The ITIL Service Level Management process seeks to negotiate, define, agree and monitor service levels with customers. It is in close collaboration with other processes, such as Capacity Management http://www.slm-info.org/2021/03/01/cybersecurity-2021-whats-new or Availability Management to ensure that services are delivered with an acceptable level.

Ideally, the service level management process begins by determining what needs to be provided and at what dates. This should be done with input from both the business and the IT team. This will enable you to set realistic and relevant targets that are both feasible and relevant to your business. Teams should also collaborate in determining how these goals are being measured and the impact that they have on customer experience.

After establishing these targets, the SLM should begin by defining the service level requirements and establishing agreements with the customers. This includes describing the services to be provided (including what’s included and what is excluded in order to leave no room for misinterpretation), defining escalation procedures and responsibilities, as well as setting performance metrics. This should be documented in an SLA.

The SLM process should also include a plan for monitoring and reporting on compliance with service levels and should be monitored regularly to determine whether objectives are being met or not. Automated alerting is vital. SLM must be coordinated between teams so that everyone knows the services they are accountable for and that these services are meeting the agreed-upon service level.