What are Support Services?
Definition
Ongoing technical assistance and issue resolution provided after implementation. Support services include help desk access, ticket management, bug fixes, technical troubleshooting, configuration assistance, and product guidance. Service definitions specify coverage hours, response times by severity, escalation procedures, support channels (phone, email, chat, portal), and included vs. paid services. RFPs should detail support requirements including SLA expectations, language requirements, and 24/7 availability needs.
Why This Matters
Post-implementation support determines long-term software value. Without defined support—coverage hours, response times, escalation paths, included vs. paid services—organizations face unexpected costs and extended issue resolution. RFPs should detail support requirements including SLA expectations, language requirements, and 24/7 availability needs. Support quality varies dramatically across vendors and significantly impacts user satisfaction.
Related Terms
Showing semantically related terms from our RFP knowledge graph. Priority connections are highlighted.
Essential Connections
Technical Support
Implementation & Deployment
Vendor assistance for troubleshooting, bug fixes, and system issues provided through ticketing systems, phone, chat, or email.
Service Level Agreement
Pricing & Total Cost
Contractual commitments defining expected service quality including uptime guarantees, response times, resolution timeframes, and penalties for non-compliance.
Service Desk
Implementation & Deployment
Central help desk for customer support tickets, issue tracking, and service request management.
Customer Support
Software Features & Capabilities
Software enabling service teams to assist customers through ticketing, knowledge bases, live chat, chatbots, and self-service portals.
Help Desk
Software Features & Capabilities
Customer support software managing service requests through ticket systems, knowledge bases, automated routing, SLA tracking, and multi-channel support (email, chat, phone).
Response Time
Implementation & Deployment
The maximum time for vendor acknowledgment of support tickets measured from submission to first response.
Implementation Support
Implementation & Deployment
Vendor-provided assistance during software deployment, including technical guidance, configuration support, and issue resolution.
Customer Success
Implementation & Deployment
Proactive vendor support ensuring customers achieve desired outcomes through regular check-ins, usage analytics, optimization recommendations, and renewal management.
Uptime Guarantee
Implementation & Deployment
Vendor commitment to system availability expressed as percentage uptime (e.
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