Every company approaches Service Level Management (SLM) differently. However there are a few general best practices that should be used as a starting point. This includes describing the services provided, including what is excluded from the service, to avoid misinterpretation of assumptions made by either party; identifying performance metrics, including a definition and method of measurement, which includes the expected turnaround time as well as establishing responsibilities and escalation procedures, and negotiating the tradeoffs between service costs and costs.
SLM also ensures that everyone is on the same page, which means departments don’t get into squabbles regarding who’s accountable for what. This is particularly important if you’re working with outside vendors. Making sure you document SLAs clearly will help avoid confusion that could lead to delays in delivery, poor performance metrics and unhappy customers.
In addition, SLM can help you stay agile by constantly reviewing and monitoring your service levels and services. It is then possible to make quick adjustments if needed.
You can also enhance the quality of the service to meet or exceed your expectations. You may, for instance would like to improve the speed of click now your website. However, after a certain threshold, users won’t notice an improvement which means you won’t get any benefit from the effort.
SLAs can be a fantastic way to attract potential customers as they give them an idea of what their investment will be. A dedicated team for SLM is a good idea since it guarantees that their efforts will not be neglected or lost after the contract has been signed.