The project is live. Now what happens when something breaks? When you need a change? When you have questions?
Understanding support expectations upfront prevents frustration later.
Types of Support
Bug Fixes
Something doesn't work as specified. It's broken.
Examples:
- Button doesn't save data
- Calculation is wrong
- Page crashes under certain conditions
- Feature worked yesterday, doesn't today
Expectation: Typically included in warranty period (30-90 days post-launch). After warranty, depends on support agreement.
Change Requests
Something works as built, but you want it to work differently.
Examples:
- Add a new field to a form
- Change the order of steps in a workflow
- New report or export format
- Integration with a new system
Expectation: Usually billable work, even during warranty period. This is new development, not fixing bugs.
Questions and Clarification
You need help understanding something.
Examples:
- How do I do X?
- Where do I find Y?
- What does this error message mean?
- Can you remind me how to Z?
Expectation: Usually covered during warranty/support period. After that, depends on agreement.
Emergency Support
Something critical is broken and affecting business operations.
Examples:
- Site is down
- Payment processing failed
- Security breach
- Data loss
Expectation: Depends entirely on your support agreement. Response time SLAs matter here.
Warranty Period
Most projects include a warranty period (typically 30-90 days):
What's typically covered:
- Bug fixes for issues not caught during testing
- Clarifications and questions
- Minor adjustments within original scope
What's typically NOT covered:
- New features
- Changes to requirements
- Issues caused by your changes to the system
- Third-party service failures
Important: Warranty usually starts at launch, not when you start using it. Don't wait months to test.
Ongoing Support Options
Pay-As-You-Go
You pay when you need help.
Pros:
- No ongoing commitment
- Pay only for what you use
Cons:
- Higher hourly rates
- No guaranteed response time
- May not be prioritized
Retainer/Support Agreement
Monthly fee for guaranteed availability.
Pros:
- Lower effective hourly rate
- Guaranteed response times
- Priority treatment
- Predictable costs
Cons:
- Paying even when you don't need support
- Unused hours may not roll over
Managed Services
They handle everything — monitoring, updates, maintenance.
Pros:
- Proactive care
- You don't think about it
- Issues caught before they become problems
Cons:
- Higher ongoing cost
- Less direct control
What's a Reasonable Support Agreement?
For most custom business software:
Response times:
- Critical (system down): 2-4 hours
- High (major feature broken): Same business day
- Normal (minor issues): 1-2 business days
Inclusions:
- Bug fixes
- Security updates
- Third-party dependency updates
- Basic monitoring
- Some number of included support hours
Cost: Typically 15-25% of annual project cost per year.
For a $50,000 project: $7,500-$12,500/year for comprehensive support.
Support Channels
Email/Ticket System
Best for non-urgent issues. Creates documentation trail.
Phone/Video Call
Best for complex issues needing discussion.
Chat
Good for quick questions.
Emergency Line
For true emergencies only. Usually comes with premium support.
Your Responsibilities
Good support is a two-way street:
- Report issues clearly. Include steps to reproduce, screenshots, error messages.
- Prioritize appropriately. Not everything is urgent.
- Be responsive. If they ask follow-up questions, answer promptly.
- Document changes on your end. If you modified something, tell them.
- Test thoroughly during warranty. Don't wait 6 months then claim bugs.
Red Flags in Support Relationships
🚩 No warranty period 🚩 No defined response times 🚩 Can't explain what's included vs. billable 🚩 No ticket system or documentation 🚩 Only one person knows your system
Questions to Ask
Before signing:
- "What's covered in the warranty period?"
- "What happens after warranty?"
- "What are your response time commitments?"
- "How do I report issues?"
- "What constitutes an emergency?"
- "Who will be supporting us?" (Turnover matters)
- "Can you show me an example support agreement?"
The True Cost of No Support
Going without a support agreement seems cheaper until:
- System goes down on a Friday night
- Security vulnerability needs immediate patching
- Critical business process breaks
- You can't find anyone familiar with your system
The cost of scrambling far exceeds the cost of reasonable ongoing support.
The Bottom Line
Support isn't optional — it's how you protect your investment.
Budget for it. Plan for it. Choose a partner who takes it seriously.
Our support keeps your systems running. Let's talk about your project