Capability template for customer support and service
Support service level definition
The support lead gets reply and resolution targets for every priority level, worked out from the team's own ticket history and the hours the team really has. Each target shows how often the team already meets it, and every gap comes back as a question for the lead to settle.
The outcome
Your team's targets stop being a number someone liked the sound of. For each priority level there is a time for the first reply from a person and a time for resolution, each counted only in the hours that level is covered, each meant for a stated share of tickets, and each with a warning point at which an open ticket is raised to the lead. Every target sits beside the team's own record, so anyone can see where it came from.
The proposal is honest about what history cannot settle. A level with too few tickets gets no invented target. A target the lead wanted but the team does not yet reach is shown with how often it was met. A week where the work outgrows the hours, because of a busy spell or someone's leave, is named in advance. Each of these arrives as a question with its facts, and the lead decides.
These are internal targets for running the team. They are not a promise to customers, and the capability writes no customer-facing terms.
Who starts the work, and when
The support lead starts it, or the owner where the owner runs support: when the team sets targets for the first time, and again when the team's hours, the product, the volume of tickets or the priority definitions change. A quarterly run on a fresh export keeps the targets current.
The support lead settles every question, approves the targets and names the person who sets them up in the support system. The AI assistant changes nothing in the support system and sends nothing.
What they supply
- A ticket export of at least four full weeks: one row per ticket, with when it was created, its priority, when a person first replied and when it was resolved.
- The priority definitions: each level and what earns it.
- The coverage note: working hours, closed days, and which levels anyone watches outside working hours.
- The roster: each person's weekly hours for the queue once meetings and other duties are taken out, and the hours lost to leave or closed days in the weeks ahead.
- Minutes per ticket: the lead's estimate of the work one ticket takes at each level.
- Any targets already in mind, so they can be checked against the record.
What comes out
One proposal in a fixed order: the levels and the hours each is counted in; the tickets left out and why; what the team achieves today at each level; the proposed targets with their basis and warning points; any wanted target the record does not reach; the capacity check for the weeks behind and ahead; the busy-period rule, or the question that sets one; the numbered decisions for the lead; and when to check again.
Good looks like this: the lead can trace any target to the export in a couple of minutes, every ticket is counted or listed, and nothing on the page could be mistaken for a promise to a customer.
An invented example
Illustrative example with invented data. The company, its team, its tickets, its rules and every figure below are invented. An invented 25-person company sells stock-control software to independent bike shops. Its support team is a support lead and one support specialist, and it has never had written targets. On Monday 9 November 2026 the support lead exports the four full weeks from 5 October to 1 November and runs the capability.
The inputs come first, in full, so the template can be run on them. The proposal follows.
The inputs
The priority definitions
SUPPORT PRIORITIES, version 3 (owner: support lead)
Urgent: a shop cannot sell at the till or cannot see its stock at all,
or one shop's information is shown to another.
High: a main function (the till, stock counts, supplier orders) is
wrong or failing for a shop and the workaround is slow; or a billing
error on a shop's account.
Normal: questions, set-up help, requests, and small faults with an
easy workaround.
The coverage note
COVERAGE NOTE, 2 November 2026
Working days: Monday to Friday. Working hours: 09:00 to 17:00.
Closed days between 5 October and 1 November 2026: none.
Urgent is also watched by the support lead on rota from 08:00 to 09:00
and 17:00 to 18:00 on working days, and on Saturday from 09:00 to 13:00.
Nobody watches the queue on Sunday.
High and Normal: working hours only.
The roster
ROSTER, 9 November 2026 (owner: support lead)
Queue hours in an ordinary week, after meetings, onboarding calls and
other duties:
- Support lead: 10
- Support specialist: 20
Queue hours lost in the weeks ahead:
- Week of 9 November: none.
- Week of 16 November: none.
- Week of 23 November: support specialist on leave Wednesday 25 to
Friday 27 November, 12 hours lost. Office closed Thursday 26 November:
support lead, 2 hours lost.
- Week of 30 November: none.
