Overview
With over 40 years of experience, Black Line’s Software Support Services are the perfect fit once your custom software solution is complete. Support for a custom software system is divided into the following categories:
Black Line’s Software Support Solution consists of the following components:
- Responsive Help Desk: The Black Line Help Desk ensures that if you need someone to talk to, and address a Software Support need, you will have a live person there to help.
- Issue Investigation and Resolution:
- Investigation: A thorough investigation is necessary prior to any resolution attempt. Understanding the characteristics of the issue, what causes there may be, data impacted, other systems impacted are all important to fully understand the issue before action is taken. In addition, defining a root cause and determine the possible impact to on-going operations.
- Issue Resolution: Once issues are fully understood during the investigation process a resolution plan can be executed. Because software systems can highly integrated and complex, solutions can be very simple or can be very involved. Proper execution of a solution is as important as identifying the problem.
- Bug Fixes, warranty items, patches: See Warranty and Defect Policy for detailed terms, definitions, and descriptions
- Line of business or third-party application support: Often Black Line is asked to support Line of Business applications that are provided by independent third-parties or built by Black Line. In the case of third-parties, Black Line’s Software Development Team usually has the skillsets to assist with troubleshooting application issues. Generally, the technologies are similar and our Engineers can communicate effectively with third-party Engineers to shorten the time to address issues
- Documentation: Black Line comprehensively documents the details of each system it creates. It is an industry fact that almost 80% of the cost of a system is incurred after it goes into production. A well documented system helps significantly reduce post implementation costs and increase speed of support.
- System Maintenance:: Software Proactive Services will ensure your IT systems are available when you need them. Black Line monitors and regularly reviews your systems to spot issues before they happen.
- Software Maintenance:: The various toolsets and technologies necessary for software development are continually adjusted, patched and upgraded to ensure our solutions will always meet the defined business needs.
- Change Management: When systems change, and all software systems do, Black Line’s Change Management methodology is a combination of policy, process and technologies to ensure there is no production interruption.
Why Does This Matter?
Critical to supporting a Client’s software systems is a robust, organized, and disciplined approach that ensures systems are available when needed. Responsive and quality support is aligned with our values to help Clients get the most value from their IT investment . In addition, having trained and skilled software professionals is essential when supporting software systems of any kind
What Value Does This Add?
- Responsiveness
- Time Savings
- Decreased Hassles
Common Problems
Delayed support response, delayed issue resolution, lack of quality in issues solutions, Third-party knowledge gaps, lack of response from third-party providers, lack of expertise in third-party resources
Why Is A Solution Needed?
A Client’s use of business software is to do the job of the organization, to enable the employees and provide the value intended. It is essential that these software systems are supported and issues addressed with appropriate urgency so there is minimal interruption and maximum system utilization
What To Expect
Business Leaders can expect
- Rapid response to IT issues that are impacting the productivity of their employees in an organized, thorough, quality and cost effective manner. Black Line will coordinate resources within Black Line, Third-party vendors and the Client itself to achieve operational effectiveness
End Users can expect
- Easy creation of IT requests, notifications of request status, communication on progress, accurate documentation of work performed. They can expect caring, considerate, respectful, patient and kind Engineers to help get systems back to normal operational status
How Does Black Line Do It Better?
Most software development companies de-prioritize support activities and oftentimes the Engineers that developed the systems are called upon to also provide support. Black Line has a completely different model and has dedicated software support Engineers to address issues in a timely manner to align with Client objectives