Ticket bouncing report explained

Introduction to IT Happiness

Effective IT Service Management is always user-centric nowadays. Treating users as internal Customers, a good IT Department builds proper Customer Experience for users, hence making sure the organization’s IT Happiness is always on a high level. Because this indicates that end-users are satisfied with the level of support they receive, leading to increased productivity and commitment.

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Figure 1 - Typical SLA has a severely limited scope compared to the actual needs of the IT service consumer

However, Service-Level Agreements (SLAs), typical for IT Service Management, have numerous limitations in capturing the actual experience of IT Services Consumers. As we all know, you can't optimize what you can't measure. The shift from SLAs to XLAs (eXperience Level Agreements) in ITSM practices emphasizes the importance of user experience and has been shown to improve IT Happiness and introduced XLAs as important factor for ITSM tools assessment.

According to the latest researches, average IT Happiness related to IT incidents resolution increased from 65 points (out of 100) in 2019 to 77 points in 2022. A similar trend can be observed in IT service requests, which rose from 75 to 82 points over the same period.

It is expected that this global trend will continue, since by ensuring that users IT Happiness, organizations can boost productivity, commitment, and retention rates.

Ticket bouncing (ticket “ping-pong“)

How IT Teams handle situations where user tickets are reassigned from one resolver to another is one of the most critical variables influencing user IT Happiness and productivity. Did you know that every time an IT support ticket gets reassigned from one resolver group or person to another, your employees lose 109 minutes of productivity on average? That's almost two hours of work time down the drain! Not only that, but each reassignment also lowers user satisfaction by seven points.

The multiple reassignments' scenario is called ticket bouncing. Another term used to describe a situation where a support ticket or issue is passed back and forth between different support teams or individuals without a resolution being reached is “IT support ping-pong”.

The table below presents the negative effects caused by ticket bouncing:

So, addressing ticket bouncing efficiently can greatly boost your IT Service Management quality, even without the need to incorporate an XLA framework into your organization. It's a simple yet effective improvement!

To address the situation, however, you need to identify a root cause. Typical root causes for ticket bouncing are communications breakdowns, lack of competence or process bottlenecks. Actually, it may not be that simple to find a specific root cause, as it could be hidden deep inside the routines of the IT Operations Team or Service Desk. First, you need to identify ticket bouncing and determine in which areas it occurs.

How to detect and analyze ticket bouncing in Jira?

Capturing and measuring “IT support ping-pong” can be done by recording the number of times a ticket is reassigned or transferred between different users in Jira.

This data could be later used to calculate metrics such as the average number of reassignments per ticket or the average count of reassignments calculated for specific services etc.

So, we need to start with resolving a trouble with Jira doesn't directly provide a feature to count the number of times an issue has been reassigned, and then creating a report out of that data. The data to count the number of times an issue has been reassigned can be obtained indirectly by using Jira's search and report features. Here are general ways to do it:

1. Using Jira Query Language (JQL): You can use JQL to search for tickets that have been reassigned. The basic syntax for this is:

   assignee changed FROM “user1” TO “user2”

   This will give you all the tickets that have been reassigned from user1 to user2. But if you want to find out all the tickets that have been reassigned regardless of the user, you would need to use a slightly different query:

   assignee was “user1”

   This will give you all the tickets that were assigned to user1 at any time.
   Pros: Any Jira user may use this method.

   Cons: 1) A major drawback of this method is the necessity for repeated manual execution and the subsequent manual export and organization of the collected data into meaningful information.
   2) Moreover, the report on these data is still to be configured separately.
   
   

2. Using Jira Custom Fields: You can create a report to track the changes in the assignee field. This requires admin access and some understanding of how Jira's custom fields and automation triggers work. The general idea would be to create a field that tracks changes in the assignee field, and then increment the value of the counter by one for each reassignment.
   Pros: The result is achieved with Jira out-of-box capabilities, though they might require additional effort to analyze the data captured with external tools or add-ons.
   Cons: The approach comes with several disadvantages:
   1) Some data processing effort is required to generate the report once the custom field is set up.
   2) It requires the development of an automation rule logic to exclude initial assignments (i.e., the transition from the first “Unassigned” to “User” values in the assignee field) from the calculations.
   3) Custom field creation needs the permission of a Jira administrator.
   
