Understanding Severity Levels and SLAs
Prioritizing Issues and Setting Goals
- Defining Severity Levels: Severity levels help teams prioritize urgent matters. Linking SLAs to these levels sets clear time goals for response and resolution.
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Types of SLAs:
- Time to Respond SLA: Indicates the maximum time before a customer's issue is initially addressed.
- Time to Resolve SLA: Defines the time frame for completely resolving a high-priority issue.
Leveraging SLAs for Performance Measurement
- Internal Use of SLAs: Even if not communicated to customers, SLAs serve as valuable tools for internal goal-setting and performance measurement.
- Resource Management: SLAs can provide data to justify the need for additional resources, helping in discussions about improving customer service levels.
Configuring SLAs for Severity Levels
Setting Up Automatic and Manual SLAs
- SLA Requirements: Determine whether a service level agreement is needed for each severity level.
- Automatic vs. Manual SLAs: Choose between automatic SLAs for routine issues and manual SLAs for special projects or nonstandard issues.
Automatic SLA Configuration
- Setting SLA Targets: If automatic SLAs are chosen, specify whether they apply to responses, resolutions, or both.
- Defining SLA Periods: Enter the time period for SLAs, deciding whether they start from ticket creation or when the severity level is changed.
Manual SLA Configuration
- Calendar-Based SLA Selection: Agents can use a calendar to set specific due dates and times for projects or nonstandard issues.
- Utilizing SLA Countdown Icons: Ticket grids display SLA countdown icons, helping agents visualize a ticket's urgency and SLA status.
Calculating SLA Times
Decide whether SLAs are calculated based on service desk operational hours or a 24-hour clock, especially important for high-severity issues requiring round-the-clock attention.
Visualizing SLA Status on the Dashboard
- SLA-Related Charts: The homepage dashboard features charts color-coded based on SLA status, aiding agents in quickly identifying urgent tickets.
- Interacting with Charts: Click on charts to view a detailed list of tickets along with their respective SLA statuses.