ITIL4F ITIL Management Practices Practice Question
An organization wants to improve customer satisfaction when users contact the service desk. Which metric is most appropriate to measure?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse First Call Resolution (FCR) with customer satisfaction, assuming that resolving an issue on the first call automatically means the customer is satisfied, but ITIL4F tests the distinction between operational metrics and experience metrics.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)
CSAT is the direct measure of customer satisfaction, typically gathered through post-interaction surveys. It specifically captures the user's perception of the service desk experience, making it the most appropriate metric for the stated goal of improving satisfaction when users contact the service desk.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT)
Why this is correct
Customer Satisfaction (CSAT) is a direct feedback metric that quantifies how satisfied customers are with a product, service, or interaction. It is typically measured through surveys asking customers to rate their experience, often on a scale, providing immediate insight into their perception of value and service quality. Therefore, directly measuring CSAT is the most effective way to understand and improve customer satisfaction by capturing their subjective feelings.
- ✗
Mean Time to Restore Service (MTRS)
Why it's wrong here
Mean Time to Restore Service (MTRS) is an operational metric that measures the average time taken to restore a service after an incident has occurred. While a faster restoration time can positively influence customer experience by minimizing disruption and frustration, MTRS itself quantifies internal efficiency in incident management, not the customer's subjective feeling of satisfaction. It indicates operational performance rather than direct customer perception of value.
- ✗
Number of incidents logged
Why it's wrong here
The number of incidents logged is a volume metric reflecting the frequency of service disruptions or issues reported by users over a period. While a high number might indirectly suggest underlying problems affecting service quality, this metric does not capture the customer's sentiment or their overall satisfaction with the service or its resolution process. It provides quantitative data on occurrences, not qualitative feedback on the customer's experience or perception of value.
- ✗
First Call Resolution (FCR)
Why it's wrong here
First Call Resolution (FCR) measures the percentage of customer issues resolved during the initial contact, without requiring follow-up or escalation. While achieving FCR significantly reduces customer effort and can contribute to a positive experience by providing quick solutions, it is an efficiency metric for service desk performance, not a direct measure of overall customer satisfaction. A customer might still be dissatisfied with the root cause of the issue or the quality of the interaction, even if the problem was resolved quickly.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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