Minutes per ticket, targets wanted and settings
Minutes per ticket (support lead's estimate, from first read to
resolution): Urgent 120, High 90, Normal 50.
Targets wanted:
- Urgent: first response within 1 hour.
- High: first response within 2 hours.
- Normal: first response within 8 working hours (one working day).
- No resolution targets in mind yet.
Settings: use the defaults. No busy-period rule. No week is one-off.
The ticket export
Ticket,Created,Priority,First human reply,Resolved
S-1201,2026-10-05 13:55,High,2026-10-05 14:20,2026-10-06 13:55
S-1202,2026-10-05 14:30,Normal,2026-10-05 16:10,2026-10-06 13:30
S-1203,2026-10-05 16:45,High,2026-10-06 10:15,2026-10-06 14:15
S-1204,2026-10-06 18:30,High,2026-10-07 10:55,2026-10-07 16:00
S-1205,2026-10-06 21:10,Normal,2026-10-07 15:30,2026-10-08 16:40
S-1206,2026-10-07 09:50,Normal,2026-10-07 11:40,2026-10-09 14:30
S-1207,2026-10-07 16:45,Normal,2026-10-08 13:25,2026-10-12 16:25
S-1208,2026-10-07 18:30,Urgent,2026-10-08 08:35,2026-10-08 10:30
S-1209,2026-10-08 07:35,Normal,2026-10-08 09:45,2026-10-08 16:30
S-1210,2026-10-08 16:45,Normal,2026-10-09 13:35,2026-10-09 16:45
S-1211,2026-10-09 07:35,Normal,2026-10-09 11:00,2026-10-12 15:40
S-1212,2026-10-09 09:05,High,2026-10-09 10:45,2026-10-12 11:45
S-1213,2026-10-09 15:15,High,2026-10-12 11:35,2026-10-12 12:15
S-1214,2026-10-10 10:15,Normal,2026-10-12 16:50,2026-10-14 10:20
S-1215,2026-10-10 11:40,Normal,2026-10-12 13:30,2026-10-14 14:30
S-1216,2026-10-11 10:15,Normal,2026-10-12 10:15,2026-10-14 11:00
S-1217,2026-10-11 11:40,Normal,2026-10-12 14:00,2026-10-13 09:40
S-1218,2026-10-12 09:05,High,2026-10-12 09:45,2026-10-13 12:45
S-1219,2026-10-12 13:55,Normal,2026-10-13 11:55,2026-10-13 16:15
S-1220,2026-10-12 15:15,High,2026-10-12 16:30,2026-10-13 15:35
S-1221,2026-10-13 11:10,Normal,2026-10-14 09:50,2026-10-15 16:10
S-1222,2026-10-13 21:10,Normal,2026-10-14 13:00,2026-10-19 10:00
S-1223,2026-10-14 10:25,Urgent,2026-10-14 12:45,2026-10-15 10:25
S-1224,2026-10-14 12:40,,2026-10-14 14:15,2026-10-15 14:50
S-1225,2026-10-15 07:35,Normal,2026-10-15 10:00,2026-10-20 12:00
S-1226,2026-10-15 11:10,High,2026-10-15 12:45,2026-10-16 10:40
S-1227,2026-10-15 15:15,Normal,2026-10-16 09:35,2026-10-19 09:55
S-1228,2026-10-16 09:05,Normal,2026-10-16 11:15,2026-10-19 12:05
S-1229,2026-10-16 16:45,High,2026-10-19 09:45,2026-10-20 16:15
S-1230,2026-10-17 10:15,Normal,2026-10-19 12:40,2026-10-20 11:00
S-1231,2026-10-17 19:20,Normal,2026-10-19 12:50,2026-10-21 14:40
S-1232,2026-10-18 10:15,Normal,2026-10-19 09:30,2026-10-20 10:00
S-1233,2026-10-18 16:05,Normal,2026-10-19 12:30,2026-10-20 09:20
