What is a good first-time fix rate?

It depends heavily on trade and job mix, so compare yourself against your own trend rather than a published benchmark. A rate that is improving quarter on quarter tells you more than a number borrowed from a different industry with a different job profile.

Should a quoted follow-up count as a failed first-time fix?

Generally no, if the second visit was planned from the outset. A survey followed by an installation is two intended visits, not a failure. Write your exclusion rule down and apply it consistently, because the comparability matters more than the exact rule.

How does van stock affect first-time fix rate?

Heavily. Missing parts are one of the three main causes of a return visit. Tracking which parts are consumed on which job types shows what should be carried as standard, which is why stock tracking and fix rate are usually improved together.

First-time fix rate

First-time fix rate is the percentage of jobs completed on the first visit, with no return trip needed. It is calculated as first-visit completions divided by total jobs over a period. A low rate usually points at missing parts, missing information, or the wrong skills sent to the site.

How to calculate first-time fix rate

Divide the number of jobs resolved on the first visit by the total number of jobs in the period, then multiply by 100. If 74 of 100 jobs closed on the first visit, the rate is 74 percent.

Decide your exclusions before you measure, and keep them stable. Most businesses exclude jobs where a second visit was planned from the start, such as a quoted installation following a survey. Changing the exclusions between periods makes the trend meaningless.

Why the rate is low when it is low

Three causes account for most repeat visits: the technician did not have the part, the technician did not have enough information about the fault before arriving, or the wrong skill set was dispatched.

All three are dispatch and stock problems rather than technician problems, which is worth remembering before the number is used in a performance conversation.

Improving it

Improve it by capturing better fault detail at intake, by holding common parts on the van, and by matching skills to job type at dispatch. Each of those shortens the gap between what the technician expects and what they find.

Omni Field supports this with structured job records that carry the fault description and site history, a skills and certification matrix for matching technicians to job types, and stock and parts tracking linked to the jobs that consume them. Reporting shows completion patterns over time.

Common questions

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