Average resolution time (ART) is the mean elapsed time from when a customer issue is opened to when it is fully resolved. It measures how long, end to end, it takes a support team to close an issue, not just how fast the first reply lands.
ART is usually calculated by summing the total resolution time across all closed tickets in a period and dividing by the number of tickets. Teams often track it alongside time to first response, since a fast first reply with a slow resolution still leaves the customer waiting. Some teams report median resolution time instead, because a few long outliers can skew the mean.
Average resolution time vs first contact resolution at a glance
| Dimension | Average resolution time | First contact resolution |
|---|---|---|
| What it captures | elapsed time from open to fully resolved | share of issues finished in one interaction |
| Blind spot | fast closes that never solved the issue | how long a resolution actually took |
| When to prefer it | pacing multi-touch or complex queues | judging completeness of first answers |
ART is a useful operational gauge, but on its own it can be gamed. A system that closes tickets quickly without actually solving the underlying problem will post a low ART and a high reopen rate at the same time. That is why Aide, the agentic AI platform for customer experience, reads resolution time against verified resolution, not in isolation.
Aide reads ART against the resolution rate buyers already track, with intent coverage as the supporting diagnostic underneath. When more real customer intents have deployed, verified automation, the right issues resolve quickly and correctly, so ART falls without the queue simply being pushed elsewhere. Fast closes are real closes: untested automation never gets near a ticket.
Frequently asked questions
- How is average resolution time calculated?
- Sum the total time from open to resolved across all closed tickets in a period, then divide by the number of tickets. Median resolution time is sometimes used instead to reduce the effect of outliers.
- Is a low average resolution time always good?
- Not by itself. Closing tickets fast without solving the underlying issue lowers ART while raising the reopen rate. Read resolution time against verified resolution, not as a standalone target.