S-1234,2026-10-19 09:05,High,2026-10-19 12:10,2026-10-20 10:05
S-1235,2026-10-19 09:50,Normal,2026-10-20 11:10,2026-10-20 11:30
S-1236,2026-10-19 10:25,High,2026-10-19 12:25,2026-10-21 09:05
S-1237,2026-10-19 21:10,Normal,2026-10-20 10:35,2026-10-23 16:40
S-1238,2026-10-20 07:35,Normal,2026-10-21 09:30,2026-10-21 09:50
S-1239,2026-10-20 07:35,Normal,2026-10-20 15:50,2026-10-21 13:40
S-1240,2026-10-20 09:05,Normal,2026-10-20 12:15,2026-10-22 14:25
S-1241,2026-10-21 09:50,Normal,2026-10-21 13:10,2026-10-23 10:30
S-1242,2026-10-21 14:30,High,2026-10-21 16:20,2026-10-22 12:30
S-1243,2026-10-21 14:30,High,2026-10-21 15:15,2026-10-22 16:30
S-1244,2026-10-22 10:25,Normal,2026-10-22 13:15,2026-10-22 15:55
S-1245,2026-10-22 15:15,Normal,2026-10-23 14:15,2026-10-26 11:15
S-1246,2026-10-22 18:30,Normal,2026-10-23 10:30,2026-10-27 13:00
S-1247,2026-10-23 10:25,Urgent,2026-10-23 10:45,2026-10-23 17:25
S-1248,2026-10-23 14:30,Normal,2026-10-26 12:50,2026-10-27 10:10
S-1249,2026-10-23 15:15,High,2026-10-23 16:35,2026-10-26 13:55
S-1250,2026-10-24 11:40,Normal,2026-10-26 10:00,2026-10-28 12:40
S-1251,2026-10-24 19:20,High,2026-10-26 11:00,2026-10-27 13:40
S-1252,2026-10-24 19:20,Normal,2026-10-26 11:00,2026-10-27 16:00
S-1253,2026-10-25 10:15,Urgent,2026-10-26 08:10,2026-10-26 12:00
S-1254,2026-10-25 19:20,High,2026-10-26 12:20,2026-10-27 14:40
S-1255,2026-10-25 19:20,Normal,2026-10-26 14:40,2026-10-26 15:00
S-1256,2026-10-26 10:25,Urgent,2026-10-26 11:40,2026-10-26 15:25
S-1257,2026-10-26 11:10,Normal,2026-10-26 14:10,2026-10-28 14:10
S-1258,2026-10-26 14:30,Normal,2026-10-27 11:40,2026-10-27 12:00
S-1259,2026-10-27 07:35,Normal,2026-10-27 13:20,2026-10-28 17:00
S-1260,2026-10-27 16:45,High,2026-10-28 11:35,2026-10-28 11:45
S-1261,2026-10-28 11:10,Normal,2026-10-29 10:20,2026-10-29 10:40
S-1262,2026-10-28 12:40,Normal,2026-10-28 16:50,2026-10-30 15:00
S-1263,2026-10-28 13:55,High,2026-10-28 15:05,2026-10-29 09:55
S-1264,2026-10-29 09:05,High,2026-10-29 11:35,2026-11-02 14:45
S-1265,2026-10-29 09:05,Normal,2026-10-29 11:35,2026-10-29 15:45
S-1266,2026-10-30 09:05,Normal,2026-10-30 11:45,2026-11-02 15:05
S-1267,2026-10-30 10:25,Normal,2026-10-30 15:45,2026-11-02 15:45
S-1268,2026-10-30 16:45,Normal,2026-11-02 09:35,2026-11-02 16:45
S-1269,2026-10-31 10:15,High,2026-11-02 14:10,
S-1270,2026-10-31 11:40,Normal,2026-11-03 11:40,
S-1271,2026-11-01 16:05,Urgent,2026-11-02 08:50,2026-11-02 09:30
S-1272,2026-11-01 16:05,Normal,2026-11-02 10:20,
The export was taken on Monday 9 November 2026 at 08:30.
The output
The proposal is plain text. It is set here with bold headings so it reads well on a page; the words and their order are the template's.
