The High Cost of Forgotten Passwords

Password-related issues are a significant drain on IT resources and operational budgets. According to research from Gartner, between 20 and 50 percent of all help desk calls are for password resets. The financial impact of each call is substantial. A report by Forrester Research estimates that the cost for a single password reset ticket, factoring in labor and lost productivity, is approximately $70. When these costs are scaled across an organization, the total expense becomes a major concern for IT departments.

Calculating the Financial Drain of Password Resets

The cumulative financial burden of manual password resets is often underestimated. For an organization with 500 employees, where each employee forgets their password an average of twice per year, the annual cost can reach as high as $70,000. This figure represents not only the time IT staff spend resolving the ticket but also the downtime experienced by employees who are unable to work while waiting for assistance. This loss of productivity affects both the individual employee and the IT technician assigned to the task, compounding the overall cost to the business.

How SSPR Delivers a Tangible Return on Investment

Self-service password reset (SSPR) solutions directly address this costly and inefficient process. SSPR is a feature that empowers users to reset their own passwords securely without needing to contact the IT help desk. By automating this common request, organizations immediately reduce help desk ticket volume and the associated operational costs. To maintain security, these systems often use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to verify a user’s identity before allowing a password change. This automation frees up valuable IT staff time and allows employees to resolve their access issues instantly, minimizing work interruptions and boosting productivity.