In a dynamic and highly competitive IT services industry where companies can choose from hundreds or even thousands of managed service providers (MSPs) to cater to their end-user systems and IT infrastructure requirements, it is crucial for MSPs to have well-documented principles and policies to guide the successful delivery of service.
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The most straightforward way to define an MSP agreement is that it is a guarantee, which you as a managed service provider offer the customer. An MSP SLA is, therefore, a legal document that outlines your obligation, commitment, and responsibility towards the customer.
In essence, the MSP agreement could be deemed as the foundation of the business partnership because its components dictate what the client can rightfully expect from you. Think of an MSP SLA as an effective communication tool to bridge the gap between customer expectations and quality of service delivery. An MSP agreement is here to help you!
Customer-service provider relationships are unpredictable at best. Some days you are riding the high horse as everything goes on point, and then there are days when you think to yourself “Could this get any worse?” Imagine that you receive a complaint call from your client and you order your team to get the issue fixed immediately, and they successfully do. As you call the customer back to report this good news, you are astonished to hear that they are extremely dissatisfied with your slow response time. Or here’s another scenario — What if the customer’s IT infrastructure is attacked by an external party and they expect you to back up their data (the only issue)? You never agreed on the scope of backup services, and you have no clue about what the client wants to be backed up and how they want it automated.
What do these scenarios tell us? They tell us that an MSP SLA is fundamental because:
Further reading The Importance of Legal Services to MSPs
MSP SLAs can be customized to address customers’ unique requirements. However, an MSP agreement that promises to remain effective in the long run must be made up of the following components:
Further reading SLA vs. SLO vs. SLI
An MSP SLA serves as a guiding document if either of the two parties intends to terminate their contract. A well-defined termination policy of an MSP agreement highlights the scenario wherein the agreement stands void while defining how the customer or the MSP can initiate termination (for example, by submitting a written notice in advance). It also covers the MSP’s liability when the agreement is terminated (for instance, the service provider shall not be legally responsible to hold the customer’s data backups in case backup services have been terminated).
Managed Services Service Level Agreements protect and safeguard the interests of the parties involved in a business relationship. Regarded as a best practice across the industry, an MSP SLA can act as a driving force in organizational success by assisting the establishment of long-term and mutually advantageous customer partnerships.
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