When selling a product or offering a service to a customer, your company is committed to delivering what was promised, right? To improve results, you can follow this logic and establish a service level agreement between different teams!
The most common approach is to create an SLA between Marketing and Sales, integrating workflows and delivering results. If applied well, this strategy generates very satisfactory results that can turn the game around for your business!
Want to understand how this happens? Follow me and learn more about SLA!
What is SLA? [Meaning]
Do you know when you sign up for an Internet plan? It is common for the provider to indicate a maximum period for support and problem solving. This is exactly an example of a service level agreement (SLA)! In free translation, we can call it a service level agreement.
Thinking about the concept, it is possible to define the SLA as an agreement between two parties that establishes parameters to be met when carrying out an activity.
Although this agreement is used between the contractor and the service provider, it is possible to go further!
As you will see in the other topics, the SLA can also be used within the company between different sectors and teams.
This is what happens when you align the Marketing and Sales teams. The idea is to define how a certain result should be delivered!
The SLA may include the delivery of a certain number of qualified leads to the sales department throughout the month, for example. With this SLA, Marketing is responsible for planning and implementing strategies to capture leads.
Once opportunities are identified, they are passed on to the sales department until the target defined in the agreement is reached. The sales team can then work on these contacts, seeking closure.
The importance of the service level agreement
The existence of the SLA is relevant because this agreement helps to align expectations regarding the results that will be obtained. In the case of the agreement between Marketing and Sales, for example, it is even more relevant because it encourages collaboration between teams!
With a strategic and appropriate agreement, it is possible to integrate two areas that are critical to the business and its growth. However, it is essential that there is clear communication from the beginning!
If, instead of involving all parties, the agreement is unilateral, it cannot be fulfilled because it has not been fully evaluated.
Returning to the example I gave earlier, it is not enough for Marketing to define a delivery of qualified leads that is insufficient for the sales team’s expectations.
Likewise, the sales sector cannot expect a number of leads that is incompatible with the Marketing strategies adopted.
Therefore, the best way to explore the positive impacts of the SLA is to ensure that there is a clear agreement between the parties. This way, everyone can act with the most aligned objectives!
How to draw up a service level agreement?
Since drafting a service level agreement depends on a type of negotiation between the parties, it is worth understanding the steps involved. This way, it is possible to create an agreement that works for everyone involved.
Next, find out what to do to create an efficient SLA!
Definition of services
The first step is to describe in detail the services that will be provided. In the case of Marketing and Sales, this may include delivering leads, obtaining information collected through surveys of current customers, among other points.
It’s important to understand what the needs are at each stage, from lead generation to conversion. At the same time, you need to be realistic about the level of delivery that is actually possible.
Scope and limitations
In addition to the general definition of services, it is necessary to establish a scope and its limitations. The objective is to demonstrate what is and what is not included in the SLA, in order to avoid misunderstandings or breaches of expectations.
Consider an SLA in which Marketing commits to delivering 100 qualified leads per month . The scope includes sending information collected through forms and other initiatives. However, there may be limitations on the volume of contacts at a certain time of the month, for example.
All of this needs to be clearly defined and agreed upon between the teams!
Responsibilities of the parties
The composition of the SLA also involves defining the responsibilities of each party — and this involves both the supplier and the customer!
But since we are talking about two teams from the same company, establishing responsibilities involves alignment between them:
While the Marketing team is responsible for planning and executing campaigns, the sales team is responsible for providing persona data that helps personalize communication, for example.
The important thing is to clearly establish the deliverables for each team. This way, everyone knows exactly what to expect from this collaboration!
Setting clear goals
Another important function of the service level agreement, in this case, is to have clear goals for both teams. To do this, it is necessary to be realistic when defining deadlines, considering the different phases of project execution.
It is also necessary to be clear about the negative impacts of an unfulfilled SLA, such as a delay or failure to deliver. Furthermore, the definition of objectives must be accompanied by the applicable sanctions in the event of non-compliance with what was defined.
The goal is to set up a system that is prepared for SLAs, helping to prioritize activities and create an adequate flow of activities. This makes it possible to go from generating leads to closing the sale more effectively!
Performance metrics
Monitoring the quality of the SLA and the tasks performed is essential even for defining future agreements of this type. Therefore, it is recommended to establish performance metrics that help evaluate success.
One of the metrics could be the quality of the leads generated. The more aligned they are with the Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), for example, the greater the chance of sales tends to be .
Another option involves monitoring the average conversion time. If leads are qualified, they tend to close deals more quickly.
Therefore, data that shows a reduction in the sales cycle usually indicates the success of the SLA between Marketing and Sales!
Communication and transparency
Above all, it is essential to have open communication between teams. Since the SLA is an agreement that depends on the involvement of both parties, transparency is essential for success.
In this context, it is worth thinking about frequent meetings and exchanges to ensure that teams are aligned with strategic objectives.
The benefits for Marketing and Sales teams
Having a good service level agreement offers a number of benefits to both parties involved. As you’ve seen, this applies to both an agreement between a service provider and a client, as well as between internal teams.
Thinking specifically about the connection between Marketing and sales, there are several positive points, such as:
- Better quality of leads;
- Greater ease in closing sales;
- Support for decision-making thanks to shared information;
- Greater transparency and integration between sectors;
- Increased efficiency of both teams;
- Better predictability of results.
However, I want to emphasize that achieving these and other benefits depends on an adequate and strategic definition of the SLA. This way, the integration will work as expected!
The best result for your team!
Based on what you’ve seen so far, it makes sense to say that the service level agreement is essential for integrating Marketing and Sales .
Here at Enjoy Minder, we believe that, with communication, transparency and a great alignment of expectations and responsibilities, it is possible to have increasingly greater efficiency!
And, of course, a valuable tool like the Marketing and Sales SLA will make a difference in your results.
Did you like this content and want more? Follow the Enjoy Minder blog so you don’t miss any news!
