Plain-language questions
Ask for tickets per customer 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
Tickets per customer: formula and example.
Tickets per customer is the number of support tickets in a period divided by the number of active customers in that period. It shows how much support an average customer needs. A rise can point to problems with products, deliveries or invoices, or to unclear information on the website.
Tickets per customer formula
Number of tickets in the period ÷ number of active customers in the period
Worked example
In March Acme Groothandel had 2,400 active customers, meaning customers with at least one order in the last twelve months. That month 1,200 tickets came in. That is 1,200 ÷ 2,400 = 0.5 tickets per customer, or 50 tickets per 100 customers.
Fictitious figures for Acme Groothandel, a sample wholesaler.
How to read this KPI
A falling number of tickets per customer means customers need help less often, for example thanks to better product information or fewer delivery problems. Break the KPI down by customer segment and request category to see where the questions come from. A few customers with many tickets can skew the average heavily, so look at the distribution too.
Pitfalls with tickets per customer
- Not defining what an active customer is, so the denominator differs between reports.
- Including tickets without a linked customer in some periods but not in others.
- Mistaking growth in the customer base for fewer problems, while tickets per order stay the same.
SQL & DAX
Calculating tickets per customer 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.
WITH t AS (
SELECT COUNT(*) AS tickets
FROM tickets
WHERE created_at >= date_trunc('month', current_date) - interval '1 month'
AND created_at < date_trunc('month', current_date)
), active AS (
SELECT COUNT(DISTINCT customer_id) AS active_customers
FROM orders
WHERE order_date >= date_trunc('month', current_date) - interval '12 months'
AND order_date < date_trunc('month', current_date)
)
SELECT t.tickets,
active.active_customers,
ROUND(t.tickets::numeric / NULLIF(active.active_customers, 0), 2) AS tickets_per_customer
FROM t, active;Active Customers =
CALCULATE(DISTINCTCOUNT(Orders[CustomerId]), DATESINPERIOD('Date'[Date], MAX('Date'[Date]), -12, MONTH))
Tickets per Customer = DIVIDE(COUNTROWS(Tickets), [Active Customers])In 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 tickets per customer?
Divide the number of tickets in a period by the number of active customers in that period. With 1,200 tickets and 2,400 active customers, that is 0.5 tickets per customer. Define what an active customer is, for example a customer with an order in the last twelve months.
What is the difference between tickets per customer and contact rate?
Tickets per customer divides tickets by the number of customers, contact rate divides them by the number of orders. If customers order more often, tickets per customer rise while the contact rate can stay the same.
How do you reduce tickets per customer?
Analyse by request category why customers get in touch and fix the biggest causes at the source, such as unclear delivery times or incorrect invoices. Clear order status information and an easy-to-find FAQ page also reduce the number of questions.
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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