What kind of post-launch support do you offer, and what happens if something breaks after delivery?

What post-launch support looks like in practice

Shipping a product is not the end of the engagement — it's the beginning of real-world usage. Here is how structured support typically works after a CodeNicely delivery:

1. Warranty period (bug fixes included)

A defined post-launch warranty window — typically 30–90 days, scoped in your contract — covers defects and bugs that trace back to the delivered build. If something was built incorrectly or behaves differently than the agreed spec, it gets fixed at no additional cost. This is standard practice for reputable development partners and something US-based clients should explicitly negotiate before signing any contract with any vendor.

2. Severity-based response

Not all issues are equal. A reasonable support arrangement classifies problems by impact:

• Critical (P1): Production is down or a core workflow is broken. Fastest response, often same-day or within a few hours.
• High (P2): Major feature impaired but the system is still running. Response within one business day.
• Low/Medium (P3–P4): Minor bugs, UI glitches, or non-urgent improvements. Addressed in scheduled cycles.

Response SLAs should be written into your contract. If a vendor cannot commit to specific SLAs, treat that as a red flag.

3. Ongoing retainer or time-and-materials support

After the warranty period, you can choose a monthly retainer for continuous maintenance, security patches, dependency updates, and iterative improvements — or opt for time-and-materials billing for ad hoc work. US clients often prefer retainers for predictable budgeting, especially for products with compliance obligations (HIPAA, SOC 2, PCI-DSS) that require regular updates.

4. You own the code — always

Because CodeNicely transfers full IP ownership at delivery, you are never locked into their support. You can bring in an internal team, another agency, or a freelancer at any point without asking permission or paying a transfer fee. This matters enormously for US companies concerned about vendor dependency or acquisition due diligence.

Honest tradeoffs to consider

Support retainers add ongoing cost — budget for 10–20% of the initial build cost per year as a rough industry benchmark for maintenance. If you have an in-house engineering team, you may not need a full retainer and can rely only on the warranty period plus occasional project-based engagements. Clarity up front about what is in scope for post-launch support — monitoring, infrastructure, third-party API failures, scope changes — prevents disputes later.

What to ask any development partner before signing

• What is the warranty period and what exactly does it cover?
• What are the written SLAs for critical vs. non-critical issues?
• Is monitoring and alerting included, or is that extra?
• What happens if the primary contact leaves the vendor's team?
• Do I own the code and all credentials from day one?

For a scoped estimate on support arrangements specific to your product, contact CodeNicely directly — terms vary by project complexity and hosting environment.