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ITIL4F ITIL Management Practices Practice Question

Which THREE are key metrics for the Service Desk practice?

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

First Contact Resolution (FCR)

Key service desk metrics include First Contact Resolution (FCR), Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT), and average time to resolve incidents (which relates to Mean Time to Resolve). MTBF is an availability metric. Number of problems is a problem management metric.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

  • First Contact Resolution (FCR)

    Why this is correct

    First Contact Resolution (FCR) is a critical metric for the service desk practice, measuring the percentage of incidents or service requests successfully resolved during the initial interaction with the customer. A high FCR rate indicates efficient service delivery, reduces customer effort, and minimizes the need for follow-up contacts, thereby improving overall customer satisfaction and optimizing service desk resource allocation. It directly reflects the service desk's ability to provide immediate value and effective support.

  • Average time to resolve an incident

    Why this is correct

    The average time to resolve an incident is a fundamental metric for the service desk, directly indicating the speed at which service disruptions are restored for users. This metric, closely aligned with Mean Time To Restore (MTTR) from incident management, assesses the service desk's efficiency in diagnosing, escalating, and resolving issues. A lower average resolution time signifies effective incident handling, minimizing business impact and enhancing user productivity by quickly restoring normal service operation.

  • Number of problems recorded

    Why it's wrong here

    The number of problems recorded is primarily a metric for the problem management practice, not the service desk. While the service desk identifies potential problems through recurring incidents, their core function is incident resolution and service request fulfillment. Problem management focuses on identifying root causes, preventing future incidents, and reducing their impact, making this metric more relevant to that specialized practice rather than the day-to-day operational efficiency of the service desk.

  • Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)

    Why this is correct

    Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) is an essential metric for the service desk, directly quantifying user contentment with the support received. It typically involves a short survey after an interaction, asking customers to rate their experience with the service desk's assistance. A high CSAT score indicates that the service desk is effectively meeting user expectations, providing helpful and courteous support, and contributing positively to the overall user experience with IT services.

  • Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)

    Why it's wrong here

    Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) is a key metric for the availability management practice, measuring the average time a system or component operates without interruption between failures. This metric assesses the reliability and robustness of IT infrastructure and services over time. While service desk incidents might contribute data to MTBF analysis, the service desk's primary role is not to manage system reliability but to restore service after a failure, making MTBF an indirect and less direct measure of their performance.

Visual reference

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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security

Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva

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