A proposal is usually about the build: a portal, an integration, a release. What happens afterwards, the years that software has to keep working, is part of that very first conversation at HOB.
Support as its own contract, from the first proposal
At HOB, maintenance and support sit next to the proposal for the build as a separate monthly contract, with a clear SLA. That contract covers updates to packages, the framework and security. It is in place before the build even starts.
What the contract covers
- Updates to packages, framework and security, in a fixed rhythm.
- Monitoring and a fixed response time in case of an outage, laid down in the SLA.
- Follow-up on a change that happens outside HOB, such as a supplier changing its API.
When the supplier of an integration changes its API
A portal rarely stands alone. It talks to an accounting package, a payment provider or another system through an integration. When that supplier changes its API, that is not an incident for the customer but a regular task within the support contract: we see the change, test the integration and adjust where needed.
The real cost of custom software
What does a portal cost in its third year? Hardly anyone asks that question at the start, while the largest part of the cost of custom software over its whole lifetime sits in maintenance, not in the build. Whoever counts that in at the start avoids a surprise later.
Further development as an extension, not an obligation
Maintenance keeps the software running and secure. New functionality is a separate question. If a customer wants to keep building, that comes as an extension to the existing support contract, with its own agreement on scope and cost.
Three questions for any software partner
- Who does the updates to packages, framework and security, and how often?
- What does maintenance cost per month, and is it separate from the build?
- What happens when the supplier of an integration changes its API?
If the answer stays vague, that says something about how that party looks at the upkeep of your software. At HOB the answer is already in the first proposal.
