L1, L2 & L3 Support: What You Should Know

L1, L2 and L3 support are tiered systems of IT support. Different levels organize help desk teams according to specialization, problem type, urgency and expertise. A proper division of responsibilities helps address the wide range of possible IT service issues so that when a problem occurs, efficient escalation and workload distribution offer cost savings. More importantly, tiered service provides an improved customer service experience.

Let’s dive into the various skills and responsibilities of each support level, with input from Kiran Krishnankutty, Senior Service Delivery Manager at EPAM.

What is L1, L2 & L3 support?

In IT support, the terms L1, L2 and L3 support refer to different levels of technical assistance provided to users and organizations. These support tiers ensure IT systems' smooth functioning and promptly address issues. 

L1 support 
 
L1, or Level 1 support, represents the initial point of contact for end-users seeking technical assistance. The primary responsibility of L1 support is to handle basic queries and resolve straightforward issues. These could include password resets, software installations and general troubleshooting. L1 support is the frontline, offering a quick and accessible solution for common IT-related problems.

L2 support

Moving to a more specialized level, L2 (Level 2 support) deals with issues beyond basic troubleshooting. L2 support technicians possess a deeper understanding of systems and applications. They handle more complex problems that require a higher level of expertise. While L1 support focuses on quick resolutions, L2 support delves into the intricacies of technical issues and provides in-depth solutions, often requiring specialized knowledge.

L3 support

L3, or Level 3 support, represents the highest tier of technical support. L3 support is reserved for the most challenging and intricate issues that demand expert-level knowledge. These could involve system architecture, network configurations or advanced software and hardware troubleshooting. L3 support plays a critical role in problem resolution, collaborating with other support levels and liaising with product developers or vendors when necessary to find comprehensive solutions.

L1, L2, L3 support best practices at EPAM

What does the IT support industry look like now? Most repetitive routine tasks and processes are streamlined for faster resolution. Automation has also drastically changed the traditional support tiers.

Automation has given rise to Tier 0 support, which is resolved entirely through self-service options. This tier handles the simplest and most common issues, freeing up the bandwidth of all other support tiers and allowing them to focus on more strategic and complex support needs. This also improves efficiency and develops better skills.

Kiran Krishnankutty, Senior Service Delivery Manager at EPAM, has shared some of the best practices we implement in our tiered support processes:

1. Identifying suitable tasks and processes for automation, such as for routine tasks. Ticketing tool data is analyzed to identify the best use cases for automation, calculate the benefits, measure the performance upon implementation and improve.
   
2. Intelligent ticket routing:  Automates routing of tickets to the respective tier based on predefined criteria like issue description, user category, severity, etc. Similarly, tickets are escalated automatically if they meet criteria like prolonged resolution time to assign to higher support tiers.
   
3. Self-help portals, chatbots and virtual assistance: Implementing self-service portals, KB documents and FAQs for users to find solutions to common issues. This will act as ticket deflection, reducing the number of tickets created and giving support personnel more time to work on genuine issues that need attention.
   
4. Efficient monitoring system/event management: Monitoring tools are configured with automation triggers to gather more details of an incident, like health checks, and document them in the ticket. This reduces the time technicians need to gather the details and results in faster resolution.
   
5. Metrics & KPIs/CSI: This includes defining and tracking KPI related to SOP/automation effectiveness, using performance data to identify more SOPs/automation opportunities, refining existing SOPs/workflows and optimizing resource allocation across support tiers.
   
6. Training and support for all tiers: Skills development is central as more mundane tasks get documented into SOPs or automated into workflows. IT support teams need additional training programs to enhance their proficiency in handling more complex tasks and using automation tools to their full potential.
   

Final thoughts

L1, L2 and L3 support work together to create a robust and efficient support system that effectively addresses customer issues and ensures seamless operations. Through the proper division, it’s possible to efficiently leverage the strengths of each support tier, allowing for comprehensive support coverage and delivering exceptional customer experiences.

If you’re looking for new career opportunities in tech support, feel free to explore our open support engineer jobs and apply today.