T-Mobile’s First Interaction Resolution (FIR) metric is facing criticism from employees who believe it is negatively impacting both their performance ratings and earnings. This metric is intended to assess customer satisfaction by determining whether a customer’s issue is resolved during the initial contact with support.
However, workers argue that it creates an unfair disadvantage when circumstances beyond their control come into play. The concept behind FIR appears straightforward: if an employee resolves a customer’s issue on the first attempt, it is considered a successful interaction.
Yet, retail employees have reported that if a customer calls back after making a purchase—regardless of the reason, such as inquiring about a bill—the original interaction is labeled as incomplete. Consequently, the employee who assisted the customer during the initial contact may lose credit for the sale, which can significantly affect their metrics.
Historically, T-Mobile’s customer service has been a key competitive advantage, particularly with its “Team of Experts” model designed to provide a more personalized experience for customers. However, as the company expands and increasingly utilizes automation and performance metrics, some employees fear this reputation for human-centric service is at risk of diminishing.
Other carriers, including Verizon and AT&T, experience similar challenges in customer service, but T-Mobile has distinguished itself by promoting a more customer-friendly image. If FIR and related internal systems continue to penalize employees for factors beyond their control, the advantages that set T-Mobile apart could fade.
We have reached out to AT&T for a comment and will provide updates upon receiving a response.