How a Service-Level Agreement could benefit your business
With technology today developing at a rate of knots, keeping up with the latest digital tools to leverage business opportunities has become that much harder for accommodation providers.
One way to bridge this short-fall is to partner with an expert through a service-level agreement, or SLA for short.
What exactly is an SLA?
A service-level agreement is a partnership where a service provider meets contractual obligations for its customer. The level of service can vary, incorporating anything from basic website maintenance, to call centre or project management.
How can an SLA benefit my business?
Service-level agreements work well for businesses that are interested in leveraging existing opportunities or growing in a certain area which may be beyond current capabilities.
An increasingly popular trend in the world of digital marketing, SLA’s offer businesses the chance to add extra expertise to their arsenal, which they may otherwise be lacking. For instance, a company may not have the scope to house a dedicated digital team, but can use an SLA to procure the services of a digital executive to assist with escalating projects.
It’s interesting to note, too, that many agencies offer SLA’s at a lower rate than regular contracted work, so they can be a cost-effective avenue for businesses in need of extra input.
What do I need to look out for within an SLA?
To ensure you’re only paying for the resources you use, check that the agreed hours in your SLA can be rolled over from month-to-month. Having hours that roll over means that you as the business can bank time for special projects or areas of the business that may need extra attention.
Having a clear idea of what your business needs and why will help to ensure that the hours worked through an SLA are used as efficiently as possible. While it can take time to see tangible results, it’s also a good idea to check that your service-level agreement has trackable metrics, and that you as the customer will receive regular progress reports.
The digital space relies on tracking to determine success, so it is important to share this information with your provider to ensure you are both on the same page in terms of output and its contribution toward the end goal.
Another important consideration is whether you are comfortable with the ‘opt out’ clause.
In an SLA, the ‘opt out’ clause sets out any penalties and obligations should either party choose end the agreement prematurely. If (after engaging a provider for a time through an SLA) things are not as expected but the agreed-term has not yet expired, it is useful to understand if you’re liable for a penalty, and whether your business can absorb the cost.
What do you offer in terms of SLA support?
ResBook has a support SLA option starting at $240 per month. The support team can assist with a range of administrative tasks with the goal of freeing your time to ensure the focus is put back on areas of the business that deliver results.
Tasks covered by an SLA with ResBook include (but are not limited to):
- Updating new rooms, rates and/or minimum stays
- Training sessions
- Set up with new channels
- Phone support
Additional features include:
- Roll-over hours from month-to-month, for a maximum of six months
- Quarterly reporting
What does Tomahawk offer in terms of SLA support?
ResBook is powered by Tomahawk; a New Zealand-based digital agency with more than 10 years’ experience across the tourism marketing sector.
As a complete digital agency, Tomahawk has a range of SLA options which can be utilized for Google AdWords, social media campaigns and management, Google account set ups, website development, website maintenance, content strategies, content loading – so, basically all of your businesses digital needs.
As transparency is a key ingredient for any good partnership, SLA’s with Tomahawk totaling more than 10 hours a month will receive monthly progress reports from a dedicated account manager who can provide valuable tourism-centred insight and assistance that will help your business to achieve its goals.
An excellent avenue for small businesses on the way up, or established businesses wanting to add a little more fuel to an already burning fire, service-level agreements can yield efficient, targeted results through trained industry professionals who understand the nuances of specialty marketing in the tourism sector.
For more information on SLA options
Tom Steward
ResBook Ambassador
ResBook has been brilliant to deal with. From setting up our booking system and also creating our website, they have made it really easy for me, and I'm not tech savvy at all. Priyanka and Estelle especially have been an amazing help.
Amber Tyrrell, Valley Views Glamping
We have found rebook exceptionally helpful when it comes to providing advice. Also now having the channel manager linking the larger platforms makes it all so much easier.
Susanne Olsen, Ara Roa Villas
"As B&B operators, ResBook offers an easy to use navigation system, enabling us to track all bookings from enquiries to final payment & thank-you emails. Using ResBook has increased our reservations and given us peace of mind operating our B&B."
Fay & Lindsay Turner, Finlay Banks Boutique Bed & Breakfast
ResBook Customer Support, namely Priyanka, has been an amazing help throughout the entire process of bringing our business to life."
Liz Hayes, Nest Treehouses