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Chapter 5 ■ Service Design<br />
5.7.1.4 Multilevel SLA Framework<br />
There is a third kind of SLA framework that makes it multilevel, offering more flexibility<br />
and stability for the service provider. The top of the SLA line, and the SLA framework that<br />
dictates to every customer and to each service, is the corporate-level SLA, as illustrated in<br />
Figure 5-5.<br />
Service Desk<br />
Standard Hours<br />
Charging<br />
Etc...<br />
Finance Dept<br />
HR Dept<br />
Sales Dept<br />
Etc...<br />
Corporate level<br />
All requirements<br />
that apply to all<br />
customers<br />
or all services<br />
Customer level<br />
All requirements<br />
relevant to a<br />
particular<br />
customer group<br />
Financial<br />
Distribution<br />
Etc...<br />
Service level<br />
Service specific<br />
requirements<br />
Figure 5-5. Multilevel service-level agreement<br />
The corporate-level SLAs are decided at the corporate level, meaning the service<br />
provider’s top most decision layer has decided that the SLAs for specific parts of the<br />
service or supporting activities’ are set in stone and cannot be changed.<br />
For example, the service desk’s timing for reaching out to the customer is <strong>com</strong>mon<br />
across all platforms. It cannot be altered at a customer’s request or for a critical service<br />
requiring extended coverage.<br />
There could be various reasons why corporate SLAs are framed. It could include<br />
legislation or laws, cost balances, or other strategic reasons that will benefit the service<br />
provider. By taking a stand that certain SLAs will not change, the service provider may<br />
well prove that he is not going to be partial toward any of his customers, no matter how<br />
much money is involved. This could be a marketing gimmick or a principled stand. What<br />
matters for you in this book is understanding the concept of multitiered SLAs and the<br />
level of trumping between the SLA frameworks.<br />
In Figure 5-5, you can see that corporate-level SLA is top tiered. So the levels set<br />
at this magnitude cannot be overridden by customers or services. The next tier is the<br />
customer-level SLA. So SLAs agreed to with customers for specific services stand, even if<br />
a specific service has different service levels across the board.<br />
The last in the pecking order is the service-level SLAs. Whatever is left over from<br />
corporate- and customer-based SLAs belongs to the service-based SLAs.<br />
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