Service Level
Service Level Agreement
Service Level Agreement (further SLA) is the notion, which has come from the need to name most preciously the span, level and intensity of the externaly provided services, mostly in the IT branch The SLA is binded with the outsourcing, where it represents the main parameter of the interface between the supplier and customer. It is hundred times verified tool in the conditions of outsourcing rendition.
The services which Total Service provides to its customers are defined right in SLAs, where the definition of what is supplied, what quality when and what for is anchored. This brings the fundamental effectivisation of IT functioning and the client's management acquires more space for the orientation onto the target of the agreement - the provided service.
Why SLA?
Unfortunately, the users of the information systems in Czech republic do not realise that the functioning of this system is the key issue of their bussines. What for is the full store department, if I am not able to expedite beacuse I can not print any invoice or delivery list? What shall I do when my customer calls and asks when I am able to delivery goods to him and I am not able to connect to the information system? The time of electronical bussines is coming. Will the customers buy from me when my web presentation has connection troubles? Some say it is not problem to produce but sell and it is true. And selling is related to informations - streaming from customer to you or opposite or inside company.
There are large investments into the application equipment, even its maintanance is being charged with yearly payments. But the components of the information system is besides the server and applications also the infrastructure and workstations.
The term SLA is yet very common. We will try to explain its main benefits and does it all work.
The SLA contract
SLA is specific contract for the cases of external relation between supplier and customer.
The specification of typical SLA contect is presented below - it determines the desired volume and quality of every single informatic service in defined conditions. It specifies the span which is minimum for the point of view of the customer to prevent the differences in interpreting.
SLA consists usually from three parts:
a) Basic specifications, conditions, rules:
- Accepter's category
- Exact definition and placing of the accepters
- Service description
- Volume of supplied services
- Supplier - factual descrition
- Measurement - advancing, method, period, responsibility and results publishing
- Verification - advancing, method, period, responsibility
- Definition and realisation of support (remotely, presence in location..)
- Coherent support services related to service (training..)
- Price of the service
- Payment conditions
- Rule for the change of service
- Rights and duties of both partners - conditions of cooperation
- Other conditions for SLA realisation (security, access permitions to informations..)
b) Hard metrics:
- Availability
- Usual and maximal period of the feedback to request - incident ( structuring according to type of request - application error, hardware error, replacing or moving workstation..)
c) Soft metrics:
- Other metrics for the service - tutor rating, trainee rating, training certifications..)
SLA defines in principles which services will be delivered (time span, time to fix, technician arrive time etc) and where.
SLA can include also penalisations for violation of agreed parameters and sometimes bonuses for their surpassing. The violation or surpassing can be proved by service measurement tools like Helpdesk.
The purpose of SLA is to reach higher customer' s satisfaction. Customers satisfaction is an important factor.
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