Did you know that when you sign an SLA you must review the terms under which technical support will be provided? Learn how this affects your organization’s day-to-day operations.
The SLA (Service Level Agreement) or Service Level Agreement is a document that a supplier signs with its customer in order to define the conditions under which service will be provided. It can be structured based on the customer, the service, or a combination of both.
In this article, we will tell you what aspects to consider when contracting service and what impact these terms will have on the daily performance of your organization. A topic that needs to be addressed in order to avoid future headaches.
What aspects are considered when contracting a service?
Obtaining a competitive advantage in business environments is undoubtedly one of the goals of corporations. That is why it is essential to choose a technology product or service appropriately. Especially thinking about the operational, productive, and service benefits that can bring to both end customers and internal customers.
When choosing a service or product related to information technology, several factors are usually considered, such as
- price
- implementation time
- use of resources
- reputation of the service or product provider
- scalability, etc.
Imagine that technical support management is rarely evaluated, even in cases where this service is included. It is even less frequent to think about SLAs (Service Level Agreements) and the important role they will play in the day-to-day operation and functionality of the product or service, once implemented.
What is the function of SLA and what is its impact on the provision of technical support?
As mentioned above, the Service Level Agreement or SLA (Service Level Agreement) is a contract signed by the provider and its client where the conditions under which service will be provided are specified. Among other things, it establishes the response and resolution times provided by the support team to customers. Under this scheme, it is guaranteed that the provision is measured and predictable through assistance based on service levels.
With SLAs, it is feasible to establish patterns for monitoring and reviewing them for other fields such as, for example, customer service. In this way, it is possible to guarantee the delivery of the service as agreed, meeting the customer’s requirements.
On the other hand, establishing SLAs also provides clarity as to the roles and level of intervention that both the customer and the supplier will have.
Through the SLA, the responsibilities that the client and the supplier will fulfill in pursuit of a successful relationship are clearly stated in writing. And it helps to reach an agreement on the actions to be taken when there are situations that are not ideal, but ultimately unavoidable.
In this way, expectations as a customer are kept realistic and confidence is created in the quality levels of the service that will be received.
And, on the other hand, the supplier agrees to deliver what its real possibilities allow. Taking into account:
- the number of expert representatives,
- infrastructure,
- means, and channels of communication.
In other words, it offers only the benefits and compensation that it is effectively able to provide because there is a written commitment to these aspects.
3 Types of Service Level Agreements or SLAs
The different types of agreements depend on where the focus is placed for service delivery.
That is why, 3 types of SLAs are commonly used:
As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, having a suitable SLA that is adaptable to the needs of the company is essential. Once it is transferred to the daily operation, it can become a strength or a weakness.
What should we take into account when hiring a technology service provider?
When choosing a technology service provider, it is recommended that it has the necessary flexibility and adaptability. Above all, to meet the expectations of response by the support desk, taking as a reference the defined operational scopes.
But how does having an SLA tailored to your needs and a provider that can respond to those requirements impact your organization? The benefits are great:
- a more competitive company,
- more efficient resolution times,
- and greater operational fluidity in front of the end customers of the service.
At Coldview, we understand these needs and can tailor our support levels based on the needs of our customers and their operation. Therefore, our SLAs can be adjusted to different environments, response and resolution times, as well as schedules in which specialized technical support is provided.
This is possible because we are the manufacturers of the products we provide to our customers. This makes us more competitive concerning resellers or distributors of technological solutions.
We have the technological solutions to enhance the power of your organization’s information. Contact us and we will tell you everything Coldview can do for your company.
