SLAs and Response Times
Service level agreements define the binding performance parameters of our collaboration. The following questions clarify what you can expect from the different SLA tiers and how response times work in practice. More details about our SLA models can be found on our references page.
- Which SLA tiers do you offer? We work with three graduated models so you do not pay for response times you do not need. The Basic SLA offers a first response within 8 hours on business days, 5-minute monitoring and monthly updates. The Business SLA shortens the first response to 4 hours on business days, checks every minute and applies updates weekly as needed. The Enterprise SLA is aimed at shops where every minute of downtime counts: first response within 45 minutes around the clock, 30-second monitoring and security patches within 24 hours. These tiers are a starting point and can be adapted. A more detailed description of the models can be found on our references page.
- What does first response specifically mean? First response means our technical team begins analyzing the problem within the committed timeframe and informs you of the status. You therefore know reliably that your request has been picked up, that someone is working on it, and what next steps are planned, instead of waiting in the dark. The important distinction: first response is not the same as a complete resolution. How long the actual fix takes depends on complexity, a known plugin issue is resolved faster than a deep-seated server fault. That is precisely why we measure response time as a binding commitment while communicating honestly about resolution time. How we measure and document this is part of our monitoring processes.
- Do response times also apply on weekends and holidays? Under the Enterprise SLA, response times apply 24/7, 365 days a year. This is the right choice for shops that also sell on weekends or around campaign days and where an outage on a Sunday evening is just as expensive as one on a Tuesday morning. Under the Business and Basic SLAs, response times relate to business days. Regardless of the chosen tier, however, the following applies: for critical security incidents, emergency escalation paths are available even under the Business SLA that extend beyond regular business hours. An actively exploited vulnerability does not wait until Monday. How emergency support escalates is described on the corresponding page.
- What happens if the SLA response time is not met? We take our SLA commitments seriously and document every response time without gaps, so that compliance remains verifiable and does not rest on mutual feeling. Should an SLA breach occur in an exceptional case, we analyze the cause, initiate countermeasures and communicate this openly with you rather than concealing it. The specific consequences of an SLA breach, such as credits or other arrangements, are agreed individually in the contract, so there is clarity from the start. For us, permanently eliminating the cause matters more than merely compensating an isolated case. This very transparency feeds into the monthly status report. Which arrangement makes sense for your project is something we discuss in the initial consultation.
- Can I customize the SLA parameters individually? Yes, the three SLA tiers are intended as a starting point, not a rigid corset. In practice, we frequently adapt the parameters to a client's specific reality: shorter response times for defined time windows, additional monitoring metrics beyond the standard checks, or extended availability for seasonal peak times. This flexibility is especially valuable for shops with pronounced seasonal business: before campaign days, monitoring can be intensified, while the standard setup is sufficient in quieter phases. This way you pay for what you actually need rather than continuously for the peak case. Which adjustments make sense for your monitoring is something we clarify concretely in the initial consultation.
- How do you measure SLA compliance? All incidents, response times and measures taken are logged in our system, so every commitment can be substantiated by real timestamps rather than estimates. This creates an objective basis for evaluating service quality. These SLA metrics feed into the monthly status report and are additionally discussed together in the quarterly review. This way you see not only that we keep our commitments but also where trends are emerging, such as recurring incidents around a particular plugin. This transparency is closely interlinked with our monitoring and gives you a realistic picture of your shop's condition at all times.