Introduction
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You’ve heard the saying, “Don’t let the tail wag the dog.” This is good advice when it comes to your business. It’s also very applicable when it comes to service level agreements (SLAs).
What are Service Level Agreements?
Service level agreements (SLAs) are a type of contract that define the level of service to be provided by one party to another. For example, an SLA might specify that your cloud provider will provide 99.9% uptime with a 15 minutes mean time to repair (MTTR).
An SLA is a legal document, signed by both parties, that details the services they will provide and the quality of those services.
Do You Need an SLA?
Service level agreements (SLAs) are a formal contract between two parties that outline the expectations of each party and their responsibilities. They’re used to define how a business will deliver services to customers, as well as measure the quality of those services.
If you’re a small business owner, it’s important for you to understand how SLAs work so you can make sure they don’t run your business instead of guiding it.
How to Write an SLA
The best way to write an SLA is to use simple, everyday language. If you’re not sure whether the terms you’ve chosen are clear, ask someone non-technical who doesn’t work in your field what they mean. (Remember: don’t assume everyone will know exactly what you’re talking about.)
In order for metrics and targets to be useful, make sure that all acronyms are defined at the beginning of your document. Also include examples if necessary; this will help readers understand how things work in real life.
To make it easy for people to read through your SLA template, try using bullet points and highlighting important information such as deadlines or responsibilities (e.g., “Customer” vs “Provider”).