CX & Support Metrics

Cost per Resolution

Definition

Cost per resolution is the total support cost divided by the number of fully resolved issues, capturing what it costs to actually solve a customer's problem rather than just handle a single interaction.

Also known as: cost per resolved ticketCPR

How to calculate it

The formula is: total support operating cost over a period ÷ number of resolved issues in that period. If a team spends $200,000 a month and resolves 25,000 issues, cost per resolution is $8.

Because one issue can span several contacts, cost per resolution is typically higher than cost per contact. The gap between the two is a useful signal: a wide gap means many issues need repeat handling before they close.

Why it matters

Cost per resolution ties spend to the outcome customers actually care about — a solved problem. It rewards genuine first-contact resolution and penalizes ping-pong tickets that a per-contact view would hide. Automation that resolves end to end (not just deflects) is what moves this number down.

Frequently asked

Why is cost per resolution higher than cost per contact?

Because some issues take more than one contact to solve. Cost per contact spreads cost across every interaction; cost per resolution spreads it only across closed issues, absorbing the repeat contacts into each one.

How do you lower cost per resolution?

Improve first-contact resolution, reduce reopens, and use automation that fully resolves routine issues rather than just deflecting them to self-service.

Related terms

Cost per Contact

Cost per contact is the fully loaded operating cost of a support operation divided by the number of customer contacts it handles, showing what each interaction costs to service..

First Contact Resolution (FCR)

First Contact Resolution (FCR) is the percentage of customer issues fully resolved in a single interaction, without any follow-up, callback, or reopened ticket..

Resolution Rate

Resolution rate is the percentage of support tickets or conversations that are successfully resolved out of the total received in a given period..

Reopen Rate

Reopen rate is the percentage of resolved or closed support tickets that are subsequently reopened, usually because the customer's issue wasn't actually fixed..

AI Resolution

AI resolution is when a Macha agent actually resolves a request — reading data, taking an action through its tools, and closing the loop — rather than just answering a question.

Put these ideas to work

Macha is an AI agent layer that sits on top of the help desk you already run — Zendesk, Freshdesk, Front, Intercom, or Gorgias.

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