SUPPORT SERVICE LEVELS: Support team, proposed Monday 9 November 2026
For: Support lead. Internal targets for running the team. Not a promise to customers. From: ticket export 5 October to 1 November 2026 (4 full weeks, 72 tickets), taken Monday 9 November 2026, 08:30. Priority definitions version 3. Coverage note 2 November 2026. Roster 9 November 2026. Minutes per ticket Urgent 120, High 90, Normal 50. Targets wanted: Urgent, first response, 1 h; High, first response, 2 h; Normal, first response, 8 h. Settings: target share 90%, minimum count 10, steps 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h, 16 h, 24 h and 40 h, load ceiling 80%, top-level share 10%, warning point half of each target, planning horizon the weeks of 9, 16, 23 and 30 November. Defaults used: all of these.
LEVELS AND CLOCKS
Urgent: a shop cannot sell at the till or cannot see its stock at all, or one shop's information is shown to another. Clock: Monday to Friday 08:00 to 18:00, Saturday 09:00 to 13:00; 10 covered hours on a weekday, 4 on Saturday. Tickets: 6. High: a main function (the till, stock counts, supplier orders) is wrong or failing for a shop and the workaround is slow; or a billing error on a shop's account. Clock: Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:00; 8 covered hours make one working day. Tickets: 20. Normal: questions, set-up help, requests, and small faults with an easy workaround. Clock: Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:00; 8 covered hours make one working day. Tickets: 45. Top level: 6 of 71 counted tickets (8%), within the top-level share of 10%.
NOT COUNTED
No priority, or a priority not in the definitions: S-1224. Left out of every figure and of the estimated work. No first reply at the export: none. Not resolved at the export: S-1269 (High); S-1270 and S-1272 (Normal). Times that run backwards: none.
WHAT THE TEAM ACHIEVES TODAY (covered time)
Urgent, first response: 6 measured. Too few to set a mark: 10 min, 20 min, 35 min, 50 min, 1 h 15 min, 2 h 20 min. Urgent, resolution: 6 measured. Too few to set a mark: 1 h 30 min, 2 h 30 min, 4 h, 5 h, 7 h, 10 h. High, first response: 20 measured. At least 90% within 3 h 20 min; slowest 5 h 10 min. High, resolution: 19 measured. At least 90% within 15 h 30 min; slowest 21 h 40 min. Left out: 1 not resolved (5% of the level). Normal, first response: 45 measured. At least 90% within 7 h 10 min; slowest 10 h 40 min. Normal, resolution: 43 measured. At least 90% within 21 h 40 min; slowest 31 h 40 min. Left out: 2 not resolved (4% of the level).
PROPOSED TARGETS
A warning point is when an open ticket is raised to the Support lead. Urgent | First response lead to set | Resolution lead to set | For 90% of tickets | Warning points not set
- Basis: first response, too few tickets, see decision 2; 4 of 6 met the wanted 1 h. Resolution, too few tickets, see decision 2.
High | First response 4 h | Resolution 16 h | For 90% of tickets | Warning points 2 h and 8 h
- Basis: first response, history: at least 90% within 3 h 20 min; wanted 2 h not met, see decision 3. Resolution, history: at least 90% within 15 h 30 min.
Normal | First response 8 h | Resolution 24 h | For 90% of tickets | Warning points 4 h and 12 h
- Basis: first response, wanted target, met for 42 of 45 (93%); history gives the same step. Resolution, history: at least 90% within 21 h 40 min.
TARGETS WANTED THAT HISTORY DOES NOT MEET
High, first response: wanted 2 h; met for 14 of 20 (70%) in the period. Proposed instead: 4 h. See decision 3.
CAPACITY CHECK
Queue hours in an ordinary week: Support lead 10, Support specialist 20. Total 30. Estimated work, average week: 19.9 hours. Load 66%. Estimated work, busy week (19 to 25 October, 22 tickets): 25.3 hours. Load 84%. Estimated from the Support lead's minutes per ticket and the tickets created each week, not measured. 1 not-counted ticket left out. Week of 9 November: 30 queue hours; load 66% in an average week, 84% in a busy week. Week of 16 November: 30 queue hours; load 66% in an average week, 84% in a busy week. Week of 23 November: 16 queue hours; load 124% in an average week, 158% in a busy week. Week of 30 November: 30 queue hours; load 66% in an average week, 84% in a busy week. Above the load ceiling of 80%: the busy week of 19 to 25 October (84%); the weeks of 9, 16 and 30 November in a busy week (84%); the week of 23 November in an average week (124%) and in a busy week (158%).
