What is Service Level Agreement (SLA)?

Introduction

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a consent between the support team and customers regarding the response and resolution times to deliver products.

It also provides greater visibility when problems arise and helps to set the response and resolution times in the support tickets. Each SLA can be configured to operate either during calendar hours (24*7) or during specific business hours.

In BoldDesk, you can create multiple SLAs and map them to different tickets (refer below) using conditions to define the expectations for each metric target.

Each ticket’s response and resolution time can be configured, and agents are forced to provide a solution on time to fulfill customer expectations.

A good SLA is important because it sets boundaries and expectations for the following aspects,

• Clarify expectations
• Focus on customer service
• Establish measurable standards
• Penalize non-performance

SLA metric (What will be measured/enforced?)

In BoldDesk, the following predefined SLA metric target can be measured,

• First response (Time to first response) – Target time for first agent response to a customer.
• Response (Time to next response) – Target time for subsequent agent update to the customer after first response.
• Resolution (Time to resolution) – Target time for the ticket to be resolved or closed.

Operation hours will decide whether due is calculated based on the calendar hour or business hours.

How will First Response Time be calculated?

After creating a ticket, the first response due will be calculated. It is the time to be taken by the agent to send the very first response to the customer for a ticket.

To indicate to the customer that the ticket has been assigned to an agent and started to work on it, the agent should acknowledge it.

To enforce the first response time, you can use this metric. You can choose a minimum of 15 minutes.

How will Response Time be calculated?

It is the time taken to respond to a customer after the first response is sent. To enforce periodic update time, you can use this metric. You can choose a minimum of 15 minutes.

How will Resolution Time be calculated?

It is the time to be taken by the agent to solve or close a ticket. Using this, you can enforce the ticket queries to be addressed at a specific time. You can choose a minimum of 15 minutes.

When will I get the SLA breach reminder?

The SLA due reminder will arrive before the due date based on the SLA reminder target value set in SLA.

The remainder will send for the following metrics,

• First response
• Next response
• Resolution

Why did I get the SLA breach escalation?

If the agent fails to respond to the ticket within the SLA response due and resolution due, the SLA will be breached.

To avoid escalation, the agent should respond or solve the ticket before the due date.

SLA due escalation will be sent immediately or after the due date based on the SLA escalation target value configured in SLA.

Escalation will be sent for the following metrics,

• First response
• Next response
• Resolution

When to mark the ticket status as On-Hold?

When the ticket needs some response from the internal or third-party teams, an agent can change the ticket status to On-Hold to pause the SLA to avoid escalation. When the ticket is moved to On-Hold status, the SLA will be paused. In the On-Hold status, reminders or escalation will not be sent.

An agent can respond along with the status change.

When to mark the ticket status as Waiting for Customer?

When the ticket needs further details from the customer to address the query, an agent can change the ticket status to Waiting for Customer to pause the SLA to avoid escalation. When the ticket is moved to Waiting for Customer status, the SLA will be paused, and the reminders or escalation will not be sent.

How to change the resolution due date of the ticket?

You can change the resolution due date manually in the agent portal. Follow the given steps to change the resolution due,

1. Open the ticket you want to change the resolution due.
2. Click the Resolution Due in the ticket details panel and choose the required date.

3. Enter the reason for the due change.

How to clear the response due date of the ticket?

You can clear the response due in the agent portal. Follow the given steps to clear the response due,

1. Open the ticket you want to clear the response due.
2. Click the Clear option on the response due.

3. Enter the reason for clearing the due.