Reducing IT ticket backlog by outsourcing 1st line support

The ticket volume problem

A 500-employee organization generates 12,500-17,500 support tickets annually (25-35 per employee). First-line tickets – routine, repeatable issues – represent 60-70% of this volume.

At 30 minutes average resolution time, that's 6,250-8,750 hours annually for first-line support alone. That equals 3-4 full-time employees. Most IT teams have 1-2 people trying to cover this volume plus infrastructure, security, projects, and vendor relationships.

The math doesn't work. Backlogs grow, response times slip, and strategic work never happens. Hybrid work compounds the problem – remote troubleshooting takes 2-3x longer than desk-side support.

At €14.50 per ticket (HDI benchmark), a 500-employee organization spends €181,000-€254,000 annually on first-line support. When internal IT handles this, the opportunity cost of delayed strategic work often exceeds direct support costs.

What first-line support actually includes

Password resets and account unlocks (20-30% of volume): Users forget passwords, accounts lock after failed logins, MFA causes confusion. Predictable patterns, documented procedures.

Software installation and basic troubleshooting (15-25%): Installing standard applications, resolving common errors, updating programs, addressing compatibility issues.

Hardware issues – initial diagnosis (10-20%): Determining whether hardware requires replacement, repair, or simple fixes. First-line identifies issues and escalates with diagnostic information.

Access requests and permissions (10-15%): Granting access to drives, applications, systems. Administrative tasks following approval workflows.

Basic user questions (5-10%): How to use standard features, navigation assistance, general how-to questions.

These share three characteristics ideal for outsourcing: high volume, repeatable procedures, minimal organizational knowledge required.

The capacity equation

Current state: 500 employees

• 12,500-17,500 tickets annually
• 8,750 hours at 30 min average (first-line only)
• Your 2-person IT team handles this plus everything else
• Result: 3-4 day response times, growing backlog, no project time

Growth scenario: Adding 100 employees

• Additional 2,500-3,500 tickets annually
• Additional 1,750 hours required (nearly one FTE)

Your options:

1. Hire another IT person (€70,000-€90,000 annually plus benefits, management, training)
2. Let backlog grow (response times increase, satisfaction drops, strategic work suffers)
3. Outsource first-line (predictable cost, immediate capacity, scales with growth)

The third option transforms the equation. External teams handle volume efficiently while your team focuses on network architecture, security policy, infrastructure planning, and digital transformation.

How we handle first-line at scale

We manage first-line support for Danske Bank's 15,000 users across 200+ Nordic locations. Their implementation demonstrates what effective outsourced support looks like at scale.

Our approach combines dedicated capacity with local expertise: 700+ field engineers and service desk teams provide support in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, and Finnish. This People & Expertise advantage – local Nordic technicians who understand the market and speak the language – ensures users get help from people who understand their context.

Integration with internal IT: We handle first-line tickets (password resets, access requests, basic troubleshooting) while Danske Bank's internal IT team manages network architecture, security policy, and strategic initiatives. Clear escalation paths ensure complex issues reach the right expertise quickly.

Volume and quality at scale: Processing 400,000+ work orders annually for Danske Bank, we resolve 65-75% of tickets at first-line without escalation. Four-hour response SLA ensures users get help quickly. Customer satisfaction consistently exceeds 96%.

The freed capacity impact: Danske Bank's internal IT redirected 25-30 hours weekly per team member toward strategic work. They eliminated the cycle of reactive firefighting and shifted to proactive improvement. Infrastructure projects that sat on the backlog for months got completed. Security enhancements moved forward. The IT team delivered measurable business value instead of just keeping systems running.

This is the real ROI of outsourced first-line support – not just lower per-ticket costs, but freed capacity focused on initiatives that drive business outcomes.

