SLA policies and response targets

What Are SLA Policies?

Service Level Agreements (SLAs) define response and resolution time targets for your team. By setting clear expectations, SLA policies help you measure support performance, hold your team accountable, and ensure customers receive timely assistance across every channel in your Deskwoot inbox.

SLA policies typically track three key metrics: first response time (how quickly a customer hears back after reaching out), next response time (the gap between subsequent replies), and resolution time (how long it takes to fully resolve a conversation).

Creating an SLA Policy

1. Navigate to Settings > SLA Policies.
2. Click "Add Policy".
3. Give your policy a descriptive name (e.g., Premium Support – 1 Hour First Response).
4. Set thresholds for first response, next response, and resolution time. Choose values that align with the commitments you've made to your customers.
5. Save the policy and assign it to the relevant conversations or channels as needed.

Best-Practice Tips

• Start realistic. Set targets your team can consistently meet before tightening them. Overly aggressive SLAs lead to constant breaches and alert fatigue.
• Differentiate by priority. If possible, create separate policies for high-priority and standard conversations so urgent issues are addressed first.
• Monitor regularly. Review SLA compliance reports on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to spot trends, identify bottlenecks, and adjust staffing or workflows accordingly.
• Communicate targets internally. Make sure every agent knows the active SLA thresholds so they can prioritize their queue effectively.
• Account for business hours. If your team doesn't operate 24/7, ensure your SLA timers reflect actual working hours to avoid misleading breach notifications.

Common Pitfalls & Troubleshooting

• SLA breaches seem too frequent: Double-check that your thresholds are realistic for your team size and ticket volume. Also verify that business hours are configured correctly so off-hours aren't counted against agents.
• Targets not applying to certain conversations: Confirm that the policy is assigned to the correct channels or conversation categories. A policy that isn't linked to a channel won't track anything.
• Conflicting policies: If multiple SLA policies could apply to the same conversation, review the priority order of your policies to ensure the correct one takes effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have multiple SLA policies at the same time?

Yes. You can create different policies for different channels, customer tiers, or conversation priorities. This lets you offer faster response commitments for high-value customers while maintaining achievable targets elsewhere.

What happens when an SLA threshold is breached?

When a conversation exceeds the defined time target, it is flagged as breached. This visibility helps team leads quickly identify overdue conversations and reassign or escalate them as needed.

Should I set SLA targets based on calendar time or business hours?

If your support team operates within specific working hours, using business hours is recommended. This ensures agents are measured only against time they are actually available, giving you a more accurate picture of performance.