First-time fix rate — jobs resolved in one visit over total jobs — is the field-service efficiency metric. Callbacks burn a truck roll and erode the margin and the customer relationship.
The example
88 fixed first of 100 jobs.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Item | Value |
| 2 | 88 / 100 | — |
| 3 | First-time fix | → 88% |
The formula
The formula:
How it works
How it works:
- Count jobs resolved in one visit with COUNTIF on the outcome.
- Divide by total jobs for the first-time fix rate.
- The callback rate is the complement — each callback is a wasted truck roll.
- Cost of callbacks = callbacks × cost per truck roll — size it to justify training/stocking.
Every callback costs a whole second visit for zero new revenue. A 12% callback rate on 100 jobs is 12 extra truck rolls — fuel, labor, and a frustrated customer — with nothing billed. Raising first-time fix through better-stocked trucks, diagnostics, and tech training pays back fast: multiply callbacks by your fully-loaded truck-roll cost to see the prize, then invest up to that number.
Try it: interactive demo
First-visit fixes, total jobs, truck-roll cost.
Variations
Callback rate
The complement:
Callback cost
Wasted rolls:
By technician
Coach the team:
Pitfalls & errors
One-visit only. Count jobs truly closed on the first trip.
Callbacks cost a roll. Each is a full second visit, unbilled.
Zero jobs. No jobs gives #DIV/0!.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate first-time fix rate in Excel?
What does a callback cost?
How do I track it by tech?
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