   

3. Using a scripted field provided by plugins like ScriptRunner: You will need to create a Custom Scripted Field in ScriptRunner, and then define the script in the scripting language used by ScriptRunner.
   Pros: 1) This allows to implement various scenarios to count reassignments using a short script.
   2) ScriptRunner has some flexibility in its permissions scheme.
   Cons: 1) There is still some data processing effort required to create the report once the custom field is set up.
   2) You need to have skills for code development.
   3) Still, you will need to create a custom report based on the data from the field, and it’s only project administrators who may do that.
   
   

4. Using Jira's Audit Log: If you have access to Jira's audit log (usually available to Jira administrators), you can also use it to track changes in the assignee field. The audit log records all changes to issues, including changes to the assignee. You would need to count the changes, which can be time-consuming if you have a large number of tickets.
   Pros: Jira audit logs grant access to the ticket reassignments history for a more profound analysis.
   Cons: 1) This solution is only available for Jira administrators.
   2) It will require data export and filtering for processing and analysis, so the report must be managed outside of Jira.
   
   

5. Using BI (Business Intelligence)-solutions like eazyBI: You need to define an eazyBI custom field to count the reassignments, and then code some logic behind to populate it. The processing of the queried data can be done with built-in metrics or developed from scratch using the MDX language. Results can be presented in different visuals that are immediately available.
   Pros: 1) There is a full-scale BI-approach with ETL, data processing and all the capabilities of data analysis frameworks.
   2) The entire process of data collection and report creation is done in a single app with powerful visualization capabilities.
   Cons: 1) It will require some effort to learn and implement the necessary report.
   2) BI-capabilities may be an overkill compared to the simpleness of the task itself.
   3) You would need some code-development skills to implement the logic for populating custom fields with data.

Hence, we have a multiple known ways to collect the data necessary, organize it into valuable information and then analyze for insights. Every approach has its pros and cons, but they could be generally divided into two major groups:

1. Approaches available for Jira users with no specific knowledge. These approaches allow you to get use of Jira’s built-in features without the necessity to have coding skills or obtain administrator permissions, but leave you with a necessity to spend so much time for data gathering and further processing!

2. Approaches available for administrators or data analysts. These approaches allow you to get use of Jira’s advanced features, add-ons and apps, but require specific skills and/or elevated permissions.

You might have started seeking a method to identify ticket bouncing and carry out analysis using a tool as straightforward as those accessible to any Jira user, but still powerful enough to offer insightful data for decision-making. If so, your search ends here. Actonic is delighted to introduce the Ticket Bouncing Report!

Tickets Bouncing Report by Actonic

Value of the Report

Ticket Bouncing Report (also known as “Reassignment Count Report“ or “IT Support Ping-Pong Report“) developed by Actonic is one of many great solutions of Report Builder for Jira.

This report allows IT Support Teams to identify areas where there may be communication breakdowns, lack of competence or process bottlenecks that are leading to a support tickets or issues are passed back and forth between different support teams or individuals without a resolution being reached.

What do we measure?

For the purposes of the current report, a reassignment is defined as a situation when a ticket moves from one assignee to another.

There are two possible scenarios:

1. “Assignee 1“ → “Assignee 2“ or

2. “Assignee 1“ → “Unassigned” → “Assignee 2”

Details on the calculation algorithm are given under expand below.

Measurement algorithm and report generation details

The reassignment count is a metric identifying the number of times a ticket (f.i. incident, request, or another Jira issue) has been reassigned from one resolver team to another, or from one individual to another.

Reassignment count equals 0 when an issue is created, and still equals 0 the first time an assignee is assigned to the issue (i.e. first transition from {“Assignee“: “Unassigned“} to {“Assignee“: “USERNAME”} is not considered as reassignment).

The number of reassignments is increased by one each time a ticket follows the paths “Assignee 1“ → “Assignee 2“ or “Assignee 1“ → “Unassigned” → “Assignee 2”.

In other words, the number of reassignments is calculated as an integer representing the sum of issue transitions from one person to another with or without the "Unassigned" status between each transition.

The report consumer can observe what happens to this metric over time and in relation to various dimensions by which this metric could be grouped, including:

• Project

• Issue Type

• Priority

• Components

• Labels

• Environment

• Reporter

• Days

• Weeks

• Months

Apart from that, the Ticket Bouncing Report provides access to quick measures applicable for data: Count, Average, Minimum, Maximum, Median values.

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Fig. 2 - Actonic Ticket Bouncing Report

The Ticket Bouncing Report also allows getting data about when each reassignment took place and who was the assignee before and after each reassignment.

