How to Reduce Time to Resolution

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The previous article discussed the factors influencing the Time to Resolution metric and how they can be interpreted.

Now, we would like to delve into the question of how to reduce this metric. Or, more precisely, how to have a QUALITATIVE impact by reducing the time it takes to process requests.

This is important to note because superficial processing of requests without proper attention to detail may reduce TTR. However, this will affect the user who contacted Support and will not be satisfied. This will negatively affect loyalty to the company and a number of other things. Therefore, let's examine why a high Time to Resolution is bad and how to influence its reduction.

Let's dive in!

Negatively Impact of a Long Time to Resolution

A long time to resolve a problem can negatively impact several aspects of the business or system, including:

Customer satisfaction

Long problem resolution times can lead to customer frustration and dissatisfaction, negatively impacting customer loyalty and retention.

Well, it's logical. The world is dynamic, and time is money. Users are not ready to spend forever processing their requests.

Productivity

If issues are not resolved quickly, it can disrupt workflow and reduce productivity. Team members may only be able to complete their tasks once the issue is resolved. 

Welcome to their majesty, the Blockers! Even the smallest issue can block the work of an entire team.

Costs

Taking longer to resolve a problem can increase operational costs. More resources, such as labor and equipment, may be required to solve the problem.

The more time team members spend solving a problem, the more it costs the company. Remember the age-old adage that time = money—more time = more costs. And sometimes, it can also result in losses - if you work too long on something important to your client, you can lose them. 

Reputation

Resolving a problem for a long time can damage a company's reputation. This can lead to a decrease in customer confidence and potential loss of business.

And what's the best advertisement for your business? That's right, recommendations from your grateful customers. So, what kind of positive feedback can you talk about if you can solve problems forever?

Compliance and legal issues

In some industries, taking a long time to resolve issues can lead to compliance or legal problems, potentially resulting in fines or other penalties.

Quality of services/products

Long problem resolution times can indicate problems with the quality of the services or products provided, which can have far-reaching negative consequences for the business.

Tips on How to Reduce Time to Resolution

Reducing the time to resolution involves increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of problem-solving processes. Here are some strategies that can help: 

1. Clear communication. Make sure all parties involved have a clear understanding of the problem. Miscommunication can lead to delays. Of course, it's impossible to remember everything. Therefore, ensure your Support team members understand who they can contact for help if they cannot resolve the request themselves.
2. Proactive problem-solving. Identify potential bottlenecks before they become problems. Regular system checks, risk assessments, and proactive maintenance can prevent problems from occurring. Learn to find issues before your customers do. Please don't wait for them to be pointed out to you.
3. Prioritize issues. Not all problems are equally urgent. Prioritize issues based on their impact and urgency. This ensures that critical issues are addressed first. It is not possible to perform all tasks or process all requests at the same time. Develop a gradation of problems in advance and immediately assign specific priorities to tasks according to it. This way, you won't drown in the chaos and will always be focused on what matters most.
4. Effective processes. Optimize your problem-solving processes. This can include automating specific tasks, improving workflows, or eliminating unnecessary steps. Automate everything that can be automated. For example, the JSM tool is a great way to handle user requests centrally, and the Atlassian Marketplace has many apps that can help you manage tasks, support tickets, create tasks from emails, etc. 
5. Skills and training. Ensure your team has the skills and knowledge to solve problems effectively. Regular training and skill development will help improve their ability to solve problems.
6. Documentation. Please keep a record of the problems solved and their solutions. This can help you solve similar problems faster in the future. If you're a product team that develops and distributes your apps, remember that good documentation prevents your users from calling Support. Suppose you describe how your product works and how to solve common problems effectively in an accessible and understandable way. In that case, 60% of hypothetical calls to your Service Desk will disappear. 
7. Continuous improvement. Review and improve your problem-solving processes regularly. Look for areas where you can improve efficiency and reduce time to resolution.
8. Measurement, reporting, and analytics. With numbers and values, it is possible to reasonably understand what is happening with Time to Resolution values. It is necessary to measure this metric by team, Assignee, compare the dynamics between different time periods, etc. To do this, we recommend using the Time Between Statuses app, designed to measure various time metrics related to the definition of Delivery time.

With the help of a histogram chart, you can visualize your data and see trends in metrics.

You can make informed decisions, find bottlenecks, and optimize your workflows by analyzing. 

May your Time to Resolution always be optimal!

P.S. Try the Time Between Statuses app - 30 days free trial