Picture this: a customer, excited to finally buy the items he’s wanted for months, approaches the checkout. He hands the cashier a gift card from his family, but the transaction stalls. A simple POS system glitch turns his smile into frustration, then anger. The line behind him grows, and two other customers, tired of waiting, abandon their purchases and leave.

This wasn’t an isolated incident for a leading global retailer. While the cashier’s call to the help desk was eventually resolved, the initial agent couldn’t solve the problem, leading to an escalation. This delay cost the store two sales and resulted in a frustrated social media post from a disgruntled customer.

Recognizing that a poor in-store technology experience was impacting sales and brand reputation, the retailer’s leadership knew they needed a strategic change. Their goal was to empower store employees, improve customer satisfaction, and ensure every support call was resolved as quickly as possible.

Turning Frustration into First Call Resolution

The retailer identified that its First Call Resolution (FCR) rate, the percentage of support calls resolved on the first attempt, was a critical measure of success. A high FCR means happier store employees, who can then create better experiences for customers.

In November, their FCR stood at just 63.9%. An internal analysis revealed a clear pattern: many calls were escalated for the same recurring issues. The front-line support agents simply lacked the specific knowledge needed to resolve these problems on their own, forcing them to pass the call to the retailer’s internal IT team.

This not only created delays and frustrated customers but also pulled the retailer’s internal experts away from more strategic, high-value tasks. The leadership team saw an opportunity to transform their support process from a point of friction into a competitive advantage.

The Solution: A Strategic Investment in Knowledge

The retailer made a pivotal decision to treat their support knowledge base as a strategic asset. They understood that by empowering their Tier 1 support, they could solve problems faster and more efficiently.

They initiated a collaborative project, dedicating their own internal experts to work alongside their support partner, Netfor. This partnership focused on a single, powerful goal. To build a world-class knowledge base that would equip first-level agents with everything they needed to resolve issues instantly.

The process involved:

• Identifying Knowledge Gaps: The retailer’s team analyzed escalated calls to pinpoint the most common unresolved issues.
• Improving Existing Content: They worked to translate complex, technical language into clear, step-by-step instructions that anyone could follow.
• Developing New Resources: New, detailed articles were created for common problems that previously had no documentation.

By taking ownership of their support documentation, the retailer ensured that the knowledge of their best internal experts was captured and made accessible to every frontline agent.

A Dramatic Rise in Efficiency and Satisfaction

The impact of this knowledge-first strategy on the retailer’s operations was both immediate and significant, creating a ripple effect that touched every level of the business.

By May, the retailer’s First Call Resolution rate had climbed from 63.9% to 81.9%.

This 18-point increase represented more than just a number. It meant:

• A Better Customer Experience: Fewer transaction delays and shorter lines led to happier customers who were more likely to return.
• Empowered Employees: Store employees, equipped with faster support, felt more confident and capable in their roles, boosting morale.
• Increased Internal Efficiency: The retailer’s internal IT team was freed from handling routine support calls, allowing them to focus on innovation and growth.

Use Netfor’s proprietary Service Desk Calculator to discover how much you can save using AI-enabled human support.

As the retailer’s leadership noted, their decision was validated by the seamless experience they created. “We were looking for a partner that could provide reliable service for our retail operations,” they shared. “The single most important metric is first call resolution, and our collaborative approach has allowed us to relentlessly achieve our goals.”

This story is a powerful example of how a strategic focus on process and knowledge can transform an entire customer experience. By viewing its support function as a core part of its business, this global retailer didn’t just fix a problem, it built a lasting competitive advantage.

Want the same results? Let’s talk about improving your store support.