Plain-language questions
Ask for average resolution time per month, customer or product in the SQL Explorer with AI. The AI writes the SQL, you see the query and run it yourself; the AI only receives metadata.
KPI · Customer service
Average resolution time: formula and example.
Average resolution time is the average time between a ticket being created and it being marked as resolved. It shows how long customers wait in total for a solution, including time waiting on the customer or on other departments. Together with first response time, it is the core measure of service speed.
Average resolution time formula
Sum of (time resolved − time created) across all resolved tickets ÷ number of resolved tickets
Worked example
Acme Groothandel resolved 1,150 tickets in March. The total time from creation to resolution was 23,000 hours. Average resolution time is 23,000 ÷ 1,150 = 20 hours.
Fictitious figures for Acme Groothandel, a sample wholesaler.
How to read this KPI
A shorter resolution time means customers get help faster. Look at the median and the resolution time per category as well as the average, because a return or a technical fault simply takes longer than a question about delivery times. Track the trend by week or month and compare with your own service standards.
Pitfalls with average resolution time
- Not separating time spent waiting on the customer, so resolution time looks long when the team cannot act.
- Counting reopened tickets as new ones, so the true resolution time disappears from view.
- Measuring only resolved tickets, so the longest-open tickets are not yet counted.
SQL & DAX
Calculating average resolution time in SQL and DAX
Two examples on a fictitious data warehouse for Acme Groothandel: a PostgreSQL query and a measure for a Power BI model. Adjust table and column names to your own model.
SELECT date_trunc('month', resolved_at)::date AS month,
COUNT(*) AS resolved_tickets,
ROUND(AVG(EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM resolved_at - created_at) / 3600)::numeric, 1) AS avg_resolution_hours,
ROUND((percentile_cont(0.5) WITHIN GROUP (
ORDER BY EXTRACT(EPOCH FROM resolved_at - created_at)) / 3600)::numeric, 1) AS median_resolution_hours
FROM tickets
WHERE resolved_at IS NOT NULL
AND resolved_at >= current_date - interval '12 months'
GROUP BY 1
ORDER BY 1;Resolved Tickets = CALCULATE(COUNTROWS(Tickets), NOT ISBLANK(Tickets[ResolvedAt]))
Avg Resolution (hours) =
DIVIDE(
SUMX(FILTER(Tickets, NOT ISBLANK(Tickets[ResolvedAt])),
DATEDIFF(Tickets[CreatedAt], Tickets[ResolvedAt], MINUTE)),
[Resolved Tickets]
) / 60In ENABLE
Tracking this KPI in ENABLE
In your Power BI dashboard
Define the KPI as a measure in your Power BI model and show it in the portal, with "Last refreshed" next to it. Access profiles and optional row-level security decide who sees which figures.
Custom dashboards (pilot)
Add the KPI as a tile to a custom dashboard, compared with last year. The Dashboard Builder is a pilot and can be switched on per client.
Monthly targets
With the built-in Targets app you set a target for the KPI per month, so you see actuals and target side by side.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate average resolution time?
For each resolved ticket, add up the time between creation and resolution and divide the total by the number of resolved tickets. With 23,000 hours across 1,150 tickets, average resolution time is 20 hours.
What is the difference between resolution time and handle time?
Resolution time is the total elapsed time of a ticket, including waiting time. Average handle time (AHT) is only the time an agent actively spends on a contact. A ticket can have a resolution time of two days and a handle time of ten minutes.
How do you reduce ticket resolution time?
Route requests straight to the right person, handle common questions with standard answers and make waiting on other departments visible. Analyse where the time goes per category before you take action.
Further reading
- KPI libraryCustomer service KPIs: formulas and examplesCustomer service KPIs measure how quickly and how well customers are helped. The data comes from your help desk and telephony, and becomes more useful next to customer and order data.Read more
- ResourcesHow to build a KPI dashboard: steps and examplesA KPI dashboard is an overview of the key figures you use to steer towards your goals, such as revenue, margin, on-time delivery or absenteeism. A good KPI dashboard does not start with the software, but with the decisions it needs to support. You then choose a limited number of KPIs, define them, sketch the dashboard and only then build it.Read more
- SolutionPower BI dashboard portal: share dashboards securelyShare your Power BI dashboards securely in your own portal, with role-based access.Read more
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