How to Submit a Support Ticket: Getting Help When You Need It

ALCO USA’s Support Portal provides a streamlined way to document technical issues, request assistance, and track the resolution progress of your support requests. All tickets are tracked against our Service Level Agreement (SLA) to ensure timely resolution.

Accessing the Support Portal

Your ALCO USA support portal is available 24/7 at https://portal.alcousa.org/support

Login & Authentication

1. Navigate to the support portal URL in your web browser
2. 2. Sign in using your corporate email address and password
3. 3. You will be prompted for Multi-Factor Authentication verification
4. 4. Upon successful authentication, you’ll access your personal support dashboard showing ticket history and current statuses

Creating a New Support Ticket

Step 1: Click the “Create Ticket” Button

On your support dashboard, locate the prominent blue “Create Ticket” button in the upper right corner.

Step 2: Complete the Ticket Intake Form

Issue Category (Required)
Select the category that best describes your problem:

• Hardware & Peripherals: Printers, monitors, docking stations, keyboards, mice
• • Software & Licensing: Application errors, Office 365, Google Workspace, third-party software
• • Network & Connectivity: Wi-Fi, VPN, internet access, remote desktop problems
• • Security & Compliance: Password resets, MFA setup, account access, encryption
• • Mobile & Remote: MDM enrollment, mobile device configuration, remote work setup
• • Billing & Accounts: Invoice questions, user provisioning, license management
• • General Support: Other issues not covered above

Priority Level (Required)
Select how this issue impacts your productivity:

• Critical: Complete system down, blocking work for multiple users, data loss risk
• • High: Significant productivity impact, workaround available but inefficient
• • Medium: Moderate impact, occasional workaround available
• • Low: Minimal impact, cosmetic issues, future enhancement requests

Subject Line (Required)
Provide a concise, descriptive title that summarizes your issue in 5-10 words. Examples:

• “Printer not connecting to network”
• • “OneDrive sync fails with error message”
• • “VPN disconnects after 30 minutes”

Detailed Description (Required)
Provide comprehensive details that help our engineers understand and resolve your issue:

• What were you trying to do when the problem occurred?
• • When did this problem first start? (Is it ongoing or intermittent?)
• • What steps have you already tried to resolve it?
• • What error messages or codes are displayed, if any?
• • Which device(s) are affected? (Windows/Mac, desktop/laptop, model)
• • Attach relevant screenshots or log files if applicable

Step 3: Select Your Preferred Contact Method

Choose how our support team should reach you:

• Email: Fastest for non-urgent issues (typical response in 2-4 hours)
• • Phone: For urgent matters, we’ll call your primary phone number on file
• • Chat: Instant messaging for quick troubleshooting (available 9 AM - 6 PM EST)

Step 4: Attach Supporting Documentation (Optional)

Click the “Attach Files” button to upload:

• Screenshots showing error messages or unusual behavior
• • Log files from affected applications
• • Network diagnostics reports
• • Error codes or event viewer logs
• • Configuration files (passwords should never be attached)

Step 5: Review & Submit

1. Review all information for accuracy
2. 2. Check the “I have read and agree to the ALCO USA Support Terms” checkbox
3. 3. Click the blue “Submit Ticket” button
4. 4. You will receive an immediate confirmation with your Ticket ID number

After Submission: Tracking Your Ticket

Ticket ID Number

Each support ticket receives a unique ID (e.g., ALCO-2026-045821). Save this number for your records and include it in any follow-up communications.

Status Tracking

Return to the support portal anytime to view your ticket’s status:

• Submitted: Ticket received and queued for engineer review
• • Acknowledged: Engineer has reviewed your description and may request more information
• • In Progress: Active troubleshooting underway
• • Waiting on User: Additional information needed from you to proceed
• • Resolved: Issue has been corrected; feedback requested
• • Closed: Ticket archived after 7 days of inactivity post-resolution

SLA Response Times

Based on your selected priority level:

• Critical: Initial response within 1 hour, continuous effort until resolution
• • High: Initial response within 4 hours, standard business day support
• • Medium: Initial response within 8 hours, standard business day support
• • Low: Initial response within 24 hours, standard business day support

Submitting Tickets Without Portal Access

If you cannot access the support portal:

• Phone: +1 (208) 391-7176 (available 8 AM - 8 PM EST, Monday-Friday)
• • Email: support@alcousa.org
• • Chat: Available through Microsoft Teams or Slack if integrated with your organization

Tips for Effective Ticket Submission

1. Be Specific: Vague descriptions lead to longer resolution times
2. 2. Reproduce the Issue: If you can reliably recreate the problem, describe the exact steps
3. 3. Provide Context: Mention recent changes, updates, or system events
4. 4. Avoid Sensitive Data: Never include passwords, social security numbers, or credit card information
5. 5. Follow Up Promptly: Respond to engineer requests quickly to avoid ticket delays
6. 6. One Issue Per Ticket: Submitting related problems in separate tickets helps track resolution progress

Common Ticket Resolution Timeline

• Hardware Issues: 24-48 hours (may include shipping replacement equipment)
• • Software Errors: 2-8 hours for non-critical issues
• • Network Problems: 1-4 hours for connectivity restoration
• • Account Access: 2-4 hours for authentication resets
• • Billing Inquiries: 24 hours for invoice clarification or account adjustments

Our Support team is committed to resolving your issues efficiently while maintaining the security and integrity of your systems.