From SLAs to XLAs: a strategic shift for the digital era
For too long, IT outsourcing has been defined by its ability to meet technical benchmarks: response times, system availability, resolution rates. These are useful, but increasingly irrelevant if the people using the service still feel frustrated, unsupported, or unproductive.
It’s time we challenge the status quo.
At OneAdvanced, we believe the future of IT outsourcing lies not in traditional Service Level Agreements (SLAs), but in a more meaningful, strategic framework: Experience Level Agreements (XLAs). This isn’t just a new metric – it’s a new mindset.
Why the old metrics fall short?
Ask most IT leaders if their SLA targets are being met, and the answer is often yes. Yet ask their employees how they feel about the service, and a different story emerges – one of inefficiencies, friction, and frustration. This disconnect is not only common, it’s systemic.
SLAs were built for a different time. They measure the delivery of IT, not its impact. In today’s workplace, where employee productivity is driven by seamless digital experiences, that’s no longer enough.
As IT becomes more embedded in every function of the business, we must evolve our measurement models to reflect what truly matters: outcomes, not outputs.
What makes XLAs different?
Experience Level Agreements (XLAs) shift the focus from technical process to human experience. They ask a fundamentally different question – not “Was the service delivered?” but “Was the experience positive, productive, and valuable?”
XLAs are designed to:
- Capture real-time user feedback
- Quantify productivity loss or gain
- Uncover friction points across the IT journey
- Enable faster, more relevant improvements
This isn’t about abandoning SLAs. It’s about complementing them with the context they lack – and driving a more strategic, value-based approach to IT service delivery.
Experience as a competitive advantage
Businesses that embrace this experience-led model unlock real, measurable advantages:
- Higher employee satisfaction and retention
- Fewer escalations and more efficient support
- Greater alignment between IT and business objectives
- Clearer insights to guide digital transformation
When employees feel supported by technology, they’re more engaged. When IT decisions are based on actual experience data, they’re more impactful. The result? A more resilient, responsive, and productive organisation.
The strategic role of IT in the experience economy
We are living in an era where employee experience is a business-critical function. From onboarding to collaboration tools, IT is no longer just a back-office utility – it’s a driver of culture, engagement, and performance.
That’s why we view XLAs not just as a tactical improvement, but as a strategic imperative. IT leaders must now ask:
- Are we optimising for what matters most?
- Do we have the data to truly understand our users’ experiences?
- Can we move from reactive support to proactive improvement?
If the answer is no, your IT outsourcing model may be holding you back.
How OneAdvanced leads with experience
At OneAdvanced, we don’t just manage services – we elevate them. By integrating XLAs into our outsourcing model, we help organisations:
1. Continuously measure what matters
We implement real-time experience measurement tools across the IT environment to gather honest, actionable feedback – not monthly, quarterly, twice a year, but every day.
2. Turn transparency into trust
We share experience data with all relevant stakeholders, creating alignment and accountability across IT, the business, and third-party partners.
3. Drive targeted, user-centric improvements
We analyse trends in experience data to identify and resolve root causes – transforming frustrations into efficiencies and support into strategic value.
4. Evolve with your organisation
XLAs are dynamic. As your business needs and employee expectations evolve, so do the targets and improvements we drive together.
Looking ahead: the future of IT Outsourcing
The next wave of IT outsourcing won’t be defined by who can respond fastest or close the most tickets – it will be defined by who can create the best experiences. As the workforce becomes more digital, distributed, and demanding, companies that invest in experience management will attract top talent, drive higher productivity, and retain a competitive edge.
This is not theory – it’s happening now. And the organisations that act early will lead the way.
Ready to make the shift?
If you’re current provider is still measuring IT performance by how many issues they resolve, rather than how many experiences they improve, it’s time for a rethink.
Let’s start a conversation. At OneAdvanced, we’ll help you move beyond SLAs – and into a future where IT outsourcing creates real, measurable value for your business and your people.
Contact us today to learn how an experience-led approach can transform your IT services.
