Understanding the difference between MSAs and SLAs is an essential first step toward forming productive partnerships with vendors. While an MSA will provide the top-down legal framework for your business relationship, SLAs will ensure that specific services meet your performance expectations.
SLAs are a foundational agreement between your IT team and customers that are important in building trust. They manage customer expectations and allow your team to know which issues you are responsible for resolving. With SLAs in place, there is mutual understanding of service expectations.
It is therefore a document which simply confirms an agreed level of service that is expected to be provided to meet the business needs of the customer. A SLA is not a contract. The SLA document should be seen as a list of targets, rather than a legal binding agreement.
A service-level agreement (SLA) is a contract between a service provider and its customers that documents what services the provider will furnish and defines the service standards the provider is obligated to meet. A service-level commitment (SLC) is a broader and more generalized form of an SLA.
Follow the steps below to write a service-level agreement: Define the service. Your SLA will need to define and outline the service clearly. Verify service levels. Determine performance metrics. Prepare the service level agreement document. Review the SLA with all stakeholders.
In my experience, enforcing a service level agreement (SLA) typically involves monitoring the performance metrics outlined in the agreement, such as response times, uptime, and resolution times. You can use tools like monitoring software to track these metrics and ensure they meet the specified targets.
Customer satisfaction is at the heart of SLA compliance. To meet the agreed-upon service level agreements, you must ensure that your customers are satisfied with the service they receive. This can be achieved by setting realistic targets, monitoring customer feedback, and implementing customer-centric practices.
Here are some best practices for creating SLAs that work for everyone: Clearly outline the purpose and service level goals. Identify key performance indicators and metrics. Define achievable service level targets. Establish clear escalation paths for different severity levels. Clearly specify response and resolution times.
Creating service level agreements From the Service Level Agreement application, click New SLA. In the SLA field, specify a value for the service level agreement. Optional: Provide a description of the service level agreement. In the Applies To field, specify a value for what the service level agreement applies to.