A service level agreement (SLA) is the contract between a business and its client. Creating a quality SLA can help your business deliver the best possible service and ensure that every party to the agreement knows what to expect from the other party. Your SLA can make all the difference in forming lasting, mutually beneficial relationships with clients for your MSP business.
You will need to know how to make effective MSP SLAs that will protect you and your client in the future and set out how you plan to provide them with excellent service. Careful thought should be put into your SLA to ensure that it forms the basis of a quality working relationship. It may help enlist the services of a lawyer to read through the agreement and ensure that it is airtight.
Agree On Realistic Goals
Goals are the first thing you and your client should agree upon in your SLA. Goals should be quantified and benchmarked so that you and your client know what you can expect from each other. Overpromising should be avoided at all costs, and you should be upfront and honest about the service you will provide.
You should also ensure that the SLA leaves no space for ambiguity that could lead to disagreements further down the line. Pricing and fees should also be clearly agreed upon to ensure that clients understand their financial obligations to your business.
Utilize Hold Harmless Clauses
Hold harmless clauses can ensure that you aren’t held accountable for any issues that were beyond your control. This can be invaluable to protect yourself, and your business should issues arise that are outside your control. Hold harmless clauses should be discussed with your client before the SLA is signed so that they are aware of their meaning and how they may be impacted by them.
Offer Continuous Training To Employees
Your employees should be able to deliver on the promises you make within your SLA. Employee training is one of the single most important things you can do to ensure you hold up your end of the SLA. Training should be offered from the moment an employee begins their work for you and should continue at regular intervals to ensure continuity and quality.
Hire A Lawyer
For the benefit of you and your client, it is a good idea to have your SLA looked over by a lawyer with experience in contract law and SLAs for MSPs specifically. This can ensure that all provisions within the contract are written correctly and unambiguously. It can also help to have a lawyer to call in the event of a dispute, who will be able to represent your interests and ensure that issues are resolved effectively.
Use The Best Tech
The tech you utilize will make a massive difference in how capable your business is of providing the service you promise in your SLA. Your tech stack should include various tools and software designed to reduce inefficiencies and increase productivity. When using ServiceTree in conjunction with ConnectWise, you are able to automatically dispatch your tickets based on customer SLAs.
Here at ServiceTree, we’re committed to providing the best possible service to our clients – which allows them to offer the best to their clients. To find out more about how our automated dispatching for ConnectWise tickets, visit us in the ConnectWise Marketplace or learn more on our website here.