The report supports charts, data tables and export of source data.

What are the advantages of Actonic’s Ticket Bouncing Report?

For whom and for what is the report useful?

How to address ticket bouncing?

After you have created a report, regardless of the approach you used to detect ticket bouncing, you can apply the following procedures to the appropriate places to improve the situation.

1. Proper Staff Training: Make sure your staff is well-trained and capable of handling a wide variety of issues. The more skilled your staff is, the less likely they'll need to reassign tickets.
   _{Hint: Actonic’s Ticket Bouncing Report allows you to identify projects, environments, issue types, and labels involved in reassignments → this will help you to identify at what areas your staff may lack competences.}
   
   

2. Effective Ticket Routing: Implement an effective ticket routing system. This could be based on the type of issue, the customer's industry, or the specific product the customer is using. The right ticket should reach the appropriate person at the first instance. You may introduce ticket routing matrixes, or imply tickets routing automation to make sure routing is done effectively.
   _{Hint: Actonic Ticket Bouncing Report provides you with a source of data to identify what reassignments and from what person to whom happened for every ticket.}
   
   

3. Knowledge Management: Have a robust knowledge base that can be used by your team to find solutions to common problems. This can reduce the need for ticket reassignment.
   
   

4. Collaborative Approach: Foster a collaborative approach among the team members. Instead of bouncing the ticket around, team members could consult each other to resolve issues more quickly.
   
   

5. Frequent Reviews: Regularly review the ticket reassignment data and identify patterns. Are certain types of tickets being reassigned more frequently? Are there specific team members who are reassigning tickets more than others? This data can provide useful insights.
   _{Hint: Actonic ticket bouncing report lets you analyse reassignments data in time by days, weeks and months, as long as provides insights on patterns depending on selected grouping options.}
   
   

6. Set Expectations: Be clear about the roles and responsibilities of each team member. This can reduce confusion and unnecessary reassignments.
   
   

7. Feedback and Continuous Improvement: Encourage feedback from team members and customers to identify areas for improvement. Implement changes based on this feedback.
   
   

8. Use Technology: Leverage AI and Machine Learning technologies to automatically route the tickets to the appropriate resolver group based on the issue type, customer data, and other parameters. Use Jira capabilities to assign tickets automatically!

Achieve multiple benefits with using Actonic Ticket Bouncing Report now!

There are several improvements IT managers or analysis could get use of while using the report:

1. Efficient IT Service Management: By providing insights into how often and why tickets are reassigned, IT managers can better understand bottlenecks or issues in the process, leading to improved management and distribution of tickets with respect to the best practices of ITSM.

2. Improved Resource Allocation: Through identification of the most frequently reassigned ticket types, managers can optimize assignment by ensuring appropriate teams or individuals handle similar tickets, resulting in decreased reassignments and expedited resolution times.

3. Reduced Resolution Time: Minimizing ticket bouncing enables faster resolution, leading to improved customer satisfaction.

4. Insightful Decision-Making: The report provides valuable data that supports ITSM Continual Service Improvement. Recognizing patterns in ticket reassignment can spotlight areas requiring training, suggest necessary changes in the service operation, or highlight potential adjustments in the service management team structure.

5. Proactive Problem Management: By pinpointing frequent ticket bouncing, IT Service Managers can proactively address underlying issues following Problem Management processes. Whether these issues stem from skill shortages, insufficient resources, or unclear roles, proactive problem-solving reduces future occurrences and promotes alignment with ITSM best practices.

6. Improved Team Performance: With a reduction in ticket reassignments, IT teams can refocus their energy from incident management to incident resolution, aligning with the best Service Operations principles. This shift improves both productivity and team morale, both critical for successful ITSM implementation.
   And the last, but most important:

7. Higher IT Happiness: A reduction in ticket bouncing usually means quicker resolutions and less frustration for users, leading to improved users' satisfaction, loyalty, and productivity.

List of References:

1. Experience Level Agreements in ITIL 4 - Axelos White Paper.
   https://www.axelos.com/resource-hub/white-paper/experience-level-agreements-in-itil-4

2. What’s new and changed in the ITIL4 Service Level Management Practice
   https://www.beyond20.com/blog/itil-4-service-level-management-practice/

3. What is required to deploy effective ITSM Processes today
   https://www.pinkelephant.com/en-US/pinkverify/pinkverify-certification

4. Global IT Experience Benchmark H2/2022