Service commitment requires three parts to have value

Questions about SLA (service level agreement, which sets timeframes and conditions for each type of work) often arise when you have signed a long-term package. At that point, you start wanting to know: how long it takes to get results after submitting a task, how urgent requests are prioritized, and who is responsible if there are delays. This is a question that should be asked right from the start of the contract, not after several instances of waiting too long.

The real SLA consists of three parts

Many parties write in contracts "feedback within 24 hours" and call that an SLA. That is not enough. A valuable service commitment needs to include three parts:

• Delivery deadline: number of working days from the moment the brief is approved until the first deliverable is ready.
• Number of revisions: How many revisions are included in the commitment, and from which round onwards will additional charges apply.
• Process for missed deadlines: If a deadline is not met, which party notifies first, how to handle it, and what the priorities are in the next sprint.

An SLA without a third party cannot bind anything. Both parties can still argue as before after signing.

The creative service commitment is an agreement that includes specific delivery deadlines, the number of revision rounds, and the process for handling unsatisfactory outcomes. Lacking any part means the rest is merely a one-sided expectation.

Sakas & Company, Agency Service Level Agreements; Lolopepe, SLA in Creative Services

Layer according to urgency level

Not all tasks have the same level of priority. Applying a common SLA level for both regular publications and communication crises is incorrect for both sides. Tasks are often overestimated, while urgent tasks do not receive enough priority. A common division is into three tiers:

• Regular tasks (periodic publications, scheduled content): the clock runs during business hours, delivery deadlines are calculated in working days, integrated into the sprint rhythm. Confirm receipt of the task on the next working day.
• Urgent tasks (urgent sales documents, unexpected events): response on the same working day, shortened delivery deadlines compared to the default, must be clearly flagged when submitting the brief.
• Image crisis (communication crisis, serious errors in circulating documents): separate SLA, response within hours. This is the only tier that can operate outside of business hours.

Borrowing the tiered approach from incident management: the higher the level, the faster and more continuous the response; the lower level follows the regular schedule and is flexible. Applying this principle to creative services helps both parties agree on priorities without debating each case.

The higher the urgency level, the faster and more continuously the clock runs. The low level measures during business hours and can be extended when the sprint is full.

Atlassian, Incident Severity Levels; Rootly, Incident Support Levels P1-P3.

Distinguish between feedback and results delivery.

Confusing these two milestones is the source of most conflicts regarding SLA. Clients think the clock starts running from the moment they send a message, while the provider counts from when they have enough information to proceed.

Common errors when setting up an SLA

• Understanding "quick feedback" as "done immediately" leads to an expectation of unlimited hours.
• Only record response time, overlooking delivery deadlines and the number of revisions. As a result, commitments only measure the smallest part of the process.
• The SLA does not specify consequences for missed deadlines, so when it happens, no one knows what the next steps are.
• Apply a common SLA level for all types of work, without stratification. Tasks are often expected to be urgent, but urgent tasks are not prioritized separately.
• For retainers with multiple sprints, consolidate the month instead of measuring by each sprint. Consolidating the month hides backlogs and makes accountability difficult.

How to choose the right tier

The contracted hours always have a cap, so the SLA is valuable when it helps set the right priorities, not when it promises unlimited handling. You should demand from the beginning the number of revisions and deadlines for each task, so both parties can measure and compare instead of relying on subjective feelings of "fast" or "slow."

This article is for reference. The scope, pricing, and specific commitments of Sinh Vũ are detailed in the proposal and signed contract.