A service-level agreement (SLA) is a contract between a service provider and a customer that documents the services to be furnished and the standards the provider must meet. It clearly states the metrics for measuring performance, the responsibilities of each party, and the penalties for failing to meet the agreed-upon targets.
A detailed description of services is the foundation of any SLA, outlining exactly what the customer will receive. This includes specific performance metrics, such as uptime guarantees, response times, and resolution times. These metrics must be clearly defined and measurable to avoid any ambiguity.
The agreement also specifies the duties of both the provider and the customer. It establishes a reporting structure for tracking performance against the set metrics. Finally, it details the penalties or remedies if the provider fails to meet the agreed-upon service levels.
SLAs are vital for managing expectations and strengthening the relationship between a service provider and a customer. They provide a clear framework for service delivery, ensuring both parties are aligned on performance standards and responsibilities.
While both agreements define service standards, they serve different purposes and audiences.
Crafting an effective SLA can be tricky, as they often fall short of their intended purpose. Misalignment with business objectives and a lack of flexibility are frequent pitfalls. These issues can undermine the agreement's value and strain the provider-customer relationship.
To avoid common pitfalls, it's crucial to approach SLAs strategically. A well-crafted agreement should be a living document that aligns with business goals and adapts to changing needs. Following these best practices ensures the SLA remains relevant and effective.
How often should an SLA be reviewed?
SLAs aren't static. They should be reviewed periodically—at least annually—to ensure they still align with business objectives and technological changes. Regular updates keep the agreement relevant and fair for both the provider and the customer.
What’s the difference between an SLA and a KPI?
An SLA is the formal agreement defining service standards. A Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is a specific metric used to measure performance against those standards. KPIs are the quantifiable data points used to enforce the SLA.
Can an SLA be changed after it's signed?
Absolutely. SLAs should be treated as living documents. They can be amended through a formal change control process agreed upon by both parties, allowing for adjustments as business needs or service capabilities evolve over time.
Territory management is the process of segmenting customers into groups by geography or other factors to optimize sales efforts and resources.
Account-based advertising is a hyper-focused B2B strategy that targets key accounts with personalized ads across multiple channels.
Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) is a business model where companies sell products directly to customers, bypassing traditional retail middlemen.
Enrichment is the process of adding third-party data to your existing customer profiles to get a more complete picture of your leads.
Renewal rate is the percentage of customers who renew their subscriptions or contracts at the end of their service period.
Learn about business development representative, including skills and qualifications for BDRs, & roles and responsibilities of a BDR.
Sales objections are reasons or concerns raised by a potential customer as to why they are hesitant or unwilling to make a purchase.
Chatbots are AI-powered programs that simulate human conversation. They interact with users via text or voice, typically for customer support.
Consumer Relationship Management (CRM) is a strategy for managing all of a company's relationships and interactions with its customers.
The decision stage is where a well-researched buyer chooses a vendor. They compare specific products and pricing before making their final purchase.
A sandbox is an isolated testing environment where new or untrusted code can be run safely without affecting the host device or network.
DevOps is a culture and set of practices that merges software development (Dev) and IT operations (Ops) to shorten development cycles.
A RESTful API is a web service interface that uses HTTP requests to access and use data, adhering to the constraints of REST architecture.
Performance monitoring involves collecting and analyzing data to track a system's operational health and efficiency, ensuring it meets set standards.
Going dark is when a once-responsive prospect suddenly stops all communication, leaving you wondering what went wrong.
Cost Per Impression (CPI) is the price an advertiser pays for each time their ad is displayed to a user, irrespective of clicks.
An on-premise CRM is a system hosted on a company's own servers, offering complete control over data, security, and system maintenance.
Ad-hoc reporting is the creation of one-off reports to answer specific business questions as they arise, providing instant, targeted insights.
Text message marketing is a strategy where businesses send promotional messages, offers, and updates to customers via SMS or MMS.
A headless CMS is a back-end content repository that delivers content via API to any front-end, decoupling the content from its presentation layer.
Omnichannel marketing creates a seamless, unified customer experience by integrating a company's various communication and sales channels.
Conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who complete a desired goal, like a purchase or sign-up, out of the total number of visitors.
GPCTBA/C&I is a sales qualification framework for understanding a prospect's goals, plans, challenges, timeline, budget, and authority.
Learn about below the line, including key strategies for below the line marketing, & distinguishing above and below the line tactics.
Signaling is using credible actions to convey information about quality or intent to a less-informed party, effectively building trust.
The Challenger Sales model is a methodology where reps teach prospects, tailor their pitch, and take control of the sales conversation.
A small to medium-sized business (SMB) is a company whose employee count and annual revenue fall below certain industry-specific thresholds.
Ramp-up time is the period a new hire takes to get fully up to speed and become a productive member of your go-to-market team.
ClickFunnels is a popular online tool that lets entrepreneurs easily build sales funnels to guide potential customers through the buying process.
The buyer journey maps the path a potential customer takes, from first learning about a product to the final decision to buy.
Learn about B2B demand generation, including strategies for effective B2B demand generation, & key components of a demand generation program.
Pipeline management is the process of tracking and managing potential customers as they move through the different stages of your sales process.
HubSpot is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform with tools for marketing, sales, and service, all aimed at helping businesses grow.
A Champion/Challenger test pits a new 'challenger' against the current best-performing 'champion' to see which one performs better.
Yield management is a dynamic pricing strategy that adjusts prices based on demand to maximize revenue from a fixed, perishable inventory.
Revenue Operations KPIs are quantifiable metrics that track the performance, efficiency, and health of a company's revenue-generating engine.
Consumer buying behavior is the study of how individuals select, buy, and use products and services to satisfy their needs and desires.
Accounts Payable (AP) is the money a company owes its suppliers for goods or services bought on credit. It's listed as a current liability.
X-Sell, or cross-selling, is a sales strategy of selling additional, related products or services to an existing customer base.
A knowledge base is a self-serve online library of information about a product, service, department, or topic.
A horizontal market is one where a product or service is designed to meet a common need for a wide array of customers, regardless of their industry.
A sales quota is a time-bound sales goal for a rep or team, measured in revenue or units sold, to be met within a specific period.
Email engagement measures how your audience interacts with your emails. It includes key actions like opens, clicks, replies, and forwards.
Net new business is revenue from customers who have never purchased from your company before. It’s a crucial indicator of sustainable growth.
An Operational CRM is a system that automates and improves customer-facing business processes like sales, marketing, and customer service.
A Target Account List (TAL) is a focused list of high-value companies that a business specifically aims to convert into customers.
The open rate is the percentage of recipients who opened an email. It's a primary indicator of a subject line's effectiveness.
The buying cycle is the journey a customer takes from first realizing they have a need to making the final purchase decision.
A sales bundle groups multiple products or services into a single offering, often at a discounted price to provide greater value to customers.
Sales forecast accuracy is a key metric that compares your predicted sales revenue against the actual sales revenue you ultimately achieve.
A positioning statement is a concise description of your target market and how your product or service uniquely fills their needs.
A Value-Added Reseller (VAR) is a company that adds features or services to an existing product, then resells it as an integrated solution.
Mobile compatibility ensures your site or app works flawlessly on mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets, for a seamless user experience.
Load testing is a type of performance testing that determines how a system behaves under both normal and anticipated peak load conditions.
Total Audience Measurement (TAM) provides a holistic view of content consumption, tracking viewership across all platforms and devices.
An electronic signature is a digital method for getting consent on electronic documents. It's a legally binding way to sign agreements online.
Demand is the economic principle describing a consumer's desire and willingness to purchase a specific good or service at a particular price.
A Data Management Platform (DMP) is a tech platform used to collect and manage data, mainly for digital marketing and advertising campaigns.
Average Customer Life is the average time someone remains a customer. It's a key metric for predicting revenue and measuring customer loyalty.
Customer Retention Cost (CRC) is the total amount a company spends to keep an existing customer over a certain period of time.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) is the total revenue a business expects from a customer throughout their entire relationship with the company.
