Request Resolution Rate
Definition
Request Resolution Rate
Request resolution rate is the share of submitted requests that are fully resolved within a defined period. It is completion measured against demand, and it tells a service desk whether it is keeping up or slowly falling further behind.
The measure compares two flows rather than describing one. Requests arriving and requests resolved are separate numbers, and the gap between them becomes backlog.
A rate below 100% is not automatically a failure — it becomes one when it stays there month after month.
That accumulation is what the measure exists to expose. Sustained under-resolution turns into a queue — one that eventually breaks every other service commitment.
Key takeaways
- Request resolution rate divides requests resolved by requests received in the same period.
- A sustained rate below 100% builds backlog that other metrics will not show.
- Resolution must mean fixed, not merely closed or reassigned elsewhere.
- Carried-over requests distort the figure unless cohort reporting is used.
How it works
Count requests received during a period, count those resolved in the same period, then divide the second by the first. Multiply by 100 for the percentage, and track backlog separately so the two numbers can be read together.
The subtlety is which requests are counted. Resolving forty carried-over tickets while receiving thirty new ones produces a rate above 100% and no actual progress.
| Reading | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Above 100% | Backlog is shrinking | Confirm it is not one-off cleanup |
| At 100% | Steady state, backlog flat | Watch ageing of the oldest items |
| 90% to 99% | Slow accumulation | Adjust staffing before it compounds |
| Below 90% | Backlog growing fast | Triage rules or capacity need changing |
Cohort reporting removes most of the ambiguity. Following requests received in one month through to resolution shows performance far more honestly than a same-period ratio.
Public service delivery uses similar throughput thinking. The Internal Revenue Service Data Book records that in fiscal year 2025 the agency assisted 50.4 million taxpayers by phone or in person while processing 271.4 million returns and other forms.
Service design standards make the definitional point. Digital.gov frames government digital services around whether people can complete what they came to do — which is exactly the difference between a request closed and a request resolved.
Examples
Resolution performance depends on triage discipline, authority, and how carried-over work is treated. Four cases show what separates a healthy rate from a misleading one.
A managed IT service desk. The rate sat at 97% for five months, which read as healthy until backlog ageing showed the oldest ticket was 140 days old. Steady state was hiding a permanent tail.
A Cebu HR shared service. Cohort reporting replaced same-period reporting. The apparent rate fell from 103% to 88%, and the true picture finally matched what employees were experiencing.
A facilities helpdesk. Requests requiring a contractor visit were excluded from the rate because timing was outside the team’s control. They were reported separately with their own target.
A software support team. Reassigning a ticket to engineering previously counted as resolution. Removing that rule dropped the rate eleven points and started a real conversation about capacity.
Related terms
Request resolution rate depends on the ticketing structures and escalation routes around a service desk. The terms below cover what is counted and where requests go when they stall.
- Support Ticket: the unit the rate counts.
- Ticketing System: the system that supplies the numbers.
- Open Ticket: the unresolved remainder that becomes backlog.
- Resolution Time: the duration measure that sits beside this rate.
- Escalation Plan: the route for requests a desk cannot resolve.
- Service Level Agreement (SLA): the contract carrying the resolution commitment.
- Key Performance Indicator (KPI): the reporting family the rate belongs to.
FAQ
How is request resolution rate calculated?
Divide requests resolved by requests received in the same period, then multiply by 100. Track backlog alongside it so the ratio can be interpreted.
Can the rate exceed 100%?
Yes, when a team clears more than it receives by working through backlog. Sustained readings above 100% usually mean a cleanup exercise rather than normal performance.
What counts as resolved?
The requester’s need has been met and no further work is required. Reassignment, deferral, and closure for inactivity are not resolutions.
Why use cohort reporting?
Because same-period ratios mix new and carried-over work. Following one month’s intake through to completion gives a much truer figure.
How does it differ from resolution time?
This rate measures how much got resolved, while resolution time measures how long each one took. Both are needed to describe a service desk.
What should be excluded?
Requests waiting on third parties or on the requester. Report them separately rather than letting them distort the main figure.
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