Service level agreements define expectations for IT support. Learn how to create meaningful SLAs that drive accountability and performance.
Orion IT Service Team
March 20, 2026
When IT support is informal—users ask for help, someone gets to it when they have time—expectations are unclear. When IT support has defined service level agreements, expectations are explicit. An SLA defines how quickly IT will respond to requests, how long to resolve issues, and what services are covered. Clear expectations help both IT and users understand what to expect, reduce frustration, and drive accountability.
Good SLAs are ambitious enough to motivate performance improvement but realistic enough that IT can actually meet them. SLAs that are consistently missed are worse than having no SLA because they damage credibility.
Response time is how quickly IT acknowledges a request and begins work. A critical issue might have a 1-hour response time while a routine request might have a 24-hour response time. Response time matters for customer satisfaction—users at least know someone is working on their issue.
Resolution time is how long until the issue is actually fixed. This is more important than response time because users care about when they can get back to work. Resolution times vary based on issue type and severity. Complex issues might take longer than simple issues.
Availability metrics define when services are available. An SLA might commit to 99.9% uptime for critical services, meaning about 44 minutes of downtime per month. Different services might have different availability targets.
Coverage defines what services are supported, what hours support is available, and what is not covered. An SLA might commit to email support during business hours but not outside business hours. It might cover standard applications but not custom-built tools.
Not all issues are equally urgent. Multi-tier SLAs define different service levels for different issue severities. Critical issues that stop production get immediate response. Urgent issues get quick response. Routine issues have longer response times. This focuses resources on the highest-impact issues.
Severity definitions should be clear. A critical issue might be defined as "affecting multiple users or critical business process." An urgent issue might be "affecting a single user but preventing work." A routine issue might be "convenience or non-urgent functionality."
SLAs are only useful if they're monitored and reported. Track response times, resolution times, and achievement rates. Regular reporting shows whether IT is meeting commitments or if SLAs need adjustment. Trends might show that a particular issue type takes longer than allocated, indicating need for training or process improvement.
Public reporting of SLA metrics creates accountability and shows users that IT is committed to service delivery. When IT consistently meets SLAs, user satisfaction improves and trust builds.
If IT isn't meeting an SLA, escalation procedures ensure the issue gets attention. If a critical issue isn't resolved by its target time, it escalates to a manager. If it's still not resolved after escalation, it might escalate further. Clear escalation procedures ensure critical issues get the attention they deserve.
Key Takeaway
Service level agreements set clear expectations for IT support, prioritize high-impact issues, and create accountability. Well-defined SLAs improve both IT performance and user satisfaction.
Define Your SLAs