Custom software isn't finished the day it is delivered. For as long as your company uses it, there will be bugs to fix, changes to request, systems that update around it and new people who need to learn how to use it. Maintenance is what keeps the software useful over the years, and it's worth knowing what it includes before you sign, not when the first problem appears.
The four types of maintenance
When people talk about maintenance, very different things get lumped together. Separating them helps you understand what you are paying for.
| Type | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Corrective | Fixing something that doesn't work as agreed | A report adds up the kilos for a particular day incorrectly |
| Adaptive | Adjusting the software to changes in its environment | A new version of the operating system, the browser, Android or iOS, or of a program it is connected to |
| Regulatory | Incorporating legal changes that affect the software | A new mandatory format for a document, or a piece of data that must be stored |
| Evolutionary | Adding features or changing how it works | A new screen for a process that didn't exist before |
Normally, corrective maintenance of what has been delivered is covered during a warranty period. Adaptive and regulatory maintenance are usually part of the maintenance fee. Evolutionary maintenance is almost always quoted separately, because it involves new improvements.
The line between corrective and evolutionary is the most common source of disagreement. If the software does what was agreed in the analysis but you now want it to do it differently, that is an improvement, not a bug. That is why it is so useful to have the initial analysis in writing: it is the reference for what was requested and what wasn't. It is also worth distinguishing the warranty from maintenance: the warranty covers faults in what was delivered for an agreed period; maintenance starts afterwards, or in parallel, and covers everything that happens throughout the software's life.
What goes beyond the code
Good maintenance isn't limited to working on the software. It also includes, or should make clear whether it includes:
- User support. Answering questions about how to use it, which make up most queries.
- Backups. Who makes them, how often, and who checks that they can be restored.
- Server and hosting. If the software is in the cloud, someone makes sure the server is running, has enough space and is up to date.
- Security. Applying security updates to the components the software uses and reviewing access.
- Training for new users. When someone joins the company, who teaches them?
- Documentation. Making sure that whatever is changed is explained for the future.
How it is usually paid for
There is no single model. The usual ones are these, and each suits a different case:
- Fixed periodic fee. Covers a defined set of services: corrective, adaptive, support. It gives predictability. Check carefully what is and isn't included.
- Block of hours. You buy a number of hours that are used up over time. Useful if you expect to ask for small improvements often. Ask for a usage report.
- Per intervention. You pay each time you need something. It looks cheap, but it doesn't guarantee you will be attended to quickly or that anyone is keeping an eye on the software when there are no problems.
Many companies combine a fee for the basics with separate quotes for improvements.
What the contract should say
Check that the maintenance contract answers these questions:
- Which types of maintenance it covers and which are left out.
- How an incident is reported: phone, email, a platform.
- How long they take to respond and how long to resolve, depending on severity.
- What counts as serious: the software not starting is not the same as an error in a monthly report.
- Who makes the backups and how they are restored.
- What happens with regulatory changes: whether they are included or quoted separately.
- How the contract ends and what you are given when it does: data, documentation and, if agreed, the code.
What happens if it isn't maintained
Software without maintenance can run for years without problems. The risk appears all at once:
- A Windows, browser or phone update makes something stop working and there is nobody who knows the software.
- A legal change requires documents or data to be modified and the software can't be adapted in time.
- The components the software relies on stop receiving security updates.
- The server fails and it turns out the backups weren't being made or can't be restored.
- The only person who understood the software is no longer there.
Taking over the maintenance of an abandoned program is possible, but it usually requires a period of study first to understand how it was built. That time has to be paid for.
How to get the most out of maintenance
- Appoint a single point of contact. One person at your company who collects incidents and requests stops the supplier receiving ten versions of the same problem.
- Describe errors properly. What you did, what you expected, what happened, with a screenshot. They get resolved sooner.
- Group your improvements. Asking for isolated changes every week costs more than planning improvements in batches.
- Review once a year. Which incidents keep recurring, which parts of the software are rarely used and what is worth improving.
How we do it at Infonet
At Infonet Consultores, maintenance is provided by the same team that develops the software: after installation, data migration, configuration and training, we stay by your side with direct support from people who know the software inside out. We design, develop and maintain management applications, apps and custom software, and we also offer IT maintenance with immediate response and repair of computers, peripherals and communications. You can see how we work in custom software development and get to know the team at software company in Huelva.
