NZ Support Services in Detail
for GECL Software
Support Packages
The support packages are usually purchased at the same time as the Software itself, and are renewed when they expire.
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Software Update Contracts
Annual Update Contracts cost 12.5% (approx.) of the respective Licence purchase price.
They commence at installation, and are renewed on each anniversary subsequently.
They entitle you to receive all standard production releases for your software modules during that 12-month period.
(Users on Annual Update Contracts also may ask to participate in our Beta Test Programme if they are keen to receive the very latest new features of the software, before these are introduced as a production release.)
GECL gives an informal 'warranty' to users on current Update Contracts, in that if you discover a bug in the software we will not charge for any associated support. If the bug actually damages data, we will usually repair the data for you if this is feasible, and send a new version of the software that fixes the initial problem. (This 'warranty' is limited to simple manipulation of the damaged data, and does not extend to re-keying any data-entry since the most recent backup.
Damage to data is a fairly unlikely event for anyone but participants in our Beta Test Programme.)
Users without a current Update Contract have no such warranty, and will be charged for all telephone support and any work done by GECL on their data (which is fair, as we probably will have already fixed the problem in a more recent release).
When updating users who had previously elected not to take the annual Update Contracts, it has always been our policy to charge for missed updates.
This is fair to the users that have taken the update contracts (and continued to renew them), and also to ourselves (as we have done a lot of work on the software in the interim).
Users of our remaining DOS modules must have current Upgrade Contracts to be eligible for the 'Trade-in' concession to our Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP software.
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Pre-Paid User Support Contract
These cost NZ$500 (plus GST), and pays in advance for up to NZ$750 of user support (including telephone training).
(This equates to about 7 hours less any disbursements such as toll calls.)
They also give you priority access to our Help Desk (ahead of users who do not have a Support Contract).
Effectively, User Support Contracts give 33% discount on charged
support hours. We give this concession for "use of money" (seeing you have paid in advance), and because it saves us (and you) the hassle of lots of small monthly invoices.
When the NZ$750 of support is used up, we will send you an
invoice which itemises all the support you have received, and gives
any outstanding support that over-ran the pre-paid amount. You
may either renew the contract or revert to a non-contract status (where you go into the support queue at a lower priority, and are billed monthly on a Time & Materials basis at normal rates).
Expenses such as toll calls, mileage and parking charges will be
billed to the pre-paid contract, but not discounted.
Without a contract, support is charged on a Time & Materials basis (currently at
$2.50 per minute up to 50 minutes for telephone and quick support, or
$140 per hour +GST for lengthier training or support issues, plus expenses such as toll calls).
You will take your place in a queue if the solution is not obvious, and there are several support calls requiring in-depth investigation.
For smaller users who are already well established and don't need much support, a support contract is probably not justified.
However, Support Contracts are usually very worthwhile for larger firms (especially for multi-user sites), or for firms who lack high computer literacy or who lose the key person who previously ran the software.
Installation
Depending on your capabilities, it is usually possible to install everything yourself, with perhaps a few chargeable telephone calls to our Help Desk for questions that you cannot resolve yourselves. However, there is a lot to be said for investing in some consulting and training from GECL staff, and getting the best start possible. GECL staff are very efficient at setting up shortcuts / icons, and also at setting the various configuration options so that the software is tuned to best meet the unique requirements of your business.
Training
The printed manuals give good basic philosophies for getting started. The menus in the software tend to be self-explanatory and lead you through most tasks. Context sensitive on-line help is available in all modules. However, some basic training usually more than pays for itself through better use of the software.
If it is feasible, on-site training is best, because the trainer and trainee can both physically see what you are talking about together. Telephone training (especially without a modem and remote support software) is usually less efficient because you need to spend time explaining what is on your screen (which isn't necessarily easily for first time users who are still learning their way around the software). You should plan on a total of one to four hours of on-site set-up and training per module (depending on the module, and your own past experience and capability). Telephone training is usually much shorter, because remote users tend to take training in smaller sessions and work things out for themselves a bit more. (However, "working it out for yourself" is usually more time consuming for you than face to face training, and can result in misunderstanding and poor use of the software.) If feasible, it is good to split training into two or more sessions (e.g. getting started, and the first end-of-month processing).
Ongoing Support
GECL has a help desk and will provide telephone support (or further visits if you needed it subsequently), on a 'Time & Materials' basis. (Alternatively, you can take out a User Support Contract for $500. See the section on this in the previous page.)
Remote Support
You can install a modem (if you don't already have one) and appropriate remote support software, so that GECL can easily provide instant remote support over the telephone lines, if you have problems with data or software for some reason, or need some quick training or any other help. Remote support can be very valuable, in that it can significantly reduce downtime and costs caused by the need for travel time or over-night courier delivery, etc. (Even in Auckland remote support is a serious consideration. It avoids travel costs, and means that we can often fix the problem within ten minutes, instead of you having to wait until a GECL staff member can schedule an on-site visit - which may not be until the following day).
Remote support software (Symantec pcAnywhere) costs about $185 (plus GST).
Modems cost $75-$300 depending on their capabilities. We can utilise free
Internet based software (such as Windows XP Remote Assistance and VNC) at user request,
but it is not as secure as pcAnywhere, and takes a bit more coordination and
setting up (which we consider chargeable time) to get it going.
Confidentiality
If users send a copy of their data to GECL (for investigation of a problem, or merely for better support and telephone training), GECL will treat this data with all due confidentiality.
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