The floodlights are blinding, the engines are roaring, and the crowd is on edge. It’s the opening race of the F1 season, the Australian Grand Prix. Two drivers are wheel to wheel, battling for victory. The world is focused on their top speed, but the real question is—who managed their tires better? Who nailed the pit-stop strategy? Who avoided the small mistakes that add up to disaster?

Winning in F1 isn’t just about being the fastest but executing flawlessly across the board. And yet, many MSPs fall into the same trap as an overconfident rookie driver—focusing only on speed (response times) without considering the strategy (true customer satisfaction).

SLAs are like lap times—they tell you something, but not everything. If your support feels like a last-minute pit stop with the wrong tires, your clients will start looking for another team.

In 2025, you need to move beyond surface-level metrics and focus on what truly defines a great support experience.

Let’s break it down.

1. Response Time vs. Resolution Quality: The Balancing Act

Many MSPs focus on responding to tickets as fast as possible, but what happens after that first response? End-users don’t just want a quick “we’re looking into it.” They want solutions that work.

If customers are constantly dealing with partial resolutions, re-explaining their problems, or waiting for follow-ups, frustration sets in. A response time KPI that looks great on paper means nothing if the customer experience is suffering.

How to fix it : Track First Contact Resolution (FCR) alongside response time. If a high percentage of tickets require multiple follow-ups, that’s a sign your responses are fast but not effective. A high FCR means fewer back-and-forths, less downtime for your end-users, and a better customer experience.

Pro tip : Train your techs to provide first-contact resolutions rather than just acknowledging tickets. Leverage AI-driven suggestions in your Service Desk to improve response quality. A knowledge base with easy-to-access resolutions can also help techs resolve issues faster.

2. Customer Effort Score (CES): The Silent KPI That Matters

How hard is it for your end-users to get support? If they have to go through multiple forms, repeat themselves, or wait too long for a proper fix, frustration builds up fast.

An end-user who has to navigate through endless email threads, ticket portals, and phone calls just to get a simple issue resolved is already halfway to switching providers. The lower the effort required, the happier and more loyal your clients will be.

How to fix it : Use post-ticket surveys to ask a simple question: How easy was it to get your issue resolved? A lower score means more friction, and fixing that quickly improves customer loyalty.

Pro tip : Reduce friction with an efficient ticketing platform. No lengthy emails, just quick and efficient problem-solving. Keep escalation pathways clear, and ensure end-users always know what’s happening with their requests.

3. The True Cost of Ticket Escalation

Escalation rates can tell you a lot about the quality of your frontline support. If too many tickets are being pushed to higher tiers, it indicates that your Level 1 team lacks the knowledge or tools to resolve issues efficiently.

Every unnecessary escalation costs time and money. It slows down issue resolution, increases operational overhead, and leaves users waiting longer. Worse, it can create bottlenecks in your support system, overwhelming higher-tier engineers while leaving frontline staff disengaged.

How to fix it : Track the percentage of tickets that move beyond L1. High escalation rates mean either inadequate training or unclear troubleshooting processes.

Pro tip : Build an internal knowledge base where your frontline techs can quickly find solutions instead of escalating tickets. Regular training sessions and scenario-based learning can drastically improve L1 resolution rates, reducing stress on escalated teams.

4. The Human Touch: Are Your Techs Actually Engaging?

Automated responses and scripted interactions might get the job done, but nothing beats personalized, empathetic support. Users remember when a tech goes the extra mile.

Many businesses rely heavily on automation to streamline support, but losing the human element can be a costly mistake. Users expect efficiency, but they also want to feel heard and understood. A cold, robotic interaction can turn an already frustrating issue into a retention risk.

How to fix it : Analyze customer feedback and sentiment in ticket notes. Use AI tools to assess tone and engagement quality. Track CSAT (Customer Satisfaction) scores to gauge how your support teams are perceived.

Pro tip : Encourage techs to personalize their responses. Simple gestures like using the user’s name, acknowledging past interactions, and following up proactively can make a big difference. Think of every support interaction as an opportunity to strengthen the client relationship.

5. Proactive Support: Fixing Issues Before They Happen

The best MSPs don’t just react to issues—they prevent them. Users appreciate it when you identify and resolve potential problems before they disrupt operations.

Reactive support is a never-ending loop of firefighting. The more issues you solve, the more issues arise. Breaking this cycle requires a shift to proactive problem management—anticipating failures and addressing them before they impact users.

How to fix it : Track the number of proactive fixes versus reactive tickets. A lower percentage of break-fix tickets means your preventive maintenance is working. Regularly monitor infrastructure health reports and log patterns to catch early warning signs.

Pro tip : Implement automated monitoring tools that detect issues before they become problems. This not only reduces support workload but also increases customer trust. MSPs that offer proactive support are seen as partners, not just service providers, leading to higher client retention.

Wrapping Up:

SLAs set the benchmark, but true success in IT support goes beyond the numbers. By prioritizing efficiency, responsiveness, and customer experience, MSPs can build lasting trust and deliver real value—not just meet contractual obligations. The key isn’t just resolving tickets quickly; it’s about making every interaction count.

TL;DR: The New Metrics

• First Contact Resolution (FCR) over just response time.
• Customer Effort Score (CES) to reduce friction.
• Lower escalation rates for better frontline efficiency.
• Personalized, human-centric support interactions.
• Proactive issue prevention for long-term success.

By adopting these metrics, your MSP will not just meet SLAs but build stronger client relationships that lead to higher retention and growth.

What’s your take? Are you still relying on traditional SLAs, or are you tracking more meaningful support KPIs?