Our Customer Committment
Although our TimeTrends products are second to none, the value
of the "ALT-C Systems Solution" is equally reflected
in its highly qualified human resources. Their exposure to a wide
array of industries and their extensive experience in development,
customer needs evaluation, implementation, and ongoing IT trouble
shooting, ensures a potential customer of a comprehensive professional
relationship. It is this combination of Quality Products and Qualified
Professionals, which has produced TimeTrends' success.
Our approach in offering the "ALT-C Total Solution"
can be viewed in the following manner:
Pre-Sale Support
From the initial contact to the implementation stage, our objective
is to actively assist the client to identify and formulate their
forecasting and management systems requirements. Whether your
corporate needs require a "full blown" implementation
or a "phased-in" application of TimeTrends, our commitment
is the same. Our objective is to tailor the forecasting process
to meet your present and specific day-to-day needs, knowing that
the flexibility of TimeTrends will permit you to meet the ever-changing
dynamics of your future business environment.
Implementation and Training Phase
This crucial phase of the project is a methodical, rigorous,
and collaborative process ensuring the seamless integration of
TimeTrends into the client's IT infrastructure and management
information systems. Our implementation strategy is as follows:
- Work with the Customer to define their forecasting strategy:
What needs to be forecasted, at what level, and how often. Understand
the needs of the consumers of the forecast (both human and electronic).
- Work with the Customer to extract and validate the source
data required to support Step 1.
- Create the database and the tools needed to automate the
redundant tasks within the forecasting process, so as to allow
the users to focus on managing only the exceptions.
- Ensure that the Customer understands TimeTrends to the level
at which they feel comfortable through training, validation
and defined acceptance procedures.
- Turn control of TimeTrends over to the Customer and move
into the Post Sale Support phase.
Post Sale Support
Our Post Sale Support program / philosophy was conceived to provide
on-going support and counsel to our customers. Certain elements
of the program are formalized while others are informal and flexible,
to meet specific customer needs.
Software Services and Support Agreement:
Software Services and Support represent 2 separate-yet-related
services: The first entitles the customer to ongoing maintenance
of the software such as new releases and bug fixes (free of charge),
as they become available. The second service is a help desk that
responds to specific inquiries from the customer, either about
functionality in the application or questions with respect to
their specific implementation. The help line is manned between
8:30 am and 5:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Monday to Friday
inclusive. The Software Services and Support Agreement defines
the terms and conditions of these two crucial services.
Product / Project Documentation:
Included with TimeTrends is a very extensive, context-sensitive
on-line help system, and complete documentation for the software,
inclusing tutorials. Additionally, a Project Definition Document
and Process Documentation outlining the specifics of the implementation
are provided to ensure continuity within your organization.
Optimization of TimeTrends Features:
This addresses the informal aspect of our Post Sales Support philosophy.
It involves the exploration of TimeTrends' features that were
not necessarily initially implemented. As TimeTrends becomes part
of the normal management system, and the client benefits from
its implementation, there is normally an interest in exploring
additional features of TimeTrends. Depending upon the customer's
requirements, the investigation can be either structured, with
specific review dates or on an as-needed basis.
Post Training and Familiarization:
This informal element of our Post Sale Support program came into
being as a result of customer requests. Due to turnover and /
or promotions within the organization, there was a need to train
new users or administrators. Customers have found this to be an
effective and efficient approach in maintaining the necessary
continuity in their forecasting process. These in-house training
sessions have also provided the opportunity for other personnel
to familiarize themselves with the diverse array of TimeTrends
features, thus promoting its optimal utilization.
Software Escrow Service:
ALT-C Systems makes a software escrow service available to our
customers through DSI
Technology Escrow Services. Complete source code for TimeTrends
is deposited with DSI so that, in the event of some unfortunate
circumstance, subscribers to the escrow services will be granted
access to these sources. The escrow arrangement is entered into
directly between the customer and DSI and the current annual cost
of this subscription is $650.00US. You are therefore assured that
you will always have the ability to maintain your TimeTrends installation.
|
