How IT Leaders Can Reduce Ticket Backlogs by 40% in 12 Weeks

At Allari, we understand the challenge IT leaders face—maintaining operational stability while driving strategic change. This paradox often leads to inefficiencies, growing ticket backlogs, and a reactive firefighting culture that drains IT bandwidth.

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Without a structured execution model, IT teams struggle with operational disruptions, resource constraints, and stalled transformation efforts—leaving them reactive instead of proactive.

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In this blog, we’ll explore:

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The key challenges that prevent IT teams from executing change effectively

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• How IT leaders can reduce ticket backlogs by 40% in 12 weeks
• The Balance Blueprint framework, leveraging The Power of 15, ID², and OpenBook to eliminate inefficiencies and free up IT capacity for high-impact initiatives

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Understanding the Challenge

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As we head into the first quarter of 2025, we see that IT teams face several common challenges that hinder efficiency and execution capacity.

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• High unplanned work consumes 35-45% of IT teams' time, compared to just 5% for high-performing organizations.
• Recurring incidents remain unresolved in up to 70% of cases, causing repeated disruptions and inefficiencies.
• 42% of IT tickets linger for more than three days, frustrating users and eroding trust in IT support.
• Configuration drift, caused by untracked and unauthorized changes, contributes to 30% of major IT incidents.
• Inefficient change management is responsible for 80% of unplanned outages, impacting stability and execution.
• Shadow IT accounts for 30-40% of technology spending, leading to uncontrolled risks and inefficiencies.
• Overdependence on key personnel creates bottlenecks, limiting knowledge-sharing and scalability.

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At Allari, we've seen that these challenges stem from a reactive, firefighting culture, where up to 45% of IT teams' time is spent on unplanned work. This prevents teams from executing strategic initiatives, optimizing IT performance, and driving innovation.

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The Balance Blueprint Framework

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To break free from cycles of unplanned work and reduce ticket backlogs by 40% in 12 weeks, IT leaders must adopt The Balance Blueprint—a structured execution framework that leverages ID², OpenBook, and The Power of 15 to create a stable, high-performing IT environment.

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Step 1: Stabilize Operations

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Operational stability is the foundation of high-performing IT teams. Without it, IT organizations remain stuck in cycles of unplanned work, unresolved issues, and growing backlogs.

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Weeks 1-4: Assess & Stabilize IT Operations

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Key Actions:

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1. Identify sources of unplanned work and recurring issues.
2. Reduce ticket backlog and eliminate redundant escalations.
3. Implement real-time monitoring for execution improvements.

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Execution Plan:

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• Assess and Prioritize Unplanned Work – Identify and rank recurring issues causing the most operational disruptions.
• Use ID² Methodology – Streamline processes, enhance decision-making, and eliminate inefficiencies.
• Implement ERP Dispatch Services – Offload Level 1 and Level 2 support to dedicated resources, reducing backlog and increasing IT bandwidth.
• Optimize Help Desk Operations – Establish clear ticket categories, define ownership, and implement structured escalation paths.
• Deploy a Configuration Management Database (CMDB) – Improve visibility, reduce configuration drift, and enhance change management.
• Conduct Root Cause Analysis (RCA) – Prevent recurring issues by addressing underlying problems instead of just symptoms.
• Standardize Processes – Establish repeatable workflows that drive efficiency, predictability, and execution excellence.

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Step 2: Enable Change

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Once stability is achieved, IT teams can increase agility and execution capacity by aligning IT initiatives with business objectives. The Power of 15 and ID² enable structured execution, ensuring teams scale efficiently without increasing unplanned work.

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Weeks 5-8: Optimize & Automate Workflows

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Key Actions:

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• Improve ticket handling efficiency – Reduce IT overhead and ensure faster resolution.
• Automate repetitive tasks – Minimize manual workload and eliminate recurring issues.
• Streamline ERP support – Increase agility while maintaining stability.

Execution Plan:

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• Automate Repetitive Tasks – Streamline processes like patch management, system monitoring, and change approvals.
• Establish Real-Time Monitoring – Improve response times and operational consistency with continuous visibility into IT performance.
• Use OpenBook for Cross-Team Alignment – Enable real-time collaboration and transparency between IT, operations, and business stakeholders.
• Develop Dashboards and Reporting Systems – Track Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR), change success rates, and backlog trends using metrics and reporting to drive data-backed decision-making.

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Step 3: Create Agility

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After stabilizing operations and optimizing workflows, IT teams can now focus on scaling execution, increasing agility, and driving long-term success.

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Weeks 9-12: Build a Sustainable Execution Model

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Key Actions:

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• Implement structured workflows – Standardize execution processes to ensure repeatability and efficiency.
• Shift IT from reactive mode to proactive strategy – Minimize disruptions and optimize resource allocation.
• Deliver a roadmap for long-term success – Establish continuous improvement mechanisms to sustain progress.

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Execution Plan:

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• Improve Collaboration Between IT and Business Units – Foster cross-functional teams to ensure business and IT alignment.
• Implement Self-Service IT Capabilities – Reduce ticket volumes by empowering users with automated, self-service solutions.
• Use Data-Driven Insights for Decision Making – Leverage analytics to monitor IT performance, optimize workflows, and allocate resources effectively.
• Invest in Continuous Improvement Programs – Develop a culture of iterative progress, proactive issue resolution, and structured execution to sustain operational efficiency. 

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Measuring Success

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When it comes to measuring success, IT organizations that implement The Balance Blueprint can achieve measurable results in 12 weeks, ensuring operational stability and execution efficiency. 

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Key Performance Indications (KPIs):

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• 98% Change Success Rate (CSR) – Minimize disruption from IT changes with structured execution. 
• <5% Unplanned Work – Free up IT resources for strategic projects and reduce operational noise.
• They also can effectively reduce unplanned work to below 5%, which frees up resources for strategic projects. Additionally, these organizations experience a reduction of up to
• 40% Reduction in Ticket Backlogs – Improve IT service efficiency and eliminate recurring issues.
• Faster Decision-Making with Real-Time Dashboards – Gain improved operational visibility to optimize execution

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By leveraging The Power of 15, ID2, and OpenBook, IT leaders can transition from reactive issue management to proactive execution, enabling long-term success and scalable operational efficiency.

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Conclusion

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Reducing ticket backlogs by 40% in 12 weeks requires a structured and repeatable approach as shown above in our 3 key phases: stabilizing operations, enabling change and creating agility to earn strategic trust. 

By implementing The Balance Blueprint and leveraging The Power of 15, ID², and OpenBook, IT leaders can balance stability with transformation—freeing up IT bandwidth, improving operational stability, and driving measurable business impact. 

This transformation isn’t theoretical—it’s a proven execution model that empowers IT teams to reduce inefficiencies, increase throughput, and scale execution capacity—all without adding headcount.

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Ready to eliminate operational bottlenecks and drive structured IT execution?

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