Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR): What It Is and How to Improve It

A customer contacts your support team with an urgent issue. As they wait for a resolution, every passing minute feels like an eternity. Now, this is the defining moment: Will you solve their problem quickly and earn their loyalty, or will a delay push them toward your competitors?

Speed matters more than ever in customer service. In fact, *90% of customers* say an “immediate” response is critical when they need help, with 60% defining “immediate” as 10 minutes or less. Falling short of these expectations can lead to frustration, churn, and lost opportunities.

That’s where understanding the Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) becomes crucial. MTTR measures the speed of your resolution process and provides a clear picture of your team’s efficiency and quality of customer experience. 

In this blog, we’ll explain MTTR, why it matters, and how you can calculate and improve it. You’ll learn actionable strategies to reduce response times, streamline processes, and enhance team performance. Let’s dive in.

Table of Contents

• What is the Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR)?
• Importance of Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) in customer service
• The formula for calculating MTTR
• Factors influencing MTTR
• Benchmarks for effective MTTR management
• Tips to improve MTTR
• Complementary metrics to Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR)
• Achieving operational excellence with MTTR and beyond

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What is the Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR)?

Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) is the average time it takes to resolve a customer issue—from the moment it’s reported to when it’s fully resolved. It’s a key metric in customer service, used to measure how effectively your team addresses customer concerns and ensures satisfaction.

At its core, MTTR emphasizes how quickly your support team can provide a solution that meets customer expectations. A shorter MTTR reflects a responsive and well-coordinated team, while a longer MTTR could indicate a need for improvements in processes or performance.

Research shows that 46% of customers expect companies to respond in less than 4 hours, and 52% say they stop purchasing from a company after experiencing slow response times.

Reducing MTTR in customer service isn’t just about working faster—it’s about delivering smooth, stress-free interactions that build trust and encourage loyalty. Tracking and improving this metric directly impacts customer satisfaction and reflects the operational efficiency of your team.

Other versions of MTTR – Mean Time to Respond

Mean Time to Respond (MTTR) tracks how quickly your team acknowledges and begins addressing customer issues after they’re reported. This metric highlights your team’s initial responsiveness, directly affecting customer trust and satisfaction.

Importance of Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) in customer service

Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) is a crucial metric for understanding and improving how quickly your team resolves customer issues. A lower MTTR leads to happier customers, more efficient teams, and stronger brand loyalty. Let’s examine its importance in customer service:

1. Assessing support team efficiency

MTTR offers clear insights into how effectively your team resolves customer issues. A fast resolution process shows your team is responsive, organized, and committed to delivering excellent customer experiences.

For example, a contact center tracking MTTR might find that technical troubleshooting requests take longer to resolve than general account inquiries. By implementing helpdesk software, they can automatically direct these complex cases to senior support agents, reducing resolution time and improving customer satisfaction.

2. Refining workflows and processes

Tracking MTTR allows customer service teams to identify patterns and areas for improvement. Continuously refining workflows leads to more efficient operations and better customer outcomes.

For instance, a support team reviewing MTTR data might find that complex product questions lead to longer resolution times. With this insight, they could create a more comprehensive knowledge base or train agents in product-specific troubleshooting, reducing delays and improving the overall customer experience.

3. Boosting customer satisfaction

Faster resolutions directly impact customer trust and satisfaction. Studies show that 73% of customers feel quick responses significantly improve their experience with a company.

Imagine an online retailer resolving delivery or payment issues in minutes rather than hours. Quick resolutions make customers more likely to complete purchases and return in the future. Tracking and reducing MTTR enables businesses to meet and exceed customer expectations consistently. 

Also read: Customer Retention: Importance + Proven Retention Strategies

4. Ensuring seamless customer experiences

Did you know that 12% of customers expect a response within 15 minutes or less, and 85% expect a company to respond within six hours? This implies that delays in resolving customer issues can lead to frustration and disrupted experiences. By tracking MTTR, customer service teams can pinpoint delays and implement proactive solutions to ensure seamless support and satisfaction.

