I will open a ticket
Buenos días amigos
My student from the cargo-shipment job (FedEx) was telling me that whenever they have a conference call and the speaker in the States cannot answer a question on some kind of issue, she always says:
I am going to open a ticket.
In the context, obviously she is going to find out, maybe ask somebody or something.
But why is the word ticket used here? And is this something written or is this maybe asking somebody?Do you use this expression in England too?
13 Answers
Yes, I work in technical support for cellphones and whenever I can't fix a customer's issue, the network people will need to investigate things I can't (like physical equipment that makes the cell network work), and I open a case or ticket.
At my company, we say, "I will need to open a case on this issue," but I got so tired of customers asking "A case? What's that?" that I started saying "I will need to open a trouble ticket on this issue." I still have customers ask, "What's that?" But not as frequently.
I am not sure, but I believe it hails to less computerized times. Probably in the past, if you had telephone service issues and called an operator, she probably had to actually fill in a "ticket" (numbered slip of paper as another said), which likely asked for specific information and a brief description of the issue. The ticket would have a number and a date. Then the ticket would be put at the end of the "queue." (The people who oversee fixing the network issues or whatever kind of issues take these tickets on a first-come basis).
Today, it's more likely that one fills out a computer form which can be sent to the appropriate department in any number of ways (email, for example, but that's just one method), but we still continue to say "ticket" in reference to the good old days when paper tickets were used (the "ticket" could be any size...probably standard 8.5 x 11, it could even be several pages long).
Even in this modern world, it is likely that in many situations, a repairman is still handed a "ticket" or a sheet of paper (nowadays, it would be a print out, though) describing the issue and area that customers are experiencing the issue.
Typically, when the issue is resolved, we say "the case or ticket is closed" But a ticket can be closed for other reasons, like maybe I left out a small, irrelevant detail that they could look up. Oh, wait, no I didn't. You guys just don't know how to use the case system. Try clicking on the "info" tab! I HAD to enter that info to even submit the case.
Great question!!
Whenever I have a computer or cable service problem they open a "ticket" for me, which means that I have a case open. They give me the reference number on the "ticket," for example 1234, which means that it is problem #1234.
When I call the company I say "I already have a ticket open and the number is 1234. The can instantly put the number into the computer and find my case.
The following terms seem to be used often in a business sense:
What is your ticket number?
Reference number
Case number
Issue number
Complaint number
Ok, so let's see, new vocabulary.
Open a ticket/"trouble" ticket:
abrir un expediente
Ticket number/case number
número de incidencia
close a ticket
el caso ha quedado resuelto/la incidencia se ha resuelto
log list
historial de llamadas
Muchas gracias a todos, las respuestas han sido de gran ayuda .
Perhaps it stems from computerised call systems. When a customer calls my place of work, our representative will log the information on the computer system for others to follow the progress, or add extra information.
We use 'ticket' and 'call log' interchangeably. However, it's not a standard term, just one that people use depending on where they work. So what your student actually does, depends on the company. I would imagine that FedEx has a large computer system to track customer enquiries.
As for why a ticket is used? I'm not sure. Maybe a reference to certain shops where one would take a ticket (a piece of paper with a number on it) to save standing around and queuing. When the number comes up on an overhead display, it's your turn to be served.
If you want a laugh, here is a video about how they use the terminology for an IT help desk.
The song is called, "Open a Ticket."
My experience matches WebDunce's. The term "trouble ticket" has been widely used in the software development/support area for at least the last forty years.
I also remember the days when consumer appliances were not considered easily disposable. If your radio, TV, vacuum cleaner, etc. stopped working, you didn't just go out and buy a replacement. You took it to a "fix-it" (repair) shop. It was quite common to see the walls of such places lined with shelves of items that had been repaired (or were awaiting repair) and very often each item would have a tag attached that described the problem (as reported by the customer). They were usually referred to as "repair tickets" or, simply, "tickets".
I have never ever heard that expression used in England Heidi or even the UK despite having also attended various colleges of further education and a University during my life . I can only imagine it is an Americanism/ unique expression originating from the USA lol 
Probably in the past, if you had telephone service issues and called an operator, she probably had to actually fill in a "ticket" (numbered slip of paper as another said), which likely asked for specific information and a brief description of the issue. The ticket would have a number and a date. Then the ticket would be put at the end of the "queue." (The people who oversee fixing the network issues or whatever kind of issues take these tickets on a first-come basis).
Ohhh, so it actually IS quite logical, this is great, I had no clue why they would call this a ticket and how to explain this to my student.++
Great answer web
At my company, call log refers to the actual calls and texts that show up in a customer's call history (i.e., their phone bill).
Very clear, thanks web
A 'log' in this case is a historical list of such calls.
Very clear, Dave, thanks a lot.
In Spanish: historial de llamadas
What is your ticket number?
Ohhhhh, so you can use reference number instead?? how interesting. I do wonder why they use ticket...makes no sense, but anyway, jeje
In Spanish:
Número de Incidencia
We use 'ticket' and 'call log' interchangeably.
I don't understand.
What is a call log?
This fellow worker (my student is Spanish ) is from the United States. So she came here to explain some kind of new computer system to the new branch in Madrid.
Whenever the four Spanish members of the staff had a question, and she could not answer, she would say: I will open a ticket.
You know that 'a call' is a telephone call. A 'log' in this case is a historical list of such calls. As such 'a call log' is a new entry on the computer system, which tells us that Customer XYZ called and has a problem with XXX. The 'log entry' or 'ticket' is assigned to a person who reviews it and either answers it, or passes it to another person. Everything is 'logged', that is, noted down on the computer.
Does that help?
