Ad-hoc Support

Characteristics of Ad-hoc support agreements

Ad hoc support agreements in software development are flexible, short term arrangements that provide businesses with on demand technical support or maintenance services without the need for a long-term contract. These agreements are typically structured around specific requests or issues that arise unpredictably and are addressed as they come up such as technical issues or unexpected projects, rather than being part of a regular, ongoing support package.

Here are some of the key characteristics of ad hoc support agreements -

Flexible

The services are provided only when requested by the client. This allows businesses to avoid paying for ongoing support that they simply do not need nor use whether that be because they have very little in the way of software development requirements or because the systems used do not require regular enhancements, updates or bug fixes for example.

Pay as you go

Typically, ad hoc support agreements are paid for by the client on an hourly basis which is either invoiced upfront based on the the time and resources that are predicted to be needed to complete the work or immediately following the completion of the work. This is in contrast to retainer agreements as an example which tend to be billed upfront and provide access to a developer for a certain number of hours or days per month.

Expert access

Ad hoc support agreements allow businesses peace of mind in that they know they can access specialised technical expertise when required without committing to a long term contract.

Why might I consider an ad hoc support agreement?

There are a variety of different scenarios where you might want to consider putting in place an ad hoc support agreement with a software development company.

Consultancy

Whereby a client needs access to an expert on a flexible and as required basis to advise and guide on ideas and/or concepts.

Maintenance and/or updates

Whereby a client needs occasional assistance with maintenance and/or updates maybe due to a lack of technical expertise in-house, but again, not enough to warrant an on-going support contract.

Project

Whereby a client needs access to technical resource periodically to help with certain parts of a project. This could be to assist with areas the client does not have expertise in, essentially, plugging the knowledge gap and ensuring the project is still able to be completed

Best for

Ad hoc support contracts are ideal for businesses that don’t require constant IT or software support but still want expert help to be available when they need it. They're especially suited to -

• Small businesses or startups - Where full time support teams cannot be justified

• Companies with in house teams - Business's that occasionally need extra hands or specialist knowledge

• Organisations going through change - This could include system upgrades, migrations or audits where temporary support is needed

• Businesses with unpredictable support needs - Where issues arise irregularly but need prompt resolution

• Cost conscious teams - Those looking for affordability and flexibility without the long term commitments

Final thoughts

These agreements offer flexibility for both parties and allow clients to manage their support needs more efficiently and have become a core part of the service offering here at Cool Code Company.

Our expert UK based team have extensive experience in all things bespoke software development and are well positioned to act as trusted advisers your business and current IT team. They can offer independent perspectives from outside of your organisation providing an external view that has been not influenced by your internal organisational environment. They can provide 'sanity checks' for ideas, concepts and roadmaps your current IT team may have developed and also take a hands-on lead to projects that may be complex or outside of your current IT teams expertise.