4 Reasons Why you Need Time Tracking in Zendesk

Time is money, they say, and when it comes to customer service that old aphorism couldn’t be truer. If you want to get the most out of Zendesk, an app that tracks time is key not only because it can be used to measure agent performance but also because it can help you spot bottlenecks, inefficient internal processes, and team training needs.

You can download and install Zendesk’s Time Tracking App for free and start recording how much time your agents spent handling tickets immediately.  

What is time tracking software?

Time tracking software allows users to record time spent on tasks or projects. In the customer service industry, this type of software is used by support managers to gain visibility into the actual time spent across all interactions within a ticket.  

Which support metrics can I measure with a Time Tracking App?

Zendesk’s time tracking app records time spent on each ticket and stores this information within the ticket. However, the real value of the app lies within the resulting time tracking data and the ways in which it can be used to track support metrics and KPIs.  Some of those metrics include:

Ticket Handle Time (by ticket ID, month, and organization)

This metric calculates how much time an agent has spent handling a service desk ticket. By tracking this metric, you can monitor agent performance and record how much time your team spends serving a specific end-user or organization.

Average Handle Time

The Average Handle Time or AHT measures the average time required to resolve a support request. If you are looking for unique insight into agent productivity this is one of the key metrics to keep track off. Monitoring this KPI is also the first step you need to take to reduce your AHT, deliver better customer experiences, and make changes to your support offers.

Cost per Ticket

Your ability to accurately gauge your cost per ticket is crucial when it comes to cost optimization efforts or future investment decisions. Even though a time tracking app cannot directly calculate your cost per ticket, the data it collects is pivotal to determine your cost per ticket.

Agent Utilization

Agent utilization refers to the percentage of time a help desk representative spends working on support requests. The metric represents the ratio between work produced and work capacity. One of the main factors for determining agent utilization is obviously time spent on tickets which is data you can get from your time tracking app.

Why bother with Time Tracking in Zendesk?

Empower your managers to make better decisions

The time factor in customer service plays a dual role. In terms of support performance, time (spent on tickets) directly correlates to productivity and efficiency. In terms of customer experience, time (to resolution) is a major factor impacting satisfaction, retention, and even loyalty. By keeping an eye on the metrics mentioned above, support managers can get an accurate picture of customer service quality, make data-based decisions to improve daily operations to meet customer expectations.

Cut down costs

Drilling down on time tracking data will allow you to identify which ticket types are more resource intensive. When you have that information, you can analyze activities on resolved tickets over periods of time, eliminate tasks that are not profitable, improve internal processes, and workflows. As a result you will be able to reduce support costs and boost productivity.

Better allocate resources

Effectively scheduling available resources is essential for providing timely support. Tracking time will permit you to find that sweet spot between overstaffing and understaffing and get it just right. Your time tracking app will provide data that can help you predict the resources required to cost-effectively man your service desk.

Improve employee satisfaction

Gaining visibility into how much time your agents spend to resolve tickets is important for establishing compensation plans that reflect the effort your team puts into doing their job. In customer service, where employee turnover rates are some of the highest in any industry paying fairly your employees is one of the first steps you have to take to improve engagement and boost morale.