7 service centre KPIs to track (starting with turnaround time)
You can't improve what you don't measure. These seven numbers tell you how your service centre is really doing, and they're easy to track once jobs live in one system.
Owners usually know their service centre is busy. What they rarely know is whether it is getting faster or slower, which technicians are stretched, and how many customers came back because the fix didn't hold. These seven service centre KPIs answer those questions.
1. Turnaround time (TAT)
Turnaround time is the time from registration to resolution. Track the average and watch it by device type: AC repairs during summer and TV repairs after a power surge behave very differently. A rising TAT is the earliest warning that you need another technician.
2. On-time completion rate
The share of jobs resolved before their expected-by date. It measures whether your promises are realistic. Below 80% usually means your default due dates are too optimistic or parts sourcing is slow.
3. First-time fix rate and re-opened jobs
A job that is resolved and then re-opened costs a second visit and a frustrated customer. Count re-opens per technician; a high number points to training needs or rushed diagnosis.
4. Backlog and overdue jobs
Open jobs right now, and how many are past due. Review the overdue list daily; it is the most actionable list in your business.
5. Time to assign
How long new jobs wait before a technician is assigned. Long waits mean the front desk is overloaded or nobody owns dispatch.
6. Technician productivity
- Jobs resolved per technician per month
- Average resolution time per technician
- Updates logged (a proxy for how well customers are kept informed)
- Current open jobs (for fair workload)
7. Demand by channel and device type
Where do jobs come from (phone, walk-in, email) and for which devices? This tells you when to staff the counter, which skills to hire for, and which brands to stock parts for.
Turning KPIs into action
- TAT rising for one device type? Check parts availability and whether you need another technician with that skill.
- On-time rate falling? Make default due dates realistic per category instead of one number for everything.
- Re-opens concentrated on one technician? Pair them with a senior technician for a week of diagnosis reviews.
- Long time to assign? Make one person responsible for dispatch each morning.
How to start tracking
All seven KPIs fall out naturally once every job has a registration time, a due date, an assigned technician and a status history. In Service Book Pro the dashboard and Performance page calculate them automatically, with CSV export for monthly reviews. Pair this with a solid dispatch routine and you'll see the numbers move.
Frequently asked questions
- What is turnaround time (TAT) in a service centre?
- Turnaround time is the time between registering a service request and resolving it. It is usually reported as an average in hours or days, broken down by device type and technician.
- What is a good on-time completion rate?
- Most well-run service centres aim for 85% or more of jobs completed before their promised date. A lower rate usually means due dates are too optimistic or parts sourcing is slow.
- How do you measure technician performance?
- Look at jobs resolved, average resolution time, on-time rate, re-opened jobs and how consistently they log updates. Compare technicians who work on similar device categories.
- How often should I review service KPIs?
- Check overdue and unassigned jobs every day, turnaround time and on-time rate weekly, and technician performance monthly.