This ITIL4F practice question tests your understanding of itil management practices. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which of the following is a key metric for measuring the performance of the Service Desk?
Number of changes implemented
Why wrong: This relates to Change Enablement, not Service Desk.
First Call Resolution (FCR)
FCR measures how often issues are resolved on the first call, a key Service Desk metric.
Mean Time to Restore Service (MTTR)
Why wrong: MTTR is an Incident Management metric, not specifically for Service Desk.
Percentage of projects on time
Why wrong: This is a project management metric, not a Service Desk metric.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
First Call Resolution (FCR)
First Call Resolution (FCR) is a key metric for the Service Desk because it directly measures the percentage of incidents resolved during the first contact with the user, without the need for escalation or a callback. A high FCR indicates an efficient and knowledgeable Service Desk, reducing user downtime and operational costs. This metric is central to ITIL's focus on delivering value and minimizing disruption to business activities.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Number of changes implemented
Why it's wrong here
This relates to Change Enablement, not Service Desk.
First Call Resolution (FCR)
Why this is correct
FCR measures how often issues are resolved on the first call, a key Service Desk metric.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Mean Time to Restore Service (MTTR)
Why it's wrong here
MTTR is an Incident Management metric, not specifically for Service Desk.
Percentage of projects on time
Why it's wrong here
This is a project management metric, not a Service Desk metric.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse FCR with MTTR, assuming both measure speed of resolution, but MTTR applies to the entire incident lifecycle and technical restoration, while FCR specifically measures the Service Desk's ability to resolve at first touch without escalation.
Detailed technical explanation
FCR is calculated as (Number of incidents resolved on first contact / Total number of incidents) × 100%. A subtle but critical behavior is that FCR must be measured at the point of closure, not at the point of assignment, to avoid inflated numbers from simply logging a ticket. In a real-world scenario, a Service Desk with high FCR reduces the need for Level 2 support escalations, directly impacting Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and user satisfaction scores (CSAT).
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the ITIL4F exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
ITIL Management Practices — This question tests ITIL Management Practices — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: First Call Resolution (FCR) — First Call Resolution (FCR) is a key metric for the Service Desk because it directly measures the percentage of incidents resolved during the first contact with the user, without the need for escalation or a callback. A high FCR indicates an efficient and knowledgeable Service Desk, reducing user downtime and operational costs. This metric is central to ITIL's focus on delivering value and minimizing disruption to business activities.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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