A Sales Development Representative (SDR) is a sales specialist who finds and qualifies new leads, building a pipeline for the sales team.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a system of integrated software that businesses use to manage and automate their core day-to-day processes.
A cloud-based CRM is a customer relationship management tool hosted online, letting teams access and manage customer data from anywhere.
“End of Quarter” (EOQ) refers to the final weeks of a business quarter when sales teams rush to meet quotas, often leading to a flurry of deals.
Customer Retention Rate (CRR) is the metric that measures the percentage of customers a company has kept over a specific period of time.
NoSQL ("Not only SQL") databases offer a flexible alternative to relational models, excelling at managing large and unstructured data sets.
The customer lifecycle is the journey a person takes from first becoming aware of your brand to becoming a loyal, repeat customer.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are measurable values that demonstrate how effectively a company is achieving its key business objectives.
A pain point is a specific, recurring problem your target customers face, causing them frustration, inefficiency, or added costs.
Trigger marketing uses customer actions or events to automatically send highly relevant, personalized messages at the perfect moment.
Learn about brand loyalty, including how to build brand loyalty, benefits of brand loyalty, measuring brand loyalty, & strategies for increasing loyalty.
Customer centricity is a business approach that puts the customer at the heart of every decision, aiming to build loyalty and long-term value.
Revenue forecasting is the process of estimating a company's future revenue, using historical data and market trends to guide strategic planning.
A sales kickoff (SKO) is an annual event for a sales team to celebrate wins, align on goals, and get motivated for the upcoming year.
An Application Programming Interface (API) is a set of rules that lets different software applications talk to each other and share information.
Lead routing is the automated process of distributing incoming leads to the right sales reps based on predefined criteria.
Intent-based leads are potential customers whose online actions—like searches or content engagement—signal a clear interest in buying a solution.
Smarketing is the process of aligning your sales and marketing teams. This integration focuses on shared goals to improve lead quality and drive revenue.
Email personalization uses subscriber data—like their name, interests, or past behavior—to create highly relevant and targeted email campaigns.
Direct sales involves selling products directly to consumers in a non-retail setting, such as at home, online, or person-to-person.
Deal closing is the final step in a sales cycle. It's when a prospect signs a contract and officially converts into a paying customer.
Analytics platforms are tools that collect and analyze data from various sources, helping businesses track key metrics and make informed decisions.
A lead magnet is a free incentive offered to potential customers in exchange for their contact details, like an email, to generate sales leads.
A Product Qualified Lead (PQL) is a user who has experienced a product's value, signaling a strong potential to convert to a paid customer.
Customer segmentation is dividing customers into groups based on shared traits. This allows for more targeted and effective marketing efforts.
The Jobs to Be Done (JTBD) framework focuses on understanding customer needs by identifying the specific 'job' they are trying to accomplish.
Feature flags let you remotely control features in your app without new code. This enables safe testing, gradual rollouts, and quick rollbacks.
Virtual selling is the process of selling to customers remotely using technology like video calls, rather than meeting them in person.
Account-Based Marketing (ABM) software helps teams coordinate personalized marketing and sales efforts to land high-value customer accounts.
Workflow automation uses rule-based logic to run a sequence of tasks that would otherwise require manual human effort to complete.
Revenue Operations (RevOps) is a business function that aligns a company's sales, marketing, and customer service teams to drive predictable revenue.
Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people assume the actions of others reflect correct behavior for a given situation.
A marketing automation platform is software that automates marketing actions. It helps manage tasks like email campaigns and lead nurturing.
A sales territory is a specific group of customers or a geographic area that a salesperson or sales team is responsible for managing.
Digital analytics is the analysis of data from digital channels to understand user behavior and optimize online experiences for business goals.
Learn about business intelligence, including key components of business intelligence, the role of BI in decision making, business intelligence tools and techniques.
CRM analytics is the process of analyzing data from your CRM to uncover insights that help you better understand and serve your customers.
Sales funnel metrics are key data points that track how effectively you're moving potential customers from awareness to a final purchase.
A Call for Proposal (CFP) is a document that solicits proposals, often through a bidding process, for a specific project or service.