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Annual Maintenance & Support — What Happens to Your Software After Launch

Every software project we deliver includes a post-launch support period. After that period ends, businesses choose between two paths: an Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) that keeps us on-call, or going it alone. This page explains what the AMC covers, what it costs, and what typically goes wrong for businesses that skip it.

What Typically Goes Wrong After Launch

Software does not stay static. The businesses around it change. Staff leave and new people need training. The government updates a tax rate or payment regulation. A supplier changes their invoice format. The hosting provider migrates the server. A browser update breaks a feature that worked for two years.

None of these are the software failing. They are normal operational events that require someone who knows the codebase to respond quickly. Without an active support contract, you are calling a development agency cold, explaining the system from scratch, and paying project rates for what should be an hour of work.

The three most common post-launch issues we see from businesses without AMC contracts:

  • Staff turnover: A new employee cannot use the system because the person who was trained is gone. No one can do a training refresh without engaging the developer again from scratch.
  • Minor workflow changes: The business adds a product category, a new branch, a new user role — small additions that take 2–4 hours with a developer who knows the code, and 3–5 days of scoping if they don't.
  • Hosting and environment issues: SSL certificates expire. Database connections drop during server migrations. PHP versions change. Without someone who knows the deployment environment, these become emergencies.
AMC Summary
15–20%
of original project cost / year
  • 4-hour response guarantee
  • Priority over new projects
  • Minor feature additions
  • Staff retraining sessions
  • Hosting & environment support
  • Monthly system health check
  • Annual vs quarterly payment

What the AMC Covers — Month by Month

Priority Support Response

When something breaks or behaves unexpectedly, you WhatsApp or call our team. AMC clients receive a guaranteed first response within 4 business hours. Non-AMC enquiries are handled after current project commitments are met — which in practice means days, not hours.

Minor Feature Additions

Changes that take under 4 hours of development time — a new report column, an additional user role, a changed dropdown list, a new document template — are included in the AMC at no extra charge. This covers the majority of day-to-day business changes.

Staff Retraining Sessions

One full training session per quarter, either at your office in Lahore or via video call for other cities. Covers new staff onboarding and refresher sessions for existing users. Delivered in the language your team works in.

Hosting & Environment Support

SSL renewals, server migrations, database backups, PHP version updates, and hosting provider communication handled by our team. You do not need to understand cPanel, SSH, or MySQL to keep your system running reliably.

Monthly System Health Check

We check error logs, database performance, backup status, and uptime records every month and flag anything that needs attention before it becomes a problem. You receive a one-paragraph summary each month.

What Is Not Included

Major new modules, redesigns, or integrations that require more than 4 hours of development are quoted and billed separately at a discounted AMC-client rate. We are transparent about what crosses the threshold before starting any work.

AMC Pricing

AMC is priced at 15–20% of your original project cost per year, depending on system complexity. It can be paid annually (one invoice) or quarterly (four invoices). There is no markup on the contract for quarterly billing.

Example: Focused Module
PKR 12,000–30,000
per year

Original project cost: PKR 80,000–150,000

Enterprise / ERP
PKR 80,000–120,000
per year

Original project cost: PKR 400,000–600,000+

"They delivered the system 3 days ahead of schedule and trained our team before leaving. Eight months — zero downtime."

— Operations Manager, Distribution Company, Lahore

Common Questions About AMC

No. Every project includes a post-launch support period (30–90 days depending on project size) at no extra cost. The AMC begins after that period ends, if the client chooses to continue. There is no pressure to sign immediately — most clients decide based on their first few months of live use.

Yes, but with a one-time codebase review first. We charge a fixed fee to audit and document the system before taking on support responsibility. This protects both sides — we understand what we're maintaining, and you understand what condition the system is in.

We use a simple 4-hour threshold. If the change takes under 4 hours of development time, it is included. If it is larger, we tell you the estimated hours before starting and you decide whether to proceed. We do not begin work on chargeable additions without your written confirmation.

Annual AMC contracts run for 12 months. Quarterly contracts can be cancelled at the end of any quarter with 30 days' notice. We do not lock clients into multi-year commitments — the AMC renews on mutual agreement.

Talk to Us About an AMC for Your System

Whether your system was built by us or someone else, we can discuss what a support contract would cover and cost for your specific setup.

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