Definition
A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a defined commitment a service provider makes to a customer about how the service will be delivered. SLAs typically specify response time, resolution time, uptime / availability, or quality thresholds.
Common SLA examples
- Response SLA: "We'll acknowledge your support ticket within 1 hour."
- Resolution SLA: "P1 issues are resolved within 4 hours."
- Turnaround SLA: "Phone repairs are completed within 5 business days."
- Uptime SLA: "Service availability of 99.9% measured monthly."
SLA vs SLA tracking
The SLA is the promise. SLA tracking is the system that watches the clock against that promise and alerts the team when a breach is approaching. A team can have an SLA without tracking — it just means they'll find out about breaches after the fact, from angry customers.
What makes a good SLA
- Measurable: if it can't be tracked, it's not an SLA, it's a wish.
- Realistic: set against actual capacity, not aspirations.
- Tiered by priority: a P1 SLA shouldn't equal a P3 SLA.
- Explicit about exclusions: business hours, holidays, awaiting-customer states.
Related
See also: Kanban, Service operations. Read more in What is SLA tracking, really?.