SLAs fail when they’re vague. A good SLA is legible: what counts, when the clock runs, and what happens when you miss.
This template is for agencies running support alongside delivery.
The template
Purpose
We commit to first response targets to keep requests acknowledged and triaged quickly. “First response” means the first meaningful reply that:
- confirms the request was received
- sets expectations (what happens next)
- asks for missing info if needed
Scope
This SLA applies to:
- tickets created through the client portal
- tickets routed into the service desk queue
This SLA does not apply to:
- out-of-contract work (see “Out of contract” below)
- planned project delivery work unless explicitly agreed
Business hours
Our business hours are:
- Days: Monday–Friday
- Hours: 08:30–17:00 (local time)
- Holidays: UK public holidays (plus agency closure days)
The SLA clock runs only during business hours.
Priorities
Use three levels. Keep it boring.
Low
- Examples: “How do I…?”, small content changes, non-blocking tweaks
- First response target: 2 business days
Medium
- Examples: normal support requests, minor bugs, time-sensitive questions
- First response target: 1 business day
High
- Examples: production outage, security incident, major blocker
- First response target: 2 business hours
Triage rules
When a ticket arrives:
- Acknowledge it (start the thread).
- Set priority.
- Assign an owner.
- If it’s delivery work, route it into the project workflow (don’t let it live in the queue forever).
Escalation
- If a High priority ticket has no first response within 60 minutes of business time, notify the on-call owner.
- If a first response target is at risk, alert delivery leadership so the queue stays honest.
Out of contract
Out-of-contract work must be explicit:
- mark the ticket out of contract
- record the reason
- propose next steps (quote / change request / add hours)
Notes
- “First response” is not “solved”. It’s “acknowledged, triaged, and owned”.
- If you miss your SLA often, reduce scope or increase capacity. Don’t rewrite the SLA.
If your service desk is separate from delivery, priorities drift. A service desk that lives inside projects fixes that. See Service desk.