First-time fix rate
The share of service jobs resolved on the first visit, without a return trip.
How it is measured
First-time fix rate = jobs resolved on the first visit / total jobs that needed a visit × 100
Example: a service team completes 200 visits in a month. 160 of them close the job on the first visit; 40 need a second trip. The first-time fix rate is 160 / 200 = 80%.
Definitions vary. Some teams exclude jobs where a second visit was planned from the start, such as a multi-day installation. Some count a job fixed remotely before anyone travels. State your rule and keep it.
Why it matters
Every return visit costs another drive, another slot in a technician's day, and more downtime for the customer. For field service teams it is one of the clearest signs of how well a job was prepared.
In practice
Return visits usually have a few causes: the technician did not have the right part, did not have the right skill or information, or the fault was diagnosed wrong. Teams improve the rate by asking better questions when the job is booked, checking the machine's history before the visit, and stocking vans with the parts that the history says are needed.
Related terms
For pitfalls and more examples, see First-time fix rate.