(TTR) Time To Resolution: Meaning, Importance & How to Reduce TTR

A study by Bain & Company found that a 10% improvement in TTR can lead to a 5% increase in customer satisfaction and a 1% increase in customer retention. That's why it's so important for businesses to focus on improving their TTR.

There are a number of factors that can affect TTR, such as the type of issue, the complexity of the issue, and the resources available to resolve the issue. However, there are also a number of things that businesses can do to improve their TTR.

In this blog post, we'll discuss what time to resolution is, why it's important, and how businesses can improve it. We'll also share some case studies of businesses that have successfully improved their TTR.

So if you're looking to improve your customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention, then improving your time-to-resolution is a great place to start. To learn more about how to improve your time to resolution, read the rest of this blog post.

What is TTR (Time to Resolution)

Time to resolution (TTR) is the amount of time it takes to resolve a customer issue. It's an important metric for businesses because it can affect customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention.

TTR is an important metric for businesses because it can affect customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. Customers who have to wait a long time for their issue to be resolved are more likely to be dissatisfied with the business and less likely to do business with them again in the future.

Why Time To Resolution matters in customer service

Time to Resolution (TTR) is a critical metric in customer service for several reasons:

Customer Satisfaction: A faster resolution time leads to higher customer satisfaction. When customers receive quick and efficient solutions to their problems, they are more likely to have a positive perception of your brand and its customer service.
Customer Retention: Timely issue resolution is essential for retaining customers. If customers consistently experience long wait times or delays in resolving their issues, they may become frustrated and seek alternatives, resulting in churn.
Brand Reputation: Fast issue resolution contributes to a positive brand reputation. Customers are more likely to recommend your brand to others if they have had good experiences with swift problem-solving.
Operational Efficiency: Efficient handling of customer inquiries and complaints reduces the workload on customer support teams. This, in turn, allows companies to allocate resources effectively and reduce operational costs.
Productivity: Time To Resolution metrics can help identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies in customer support processes. By optimizing these processes, you can improve overall productivity and resource allocation.
Customer Loyalty: Prompt issue resolution fosters customer loyalty. When customers feel their concerns are addressed promptly, they are more likely to remain loyal and make repeat purchases.
Competitive Advantage: Offering faster issue resolution can give your company a competitive edge. In a competitive market, superior customer service can be a differentiator that sets you apart from competitors.
Data-Driven Improvements: Tracking TTR allows you to gather valuable data on common customer issues and the effectiveness of your support team. This data can be used to make informed decisions and continuous improvements.
Cost Reduction: Faster issue resolution can lead to cost savings. Reduced call/chat handling times and fewer escalations can result in lower customer service costs.

Below some of the popular Time To Resolution examples of popular brands:

Amazon: Amazon has reduced its TTR by 50% by using a combination of automation and human intervention. The company uses AI chatbots to answer simple customer questions and resolve common issues. For more complex issues, Amazon uses human agents who are trained to resolve issues quickly and efficiently.
Netflix: Netflix has reduced its TTR by 30% by using a customer service software that helps to track and manage customer issues. The software also helps Netflix to identify and prioritize issues so that they can be resolved quickly.
Tesla: Tesla has reduced its TTR by 20% by using a clear and concise process for resolving customer issues. The company has also invested in customer service training for its employees so that they can resolve issues more quickly.
Starbucks: Starbucks has reduced its TTR by 10% by using a proactive approach to customer service. The company monitors customer accounts for potential problems and proactively reaches out to customers to resolve issues before they become major problems.
United Airlines: United Airlines has reduced its TTR by 5% by using a combination of technology and human intervention. The company uses a customer service software to track and manage customer issues, and it also has a team of human agents who are available 24/7 to resolve issues.

How to reduce (TTR) Time To Resolution & Improve Customer Satisfaction

Here are some ways to improve on time-to-resolution (TTR) in detail:

Invest in customer service training for employees. Employees who are better trained to handle customer issues will be able to resolve issues more quickly. This training should cover the following topics:

How to identify and prioritize customer issues
How to communicate effectively with customers
How to troubleshoot common problems
How to escalate issues to the appropriate level

Use a customer service software that can help track and manage customer issues. This software can help businesses to identify and prioritize issues, track their progress, and communicate with customers. Some popular customer service software options include Zendesk, Salesforce Service Cloud, and Freshdesk.

Create a clear and concise process for resolving customer issues. This process should be documented and shared with all employees so that everyone knows how to handle customer issues. The process should also be flexible enough to accommodate different types of issues.

Communicate with customers regularly about the status of their issue. This will help to keep customers informed and reduce their frustration. Customers should be kept updated on the progress of their issue and notified when it has been resolved.

Be proactive in resolving customer issues before they become major problems. This can help to prevent customer dissatisfaction and reduce the time it takes to resolve issues. For example, businesses can set up automated systems to monitor customer accounts for potential problems.

