SLA stands for service level agreement. It is a formal commitment from your IT provider about the minimum level of service they will deliver, including response times, resolution targets, and uptime guarantees.
Why SLAs matter
Without a documented SLA, "we respond quickly" is just a marketing claim. An SLA makes the commitment contractual. If your provider misses the defined targets, there are agreed-upon consequences, which gives you leverage and gives them accountability.
Most small businesses have never asked their IT provider to put response time commitments in writing. When they do, they often discover the commitments are far weaker than they assumed.
Key terms to look for in an IT SLA
Response time
How quickly the provider acknowledges the issue. This is different from resolution time. Make sure both are defined.
Resolution time
How long the provider has to resolve the issue. Critical issues should have shorter resolution windows than low-priority requests.
Priority tiers
Most SLAs tier issues by severity. A server down is Priority 1. A cosmetic UI question is Priority 4. Response and resolution times are different for each.
Uptime guarantee
For managed infrastructure, the percentage of time systems will be available. 99.9% uptime means roughly 8.7 hours of downtime per year.
Credits and remedies
What happens if the provider misses the targets? SLA credits reduce your invoice. Good providers are confident enough to offer them.
Red flags in an IT SLA
EagleOnyx guarantees a sub-5-minute response on active issues, in writing, for every managed IT client.
Not business hours. Not "we will try." Five minutes, guaranteed. Talk to Otto about what that looks like in a contract.
Talk to Otto