A service ticket is the record created when a customer reports a problem or requests service. It captures who called, what they reported, when, and how urgent it is, and it tracks the request until it is resolved.
In many shops the ticket and the work order are the same record. Where they are separate, the ticket is the request and the work order is the job created to handle it.
How to measure service tickets
Two measures tell you whether the queue is under control.
Ticket backlog = Open tickets at the end of the period
Average ticket age = Sum of (Today − Created date) for open tickets ÷ Open tickets
Say you have 45 open tickets and their combined age is 270 days. Average age is 6 days. Watch the trend. A backlog that grows week after week means requests are arriving faster than you can schedule them.
For closed tickets, track response time and resolution time from the ticket's created timestamp.
Why it matters
The ticket is where the information that decides the visit gets captured. The quality of what the office writes down at intake sets up the technician's day. A good ticket records:
- The symptom in the customer's words, plus any error codes.
- Equipment type, make and model if known.
- Site address, access notes and the best contact.
- Urgency and any time constraints the customer has.
Missing details lead to the wrong technician, the wrong part or too little time booked, and then to a second visit. The field service workflow guide covers the steps from ticket to closed job.
The address on the ticket also decides which slots are realistic. Booking from the ticket without checking where the nearest truck will be is how promises get made that the board can't keep.
A common mistake
Leaving tickets open after the job is done. Stale tickets inflate the backlog and hide the real queue. Close the ticket when the customer's issue is resolved, and link it to the work orders that resolved it.
Related terms
- Work order is the job created from a ticket.
- Service call is the visit made to resolve it.
- Response time is measured from ticket creation.
Common questions
What is the difference between a service ticket and a work order?
A ticket records the customer's request. A work order authorizes and describes the work. One ticket can lead to several work orders, for example a diagnostic visit followed by a repair.
Who should create service tickets?
Whoever takes the request: call center, office staff or an online form. The key is that every request gets a ticket, so nothing lives only in someone's memory or inbox.
How do you prioritize service tickets?
By urgency and impact first, such as safety issues and no heat or no cooling, then by contract terms, then by age. Write the rules down so different people make the same call.