Customer service SLA: what it is and how to set realistic deadlines
An SLA (Service Level Agreement) establishes clear timing commitments: “We reply to questions within 2 business hours and resolve critical issues same-day.”
4 Steps to define achievable SLAs
- Categorize ticket types (general inquiry, order issue, technical defect, billing).
- Assign priority tiers (low, medium, high, critical).
- Review historical benchmarks before setting strict targets.
- Separate first response SLA from resolution SLA.
With Mova Helpy, SLAs are configurable by priority and category, featuring live dashboards that highlight upcoming deadlines.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does SLA stand for in customer service?
SLA (Service Level Agreement) is the target response and resolution timeframe agreed upon for customer inquiries.
What is the difference between first response time and resolution time?
First response time measures how fast an agent acknowledges the request; resolution time measures how long it takes to solve the issue completely.