- The business is rarely satisfied with IT service levels, yet there is no clear definition of what is acceptable.
- Dissatisfaction with service levels is often based on perception. Your uptime might be four 9s, but the business only remembers the outages.
- IT is left trying to hit a moving target with a limited budget and no agreement on where services levels need to improve.
Our Advice
Critical Insight
- Business leaders have service level expectations regardless of whether there is a formal agreement. The SLA process enables IT to manage those expectations.
- Track current service levels and report them in plain language (e.g. hours and minutes of downtime, not “how many 9s” which then need to be translated) to gain a clearer mutual understanding of current versus desired service levels.
- Use past incidents to provide context (how much that hour of downtime actually impacted the business) in addition to a business impact analysis to define appropriate target service levels based on actual business need.
Impact and Result
Create an effective internal SLA by following a structured process to report current service levels and set realistic expectations with the business. This includes:
- Defining the current achievable service level by establishing a metrics tracking and monitoring process.
- Determining appropriate (not ideal) business needs.
- Creating an SLA that clarifies expectations to reduce IT-business friction.
Member Testimonials
After each Info-Tech experience, we ask our members to quantify the real-time savings, monetary impact, and project improvements our research helped them achieve. See our top member experiences for this blueprint and what our clients have to say.
Client
Experience
Impact
$ Saved
Days Saved
Welk Resort Group Inc.
Guided Implementation
7/10
$31,833
10
Broome-Tioga Boces
Guided Implementation
10/10
$101K
50
Onsite Workshop: Improve IT-Business Alignment Through an Internal SLA
Onsite workshops offer an easy way to accelerate your project. If you are unable to do the project yourself, and a Guided Implementation isn't enough, we offer low-cost onsite delivery of our project workshops. We take you through every phase of your project and ensure that you have a roadmap in place to complete your project successfully.
Module 1: Scope the Pilot Project
The Purpose
- Determine the scope of your SLA implementation.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Outline the SLA project scope and determine the relevant pilot project.
Activities
Outputs
Identify the benefits of an SLA, perform discovery, and brainstorm project goals.
- Defined service level pain points
- Potential project shortlist
Analyze the ease of implementation and impact of potential projects.
- SLA Maturity Scorecard
Complete the project charter and obtain sign-off.
- SLA Project Charter
Module 2: Determine Current Service Levels
The Purpose
- Determine the currently achievable service levels.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Develop metrics and tracking capabilities that indicate the current service level strengths and weaknesses.
Activities
Outputs
Document operational processes.
- Visual SOP documents
Identify SLA metrics.
- Metrics Tracking Template
Module 3: Set Target Service Levels and Create the SLA
The Purpose
- Identify target service levels and create the SLA.
Key Benefits Achieved
- Develop an internal SLA process that will effectively manage the IT-business relationship.
Activities
Outputs
Identify current and target service levels with IT and the business.
- Target service level metrics
Create a roadmap to get to target service levels.
- SLA Project Roadmap
Create the business-facing SLA and establish a review process.
- SLA Document
- SLA Executive Presentation