Definition of Service Level management

Service Level Management is the process of defining, agreeing, documenting and then managing the levels IT services to be provided to a customer. The levels of service provided should be cost justified against the business benefit they bring. Establishing service levels can be viewed as akin to creating the marketing plan for the IT department or for an IT organization.

There are 4 key words in this definition of service level management: defining, agreeing, documenting and managing. Defining what service are provided is important because an IT organization, whether providing internal or external services, should understand what services its customers require and to what level. It should understand what its own capabilities are. Agreeing is important because both the buyer and supplier of the service must agree on what is to be provided. If they do not then neither party will be satisfied. Documenting is a critical step as it demonstrates a commitment from both parties. Management too is important must work actively to ensure that it can fulfil its end of the bargain.