For instance, if a retail support team notices delays in order confirmation emails, they can quickly send manual confirmations to affected customers and fix the system issue causing the delay. Resolving this issue promptly reduces frustration, reassures customers, and maintains trust in the brand’s reliability.

5. Establishing measurable goals for team success

MTTR serves as a performance benchmark, helping leaders set actionable goals and monitor progress. These metrics motivate teams to improve their resolution processes while delivering high-quality service.

For example, a customer support team could aim to resolve 90% of all inquiries within the first 24 hours. Tracking MTTR allows the team to stay on track with this goal, ensuring consistent and timely service.

The formula for calculating MTTR

The formula for calculating MTTR is:

MTTR = Total resolution time for all customer issues ÷ Number of customer issues resolved

This calculation provides the average resolution time, giving you a baseline to measure and optimize your team’s performance.

Example calculation

Imagine a food delivery service that receives complaints about incorrect orders. Each complaint represents a customer waiting for their issue to be resolved, directly impacting their experience and likelihood of ordering again.

Over a month:

• The support team resolved 150 complaints related to incorrect orders.
• The combined resolution time for all these complaints was 600 hours.

Using the formula:

MTTR = Total resolution time ÷ Number of issues resolved

MTTR = 600 ÷ 150 = 4 hours

This means that the team spent an average of four hours resolving each issue, from when the customer contacted support until the resolution. 

In this example, resolving a query might involve verifying the order details, clarifying the issue with the customer, and issuing a compensation, refund or replacement. If the company aims to reduce MTTR to 2 hours, it could focus on improving internal workflows or automating processes like assigning agents based on issue type.

Caveats for accurate calculation

• Exclude unresolved or ongoing cases to avoid inflating the metric.
• Maintain consistent time tracking across all customer issues.
• Eliminate extreme outliers, like rare, unusually lengthy cases, to ensure a realistic average.
• Use the same unit of measurement (e.g., hours) for uniform tracking.
• Identify and separate delays caused by external factors, such as customer unresponsiveness.

Factors influencing MTTR

Several factors determine how quickly your team resolves customer issues. These elements directly affect your Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) and the overall quality of your service. Understanding these factors helps you pinpoint delays and improve efficiency. Let’s break them down.

• Complexity of the issue: Not all problems are created equal. Simple queries, like checking order status, are resolved faster than more intricate customer concerns, such as resolving account access issues or handling multiple product returns. The more detailed the issue, the longer it takes to understand the full context and implement a solution.
• Team skill and expertise: A knowledgeable and well-trained team significantly reduces MTTR. Agents with the right expertise diagnose issues faster, suggest accurate solutions, and minimize the need for escalations. Regular training equips your team to handle a wider variety of problems confidently.
• Resource availability: The tools, information, and personnel available to your team impact resolution time. For instance, delays occur when critical customer data is missing or when teams lack adequate staff during peak hours. Ensuring your team has access to necessary resources and staffing levels helps maintain steady MTTR.
• Communication quality: Clear communication between customers, agents, and internal teams speeds up resolution. Misunderstandings or delayed responses slow down the process and frustrate customers. Standardized scripts, real-time updates, and clear escalation paths improve communication and reduce MTTR.
• Process efficiency: Unclear workflows and redundant steps unnecessarily extend resolution times. Efficient processes, such as automated ticket routing or streamlining communication between agents, ensure issues reach the right person quickly, keeping the resolution timeline on track.
• Tools and technology: The right technology accelerates issue resolution. Tools like helpdesk software, CRM systems, and chatbots streamline processes, provide real-time data, and automate repetitive tasks. 

Pro Tip: Customer service software like Hiver empowers support teams with powerful tools like automated routing and tracking, seamless collaboration, and actionable analytics. These features streamline workflows, reduce delays, and ensure faster resolutions. 

