SLA
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http://www.nkarten.com/sla.html
SLA
- SLA can be useful for better management of customers' expectations
"SLA is a negotiated agreement designed to create a common understanding about services, priorities and responsibilities"
- It is NOT
- complaint-stifling mechanism
- quick fix to a relationship with customer
What is SLA
- communications tool
- conflict-prevention tool
- living document
- objective basis for gauging service effectiveness
SLA Elements
To be effective, a service level agreement must incorporate two sets of elements:
- service elements
- management elements
Service Elements
Clarify services by communicating:
- services provided
- services not provided (if could be reasonably assumed)
- conditions of service availability
- service standards (e.g. timeframes within which services will be provided)
- responsibilities of both parties
- cost vs. service tradeoffs
- escalation procedures
Management elements
- tracking service effectiveness
- reporting and addressing information about service effectiveness
- resolving service-related
- revising the agreement by the parties
Ineffective SLA
- process of planning, establishing, and implementing an agreement involves many people
- process of information-gathering, analysing, documenting, presenting, educating, negotiating, and consensus-building
- must involve customers
"If customers are not part of the process, it's not an agreement!"
- it is not one day effort (most common misconception)
Alternative to SLA
- Service improvement
- e.g. documented and communicated service standards
How Not to Establish an SLA
- Wrong Time
- during customer complaints
- Wrong Person
- using SLA to assign responsibilities within organization
- Wrong Way
- Involving one party only
Steps in Establishing an SLA
- Gather background information
- Ensure agreement about the agreement
- Establish ground rules for working together
- Develop the agreement
- Generate buy-in
- Complete pre-implementation tasks
- Implement and manage the agreement
How Long Does It Take
Typically 3-6 months
Factors that can influence the duration:
- The service environment (how many and how complex the services are)
- The proximity of the parties
- The span of impact of the SLA
- The relationship between the parties
- The availability of a model
- Prior SLA experience
Common pitfall
- avoid "Jut-in-Case" syndrome
- prioritize what is important what is not
SLA Manager
Scope of an SLA Manager include:
- sales person
- educator
- negotiator
- communicator
- facilitator
- conflict manager
- detective
- psychologist
Responsibilities of SLA Manager
SLA Managers role does not stop after
- Serving as the point of contact
- Periodically assessing the effectiveness
- Delegating responsibilities
- Planning training