How to optimize your first-time-fix rate

How often do your service technicians solve customers’ problems on the first attempt? Find out what the first-time-fix rate is and how you can increase your first-time fix rate. for more customer satisfaction and sales.

The first-time fix rate (FTFR) is a percentage of how often service technicians are able to solve a problem on the first attempt. The FTFR therefore describes the percentage of customer problems that are resolved on the first visit without the need for additional visits or follow-up. This makes the first-time fix rate one of the decisive KPIs (key performance indicators) in industries where on-site or remote technical support is frequently required, such as telecommunications, mechanical engineering or IT. A high first-time fix rate indicates that your service technicians are well prepared and have the necessary resources and information to solve problems quickly. A high first-time fix rate not only means more efficient troubleshooting, but also satisfied customers, lower operating costs and ultimately higher sales.

Once you have the necessary data, calculating the first-time-fix-rate is quite easy. The FTFR formula is

First-time-fix-rate = total number of orders completed on the first visit / total number of completed orders

So let’s assume that 85 out of 100 processed orders are solved on the first visit, then your first-time-fix rate is 85%.

A good first-time fix rate is usually between 70% and 90%, depending on the industry and the specific service requirements. In highly specialized technical areas such as telecommunications or mechanical engineering, an FTFR of 85% or higher is already considered excellent, as this indicates that most problems are solved efficiently on the first attempt.

When companies improve FTFR in service, they not only benefit from more efficient operations, but also from significantly higher customer satisfaction. After all, customers today expect nothing less than fast and efficient service. And a technician who solves a problem immediately creates trust and strengthens customer loyalty. At the same time, the company saves costs as additional visits are avoided. A high first-time fix rate also allows you to make better use of your service resources. This is because technicians who solve problems on the first visit can move on to the next job more quickly and therefore complete more jobs in less time. This leads to better capacity utilization and increases sales and earnings because you can generate more service revenue with the same personnel costs.

One common reason is inadequate preparation on the part of service technicians: if they are not equipped with the right tools and complete information, they cannot fix the problem efficiently on site. Delays and increased costs are the result of inadequate preparation. Another key factor is the lack of the right spare parts: Technicians who do not have the necessary parts may have to postpone the problem, prolonging the process and affecting customer satisfaction. Inaccurate fault diagnosis also plays a role: if the description of the problem is incomplete or inaccurate, the technician may not have the right equipment or the necessary qualifications. Finally, a lack of communication between dispatchers, technicians and customers can also have a negative impact on the first-time-fix rate. Misunderstandings and a lack of coordination can lead to technicians not being optimally prepared, which in turn causes delays and makes additional assignments necessary.

Field service management systems often offer functions for automatically calculating and tracking the first-time fix rate. This allows companies to regularly analyze the results and develop strategies to sustainably improve the first-time fix rate. It is important that the FTFR is not viewed in isolation. It should always be assessed in conjunction with other important KPIs such as customer satisfaction, average processing time and total costs per order.

As you can see: The first-time-fix-rate is a key performance indicator that provides information about the efficiency and effectiveness of your service and maintenance area. A high FTFR can not only lead to more satisfied customers, but also to a more efficient use of resources and lower operating costs. Companies that are serious about improving their first-time fix rate should optimize their scheduling, introduce efficient spare parts management and integrate technologies such as field management software, mobile software solutions and remote support into their service process.