SLA: the foundation for clear support agreements

After the implementation of your ERP system, you as a customer can conclude an SLA (Service Level Agreement) with Focus Enterprise Solutions. But what advantages does this have for you and what exactly can you expect? Bob van Balen, Service Delivery Manager, will tell you more about it.

Clear agreements about support

“In a Service Level Agreement,” Bob begins to say, “we lay down clear agreements regarding the support services that we provide from Managed Applications (our support department). The SLA assures you of support from our support professionals when you need it. Every customer is unique, so the support needs also run out of one. An SLA therefore always consists partly of customization.  Nevertheless, there are a number of points that always come back in it. You can think of:

• The scope (on which software you purchase support)
• KPIs (e.g. response time to notifications or frequency on which we report)
• Support capacity (the number of hours of support you think you need)
• Price agreements and references to the general terms and conditions.
• Add-ons (such as help with service updates via SURA)

In addition, each SLA is supplemented with a DAP (Dossier Agreements and Procedures) in which we also clearly put the support procedures on paper and who is involved in the support. Both on an operational, tactical and strategic level. At the customer and at Focus Enterprise Solutions.”

Everyone benefits from clear agreements about support

“What you often see is that the SLA disappears into a drawer after signing. Only when there is uncertainty about something and things go differently than expected, then the document reappears.  For such moments it is important that everything is recorded as transparently as possible and feasibly, but above all that the support services in practice provide what the customer needs. This often also requires flexibility from both organizations”, Bob continues.

“Clear agreements also mean that everyone knows what to expect. As a customer, for example, you can be sure that we have the capacity to help you further. In addition, you benefit from competitive price agreements and you get priority at our Service Desk over customers with whom we do not have an SLA. “

SLA is a long-term partnership

“That the customer purchases an SLA is a sign of trust: the customer wants to continue our partnership after the implementation of Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management. That is, of course, a huge compliment, a vote of confidence. That is a seed that has beens planned for a long time,” he continues.

“But it is not the case that we only offer support to customers where we have carried out the implementation of Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management. Companies that are looking for a new partner for support can also conclude a Service Level Agreement with us. This sometimes happens, for example when an organization is not satisfied with the support of their current partner. Before we conclude an SLA in such a situation, we first test extensively what kind of customer we are dealing with and what the exact support needs are. It is of course important that we have the right knowledge, skills and capacity in-house. And if we do not have this, we will see if we can build it up to offer the desired support. If everything is a green flag for both organizations, then we are happy to enter into the partnership!

Because every customer with an SLA purchases a certain capacity from our support department, we can plan and maintain our resources in a predictable way. You can imagine that this is more difficult or practically impossible to plan for ad hoc support questions. We therefore benefit from clear agreements just as much as our customers.

An SLA and the years of close cooperation with the customer that come with it allows us and the customer to get to know each other through and through and thus grow together in the management and support of the ERP environment.

Due to the wide variety of customers that we already support, there is a lot of knowledge and experience in our organization. Everynew partnership enriches that knowledge.”

Want to know more?

Would you like to know more about the possibilities that Focus Enterprise Solutions offers your organization in the field of support? Or are you looking for a partner for the implementation of the ERP system Dynamics 365 Finance Please feel free to contact us!