Response Time VS. Resolution Time Explained for IT Support

Response time and resolution time in IT support are essential to understand. Every IT provider measures them differently. Ethan defines and explains these terms to highlight their importance and how they are measured differently across the industry.

Response & Resolution Time

Response Time:
The time between when you submit a ticket and when it is actively worked on by a qualified technician. It's important to note the "response" timer stops when a technician starts working on your issue, not when we receive and triage the ticket. Other IT companies might stop the clock when a receptionist answers the phone.

Resolution Time:
The total time spent actively working to solve your request, including conversations, waiting on answers to questions and the time spent working on the ticket.

The easiest way to explain this is with an example:

Response Time Example: Ticket received at 8:00 a.m., handled and triaged by 8:15 a.m. to get the ticket to the right technician, and a technician opens the ticket at 8:43 a.m. and calls you. The response time would be 43 minutes.

Resolution Time Example: The same technician who picked up the ticket at 8:43 a.m. works on the issue, finishes the notes, and closes the ticket at 9:00 a.m. The resolution time would be 1 hour.

Notice that the clock keeps running the entire time you're waiting because you don't have a resolution yet. That's how response time and resolution time are calculated here at ComTech.