Optimising customer experiences

The importance of Experience Level Agreements (XLAs) in managed services

In the realm of managed services, ensuring customer satisfaction and delivering exceptional service is everything. While traditional Service Level Agreements (SLAs) set service expectations, Experience Level Agreements (XLAs) are now equally crucial for improving services and customer experience. In Gartner’s Peer Community, one of the questions asked was;

‘What is your organization’s roadmap for Experience Level Agreements?’,

with ‘55% implementing in the next 12 months’

and ‘11% implemented or implementation is in process.’

Correct at time of publishing, March 2025.

From these stats, we can assert that businesses recognise the importance of XLAs in providing a more customer-centric approach to service delivery.

Let’s delve into the significance of XLAs, how they differ from SLAs, and the myriad benefits they offer.

Differences between XLAs and SLAs

While both XLAs and SLAs serve as agreements between service providers and their clients, they differ fundamentally in their focus and objectives:

Focus on technical vs. experiential metrics

SLAs concentrate on the usual technical metrics such as uptime, response time, and resolution time. These metrics are essential for ensuring the reliability and performance of the service. For instance, an SLA might specify that a server must have an uptime of 99.9% or that a critical issue must be resolved within four hours.

Service providers are generally monitored against SLA achievement and can point towards areas that are performing well or need improvement.

In contrast, XLAs focus on experiential metrics like user satisfaction, Net Promoter Scores (NPS), and Customer Effort Scores (CES). These metrics gauge the overall experience of the end-user, assessing how easy and enjoyable it is to interact with the service. An XLA will include Experience Indicators (XIs) taken from across device, application and network health, user sentiment and support experiences, measuring how easy users feel it is to accomplish their tasks using the services.

Reactive vs. proactive approach

SLAs often adopt a reactive approach, addressing issues as they arise and ensuring they are resolved within predefined timeframes. While this approach is critical for maintaining service reliability, it might not capture the full spectrum of user experience.

XLAs, on the other hand, take a proactive stance by continuously monitoring and improving the end-user experience. By gathering data and feedback and analysing user interactions, service providers can identify pain points and implement enhancements before they impact your satisfaction levels. This proactive approach fosters a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

Transactional vs. relationship-based

SLAs are typically transactional, focusing on specific service components and their performance. They outline the responsibilities of the service provider and define penalties for non-compliance. While this approach ensures accountability, it may not fully address the broader customer experience.

XLAs emphasize building relationships and fostering trust. By prioritising user satisfaction and emotional engagement, XLAs create a deeper connection between the service provider and the end-user. This relationship-based approach encourages collaboration and mutual understanding, driving sustained user satisfaction and engagement.

The ASPIRE framework and XLAs

XLAs represent a transformative approach in managed services, shifting the focus from technical metrics to the overall experience of the end-user. By prioritising user satisfaction, emotional engagement, and personalised service, XLAs enhance your satisfaction and foster long-term relationships.

As managed services continue to evolve, XLAs will play a pivotal role in delivering exceptional and meaningful experiences.

Our ASPIRE managed services framework is dedicated to elevating customer satisfaction through continuous monitoring of XLAs and the ongoing adoption of cutting-edge services – this is in addition to our commitment to Value Level Agreements (VLA) and Carbon Level Agreements (CLA).

Our mission is to enrich user experiences through a robust, structured methodology encompassing five key stages: Visualise, Analyse, Design, Implement, and Manage.

To find out more, take a look at our ASPIRE managed services or contact us for more detail.