Water utilities are increasingly outsourcing noncore
business functions as a way to boost efficiency and
economy. Service level agreements (SLAs) with vendors
are a key component of successful outsourcing and,
ultimately, enhanced customer care. However, creating
and implementing a comprehensive and cohesive SLA
are complicated processes, especially for utilities with
little or no experience in outsourcing critical functions.
This article offers ten strategies for developing and
executing SLAs that will help utilities meet their objectives.
Key performance indicators, expectations, and
the process for measuring results should be clearly but
not overly defined. In addition, a good SLA builds in
incentives, regular reviews, benchmarking provisions,
and requirements for employee training and documentation.
Utilities need to view the vendor partner as an
extension of their organizations in order to establish a
partnership that works for both utility personnel and
the customers they serve.
The SLA is the cornerstone on which successful
outsourcing is built. A good SLA can help protect a
water utility from misunderstandings, poor vendor
performance, a failed partnership, and disgruntled
consumers.
| Edition : | Vol. 97 - No. 11 |
| File Size : | 1
file
, 100 KB |
| Note : | This product is unavailable in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus |
| Number of Pages : | 4 |
| Published : | 11/01/2005 |
