Download this sample service level agreement

by Paul Baldwin | Sep 24, 2001 7:00:00 AM

Takeaway: Service level agreements help both consultants and clients iron out the details and ensure that both parties get a fair shake. Use this sample SLA as a template so you can be sure all bases are covered when you seal your firm's next deal.

Consultants want to ensure that they can perform the services they've promised to their clients. Clients want guarantees that the consultant they've hired will deliver—and make corrections if the project runs into trouble.

Service level agreements (SLAs) bring both sides together and map out each party's responsibilities. SLAs can help you determine, for example, what you will provide to your client, what is beyond your responsibility, and who should be contacted when something goes wrong.

Several months ago, we asked our members to send us examples of service level agreements that they had used or come across in their work. Out of several, the best one we received was from an IT services company.

If you provide IT services to your clients, you can use this SLA as a benchmark by which to measure the level of service you're providing to your clients. If you work for an organization that outsources its IT functions, you can use this SLA to help you review the level of service you’re receiving from your provider.

Check out our other recent downloads from IT Consultant
If you’ve missed some of our downloads lately, now is your chance to catch up. Here are three downloads that can help you handle your day-to-day workload: "Sample contract for independent consultants": Both independent consultants and their clients benefit when they're working with a solid contract. Download this sample contract as a guide for preparing your next consulting agreement. "Sample nondisclosure agreements": Nondisclosure agreements can help protect both consulting firms and clients when they need to share confidential information. We're offering two sample agreements, sent to us by TechRepublic members, in a free download. "Download these two spreadsheets to track billable hours": We recently asked our members to send us the spreadsheets they use to track their billable hours. Here are two that we think work well for IT consultants.

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