Website Maintenance

A very important point to remember is that a website is not something to publish on the internet then forget about - it must be maintained. You must have it checked regularly, at least weekly, to ensure everything is functioning as it should and links to other pages are still working, (for several reasons things may suddenly stop working).

If you have an existing website you should be looking to make small but significant design changes every six months and should re-design your site every 18 months.   This is necessary to ensure visitors keep returning to your website.   We can offer checking, updating, and re-designing services at cost price to local companies.

In order to assist our clients, present and future, in budgeting for the maintemance of their websites, we have simplified (and reduced) prices on our maintenance packages as below.

First some definitions:-

• Maintenance is the complete process of carrying out updates on a website.
• Updates are the individual actions undertaken, one update per action, as part of the maintenance process
• Maintenance is defined as the amendment or replacement of existing text and / or images, and only the number of new additions specified in the appropriate package below.
• An addition is defined as a new image or up to a paragraph of new text (not exceeding five sentences).   1 addition = 1 image / text paragraph.

Basic package

• 1 – 6 updates, and                        }
• 2 additions or 1 pop-up window }           Price: £ 40.00

Basic Extra package

• 7 – 14 updates, and                      }
• 2 additions or 1 pop-up window }           Price: £ 75.00

Multiplier package

• 15 – 49 updates, and                      }
• 4 additions or 2 pop-up windows }           Price: £ 195.00

Unlimited package

• Unlimited updates, and                                 }
• Unlimited additions and pop-up windows }           Price: £ 285.00

Maintenance Frequency

Scheduled

We would prefer that clients agree in advance – at least one month – to a particular maintenance package, (upgradeable at any time), for a set period of time if you, the client, think that any maintenance will be required on your website in the near future.

This has a number of advantages:

• This will allow you to plan the timing of updates to co-incide with particular events, news items, or budgetary constraints.
• You can be confident of knowing exactly when your updated will be actioned, (subject to submission and publishing time limits – see below), removing any uncertainty as to whether we we can schedule them before your deadline.
• It also allows us to to book-in and allocate resources to your maintenance job in advance.

At present we have two scheduled maintenance periods for clients with pre-booked packages:

• Fortnightly
  Suitable for clients who have rolling news items of new events happening on a regular basis to publicise.
  Most commonly used by clients with Basic Maintenance packages.
  Submission Deadline      : By the 14 th and 28 th day of each month.
  On-line Publication Date: Within 5 working days after submission deadline
  ie. – submit by 14 th , publish on-line by 19 th (excluding non-working days);
           submit by 28 th , publish on-line by   5 th   (excluding non-working days).

• Monthly
  For regular items that require updating and changing, for example: Special Offers; stock changes; clearance corner; seasonal and mid-season items; etc.
  This frequency is commonly employed by organisations with Basic Extra or Multiplier Maintenance packages.
  Submission Deadline      : By the 20 th day of each month.
  On-line Publication Date: By the end of the month (excluding leap years!)
  ie. – submit by 20 th , publish on-line by 30 th / 31 st / 1 st   (as appropriate).

• Other
  Other frequencies of scheduled maintenance are available as required and by agreement.

N.B.      All updates must be supplied in electronic form (floppy-disk, CD, email), and receipt obtained, by submission deadline to ensure on-line publication by due date

Ad-Hoc

For one-off maintenance jobs, that is, unscheduled, irregular updates, please follow the steps below:-

• Prepare your updates (decide placement, images, text – in electronic form)
• Choose your package (Basic, Basic Extra, Multiplier, Unlimited)
• Send us an email detailing which package and exactly how many updates your job comprises, and preferred timescale.
• We will consult our timetable and reply to you by return.   We will tell you if we are able to meet your deadline, if not we will give you the nearest date.
• If this is acceptable,   email your updates and initiate a bank transfer   of   the   appropriate funds. (We will email bank details).
  Alternatively, you may wish to call in to see us personally with your updates, and a cheque.
  Note that we do not wait until funds have cleared before starting your work – this is a matter of trust between you and us – and is a small example of the goodwill we aspire to foster.
• We will commence work as soon as possible in order to meet the agreed deadline. Should any queries arise, we will email or telephone you to resolve them.

Please note that whilst we will make every effort to meet your preferred deadline for on-line publication, clients with scheduled maintenance packages will always have priority.