Benchmarks for effective MTTR management

Beyond the factors influencing MTTR, setting clear benchmarks helps your team meet customer expectations and stay competitive. Here are the essential benchmarks to consider:

• Customer expectations: Customers expect faster resolutions for simple queries like tracking orders (minutes) and more time for complex issues like refunds (up to 24 hours).
• Effort required: The complexity of a task dictates resolution time. Quick fixes, such as clarifying an order status or confirming a delivery, should take under an hour while resolving product return or refund requests, which may require up to a day.
• Industry standards: Evaluate how quickly your competitors resolve similar issues. For example, offering faster resolutions for billing corrections or return processing can set your brand apart.

Tips to improve MTTR

Improving Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) requires a combination of strategy, process refinement, and the right tools. Here’s how you can streamline operations and ensure faster resolutions.

1. Streamline issue identification and routing

Quickly identifying issues is the first step to reducing MTTR. Delays in recognizing customer issues can increase frustration and prolong resolution times. Implementing customer service software allows you to automate ticket routing, ensuring tickets are assigned to the right agent and nothing slips through the cracks.

For example, an e-commerce company could set up ticket routing to automatically assign failed payment queries to a dedicated billing team member. This ensures swift responses and a seamless customer experience.

Also read: 5 Best Gmail Response Time Tracking Tools

2. Automate repetitive tasks

Automation eliminates manual delays, letting your team focus on solving complex customer issues. Research shows that 50% of business leaders believe they can automate up to 30% of their workload. It simplifies processes, minimizes human errors, and ensures faster, more consistent resolutions.

Tasks that can be automated include:

• Assigning tickets to the right agents or departments.
• Sending acknowledgement emails to customers.
• Creating reminders for pending issues.
• Tracking resolution progress.

Amazon uses AI-powered chatbots and automated responses in customer support to resolve over 75% of inquiries without human intervention. This strategy significantly reduces response times, enhances customer satisfaction, and lowers operational costs.

Pro Tip: Tools like Hiver provide robust automation features facilitating auto-assigning tickets, prioritizing tasks, sending follow-ups, and streamlining repetitive workflows. 

3. Enhance internal collaboration

Poor internal communication slows resolutions, leaving customers frustrated. Collaboration tools help teams work together seamlessly, ensuring no information is lost between departments. More than 70% of consumers expect companies to collaborate on their behalf so they don’t have to repeat themselves.

Ways to enhance collaboration:

• Use shared platforms to track conversations and updates.
• Assign tasks transparently so everyone knows their responsibilities.
• Encourage cross-department communication for complex resolutions.

Imagine a retail support team managing a surge in return requests after the holiday season. A collaborative platform enables agents, warehouse staff, and management to share updates in real-time, ensuring customers receive timely updates on their returns without confusion or delays. 

Pro tip: Hiver’s collaborative inbox allows teams to manage shared emails directly in Gmail. With features like email delegation for clear task ownership, internal notes for private discussions, and collision detection to avoid duplicate responses, Hiver ensures seamless teamwork and timely resolutions.

4. Provide continuous agent training

Well-trained agents resolve issues faster and more effectively. High-performing businesses prioritize agent development, with 88% of successful service leaders significantly investing in agent training.

Ongoing training helps agents stay abreast of product knowledge, troubleshooting techniques, and communication best practices. As a result, they can resolve customer issues accurately on the first interaction, reducing delays and improving customer satisfaction.

Here are some tips for companies to implement better training programs:

• Get real-time coaching through AI-driven insights.
• Host regular refresher sessions to reinforce problem-solving skills.
• Provide hands-on simulations to prepare agents for complex scenarios.

By continuously upskilling their teams, businesses can achieve faster resolutions, enhance efficiency, and create a more seamless support experience.

Pro tip: Hiver’sShared Drafts feature offers managers a great way to train agents on the job. Managers can review, edit, and provide feedback on emails before they’re sent, helping agents learn best practices while handling actual customer queries. This helps improve accuracy, reduce response time, and enhance agent confidence through guided learning.