BUSY-PERIOD RULE
Not set: see decision 4.
DECISIONS FOR THE SUPPORT LEAD: 4
- S-1224, created on 14 October, has no priority. It is left out of every figure and of the estimated work. Which level should it count as, or should it stay out?
- Urgent had 6 tickets in the period, below the minimum count of 10, so no target is proposed. First response times: 10 min, 20 min, 35 min, 50 min, 1 h 15 min, 2 h 20 min; 4 of 6 were within the wanted 1 h. Resolution times: 1 h 30 min, 2 h 30 min, 4 h, 5 h, 7 h, 10 h. What first-response and resolution targets should Urgent have?
- High first response: the wanted 2 h was met for 14 of 20 tickets (70%). Ninety per cent were answered within 3 h 20 min, which gives 4 h. Should the target be 4 h, or should 2 h stand, and if so, what changes?
- The estimated work passes the 80% ceiling in a busy week (84%), and in the week of 23 November, with 16 queue hours, it reaches 124% in an average week and 158% in a busy one. The team has no busy-period rule. What rule applies in weeks above the ceiling, starting with the week of 23 November?
NEXT CHECK
Run again on an export of 4 full weeks after the approved targets take effect, and compare each target with the share of tickets that met it.
Prepared for the Support lead. Every figure comes from the ticket export, the coverage note and the roster named above; the estimated work uses the Support lead's minutes per ticket. Nothing has been changed in the support system, and nothing has been sent or published.
Where it fits
- Customer support and service: the targets the team works to every day, set from its own record.
- Software technology: faults, set-up questions and billing problems arrive mixed together, and each needs its own clock.
- E-commerce and retail: order and delivery questions arrive in waves, and a seasonal peak tests targets the quiet months suggested.
- Professional services: clients expect a reply from a person, and a small team's leave changes what it can keep up.
- Growth & scaling: volume rises faster than the team, and yesterday's targets need checking against today's hours.
- Established businesses: targets that live in one long-serving person's head should be written down and measured.
What has to change for your company
- Write your priority levels down, with the names exactly as your support system records them.
- Say when each level is covered: working hours, closed days, and any level someone watches in the evening or at the weekend.
- Check the export, so that its first-reply column counts only replies written by a person, and decide which customer details are removed before it leaves the support system.
- Set your own limits: the share of tickets a target is meant for, the fewest tickets worth measuring, the steps targets are rounded to, the ceiling on load and the warning point.
- Decide a busy-period rule once the first proposal shows where you need one.
- Your platform. It runs in ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot or Gemini, from files you supply; it needs no connection to your support system.
What has been checked
Fully Powered AI wrote this capability template. It was editorially reviewed on 9 November 2026. It was tried once on its invented example in Claude on 9 November 2026; the record of that run is published with it, and lists the small edits made afterward that have not been run again. It has not yet been tested in a client environment. It has not yet been tested as a packaged version in ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot or Gemini.
Testing in your environment means running it on a past month your support lead knows well, plus hard cases written in advance: an export whose first-reply column also holds the messages your support system sends by itself, a ticket created on a Friday evening, a level with only a handful of tickets, a week of leave. The support lead checks every target against the export before anyone relies on it. Pilot acceptance-test preparation sets those cases up, and what we test before we call an AI workflow ready describes the record we keep.
The full capability template
Everything above is the outline. The complete capability template is the working version: the roles, the inputs, the procedure, the exceptions and stop conditions, the output format, the reviewer checklist, the acceptance tests, the instructions for an AI assistant and what to customize for your company. It comes with a download and the link to its folder in Fully Powered’s public repository.
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Next step
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