IT Helpdesk Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Template

Purpose

This Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) document defines the consistent, repeatable processes that every helpdesk agent must follow. It ensures that every ticket — regardless of which agent handles it — is processed with the same quality, speed, and communication standards. New agents use this SOP as their primary training reference.

1. Ticket Intake & Triage

All tickets enter the system via one of four channels: email to support@company.com, helpdesk portal submission, walk-in (converted to ticket by agent), or phone (agent creates ticket during/after call). Within 5 minutes of receipt, every ticket must be triaged: category assigned, priority set (P1-P4 based on impact), and agent assigned (auto-assign by category or manual assignment).

If a ticket lacks critical information (device name, error message, affected user), the agent must request it within the first response — never let a ticket sit unacknowledged while waiting for details.

2. First Response Standards

Priority	First Response Target	Required Elements
P1 — Critical	15 minutes	Acknowledge, confirm impact, provide ETA for next update, begin immediate investigation.
P2 — High	30 minutes	Acknowledge, confirm priority, provide initial troubleshooting steps or questions.
P3 — Normal	2 hours	Acknowledge, confirm receipt, provide expected resolution timeframe.
P4 — Low	4 hours	Acknowledge, confirm receipt, provide expected resolution timeframe.

3. Communication Standards

Every agent must follow these communication rules: acknowledge every message from the user within 2 hours (even if just "investigating, will update soon"), use clear, non-technical language — explain solutions in terms the user can understand, never blame another team, vendor, or the user — focus on the solution, set and meet expectations — if you say you will update in 2 hours, update in 2 hours (even if there is no progress to report), and close every interaction by asking "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

4. Escalation Procedure

Agents must escalate when: ticket priority requires Level 2/3 skills (P1 always, P2 after 2 hours without resolution, P3 after 4 hours without resolution), the issue requires access or authority the agent does not have, the same issue recurs for the same user or asset within 30 days, or the agent suspects a security incident (immediate escalation to Security team).

When escalating, the agent must provide: ticket summary, actions already taken, findings and diagnostic data collected, recommended next steps, and any relevant asset or user history from the registry.

5. Quality Assurance

10% of resolved tickets are audited monthly for quality. Scoring criteria: first response within SLA (25 points), communication quality and frequency (25 points), technical accuracy of resolution (25 points), user satisfaction survey score (25 points). Agents scoring below 70% receive coaching. Below 50% triggers a performance improvement plan.