What is an SLA (service level agreement)?

https://www.ibm.com/topics/service-level-agreement

A service level agreement (SLA) is a contract between a service provider and a customer that defines the service to be provided and the level of performance to be expected. An SLA also describes how performance will be measured and approved, and what happens if performance levels are not met.

SLAs are generally formed between a vendor and an external customer, but companies also use SLAs internally to formalize agreements between departments or teams.

SLAs are an important part of outsourcing and information technology (IT) vendor contracts, providing an end-to-end view of the working relationship. They help ensure that all stakeholders have an accurate understanding of the service agreement.

SLAs set customer expectations, hold providers accountable and ultimately help optimize the end-user experience. SLAs pave the way for a smoother working relationship, settling uncertainty and points of contention from the start, and help protect the interests of all parties involved.

https://blogs.bmc.com/sla-template-examples/?print-posts=pdf