Every company approaches Service Level Management (SLM) differently. However there are some guidelines that can be used as a base. This includes: providing a description of the services offered, including what is excluded in order to avoid misinterpretation or assumptions by either side; identifying performance indicators, including a definition of the term and method of measurement, including expected turnaround time in establishing the responsibilities and escalation processes, and negotiating the tradeoffs between service costs and costs.
SLM also makes sure that everyone is on the same page so that departments don’t have to fight over who is responsible for what. This is especially important if you have external vendors. The process of capturing SLAs clearly will help avoid the possibility of miscommunication, which could result in delays in delivery, poor performance metrics and unhappy customers.
In addition, SLM can help you remain agile by continuously reviewing and evaluating your service and levels. It is then possible to make quick changes if necessary.
It could also help you improve the quality of your service, so that you can meet or even surpass your goal goals. For instance, you might you want to improve the speed of your website. You might not see any improvement if you go beyond an amount.
SLAs are a great method of attracting potential customers as they provide an understanding of what their investment will look like. A dedicated team for SLM is a good idea, as it ensures that their efforts aren’t ignored or forgotten after an agreement is signed.