What this means
This sample reviews a call to the Fiduciary Contact Center, or FCC. It covers opening the call, handling the caller's questions and closing with the right explanation and documentation. Its critical and non-critical labels are internal quality-review classifications.
How this may help with a claim
Compare your own notes from a call with the areas this checklist reviews: what you asked, what was explained, whether contact information needed correction and where an unresolved issue was referred. You do not need to post identifying information here to use this explanation.
What to review in your file
The opening checks distinguish caller identity from contact information. They cover identifying the beneficiary and the caller's authority, including third-party disclosure or power of attorney where applicable. They then separately ask whether the address, phone or email was verified and whether incorrect information was updated.
During the call, the sample checks listening, clarification, professional conduct, hold procedures and use of the relevant systems. It also asks whether the agent addressed accounting, fund usage review, examinations, misuse, fiduciary assignment, benefits within the agent's scope and a first notice of death when those issues arose.
At closing, distinguish a transfer from a resolved question. The sample asks whether the agent explained why and where a call was transferred, provided return-call information, checked for remaining concerns and documented the call with the appropriate closing.
Important limits
The checklist assesses call handling; it does not determine entitlement, verify a caller's authority by itself or guarantee that a call resolves an issue. Its questions and error descriptions are internal review criteria, not instructions for a caller to perform VA's verification or processing tasks.
Search terms when useful
Phrases that may help when searching your claim file or this library.
- Fiduciary Contact Center call quality
- FCC caller verification
- FCC transfer and call documentation
Original VA guidance
The official VA text of this section
Official section title: FCC Quality Checklist
This page reproduces the VA text. Use the official VA source for any images and linked documents.
Appendix D. FCC Quality Checklist
Change Date
February 8, 2024
Appendix D.a. FCC Quality Checklist
The following is a sample of the FCC Quality Checklist.
Scroll sideways to see the full table.
| Fiduciary Contact Center National Checklist | |||
| Opening the Call | |||
| 1 | Did the agent use the appropriate greeting? (Non-Critical) | Yes | |
| No | |||
| NA | |||
| Error Descriptor | |||
| a | The agent did not use the correct Fiduciary Contact Center opening dialogue. | ||
| b | The agent did not identify themselves by name. | ||
| 2 | Did the agent confirm the caller’s identity? (Critical) | Yes | |
| No | |||
| NA | |||
| Error Descriptor | |||
| a | The agent did not ask for the VA file number/SSN of the beneficiary. | ||
| b | The agent did not verify the Fiduciary. | ||
| c | The agent did not verify third party disclosure is of record. | ||
| d | The agent did not verify the POA. | ||
| 3 | Did the agent verify current address (physical, mailing and payment), phone and/or email? (Critical) | Yes | |
| No | |||
| NA | |||
| Error Descriptor | |||
| a | The agent did not verify the mailing address. | ||
| b | The agent did not verify the physical address. | ||
| c | The agent did not verify the payment address. | ||
| d | The agent did not verify the phone number. | ||
| e | The agent did not verify the email address. | ||
| 4 | Did the agent update an incorrect address (physical, mailing and payment), phone and/or email? (Critical) | Yes | |
| No | |||
| NA | |||
| Error Descriptor | |||
| a | The agent did not update the mailing address. | ||
| b | The agent did not update the physical address. | ||
| c | The agent did not update the payment address. | ||
| d | The agent did not update the phone number. | ||
| e | The agent did not update the email address. | ||
| Handling the Call | |||
| 5 | Did the agent use proper call handling protocol? (Critical) | Yes | |
| No | |||
| NA | |||
| Error Descriptor | |||
| a | The agent continually interrupted the caller. | ||
| b | The agent did not demonstrate willingness to help. | ||
| c | The agent did not demonstrate professionalism and appropriate tone. | ||
| d | The agent did not explain why the call was placed on hold. | ||
| e | The agent did not use appropriate hold times. | ||
| 6 | Did the agent demonstrate active listening skills? (Critical) | Yes | |
| No | |||
| NA | |||
| Error Descriptor | |||
| a | The agent did not clarify the caller’s concerns/questions. | ||
| b | The agent did not demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of the incoming call. | ||
| Yes | |||
| 7 | Did the agent efficiently manage the flow of the incoming call? (Non-Critical) | No | |
| NA | |||
| Error Descriptor | |||
| a | The agent allowed the caller to control the incoming call. | ||
| b | The agent did not address questions/concerns before caller addressed additional questions/concerns. | ||
| c | The agent did not exhaust all resources before transferring or sending incoming call to a supervisor. | ||
| 8 | Did the agent demonstrate knowledge of benefit and VA systems? (Critical) | Yes | |
| No | |||
| NA | |||
| Error Descriptor | |||
| a | The agent did not provide accurate accounting information. | ||
| B | The agent did not provide accurate fund usage review information. | ||
| C | The agent did not provide accurate field examination information. | ||
| D | The agent did not provide accurate misuse information. | ||
| E | The agent did not provide accurate fiduciary assignment information. | ||
| F | The agent did not properly address VA benefit entitlements within agent’s scope of support. | ||
| G | The agent did not properly review all applicable systems/resources. | ||
| H | The agent did not properly address the FNOD. | ||
| 9 | Did the agent address all issues raised? (Non-Critical) | Yes | |
| No | |||
| NA | |||
| Error Descriptor | |||
| a | The agent did not address all the incoming caller’s concerns/questions. | ||
| b | The agent did not confirm all concerns/questions had been addressed. | ||
| Closing the Call | |||
| 10 | Did the agent properly advise of correct contact center, contact number and/or transfer the call? (Non-Critical) | Yes | |
| No | |||
| NA | |||
| Error Descriptor | |||
| a | The agent did not explain why the incoming caller had to be transferred. | ||
| b | The agent did not explain where the call was being transferred. | ||
| c | The agent did not give the incoming caller return call information in the event the call was dropped. | ||
| 11 | Did the agent confirm all issues had been addressed? (Critical) | Yes | |
| No | |||
| NA | |||
| Error Descriptor | |||
| a | The agent did not follow-up to ensure there were no other questions or concerns. | ||
| b | The agent did not confirm the incoming caller was satisfied with the call. | ||
| 12 | Did the agent use the appropriate closing and documentation? (Non-Critical) | Yes | |
| No | |||
| NA | |||
| Error Descriptor | |||
| a | The agent did not use the correct Fiduciary Contact Center closing dialogue. | ||
| b | The agent did not properly document the incoming call. | ||