When you assemble your team to handle IT support, it's important to define the service levels that you will work toward. These service levels are internal and determine the functions that are performed. Here's what I use as a rough guide for service levels:

• 1st level – Respond to issue, gather information, contact support team.

• 2nd level – Correct small issue requiring no research or follow-up.
• 3rd level – Correct large issue that requires research or follow-up includes hardware replacement.
• 4th level – Final responsibility for issue. 

The important thing to remember when you set service levels is the focus. For instance, in a first level task you are gathering information and not really fixing anything. 

In today's IT outsourced environment it's not uncommon to have very few onsite people to handle first and second level support; some companies opt to outsource third and fourth level support.  

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