Service Levels (Problem Priorities, Response Times, Escalations and Updates)
The provision of a technical support service and operating twenty four hours a day is dependent on having standardised customer service levels across all geographies. Our Service Level includes priority levels, response times, the escalation process and update frequency. By committing to regular customer communication and clearly documenting the service on offer, in addition to providing a high quality of technical support, we are able to achieve high levels of customer satisfaction.
The Service Level has 4 priority levels defined as follows:
| Priority | Description | Target Response Time | Target for Operational Resolution | Target for Permanent Solution |
1 | Critical - Product or major product feature fails to function, system down or business critical situation | 2 hours | 4 hours | 1 day |
2 | High - An intermittent problem that is not circumventable or a serious problem that is circumventable | 3 hours | 2 days | 5 days |
3 | Medium - An intermittent problem that is circumventable or a problem that does not have a major impact on the Product or the user's system | 5 hours | 5 days | 10 days |
4 | Low - A minor usability, presentation or cosmetic problem that does not affect the ability to use the product | 8 hours | none | none |
Notes
Although Target Response and Resolution Times are not part of our contractual commitment, Systems Engineers are targeted and measured on the achievement of target times to ensure that agreed service levels are met.
Target Response times refer to a response from a qualified Systems Engineer. However, our support procedures ensure that, in the majority of cases, a qualified Systems Engineer answers the initial customer call.
Target Operational and Permanent Resolution times are measured from the time the initial response is given.
Elapsed times for Responses and Escalations are based on the contracted hours of support (i.e. standard business hours or 24 x 7).
Once a problem is logged and a response given by a Systems Engineer it will be worked on immediately and continuously to a resolution or acceptable workaround. It will be escalated as follows if not resolved within the target resolution times.
Escalation / update process for Priority 1, 2 and 3 problems.
Priority 1
If a problem does not have an operational resolution within four hours from the time the initial response is given it will be escalated to the National Support Manager who will ensure the customer's I.S. personnel are updated every day until the problem is resolved. If it is not permanently resolved within one day it will be escalated to the Australian Manager and the customer's senior I.S. management.
Priority 2
If a problem does not have an operational resolution within two days from the time the initial response is given it will be escalated to the supplier's Support Team Manager who will ensure the customer's I.S. personnel are updated regularly until the problem is resolved. If it is not permanently resolved within five days it will be escalated to the supplier's Services Director and the customer's senior I.S. management.
Priority 3
If a problem does not have an operational resolution within five days from the time the initial response is given it will be escalated to the supplier's Support Team Manager who will ensure the customer's I.S. personnel are updated regularly until the problem is resolved. If it is not permanently resolved within ten days it will be escalated to the supplier's Services Director and the customer's senior I.S. management.
Back up
A high priority meeting with customer's staff, NGI Support Manager, with teleconference to the relevant supplier's Service Director, is then convened to rectify the problem to the amicable satisfaction of the customer.
Appendix 1
Customer Support Structure and Business Hours Contact Information
Support Contacts