Introduction
The operational level agreement (OLA) is a term used in information technology to define levels of service between IT service providers and their customers. An OLA defines the terms and conditions of an IT contract, which includes services and support levels. Depending on your industry or company size, you may need to create an OLA for each new relationship with a new vendor or partner. The key element of an OLA is that it should be as detailed as possible so that everyone understands what they are agreeing to.
Define and agree on services covered.
The OLA should define and agree on the services covered.
- Services to be covered: The OLA should specify which services are included in the contract, including but not limited to:
- The installation and configuration of your software package (e.g., Microsoft Exchange Server)
- Training on the use of those products or services (e.g., Microsoft Exchange Server administration classes)
- Services not to be covered: There may be certain things that you agreed upon upfront that are not included in this agreement because they aren’t part of your agreement with them now—for example, if you bought a printer from someone on eBay and needed help setting it up before receiving it, they would probably not have been able to help with that step unless they knew what kind of computer system would need installing first; however, since yours is an existing system already installed by someone else…
Define and agree on service levels / metrics.
In the case of an operational level agreement, it is important to define and agree on service levels / metrics. Service levels are defined by the customer while they can be measured in different ways. For example, some customers may want their data transferred monthly while others would prefer daily transmission of their data.
Metrics should also be measurable, objective, and quantifiable so that both parties have an understanding of what’s expected from each other based on agreed upon criteria or standards. These measurements should be relevant to both parties’ business needs; for example: if one party wants more frequent updates per day than another party prefers then they need to come up with reasonable compromise solutions before moving forward with any kind of agreement (e.-g., one party could agree on sending out updates every morning at 9am local time).
Define and agree on roles & responsibilities.
Once you have defined and agreed on roles & responsibilities, it is time to define the scope of your agreement. This can be done in a number of ways:
- In terms of what each side is responsible for (e.g., “I will be responsible for making sure that all the paperwork is submitted by our deadline”)
- In terms of who is accountable for particular tasks (e.g., “My team will report any issues directly to me”).
- Or even more granularly, by assigning responsibility according to who will be responsible for reporting/escalation if an issue arises (e.g., “If there are any issues with this project, I’ll handle it myself).
Define and agree on reporting & escalation protocols.
- Define and agree on reporting & escalation protocols
- Define and agree on accountabilities & penalties
- Define and agree on review process
Define and agree on accountabilities & penalties.
The next step is to define and agree on accountabilities and penalties. For example, if you want to avoid a repeat performance of the same problem in the future, your SLA may state that any failures of service must be addressed within 24 hours of notification. This could be accomplished through a penalty clause that states if there is not an immediate resolution, then this will result in additional charges being applied. It’s important for both parties to understand exactly how these penalties are calculated so that they’re clear about what happens when things go wrong (and what doesn’t).
The best way to approach this process is with an agreement document where both parties agree on all terms prior to signing off on it—this ensures everyone knows what they’re agreeing upon before making any commitments or taking any risks!
Define and agree on review process.
The SLA defines the process for reviewing the agreement and its effectiveness. It’s a good idea to define this review process in writing so you can refer back to it if necessary.
For example, if your company has a monthly SLA review meeting, you may want to make sure that everyone involved in setting up this meeting knows how often they need to meet and what their job responsibilities are at these meetings.
Operational Level Agreement is a term used in information technology to define levels of service between IT service providers and their customers
An Operational Level Agreement (OLA) is a contract that defines the level of service between IT service providers and their customers. This can be beneficial for both sides, as it allows them to meet each other’s expectations on a consistent basis.
An OLA can be used to specify what type of equipment will be supported, how long it will last, and how much support assistance will be provided. It also includes terms for payment terms and billing procedures related to the agreement itself.
Conclusion
If you were seeing these two phrases and wondering what they are all about, we’ve just explained them to you. As long as you follow these steps in writing your OLA, it will serve as a good foundation for future collaborations between IT service providers and their clients.
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