How Poor QA Practices Create Repeat Calls (and How to Stop It)
When QA misses the mark, repeat calls multiply but with smarter, outcome-focused evaluations, contact centers can resolve issues the first time and boost loyalty.
Repeat calls are one of the biggest drains on contact center efficiency. They frustrate customers, increase costs, and demoralize agents. And while technology, training, and processes all play a role, one often overlooked factor is Quality Assurance (QA).
When QA is narrow, inconsistent, or poorly designed, it fails to spot the issues that drive customers to call back. The result? Lower First-Contact Resolution (FCR), higher handle times, and declining satisfaction. Let’s look at how poor QA contributes to repeat contacts and how to fix it.
Why Repeat Calls Hurt So Much 💸
- Customer Frustration
Customers don’t want to explain their issue twice. According to SQM Group (2022), customers who must contact a company more than once for the same issue are 40% less satisfied than those who resolve it on the first try. - Rising Costs
Each additional call increases workload and operational costs. Gartner (2023) estimates that reducing repeat contacts by just 10% can cut service costs by up to 5% annually. - Agent Morale
Agents who repeatedly field the same issue feel powerless and demotivated. High repeat-call rates often correlate with burnout and turnover.
How Poor QA Practices Drive Repeat Calls ⚠️
- Overemphasis on Compliance: If QA focuses only on scripts and disclosures, it misses whether the actual issue was resolved.
- Inconsistent Scoring: When evaluators apply different standards, agents receive mixed signals and performance doesn’t improve.
- Lack of Root-Cause Analysis: QA often highlights individual errors without connecting them to systemic issues (e.g., unclear policies or broken workflows).
- No Link to Customer Outcomes: Traditional QA doesn’t always measure FCR or Customer Effort Score (CES), both of which directly relate to repeat contacts.
How to Stop Repeat Calls Through Smarter QA 🛠️
- Measure Resolution, Not Just Compliance
Ensure QA frameworks include FCR and customer outcomes as part of scoring. - Calibrate Consistently
Hold calibration sessions so evaluators align on what “resolved” really means across channels. - Identify Patterns
Use QA data to uncover recurring issues that drive callbacks (e.g., confusing billing, unclear next steps). Share these insights with other departments. - Coach on Problem-Solving
QA should feed into coaching that develops critical thinking and empathy, not just adherence to scripts. - Integrate with Customer Metrics
Combine QA scores with CSAT, CES, and NPS to get a full picture of where resolution breaks down.
The Bigger Picture 🌟
Repeat calls aren’t just a nuisance. They’re a signal that something in the system is broken. Poor QA practices allow those signals to go unnoticed. Smarter, outcome-focused QA helps agents resolve issues the first time, reduces costs, and creates a better experience for both customers and staff.
In the end, every repeat call avoided is time saved, money protected, and loyalty strengthened.
📚 References
SQM Group. (2022). First Call Resolution and Customer Satisfaction Research. Retrieved from www.sqmgroup.com
Gartner. (2023). Reducing Repeat Contacts to Improve Service Efficiency. Retrieved from www.gartner.com
Forrester Research. (2022). Linking QA to Customer Outcomes. Retrieved from www.forrester.com
Harvard Business Review. (2010). Dixon, M., Freeman, K., & Toman, N. Stop Trying to Delight Your Customers. Retrieved from hbr.org