Use technology to automate tasks. There are a number of technologies that can be used to automate tasks related to customer service, such as email and chat bots. This can free up employees to focus on more complex issues and help to reduce TTR.

Set realistic expectations for TTR. Customers should be informed of the average TTR for the type of issue they are experiencing. This will help to manage their expectations and avoid disappointment.

Be transparent about the issue. Customers should be informed of the nature of the issue and the steps that are being taken to resolve it. This will help to build trust and confidence in the business.

Offer compensation for delays. If an issue takes longer than expected to resolve, businesses may want to offer compensation to the customer, such as a refund or a discount. This will help to make the customer feel valued and appreciated.

Learn from mistakes. When an issue is not resolved quickly or efficiently, businesses should take the opportunity to learn from their mistakes. This will help them to improve their processes and procedures in the future.

Use an AI chatbot to solve customer queries. AI chatbots like Manifest AI can be used to answer customer questions, provide support, and resolve issues. This can free up employees to focus on more complex issues and help to reduce TTR.

Top 5 Tools to Improve Time to Resolution

Here is a more detailed explanation of the top 5 tools to improve time to resolution (TTR):

Zendesk: Zendesk is a customer service software that helps businesses track and manage customer issues. It also provides tools for customer support teams to communicate with customers and resolve issues quickly. Zendesk offers a variety of features, including:

Ticket management system: This allows businesses to track and manage customer issues from start to finish.
Knowledge base: This allows businesses to store information about their products and services, which can help customers find answers to their questions.
Live chat for Shopify: This allows businesses to chat with customers in real time, which can help to resolve issues quickly.
Email support: This allows businesses to provide support to customers via email.
Phone support: This allows businesses to provide support to customers via phone.

Freshdesk: Freshdesk is another customer service software that offers a variety of features to help businesses improve their TTR. These features include:

Ticket management system: This allows businesses to track and manage customer issues from start to finish.
Knowledge base: This allows businesses to store information about their products and services, which can help customers find answers to their questions.
Live chat: This allows businesses to chat with customers in real time, which can help to resolve issues quickly.
Email support: This allows businesses to provide support to customers via email.
Phone support: This allows businesses to provide support to customers via phone.
Self-service portal: This allows customers to find answers to their questions without having to contact customer support.

Intercom: Intercom is a customer relationship management (CRM) tool that helps businesses build relationships with their customers. It offers features such as live chat, chatbots, and in-app messaging. Intercom can help businesses improve their TTR by:

Providing a way for businesses to communicate with customers in real time.
Helping businesses to track customer interaction time and identify potential problems.
Providing businesses with insights into customer behavior, which can help them to improve their products and services.

Manifest AI: Manifest AI is an GPT powered AI customer service tool that helps businesses resolve customer issues quickly and efficiently. It uses machine learning to identify and prioritize issues, and it also provides suggestions for how to resolve them. Manifest AI can help businesses improve their TTR by:

Automating the process of identifying and prioritizing customer issues.
Providing businesses with suggestions for how to resolve customer issues.
Helping businesses to track the progress of customer issues and identify any potential delays.

Install Manifest AI in your Shopify store for free

BIK: BIK is a marketing automation tool that helps businesses automate tasks such as scheduling posts, sending follow-up messages, and running contests. This can free up time for customer service teams to focus on resolving issues. BIK can help businesses improve their TTR by:

Automating tasks that are typically done by customer service teams, such as scheduling posts and sending follow-up messages.
Providing businesses with insights into customer behavior, which can help them to improve their customer service.
Helping businesses to track the progress of customer issues and identify any potential delays.

Conclusion

In today's fast-paced world, businesses need to be able to resolve customer issues quickly and efficiently. Time to resolution (TTR) is a critical metric that measures how long it takes to resolve a customer issue. A high TTR can lead to customer dissatisfaction and churn.

Reducing TTR is not just about shaving minutes off the clock. It's about delivering timely solutions that leave customers smiling and coming back for more. In the ever-evolving landscape of customer service, embracing the quest to reduce TTR is not just a choice; it's a commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences that set your brand apart.

FAQs on Time To Resolution

Read below the most frequently asked questions related to Time-To-Resolution

What is the Average Time To Resolution?

The average mean Time to Resolution (TTR) in customer service typically ranges from a few hours to a few days, depending on the complexity of the issues being handled. It measures the time it takes for a customer query or problem to be fully resolved by a support team, reflecting the efficiency of a company's customer service operations.

How to Calculate Time To Resolution?

To calculate Time to Resolution (TTR), subtract the timestamp when a customer support request was opened from the timestamp when the issue was successfully resolved. TTR measures the duration taken to resolve customer issues and is crucial for evaluating the efficiency of customer service processes.