Discover the parallels between marriage & service level agreements

What has marriage got to do with a long-term service level agreement to provide after-sales services in the form of remote support, onsite field engineering visits and repairs?

Great, as is the difference between the two contracts; they share striking similarities.

Let me explain.

For starters, just like a marriage is a legally recognised union between two individuals and implies a commitment to a shared future, a service-level agreement represents a contract between a service provider and a manufacturer partner.

After that, in the same way, marriage provides a way to create a stable, supportive and nurturing partnership; a service-level agreement provides a positive, productive and long-term solid relationship between a manufacturer and service provider, leading to improved customer satisfaction.

So what should manufacturers consider when setting up a long-term service level agreement with an after-sales services provider?

Similar to marriage, which over time, provides a bond between partners and a deep sense of security, you’ll want a successful, long-term service-level agreement to make you feel:

Assured

In a service level agreement, a strong relationship bond with your service provider gives a manufacturer assurance of the following:

• The level of service you require: Your service level agreement defines the expectations, standards for service quality and responsibilities of both the service provider and the manufacturer.
• Commitment to customers’ experience: Your service level agreement indicates that your service provider is committed to meeting your customer’s needs, delivering a high-quality service, and making your customer feel valued and appreciated.
• A stable and reliable partner: A long-term outsourcing relationship reduces the risk of project failures and helps ensure project success.

Supported

In the same way, a marriage supports partners and helps them navigate life’s ups and downs, a long-term service level agreement helps manufacturers navigate the business environment.

With the commitment the agreement provides, manufacturers can be agile and able to adapt quickly to changing business needs and priorities.

Informed

A service level agreement provides a clear and transparent view of service delivery to your customers, allowing you to track and monitor your service provider’s performance and make informed decisions.

Also, reporting enables manufacturers to track the progress and outcomes of their after-sales service efforts, making it easy to identify areas for improvement.

Valued

In a marriage, the support you get from your life partner and their willingness to listen helps partners feel valued.

Likewise, a long-term service level agreement fosters open and effective communication, reducing misunderstandings and ensuring your service provider completes projects to your satisfaction.

Empowered

Like in a marriage, when sharing resources and combining finances leads to feeling empowered, confident and capable, sharing resources with a pure third-party service provider can empower a manufacturer to:

• Scale capacity to provide maintenance and repair services without additional infrastructure or personnel
• Have access to engineering expertise in the places you need it when you need it
• Have after-sales services delivered by a partner that is not in conflict with  direct and indirect sales channels because it exists only to provide installation, maintenance and repair services

Confident

Just as a long-term marriage provides a shared history filled with experiences, when you work with a partner over an extended period, shared experiences lead to a deep understanding of your company’s technology and needs.

Consequently, you’ll be confident in your partner’s ability to provide expert support.

Healthy

In the same way, being part of a supportive relationship can positively affect your well-being; in a long-term service-level agreement, your provider will become more familiar with your processes and requirements, leading to increased efficiency and improved performance.

It all adds up to this

Manufacturers look to pure after-sales service providers, such as Veritek, to help them with, among other things:

• Scale: After-sales services to meet the needs of a growing customer base
• Increased geographical reach:  By solving the problem of reaching customers located in remote areas, which can be difficult, time-consuming, and costly

Just as a marriage implies a commitment to a shared and prosperous future, when choosing an after-sales service partner, it pays to look for a service-level agreement that sets the foundations for a positive and productive relationship between you and your service provider.

Because when you do, you’ll foster a robust long-term partnership that will make you feel assured, supported, informed, valued, empowered, confident and healthy, leading to your customers’ satisfaction.

And finally

If you’d like more information about service level agreements, drop me a line, and we’ll set up a time to chat.

This blog is relevant to the following Veritek industry sector verticals:

Medical
Robotics and cobotics
Print & Graphics
Optometry
Digital Cinema
Photo imaging