We recommend to consider maintenance along with the step acquisition of licenses to use the software. Here are our thoughts on the matter, which are based on honesty, our experience and impartiality.
The developer wants to tie me to him, to have a constant flow of funds
Many believe if the acquired program and it has a warranty period is - everything let it work, why spend even more money to support it. Now, if that, then we will solve the issue. In our opinion, and most importantly, from our experience, this is a very erroneous view, not because we certainly earn a monthly fee on a permanent basis, and here's why:
- Support of software, especially technological, in part similar to insurance . That is part of the money you pay for, that your activity with the use of the automated system suddenly stopped in the event of its failure. If you have already spent money on the purchase of software, training employees, creating its own database, the savings on the possibility of aid developers in the event of unusual situations can be costly .
- Process automation systems, we develop, closely linked with the laws and regulations of internal and external office, any changes thus require fast response and a constant routine software updates.
- The system software is constantly changing, there are new versions of operating systems, office suites, new devices with their operating systems and this is all too requires constant routine updates.
- When a developer performs maintenance of the automated system, it must always keep employees who know the version of the system, which is established by client . And even if in the future the system will not develop, anyway, at any time, you can count on the support of the developer. Now, imagine that the support - not. Yes, purchased an automated system to the functionality that is - you are completely satisfied and you are not going to change the computer, operating system, office suite. And suddenly something happens, but by that time may already be old and to retire the last programmer who remembered what this system.
How to choose a maintenance plan
Given our many years of experience tracking systems, and feedback from our customers, we offer two options for support (see. «Plans support»), and namely:
- The first (Plan B1) is more appropriate for large and medium-sized companies , which require individual adjustment programs and development new functions "under him." Especially this plan is effective at the implementation stage, when every month in the course of implementation should be fast to make up some functions, modify the document templates, and more. The effectiveness of this plan is that the plan B1 includes a monthly time programmer.
- The second (Plan B2) is the most affordable for smaller companies , who use the standard functionality of the program and do not require individual modifications. In that case, if you want to change something, then it is first determined and agreed a list of changes, the timing and the cost, and then signed by the outfit to prepay works and only after that the developer performs them. Of course all this takes time.
In addition, it is possible, depending on the customer needs to change and combine both plans. For example, the first months of implementation of the system, especially when a lot of changes, to carry out maintenance on the Plan B1, and then, when the functionality of the system is already acceptable, go to Plan B2.