GLOSSARY

Customer service metrics glossary

Each entry covers one customer service metric, with its formula, a worked example and the published figures we could trace to a source.

• Average handle time

  Average handle time (AHT) is the time your team spends working on each customer contact, on average. Help Scout times only the last visit before a reply.

• Average resolution time

  Average resolution time is the mean time from a customer getting in touch to their problem being solved. Several helpdesks show the median instead.

• Containment rate

  Containment rate is the share of chatbot or phone menu conversations that end without a handover to a person. Some tools count a hang-up as contained.

• Cost per contact

  Cost per contact is your total support cost divided by the number of customer contacts. Repeat contacts about one problem make it look lower.

• Deflection rate

  Deflection rate is the share of support questions that self-service answers before they reach your team. Counting every help centre visit overstates it.

• Escalation rate

  Escalation rate is the proportion of support conversations passed to a person, a specialist or a manager. Tools differ on whether a request alone counts.

• First contact resolution

  First contact resolution (FCR) is how often a customer’s problem is solved in their first contact. The formula you pick can change it by 11 points.

• First response time

  First response time (FRT), or first reply time, is how long a customer waits for your team’s first reply. Most helpdesks we checked leave out a bot’s reply.

• Resolution rate

  Resolution rate, or ticket resolution rate, is the percentage of support requests that get solved. Vendors that bill per resolution each decide what counts.

• Ticket volume

  Ticket volume is the number of support requests your team receives in a period. A reply to a closed Zendesk ticket opens a new one.