Platinum Customer Care Policy

Company Objective

To deliver quality software solutions that put our customers at the forefront of the distribution industry.

Qualification

The CSfD Platinum Customer Care Policy is offered on a selective basis to those customers who meet pre-defined criteria. It is intended to offer an enhanced level of customer care to certain customers where the volume and frequency of business between our two companies warrants a more structured approach to service levels.

Values and beliefs

• We will offer a professional and effective service.
• We will at all times operate in the best interests of our customers.
• We will strive to provide a high quality service which meets our customers’ requirements.
• Through the use of effective teamwork we will be committed to the continual improvement of the service we offer our customers.
• We will show gratitude to our customers and each other for the support that we receive.
• We will abide by our integrity policy.
• Customer care will be the responsibility of all members of staff in the performance of their work.

Attitudes and behaviour

• We will treat our customers with respect and courtesy.
• We will show fairness, honesty and directness in our dealings and not be afraid to apologise when we have made a mistake.
• We will strive to develop and maintain excellent partnerships with our customers at all levels.
• We will endeavour to promote qualities such as humour, patience and loyalty in a balanced atmosphere.

Communications

• We will staff a support desk between the hours of 9.00am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday and provide out of hours support upon request.
• We will endeavour to answer telephone calls within 3 rings.
• We will ensure two members of staff are trained on the specification of the customer’s system.
• We will keep a copy of the customer’s version of software and third party software specific to the running of our application online, where maintenance is being provided.
• We will communicate with third party software providers on your behalf, where an appropriate maintenance contract is in place.
• We will encourage regular communication with our customers. This will be facilitated at senior management level, project management level and technical level. In addition to other forms of communication, we will endeavour to visit customer premises at least quarterly.

Service Levels

Priority	Definition	Typical impact
1	System Down	Extremely urgent - immediate rectification essential for business operation
2	Critical	Major impact affecting ability to trade
3	Non-critical	Significant impact but able to trade
9	Minor	Low impact adjustments necessary to improve operating efficiency

Priority	Acknowledgement Time from Receipt	Identify Resolution	Update
1	15 minutes	4 working hours	Hourly
2	30 minutes	8 working hours	4 hour maximum
3	30 minutes	24 working hours	Daily
9	30 minutes	10 working days	Weekly

Support Calls (For all queries originating in the live system)

• Incoming support calls will be prioritised and accorded a status of 1, 2, 3 or 9.

• We ask that you submit details of your query via email or fax using our pre-supplied action request (AR) form in all but the most urgent situations. In the case of priority 1 and 2 calls, we ask that you verify by telephone our receipt of your AR to ensure that we have received notification in a timely manner.
• All calls will be acknowledged via e-mail and a call log number will be assigned to them.
• For status 1 and 2 calls, at the point of identifying a resolution to the problem within the timescales laid out in the table above, we will provide an estimated timescale for full resolution. We will review the status priority at this point in accordance with the likely impact on the customer’s business operations.
• For status 3 and 9 calls, at the point of identifying a resolution to the problem within the timescales laid out in the table above, we will provide an estimated timescale for full resolution.
• Service Level response times may be affected by any or all of the following:

§ If the customer is using an unsupported version of either CSfD software or 3^rd party software

§ Inappropriate use of software or operator error

§ Defects resulting from customer or 3^rd party changes to software

§ Defects or errors caused by inappropriate use of data resulting in a loss of audit trail within the system.

Development Calls (For all queries originating from user acceptance testing)

• Incoming development calls will be prioritised and accorded a status of 2, 3, or 9.
• All calls will be acknowledged via e-mail.
• For all status calls, at the point of identifying a resolution to the problem within the timescales laid out in the table above, we will provide an estimated timescale for full resolution.

Customers wishing to perform user acceptance testing at CSfD premises will be welcomed whenever possible. At such times CSfD will endeavour to make resources available to assist in the discussion and resolution of issues in a timely manner, accepting existing constraints that may already be in place for resources.

Project Timescales

• We will produce written recommendations relating to the time and cost of a change request within 5 working days.

• Following investigation, and provided the change is technically feasible, we will give a written quotation or estimate within 10 working days of receipt of a written instruction. This will be valid for 30 days.
• We will use all reasonable endeavours to achieve completion of each phase of the project by the relevant milestone in the timetable.
• We will send out progress meeting minutes taken by CSfD to the customer within five working days.
• Priorities for changes will have the same headings as support calls. Priority 1 and 2 will have the same response as support calls, whilst 3 and 9 will be completed using best endeavours depending on priority, stated required date and CSfD resource availability.

Customer Feedback

• We will regularly ask our customers what they think of our service and act on what they tell us.
• We request that customers inform us of any complaints as early as possible so that we can address the situation in a timely manner.

Delivery Standards

• We will inform customers of installation requirements via Read-Me instructions.
• We will only make a delivery into a live system with a specific customer request.
• We will keep up to date records of our customers’ preferred delivery methods.

Our Customer Expectations

Our ability to deliver this policy is heavily dependent upon co-operation from our customers. As such, we ask that you will:

• Provide us with such information as we may reasonably need concerning your business operations.
• Answer queries, make decisions and provide approvals, which may be reasonably necessary to undertake specific projects, in a timely manner.
• Supply us with all the information that we require in order to fix any reported fault in a timescale that corresponds with the severity of the error.
• Supply data and other appropriate information as requested in order to substantiate a reported fault.
• Action any Read-Me instructions supplied.
• Inform us when a delivery is set live.
• Provide us with up to date points of contact.
• Provide adequate means of connectivity to your system to enable us to deliver effective support.
• Employ a qualified operator in order to maintain your system on a day to day basis.
• Make arrangements for the provision of appropriate support for hardware and operating software.
• After appropriate user acceptance testing, install delivered software in a timely manner.

Escalation Policy

In the event of any concerns, customers are advised to follow the escalation procedure below:

Customer Escalation

Managing Director

Chris Hewetson

	Business Development Director Peter van der Merwe

Trainee Project Manager

Becci Marks