digital tools like Interactive Voice Response (IVR), etc., to find the appropriate agents for customers’ issues.
Customers eventually grow impatient if all their complaints must be satisfactorily addressed, increasing the number of repeated calls the customer service team receives. Proper routing and resolution are also essential to elevate customer happiness and retention. To accomplish this, call centers need to appoint well-skilled employees or implement digital tools for effective call routing.
2. Analyze Call Data to Identify Root Causes
Repeated calls frequently stem from a problem that agents are unable to resolve. Call center agents must highlight the causes of the client’s repeated requests for assistance. The management/leadership team reviews the recorded calls to determine the reasons for the repeated calls. Then such reasons are informed to the agents, and specialized training is provided once agents are aware of what the consumer needs, they can provide prompt assistance, reducing the number of difficult calls from customers.
“Census article “Repeat Contact Rate Measuring Customer Interaction” states that repeat call rates below 5% are considered excellent.”
3. Implement Ongoing Agent Training Programs
The management/leadership team must create effective general and specialized training strategies. Available training is provided to each agent at the beginning of the appointment. However, technical training is offered to improve the agents’ skills continuously. Such training is provided based on the agents’ skill sets or the arising issues. Training offers an overview of how to respond to customers and resolve their problems once and for all. Once the issues are resolved, the repeated calls tend to decrease.
4. Maintain a Helpful, Updated FAQ Page
You might not have realized it, but a strong FAQ page can significantly reduce the number of repeated calls. Customers can find helpful information on the website’s FAQ page, which can be accomplished by updating the information, adding links to the appropriate sites, and removing old information.
Sometimes, the FAQ answers are so simple that they could be more helpful to customers. When multiple customers ask a question, add it to your FAQ page with a thorough response. Make sure your responses are brief, transparent, and straightforward. If the information on the FAQ page is helpful, it can reduce the number of repeated calls as customers’ issues could be resolved through such pages.
“On average, SQM Group reported 69% as an aggregate FCR benchmark across all the industries.”
5. Create a Centralized Knowledge Base for Agents
There are several occasions when call center agents cannot resolve a new issue satisfactorily. Sometimes, the agents need help to reach their seniors while looking for answers. The business must have a place where the agents can look for answers. Businesses create a knowledge center as a hub where call agents can access, look up the answers, and contribute to policies.
Businesses frequently use knowledge centers, which it later classifies as organizational knowledge assets. In addition to receiving training, agents should have access to a resource center with opportunities for problem-solving and sharing solutions with other team members. The less stress they experience, the easier it will be for them to access the knowledge. This allows them to provide appropriate assistance to the customers instead of rushing the clients off the call.
6. Conduct Post-Call Follow-Ups to Ensure Resolution
After assistance is provided to the customers, it is significant that post-call check-ups are conducted. Such check-ups give the businesses an overview of the interaction, the status of the issues (resolved or not), and so on. Such calls or check-ups not only show the agents’ performance but also that of the overall business.
These check-ups can be used to monitor and highlight the areas of improvement. If necessary, a callback to the customer on their preferred channel can be made to finish the post-call process. Once the process is completed, the leadership team can work on specific strategies to improve the operations, reducing repeated calls.
Conclusion: Repeated Calls Impact Business Growth
Customer satisfaction holds an important place in the growth of call centers. Repeated calls are the indicators of unsatisfied customers, which has an impact on the business as well. Such calls increase the operating costs, negatively impact the brand name, and can also affect the future growth of the business. So, the above mentioned methods help the company improve call centre metrics, provide practical solutions, and reduce repeated calls.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the business impacts of high repeat calls?
High repeat call rates are influenced by various factors, including:
- Low customer retention rate
- Negative marketing
- High operating costs
- Low agent morale
- Slow growth rate
2. Define knowledge base and why it is required?
It is a centralized repository that includes policies, guidelines, and best practices. This repository can be referred by agents to quickly resolve the complex issues.
3. What is First-Call Resolution (FCR)?
FCR is the total calls resolved in the first interaction itself. A high FCR rate can lead to repeat call reduction, minimized costs, and an improved satisfaction rate.
4. How repeat calls can be reduced by IVR or digital routing tools?
IVR can identify the customer’s issues and forward the calls to the qualified agents, ultimately reducing hold time and callbacks.
5. Why post-call follow-ups are essential?
It is crucial to check whether customers are satisfied with the solutions provided by the agents. By this, customers feel that they are valued, ultimately improving the satisfaction rate and minimizing repeat calls.