Service Level Agreement (SLA)

A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a contractual commitment that defines the level of service a client can expect from your agency. It specifies measurable standards for response times, availability, turnaround times, and sometimes quality or performance metrics. SLAs are common in retainer relationships, ongoing support agreements, and managed services where clients need assurance of consistent service levels. They set clear expectations, protect both parties from unreasonable demands, and create accountability for service delivery. A typical agency SLA might specify response time commitments—e.g., "we will acknowledge support requests within 4 business hours and provide initial response within 24 business hours." It might define turnaround times for deliverables—e.g., "first drafts of blog posts within 5 business days of brief approval." It might specify availability—e.g., "account manager available during business hours, with 24-hour response for urgent matters." Some SLAs include uptime or performance guarantees for digital deliverables. The key is that SLA terms are measurable and realistic—you're committing to something you can deliver consistently. SLAs benefit agencies by clearly bounding what's expected. Without an SLA, clients may expect instant response at 10pm or assume 24-hour turnaround on complex work. An SLA that says "4-hour response during business hours" sets a standard you can meet and prevents unreasonable expectations. SLAs also protect clients by ensuring they receive the service level they're paying for—they have recourse if the agency consistently misses commitments. The challenge with SLAs is balancing client expectations with operational reality. Overly aggressive SLAs (e.g., "1-hour response 24/7") may be difficult to sustain and create stress for your team. Too loose and clients may not feel assured. The best SLAs reflect what you can consistently deliver while meeting client needs. Many agencies tier SLAs—premium retainers get faster response, standard retainers get standard response—aligning service level with investment. Common mistakes include promising SLAs you can't consistently meet (damaging trust when you miss), making SLAs too vague (no real accountability), not tracking SLA compliance (committing without measuring), and not having remedies for SLA breaches (what happens when you miss—credits, escalation, etc.). The most successful agencies define realistic SLAs, track compliance, and address breaches proactively before they become relationship issues.