Response time is not resolution time
Many agreements specify how quickly the provider acknowledges a ticket. That is useful, but it says nothing about how long it takes to fix. Ask for targets for both, and whether resolution means a permanent fix, a workaround, or simply the status of an investigation. For problems that block revenue or close, a workaround within hours may be more valuable than a perfect fix next week.
- Ask for response and resolution targets by severity.
- Clarify whether the clock stops while the provider waits on you.
- Ask how often you will receive updates on open critical issues.
Severity definitions that reflect your business
A provider's default definition of a critical problem may not match yours. If invoicing is down at month-end, that is critical to you even if the provider calls it medium. Agree on severity examples tied to your calendar: closing, payroll runs, and peak selling periods. Write them into the agreement or an appendix so there is no debate during an incident.
Coverage hours, time zones and holidays
Check when support is available, in which time zone, and in which languages. A team that answers 9 to 5 in a distant time zone may leave your afternoon uncovered. If you close on a weekend or operate across regions, ask whether after-hours support is available, at what cost, and how to reach it. Confirm the holiday calendar too, since important deadlines do not respect it.
Managed and advisory services →Scope: break-fix, small changes and projects
Disputes often arise at the boundary between fixing something that broke and changing how it works. Ask for definitions of each, and how each is handled and billed. A report that stopped working after a release is break-fix; a new report you would like is a request. Agree on an hours threshold above which a request becomes a scoped project with its own estimate.
People, escalation and continuity
Ask who will actually work on your tickets. A named lead who knows your account provides continuity, while a rotating queue means re-explaining your setup every time. Find out the escalation path if progress stalls, and who can make decisions about priority. Ask what happens if your main contact leaves the provider, and how knowledge is shared within the team.
Our NetSuite ERP practice →Security, access and data handling
Support staff need access to your account, and that access should be controlled. Ask which roles they use, whether access is individual or shared, whether it is logged, and how it is removed when staff change. If personal or financial data is involved, confirm how the provider handles it, where it is stored, and what confidentiality obligations apply.
Decisions to settle before you sign
- Business-critical dates. List the periods when an outage would hurt most and make sure coverage matches.
- Reporting. Specify the monthly report you expect: tickets, response and resolution times, repeat issues, and backlog.
- Service credits or remedies. Ask what happens if targets are missed, and whether there is a review mechanism.
- Term and renewal. Understand minimum terms, notice, and price changes at renewal.
Pitfalls in support contracts
- Assuming included means unlimited. Check caps on tickets or hours and what happens when you exceed them.
- Unclear ownership of documentation. Make sure what is learned about your account is written down and belongs to you.
- No test of the process. Submit a few real tickets early to see how the process behaves before a crisis.
- Treating price as the only difference. A cheaper plan with narrow coverage may cost more in a single bad week.
