| Do you use a service level agreement template to | | | | 3. Don't Forget to Have Your Templates Reviewed by |
| more efficiently manage client relationships? | | | | Your Attorney Before You Use Them. You must get |
| Templates are essential to running an efficient | | | | any official agreement or document you use as part |
| business with repeatable solutions, and can save you a | | | | of your computer consulting business reviewed and |
| lot of time and money. | | | | approved by your lawyer before you use them. |
| Many computer consultants try to over-customize | | | | Otherwise you risk expensive legal mistakes, and |
| certain elements of their business. When you spend | | | | compromising or destroying important relationships with |
| time re-inventing the wheel for each and every | | | | clients. To avoid paying for your attorney to learn on |
| customer and client, instead of customizing | | | | your dime, at a cost of potentially several thousand |
| already-working templates, you waste a lot of time | | | | dollars, consider writing your own first draft that takes |
| and miss out on important business-building recurring | | | | into account the marketing and business issues that |
| service revenue streams. | | | | are most important to you. That way when you go |
| Many computer consultants also mistakenly believe | | | | to your attorney, you're mainly just paying for an hour |
| that templates will hurt client relationships because they | | | | or two of review time. And be sure to ask your |
| will be too formal and rigid. But templates done right | | | | attorney for their opinion on whether your service level |
| actually help nurture great relationships because they | | | | agreement template is appropriate for (a) your |
| provide a solid, professional framework, while ensuring | | | | personal financial situation, (b) your company's financial |
| that your company gets paid on time, every time, and | | | | situation, (c) your business entity type, (d) your target |
| earns steady recurring service revenue. | | | | client type, and (e) enforceability if needed. |
| The following 4 tips can help you understand the | | | | 4. A Service Level Agreement Template Protects |
| importance of having an effective service level | | | | You from Problematic Clients. Of course a |
| agreement template program in place. | | | | professional computer consultant will have an attorney |
| 1. Understand Each Element of a Well-Designed | | | | review any template for his/her business … but no |
| Service Level Agreement Template. There are at | | | | amount of documentation will completely protect you |
| least 9 important pieces of a comprehensive service | | | | against the “World’s Worst Client”. You |
| level agreement (SLA) package. To make your | | | | can’t build a firm around one-shot deals. Service |
| business efficient, you should have templates in place | | | | level agreements are the exact opposite of that |
| for (a) annual service level agreement; (b) rate card; (c) | | | | concept. When you have a template in place for |
| non-disclosure agreement (NDA); (d) credit application; | | | | service agreements that clearly states your |
| (e) credit reference letter; (f) change order form; (g) | | | | expectations of client relationships, you ensure you |
| purchase authorization form; (h) client feedback survey; | | | | only work with those that will follow through and follow |
| (i) contract renewal notice. | | | | the rules. |
| 2. Templates Make You Look Professional. When you | | | | In this article, we talked about why a service level |
| consistently use the same templates for all your clients | | | | agreement template package is essential to building a |
| to handle your service contract package, you show | | | | solid, stable computer consulting business. Learn |
| you really know what you are doing and that you are | | | | more about how you can attract great, steady, |
| a legitimate computer consulting business. And when | | | | high-paying clients to your service level agreement |
| your clients see you can be trusted to organize and | | | | template program now at |
| manage important information, they will see you as a | | | | Copyright (C), ServiceLevelAgreementTemplate.com, |
| credible provider of technology services and be more | | | | All Rights Reserved.. |
| likely to enter into long-term agreements with your firm. | | | | |