Effort and execution alone aren't enough to build world-class support. You need direction. You need to understand where you need to go. More importantly, you need to understand how to get there.

That’s where metrics come in.

With so many metrics available online, it can be overwhelming to understand how they all fit together and where to start. In this week’s issue, I’ll help you simplify how to use service desk metrics.

We start by defining great service desks: It’s being available to respond with timely, helpful answers. In other words, it’s about…

1. Being Available

2. Responding Timely

3. Offering Helpful Solutions

The metrics I'll discuss centers on these three aspects. Let’s jump right in.

Being Available

In a nutshell, it’s having enough staff during working hours who can handle different types of requests.

Metric #1: Ticket Volume by Support Channel (View monthly)

Use this when you want to understand how to prioritize your resources. Your support channels may include phone, employee portal, or walk-ins.

Keep in mind how much each channel uses resources.

Reminder: Phone support and walk-ins are one-on-one, so your agents can’t handle other requests while assisting someone. Also, even if it’s not urgent, you are forced to address it because you’re already engaged.

Metric #2: Average Tickets per Agent (View weekly, monthly)

This helps determine if your agents are overworked or undertrained.

If an agent has fewer than average tickets, investigate the issue. Is he spending extra time to research issues? Perhaps he needs more training.

If an agent has more tickets, is he overloaded? Do you need to optimize how requests are allocated?

Metric #3: Ticket Category Distribution (View monthly)

The growth of technology has increased the skills needed to resolve requests within the organization, from hardware and various applications to cybersecurity.

This metric helps you decide if you need to hire more staff or train your team to have diverse skills.

Offering Helpful Solutions

Moving forward, it’s important to have helpful responses.

Metric #4: CSAT Survey (View Weekly)

The customer satisfaction score reveals how happy the customer was with the response. It is the most straightforward metric for assessing an agent’s performance.

Don’t worry if you don’t receive many responses. No news is often good news. Use this as an opportunity to address any complaints that do come in.

You’ll always make mistakes. What’s important is how you respond to it.

Metric #5: First Contact Resolution (View Monthly)

Typically, first contact resolution is a good indicator of how well your request routing works and how effectively your support team is trained. If first contact resolution declines, it suggests that either the routing or the training may need improvement.

Reminder: Level 1 support is primarily for handling simple and quick resolutions, as well as for triage purposes.

Responding Timely

Metric #6: Response Time (View Weekly)

When end-users report issues, they first want to feel heard. Usually, a response within 15 minutes is ideal. A quick reply assures them that their issue has been received and is being addressed.

Metric #7: Resolution Time (View Weekly)

Response time isn't just about being the fastest. It's about meeting expectations. This metric relates to Service Level Agreements with your end users.

Tracking it helps your team understand and meet the expectations of your end users.

Metric #8: Transfer Rate (View Monthly)

A recent client said their support team was like playing ping-pong.

Transfer rate shows how often requests are passed between agents or teams. For example, if an agent can't fix a problem, they might pass it to a specialist. A high transfer rate might mean there are problems, while a low rate means issues are resolved well.

If you’re starting out, don’t feel pressured to start with all the metrics. Start with one and gradually add others as you enhance your IT support.

That’s all for this week. See you next Tuesday.

P.S. If you have any questions, just reply to this email. I answer every message.