Service Levels (SLAs) by Request Type: Response Times and Targets
Every ticket we open gets a request type, like an incident, a service request or a project. Each type has its own service level: how fast we respond, and when the work is usually done. This page lists our standard service levels for each type.
In Short
| Request type | First response | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Incident | 1 hour to 1 day, by priority | Fixed in 24 to 72 hours, by priority |
| Service request | 3 business hours | Done in 2 business days |
| Question | 3 business hours | Answered in 1 business day |
| Change request | 3 business hours | Low-risk: done in 3 business days. Larger: on a scheduled date |
| Project | 3 business hours | Planning call in 5 business days, then dates set in the project plan |
| Appointment | 3 business hours | Remote: within 2 business days. On site: within 4 to 6 business days |
| Problem | Work starts in 1 business day | Cause found, or a lasting workaround, in 10 business days |
| Task | Usually opened by us | Done by its due date |
| Miscellaneous | 3 business hours | Done in 5 business days |
You don't need to pick a type. We set it when we first review your ticket.
How the Clock Works
- Business hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern, not counting holidays. Times on this page count business hours only, unless your agreement includes after-hours coverage.
- After hours: a ticket that comes in after hours starts the clock at the start of the next business day.
- First response means a technician has reviewed your ticket and contacted you about it. The automatic "we got your request" email doesn't count.
- Target is when we aim to have the work done. If something will take longer, we'll tell you why and give you a new time.
- On hold: the clock stops while a ticket is on hold for something outside our control. For example: parts or licenses on order, a vendor or internet provider working on their part, or a later date you asked for.
- Type changes: if a request turns out to be bigger or different, we'll change its type and let you know. The service level for the new type then applies.
Request Types Explained
Most of our request types come from ITIL, the most widely used framework for running IT support. Each card explains the type in plain words and in industry terms, with examples and its service level.
Incident
Something is broken or not working as it should, or there's a security concern.
In industry terms: an unplanned interruption to an IT service, or a drop in its quality. The aim is to get you working again as fast as possible, even if the root cause is fixed later.
Examples: you can't sign in, a computer won't start, the printer or internet is down, you clicked a suspicious link.
First response: 1 hour to 1 day, by priority
Target: fixed in 24 to 72 hours, by priority
How priority works
Service Request
A standard request for something new, or a change to an account or device.
In industry terms: a request for something standard and pre-approved, like access, equipment or a routine low-risk change. It follows a set, repeatable process, which ITIL calls request fulfillment.
Examples: a new or departing employee, access to a shared mailbox or folder, installing approved software, new equipment.
First response: 3 business hours
Target: done in 2 business days. New equipment depends on its lead time. Departures are usually done the same business day.
Question
A "how do I" question, or asking whether something is possible or covered.
In industry terms: a request for information or advice. ITIL treats it as a kind of service request: nothing is broken, and nothing needs to change.
Examples: how to share a file, how to set an out-of-office reply, whether a device is covered.
First response: 3 business hours
Target: answered in 1 business day. If the answer turns into work, we'll change the type.
Change Request
A change to how your systems or network are set up.
In industry terms: a request for change (RFC), meaning a formal request to add, change or remove something that could affect your IT services. Each change is checked for risk, approved, scheduled and recorded. Standard changes are low-risk and pre-approved. Normal changes are reviewed before they're scheduled. Emergency changes fix or prevent an urgent incident.
Examples: a firewall or Wi-Fi change, new security settings, new shared folders or Teams for a group, changing how email is delivered.
First response: 3 business hours
Target: low-risk changes are done in 3 business days. Larger changes are reviewed in 2 business days, then done on a scheduled date. Changes that could interrupt work are done outside business hours.
Project
Larger, planned work that needs its own plan, quote and schedule.
In industry terms: temporary work with a defined scope, budget, timeline and deliverables. It runs through planning, delivery and sign-off, outside day-to-day support.
Examples: an office move or new location, a server or cloud move, a new network, new computers for a whole team.
First response: 3 business hours
Target: a planning call in 5 business days, and a written proposal 5 business days after that. Dates are set in the project plan, with an update at least once a week while work is under way.
Appointment
A visit, call or remote session booked for a set time.
In industry terms: a scheduled service activity, meaning a booked time slot for on-site or remote work. Sending a technician on site is often called a dispatch.
Examples: an on-site install, a training session, a scheduled remote session.
First response: 3 business hours, with times we're free
Target: remote within 2 business days, on site within 4 to 6 business days. Need to move it? Let us know at least 1 business day ahead.
Problem
The cause behind an issue that keeps coming back, or that hits several people. We usually open these ourselves.
In industry terms: the underlying cause of one or more incidents. Problem management finds the root cause, records a workaround (a known error), and removes the cause so the incidents stop coming back.
Examples: Wi-Fi that drops every week, an app that keeps crashing for several people.
Work starts: in 1 business day
Target: cause found, or a lasting workaround, in 10 business days, with an update at least once a week. Each incident is still fixed under its own priority. The lasting fix may become a change request or a project.
Task
One piece of follow-up or scheduled work. We usually open these ourselves.
In industry terms: a single unit of work assigned to a technician with its own due date. It's often part of a larger ticket, like a change or a project, or planned (preventive) maintenance.
Examples: a follow-up visit, a scheduled check, one step of a larger project.
Target: done by the due date on the task, or in 5 business days if it has no due date.
Miscellaneous
Anything that doesn't fit another type.
In industry terms: not a standard industry category. It's our catch-all for administrative work that doesn't match another type.
Examples: updating your company's IT notes, working with another vendor on your behalf.
First response: 3 business hours
Target: done in 5 business days, or by a date we agree with you.
Incidents: How Priority Works
Incidents are handled by priority, from Critical (all work has stopped) to Low (little or no work has stopped). The full priority table, with the first response and resolution target for each level, is in How We Support You: Response Times.
- Urgent and business-critical? Submit a ticket right away and mark it as urgent.
- Emergency changes, like blocking an attacker or restoring a failed system, are done right away at the incident's priority (Critical or High), not on the change schedule.
Plan Ahead
Some requests need a little lead time. Asking early is the best way to have things ready when you need them.
- New employee: submit the onboarding request at least 5 business days before their first day, or 10 business days if they need a new computer.
- Departing employee: submit the offboarding request as soon as you know the last day. For a high-risk departure, submit it right away and mark it as urgent.
- New equipment: most items take 2 to 4 business days. See Hardware Catalog & Lead Times.
- On-site visits: allow 4 to 6 business days to schedule.
- Changes: ask at least 2 business days before you need the change.
- Projects: most can start 2 to 4 weeks after you approve the proposal, depending on equipment and schedules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click a question to expand it.
Do I need to choose a request type?
No. Just submit a ticket and describe what you need. We set the type when we first review it.
Our agreement lists different times. Which ones apply?
Your agreement. The times on this page are our standard service levels. Your company's agreement can change them, for example with faster response times or after-hours coverage.
I haven't heard back in time. What should I do?
Reply to the confirmation email for that ticket and ask for an update. Your reply is added to the same ticket, so the technician sees it right away.
Do these times count nights, weekends and holidays?
No. They count business hours only, unless your agreement includes after-hours coverage. We still monitor the systems we manage around the clock.
Why did my request become a project?
Work that needs a plan, a quote, new equipment for several people, or more than a day of work is handled as a project. That way it gets a clear plan, cost and schedule before anything starts.
Are projects included in our agreement?
That depends on your agreement. We send a written proposal before any project work starts, so you'll know what's included and what it costs before you approve it.