Cost-benefit analysis

Internal first-line costs:

• IT staff time at €70-€110/hour fully loaded
• Opportunity cost of delayed strategic projects
• Employee productivity losses during long response times
• Variable costs spike during busy periods or staff turnover

Outsourced first-line costs:

• Predictable monthly fee based on user count
• Scales automatically with growth
• No management overhead or training investment
• Consistent quality regardless of volume

Break-even typically occurs within 3-6 months for organizations with 200+ users. Beyond that, value compounds as internal IT redirects capacity toward strategic initiatives.

Hidden benefits: Extended coverage hours, geographic distribution support, native language in all four Nordic markets, hybrid workforce expertise, reduced IT burnout.

Implementation approach

Step 1: Audit tickets – Track volume by category for 30-60 days. Identify first-line candidates (60-70% of total). Measure current response times.

Step 2: Document procedures – Create or update documentation for common issues. This often reveals automation opportunities.

Step 3: Select partner – Choose Nordic presence (we operate 130+ locations), native language support, proven experience. Integrate ticketing systems and define SLAs.

Step 4: Gradual handoff – Start with one category before expanding. Full implementation typically takes 6-8 weeks.

Step 5: Monitor – Track resolution times, escalation rates, satisfaction, and freed capacity weekly. Target 65-75% first-line resolution, 90%+ satisfaction.

Reclaim IT capacity for strategic work

Ticket backlogs aren't inevitable. They're symptoms of capacity constraints where routine work overwhelms strategic capability. Outsourcing first-line support – the predictable, high-volume tickets consuming 60-70% of IT time – transforms the equation.

We've seen this work across Nordic organizations from 200 users to 15,000+. Onitio One bundles device management, M365 support, service desk, and lifecycle management into a single predictable subscription. Our People & Expertise – 700+ field engineers, 130+ service locations, 4-hour response times – deliver the first-line support model that eliminates backlogs while freeing your team for strategic initiatives.

Calculate your current first-line ticket volume and the hours it consumes. If your team spends more than 30% of their time on routine tickets, you have capacity that could drive strategic value instead.

Ready to eliminate your ticket backlog? Contact us to discuss your support needs, or request a ticket volume assessment to understand your current capacity allocation.

Frequently asked questions

How do we ensure quality with outsourced first-line support?

Quality starts with clear documentation and well-defined SLAs. We begin every engagement with detailed handoff documentation covering your procedures, escalation criteria, and organizational specifics. During implementation, we monitor key metrics weekly: resolution time, first-contact resolution rate, escalation percentage, and user satisfaction. Our 96%+ satisfaction scores at Danske Bank and other Nordic customers come from continuous training, quality assurance processes, and dedicated account management. The key is choosing a partner who views quality as competitive advantage, not minimum compliance. Look for proven track records at scale, not just promises.

What happens to tickets that need escalation?

Clear escalation paths ensure complex issues reach your internal team quickly. We define escalation triggers during implementation: issues requiring organizational knowledge, security decisions, infrastructure changes, or specialized expertise automatically escalate to your second-line team. Typical escalation rates run 25-35% of total tickets, meaning 65-75% resolve at first-line. Your team receives escalated tickets with diagnostic information, troubleshooting steps already attempted, and clear issue description. This context helps your experts resolve issues faster than if they handled the ticket from initial contact. Escalation doesn't mean failure – it means appropriate expertise allocation.

How quickly can outsourced support start handling volume?

Most implementations complete within 6-8 weeks from decision to full operation. Week 1-2 covers documentation handoff, system integration, and team training. Week 3-4 involves gradual handoff of one ticket category while monitoring quality. Week 5-6 expands to full first-line scope. Week 7-8 focuses on optimization and refinement. Some organizations need immediate relief – we can provide interim support within days using general procedures while complete integration proceeds. The key is balancing speed with quality. Rushed implementations create confusion and quality issues. Proper 6-8 week implementations build confidence and sustainable operations.

Sources: HDI (Help Desk Institute): Industry benchmark data for support costs and ticket distribution