SLAs Explained: Response Time vs Fix Time
By CodexierPublished 5 min read
Support agreements are sold on numbers: one-hour response, 99.9 uptime, four-hour fix. The numbers mean less than they seem until you read the definitions behind them. This guide explains the difference between response and resolution time, how priority levels decide which promise applies, what support hours do to the clock, and how to choose the level your business actually needs.
Response time vs resolution time
Response time measures how fast the supplier reacts: a person, not an automatic reply, confirms the issue and starts working on it. Resolution time measures how fast the problem is solved, or at least worked around so the business can continue. Many agreements promise only response times, because resolution depends on things the supplier does not control, such as a hosting provider's outage or a bug in a third-party service. That is reasonable, as long as you know it.
Look for a third concept too: a workaround. A good agreement distinguishes between restoring service, for example by rolling back to yesterday's version, and fixing the root cause, which may take longer.
Priority levels and definitions
Every SLA sorts issues into levels, and each level carries its own promise. The definitions decide which level your problem lands in, so read them carefully. A checkout that fails for one payment method might be critical for a webshop but defined as 'high' in a generic agreement.
| Level | Typical definition | Typical promise |
|---|---|---|
| Critical | Site or app down, or payments and login broken for everyone | Response within an hour or so; work continues until service is restored |
| High | Important feature broken, no workaround | Response the same working day |
| Normal | Error with a workaround, or a minor feature broken | Response within a few working days |
| Low | Cosmetic issue or question | Handled in the next planned work |
Ask who decides the priority level, and what happens if you disagree.
Support hours and holidays
A 'four-hour response' within office hours, Monday to Friday 08 to 17, means a problem reported at 16:30 on Friday may be answered on Monday morning. That is fine for a company website and unacceptable for a webshop during Black Friday. Check what the agreement says about evenings, weekends and Swedish public holidays, including the long gaps around midsummer and Christmas.
- Which hours does the clock run?
- Is there an emergency line outside those hours, and does it cost extra per call?
- How are issues reported: phone, email, ticket system? Does email count as reported?
- Is support covered during July, when many Swedish suppliers run reduced staffing?
- Can you buy extended cover for known peaks such as campaigns or launches?
What happens when an SLA is missed
An SLA without consequences is a goal, not a promise. Common consequences are service credits, a reduction on next month's fee, and the right to terminate after repeated misses. Credits are rarely large enough to compensate for lost business; their real value is that they make the supplier measure and report. Ask for a monthly report showing each issue, its priority, and actual response and resolution times.
Also check the exclusions. Most agreements exclude issues caused by third parties, by changes you made yourself, or by events outside the supplier's control. Those exclusions are normal; what matters is that they are specific rather than broad enough to cover anything.
Choosing the level you need
Start from what an hour of downtime actually costs: lost orders, missed bookings, staff unable to work. A brochure site that is down for a morning costs little; a webshop or booking system during opening hours costs much more. Pay for faster response only where downtime is expensive, and only for the hours when it is. Our guide on what a maintenance plan should include covers the rest of the agreement.
When you do not need an SLA: if your website is informational and a day's outage would not cost you customers, basic monitoring and a supplier who answers email is enough. When the site or app earns money every hour, a monthly maintenance package with defined priorities is worth it. Book a short call and we will help you set the right level.
Frequently asked questions
What does 99.9 uptime mean in practice?
It allows roughly forty minutes of downtime per month, depending on how the period is measured. Check whether planned maintenance counts, and who measures it.
Is a response time the same as a fix?
No. Response means someone has started working on it. A fix or workaround may take longer, and many agreements do not promise a fix time at all.
Do small companies need an SLA?
Not always a formal one. But even a small business should know who to call, how fast they will answer and what counts as urgent, preferably in writing.
Can we get 24/7 support?
Yes, but it costs more because someone must be on call. Many businesses only need extended cover for critical issues, or during known peak periods.
Not sure what your support agreement really covers?
Send us your current agreement or describe what you need. On a short call we will explain what the definitions mean and what level fits your business.
Book a free 15-minute call