To ensure that you always know when support services are free of charge and when costs may arise, we have clearly structured our support and billing logic and documented it transparently.
This article explains the fundamental principles of our support and billing policy in a clear and understandable manner. In terms of content, it fully corresponds to the binding provisions referenced by our General Terms and Conditions (AGB) and other contractual documents.
Why we introduced this policy
As a SaaS provider for CRM and xRM systems, we operate a powerful standard platform and continuously develop it further. At the same time, we support our customers with individual adaptations, configurations, and extensions.
To ensure fair and predictable cooperation for both parties, a clear distinction is essential:
- Which services are part of ongoing SaaS operations?
- Which services are individual services that must be commissioned separately?
Our support and billing policy provides transparency and reliability in this regard.
Key terms explained simply
Base software (standard/core)
The generally available SaaS standard software operated by crm-now, including all standard functions, modules, and interfaces, either in the productive version or in a provided demo environment.
Customizing
Customer-specific adaptations or extensions of the base software, for example:
- Individual workflows or business logic
- Customer-specific fields, forms, or data models
- Reports and dashboards
- Integrations with third-party systems
- Customer-specific code or scripts
Incident (service disruption)
An unplanned event in which the SaaS service is unavailable or only partially usable. An incident describes the operational impact, not necessarily the cause.
Bug (software defect)
A reproducible error in which the software deviates from the documented or contractually agreed expected behavior. A bug describes the technical cause.
Service request
A request for a service that does not constitute a disruption, for example:
- Configuration support
- User or role changes
- Assistance with usage or administration
- Commissioning of adaptations
Change request
A service request aimed at a substantive change or extension of the existing target state, such as new functions or modified processes.
Which services are free of charge?
Bug fixes in the base software
We correct reproducible errors in the base software free of charge as part of ongoing SaaS operations, provided that:
- The behavior deviates from the documented or contractually agreed expected behavior, and
- The error can be reproduced without customer-specific adaptations.
The correction is carried out via patches, hotfixes, or regular releases, possibly supplemented by a workaround.
Platform and operational disruptions
We also resolve disruptions within the responsibility of crm-now free of charge, for example:
- Availability issues
- Security-relevant defects in the base software
- Infrastructure or operational issues of the platform
Which services are subject to charges?
Chargeable services include in particular services provided individually for a customer:
Bug fixing related to customizations
Analysis and correction of errors whose cause lies in customer-specific adaptations or configurations.
Change requests and further development
All changes or extensions to the existing functional scope, for example:
- New functions or processes
- Adjustments to existing logic
- New reports, interfaces, or automations
- Performance optimizations, provided the base software operates in accordance with the contract
Support for external or customer-side causes
Analysis and support for issues caused, for example, by:
- Misconfigurations or data on the customer side
- Third-party systems or external interfaces
- Customer-side infrastructure
These services are billed at the agreed hourly rate or on the basis of a separate quotation.
The free initial diagnosis – fair and transparent
To enable a clear distinction, we first perform a free initial diagnosis for every request.
What does the initial diagnosis include?
- Review of your request and the information provided
- Verification of reproducibility in a standard environment
- Basic technical classification of the cause
The initial diagnosis is limited to up to 30 minutes per ticket and serves exclusively for classification, not for full resolution.
What happens next?
After completing the initial diagnosis, we inform you about:
- The classification of your request (base software bug, customization bug, service request, or change request)
- The recommended next steps
- If applicable, an effort estimate or a quotation
Chargeable services commence only after your approval. If a chargeable cause only becomes apparent during the initial diagnosis, billing starts only from the point at which we inform you accordingly.
Our classification principle
Decisive for the classification of a request are:
- The documented or contractually agreed expected behavior, and
- The technical cause.
An incident may be caused by a bug, but it does not have to be. A change request always constitutes a chargeable change in services unless otherwise agreed.
Conclusion
This policy creates transparency, planning certainty, and fair cooperation. You always know when support is part of SaaS operations and when it constitutes an individually commissioned service.
If you have any questions about this policy or the classification of your request, please feel free to contact us at any time.
Note: This explanation is provided for better understanding. The binding provisions are the respective valid support and billing policy as incorporated into the contractual documents (AGB, MSA, support terms, service descriptions).