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Reopen Rate
Definition
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.
How to calculate it
Reopen rate = (tickets reopened ÷ tickets resolved) × 100 over a period. A ticket reopens when a customer replies after it was marked solved, or an agent reactivates it because the fix didn't hold.
Example: of 1,000 tickets marked resolved, 80 get reopened. Reopen rate = 80 ÷ 1,000 × 100 = 8%. Lower is better — it signals that solves are sticking.
Why it matters
Reopen rate is a quality check on resolutions — it catches tickets that were closed prematurely to hit speed targets but didn't actually solve the problem. It's an essential guardrail alongside deflection and AI resolution rate: an automation that "resolves" tickets that keep bouncing back isn't resolving anything.
Frequently asked
What is a good reopen rate?
Lower is better; many teams aim to keep it in the low single digits. A rising reopen rate often means tickets are being closed too fast or answers aren't complete.
Why does reopen rate matter for AI support?
It validates whether AI resolutions actually stuck. High deflection or resolution numbers mean little if the same issues keep reopening, so reopen rate keeps automation honest.
Related terms
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..
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..
Quality Assurance (QA) Score
A Quality Assurance (QA) score measures how well a support interaction met a team's quality standards, based on a scorecard that grades things like accuracy, tone, policy adherence, and resolution..
Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)
Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) is a metric that measures how satisfied customers are with a specific interaction or experience, usually from a short post-contact survey..
Average Resolution Time
Average Resolution Time is the average length of time it takes to fully resolve a support ticket, measured from when it's created to when it's marked solved..
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