5. Leverage data and analytics

Data-driven insights are key to identifying bottlenecks in the resolution process. In fact, 72% of companies believe analytics reports can help improve the customer experience. Here’s what to review and how:

• Resolution times: Identify trends in delays and focus on reducing average MTTR.
• Escalation rates: Track issues that frequently escalate and improve processes to resolve them at the first level.
• Customer feedback: Analyze survey responses to understand satisfaction levels and pinpoint areas for improvement.
• Peak activity periods: Adjust staffing during high-demand times to ensure faster responses.

With the right insights, your team can make data-driven decisions to enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Pro tip: Hiver’s Analytics capabilities help track metrics like ticket resolution times, CSAT scores, conversation trends, and workload distribution. These insights can help teams optimize their workflows and meet customer expectations consistently.

6. Improve customer communication

Clear communication keeps customers informed and reduces frustration. Setting expectations, providing real-time updates, and explaining resolutions build trust. Customers who understand what’s happening are more likely to remain satisfied, even if the resolution takes time.

Take the example of UK-based water company Anglian Water. They proactively text and email customers about unexpected water outages, so there’s no need for them to call and ask. They even have an “In Your Area” webpage for real-time updates. The result? Fewer frustrated customers and £100,000 to £200,000 saved in call center costs each year.

Businesses can build trust and loyalty by providing real-time updates and addressing customer concerns promptly, even in challenging situations.

Pro tip: Hiver’s Contacts feature gives agents access to the complete history of every customer interaction, making responses more personalized, conversations smoother, and resolutions faster.

7. Optimize escalation workflows

Undefined escalation paths cause delays and increase customer dissatisfaction. In fact, studies show that as hold times grow by 34%, escalations rise by over 68% due to inefficient processes. Streamlined workflows ensure complex issues reach the right experts quickly.

Complementary metrics to Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR)

While Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) is essential, it doesn’t capture the entire picture of your team’s performance. MTTR focuses on how quickly issues are resolved but doesn’t address factors like the frequency of problems or the quality of resolutions. Tracking complementary metrics is crucial to gain a comprehensive view of your customer service team’s performance and support quality.

Here are key customer service metrics that work alongside MTTR to provide deeper insights:

• First Contact Resolution Rate (FCR): FCR measures the percentage of issues resolved during the customer’s first interaction. A high FCR reflects efficiency and effectiveness. While MTTR measures speed, FCR complements it by highlighting how often your team delivers quick, complete resolutions without follow-ups.
• Escalation Rate: This tracks the percentage of issues requiring escalation to higher support levels. A low escalation rate often indicates well-trained agents and effective workflows. Paired with MTTR, it helps identify if escalations cause delays or if clear processes keep resolution times on track.
• Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT): CSAT measures customers’ satisfaction with the resolution process. While MTTR focuses on speed, CSAT reflects the quality of the resolution. Even fast resolutions can result in dissatisfaction if they don’t meet customer needs, making CSAT an essential complement.
• Net Promoter Score (NPS): NPS gauges customer loyalty by measuring how likely they are to recommend your business. It offers a long-term view of satisfaction and pairs well with MTTR to show whether resolution times positively impact customer perceptions.

Achieving operational excellence with MTTR and beyond

Keeping track of MTTR ensures customer satisfaction by minimizing delays and efficiently resolving issues. Focusing on quick resolutions improves service efficiency, reduces disruptions, and builds trust. However, achieving true operational excellence requires going beyond MTTR. Complementary metrics like First Contact Resolution (FCR) and Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) provide a broader perspective, enabling your team to deliver both speed and quality.

Your team needs the right tools that simplify workflows, offer actionable insights, and foster collaboration to excel.

Hiver makes this possible with its solid automation features that eliminate repetitive tasks, shared inbox tools that streamline communication, and analytics that help identify areas for continuous improvement—all within your inbox.

Ready to elevate your customer service? Start with Hiver today and experience faster resolutions, smarter workflows, and happier customers.

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