Queues & SLA
Ticket queues organize and route support requests efficiently. SLA (Service Level Agreements) set response time expectations and help monitor team performance. This guide explains queue systems, SLA policies, priority levels, and how to manage queue operations.
What Are Queues?
A queue is a logical grouping of tickets organized by type, category, or purpose. Queues help distribute tickets and track metrics.
Queue Basics
Each queue represents a category of support requests:
- •General Support: Account issues, technical help, general inquiries
- •Bug Reports: Issues and defects to investigate
- •Feature Requests: User suggestions and feature proposals
- •Billing: Payment and subscription related
- •VIP Support: Priority tickets from premium members
Why Use Queues?
- •Organize tickets by type or priority
- •Route to specialized teams (billing staff for payments)
- •Track separate metrics for each category
- •Set different SLAs for different ticket types
- •Automate assignment based on expertise
Creating Queues
Set up your queue structure in the Tickets dashboard:
Queue Configuration
Each queue requires these settings:
Queue Name
A descriptive identifier (e.g., "Bug Reports", "Billing Support"). Visible to users and staff.
Queue Description
Explain what types of tickets belong here. Helps users select the correct queue.
Category (SearchableSelect)
Link to a ticket category. Categories define form fields and required information.
Assignment Strategy (dropdown)
Choose how tickets are automatically assigned to staff:
- • Round-Robin: Distribute evenly across all staff
- • Least Busy: Assign to staff member with fewest open tickets
- • Skill-Based: Route based on staff expertise tags
- • Manual: Require staff to manually claim tickets
Default Priority (dropdown)
Set the starting priority level: Urgent, High, Normal, or Low
Enable Auto-Close (toggle)
Automatically close tickets after X days of inactivity
Priority Levels
Tickets are categorized by urgency and importance. Each priority level has different SLA targets:
Urgent
Critical issues affecting production or major functionality. Examples: Complete outages, data loss, security breaches.
SLA Target: Response within 15 minutes, Resolution within 2 hours
High
Significant issues affecting functionality or a portion of users. Examples: Feature broken, API errors, multiple user impact.
SLA Target: Response within 1 hour, Resolution within 8 hours
Normal
Regular support requests affecting individual users. Examples: How-to questions, account issues, standard requests.
SLA Target: Response within 4 hours, Resolution within 24 hours
Low
Non-urgent inquiries that don't affect functionality. Examples: Enhancement requests, general questions, feedback.
SLA Target: Response within 24 hours, Resolution within 72 hours
SLA Policies
SLA (Service Level Agreement) policies define response and resolution time targets. They ensure consistent, timely support.
Understanding SLA Targets
Each SLA has two critical time measurements:
- •Response Time: Time from ticket creation to first staff response. Measures responsiveness.
- •Resolution Time: Time from creation to ticket closure. Measures how quickly issues are solved.
SLA Breach Detection
The system automatically tracks SLA compliance:
- •Pre-Breach Alert: Notify when ticket approaches SLA deadline (15 min before)
- •Breach Alert: Highlight when SLA deadline is exceeded
- •Escalation: Automatically escalate breached tickets to management
Setting Queue SLAs
When creating a queue, configure SLA parameters:
For Each Priority Level:
- • Response Time Target (e.g., 15 min for Urgent)
- • Resolution Time Target (e.g., 2 hours for Urgent)
- • Escalation Action (notify manager, ping team, etc.)
Example SLA Setup for "General Support" Queue:
| Priority | Response | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| Urgent | 15 minutes | 2 hours |
| High | 1 hour | 8 hours |
| Normal | 4 hours | 24 hours |
| Low | 24 hours | 72 hours |
Queue Routing
Automatically direct tickets to the right queues based on content and metadata:
Routing Rules
Define conditions that determine which queue receives a ticket:
- •Category-Based: User selects category → routes to designated queue
- •Keyword-Based: Words/phrases in description trigger specific queue
- •User Role-Based: VIP members automatically route to VIP queue
- •Priority-Based: High/Urgent go to priority queue
Example Routing Flow
- 1. User creates support ticket
- 2. System checks ticket category (e.g., "Bug Report")
- 3. Ticket routes to "Bug Reports" queue
- 4. Automatic assignment per queue strategy (least busy dev)
- 5. SLA timer starts for that queue's priority level
Queue Statistics & Metrics
Monitor queue health with key performance metrics:
Queue Status Indicators
Each queue shows real-time status:
- • Open Tickets: Total unresolved tickets
- • In Progress: Currently being worked on
- • Waiting on User: Awaiting customer response
- • On Hold: Temporarily paused
Performance Metrics
Track efficiency indicators:
- • Avg Response Time: Time to first reply (target: match SLA)
- • Avg Resolution Time: Time to close (target: match SLA)
- • SLA Compliance Rate: % of tickets meeting SLA (target: 95%+)
- • First Response Rate: % resolved without escalation
Workload Distribution
View staff assignment metrics:
- • Tickets Per Staff Member: Distribution of workload
- • Busiest Staff: Who needs support
- • Idle Staff: Who can take more tickets
Queue Management in Dashboard
Access queue settings and monitoring in the Tickets dashboard:
Queue Management Interface
The Queues section shows:
- •Queue List: All configured queues with status and metrics
- •Create Queue Button: Add new queue with form
- •Edit Queue: Modify name, assignment strategy, SLA targets
- •View Tickets: Click queue to see all tickets in it
- •Queue Health: Visual indicator of queue workload (green = healthy)
SLA Breach Notifications
Stay on top of SLA targets with automated alerts:
Breach Alert System
When SLA targets are at risk:
- •Warning Alert: 15 min before deadline, staff are notified
- •Breach Alert: When deadline passes, ticket is flagged in red
- •Escalation: Automatically assign to supervisor or manager
- •Dashboard Highlight: Breached tickets appear prominently
Best Practices
- • Create queues based on your support structure and specializations
- • Set realistic SLA targets based on team capacity
- • Use skill-based routing when you have specialized staff
- • Monitor SLA compliance metrics weekly
- • Adjust assignment strategies if workload becomes unbalanced
- • Review breach trends to identify process improvements
- • Celebrate when SLA compliance exceeds targets