SLAs are one of the most powerful tools in Zendesk — and one of the most risky if set up incorrectly. A good SLA is a promise to the customer and a realistic target for the team. A bad SLA drains morale and damages the customer experience.
Here are the four mistakes we see most often, and what you should do instead.
Mistake 1: One SLA for everyone
The same deadlines for all customers and all case types is rarely fair to anyone. Use Zendesk Organizations to segment customers (e.g. Enterprise, Premium, Standard) and create separate SLA policies based on customer type and case type. A critical error for an enterprise customer should be handled differently from a billing question from a standard customer.
You will find SLA policies under Admin Center > Objects and rules > Business rules > Service level agreements.
Mistake 2: The SLA clock runs around the clock
If a customer writes in at 22:30, and the SLA says "respond within 2 hours", the ticket is already breached before morning. Configure business hours under Admin Center > Objects and rules > Business rules > Schedules, and link that schedule to your SLA policies, so that the SLA clock only counts during business hours. Remember to update public holidays every quarter.
Mistake 3: Targets based on wishes, not data
"We respond within one hour" is a nice sales pitch — but does it hold up in practice? Check in Explore what your actual average First Reply Time is for the last 3-6 months. Set the SLA to something you can meet 95% of the time, and improve gradually. Include a buffer for unforeseen peak loads — a rule of thumb is to set the SLA to about 80-90% of your absolute maximum.
Mistake 4: No communication to the team
Agents who encounter new SLA timers in Zendesk without context experience it as surveillance. Involve the team in the process, explain the purpose, and create views that show tickets close to an SLA breach — e.g. "First reply: Risk of breach (next 2 hours)". The SLA should be a prioritisation tool, not a whip.
Red flags — the SLAs are too strict
- Achievement rate consistently below 80-85%
- Agents cherry-pick easy tickets to hit the deadlines
- Responses become superficial and copy-paste-like
- High staff turnover in support
Green flags — the SLAs are working
- Stable achievement at 90-98%
- High CSAT with a positive correlation to SLA compliance
- The team uses the SLA as a prioritisation tool, not a stress factor
- SLAs are reviewed and adjusted quarterly
Remember: Agent holidays do not stop the SLA clock
The solution is resource planning, not SLA configuration. Ensure coverage, and create a trigger that automatically re-assigns tickets from agents who are Out of Office to a general queue.
Need sparring on your SLA setup? Contact us here.