What to promise.
WHAT TO COMMIT TO
Whatever you can consistently achieve.
WHY NOT MORE
A missed commitment damages more than a modest one met.
WHAT TO SEPARATE
Time to first response Time to resolution
WHY
You control the first; the second depends on the problem.
WHAT TO COMMIT TO PUBLICLY
First response, usually.
WHAT TO SAY ABOUT RESOLUTION
That it depends, with honest updates throughout.
WHAT TO DIFFERENTIATE BY
Severity, not customer value alone.
WHAT SEVERITY LEVELS USUALLY MEAN
Service down, affecting everyone Service impaired, or one customer blocked A problem with a workaround A question or request
WHAT RESPONSE EACH DESERVES
Immediate Within hours Within a working day Within a stated period
WHAT TO PUBLISH
The levels, and what each means.
WHY
It manages expectations and reduces argument about urgency.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT OUT-OF-HOURS
State the hours plainly.
WHY
Customers accept stated limits and resent unstated ones.
WHAT TO PROVIDE OUTSIDE THEM
A route for genuine emergencies, if you offer one.
WHAT TO MEASURE
Whether you actually meet what you promised.
WHAT TO DO IF YOU CONSISTENTLY DO NOT
Change the promise, or fix the cause.
