Improving Mean Time to Restore (MTTR) is one of the core objectives of the Incident Management (IM) practice, as it directly influences service value, user experience, and business continuity. However, in many projects, teams tend to address MTTR deviations by directly questioning cross-functional teams during daily stand-ups : why a critical KPI was missed. While unmet KPIs must certainly be addressed, the approach is often misaligned.

Most organizations—including small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs)—have well-documented IT processes with controlled version histories. When MTTR targets are not achieved, the operations team must conduct a structured analysis to determine the underlying causes rather than focusing on surface-level accountability. This is precisely where process consultants, particularly ITSM consultants, add value—by objectively assessing process adherence, identifying systemic gaps, and enabling sustainable improvements instead of reactive explanations.

As an ITSM consultant, the following structured initiatives were implemented to improve Mean Time to Restore (MTTR), with a strong focus on practice maturity, collaboration, and continual improvement:

1. ITIL Awareness and Practice Enablement Sessions

Awareness sessions were conducted as a foundational step to address process gaps and clarify practice-related ambiguities across cross-functional teams. These sessions were designed to be interactive and thought-provoking, covering both the standard ITIL 4 Incident Management practice and the client-specific operating model. The objective was to establish a common understanding of roles, workflows, and value outcomes, thereby improving process adherence and decision-making during incident resolution.

2. Daily Operational Stand-ups

Daily stand-ups were introduced to promote transparency, shared ownership, and proactive issue resolution. These forums were positioned as collaborative problem-solving sessions rather than fault-finding exercises. To enable data-driven discussions, real-time dashboards were configured within the ITSM tool to provide visibility into incident volume, aging, and SLA status. Additionally, automated notifications were set up for incidents approaching SLA thresholds (for example, tickets crossing 50% of their SLA), enabling timely intervention by the relevant teams and accelerating resolution.

3. Identification of Top Recurring Incidents

Identifying the top recurring incidents is a critical step in reducing Mean Time to Restore (MTTR). High-frequency incidents often indicate underlying systemic issues and should be prioritized for proactive analysis. These recurring incidents can be formally linked to Problem Management by creating Problem Records (PRs), enabling root cause analysis and the implementation of permanent corrective actions. By eliminating repeat incidents, operational teams can significantly reduce resolution effort and achieve faster incident closure.

4. Knowledge Base (KB) Enablement

Knowledge management is frequently underutilized, often perceived as a low-value or administrative activity. In reality, well-maintained and up-to-date knowledge articles are essential for improving First-Time Resolution (FTR) and accelerating incident restoration.

5. Swarming (Collaborative Incident Resolution)

Swarming was adopted as a key Agile ITSM practice to accelerate incident resolution by enabling real-time collaboration among cross-functional specialists. Instead of following the traditional sequential escalation model (L1 → L2 → L3), relevant expertise was engaged early and in parallel. This approach reduced handoffs, and enabled faster, iterative resolution of complex incidents, thereby contributing directly to MTTR reduction.

6. Reporting and Performance Tracking

A structured reporting and tracking mechanism was established to provide continuous visibility into incidents approaching SLA thresholds. The Incident Manager, as the accountable authority, issued daily and weekly reports highlighting near-breach incidents. These reports acted as proactive triggers for corrective action, and enabling timely interventions to prevent breaches and reduce MTTR.

Collectively, these initiatives resulted in a consistent 25–28% improvement in incident resolution time, while maintaining the agreed service quality and other SLA commitments.

This measurable improvement has helped to renew the contract with client in the long run and also to generate the Leads from the same customer.