Support Policy

Company: SeaReady Ltd

Registered Office: Office 1581, 92 Castle Street, Belfast, BT1 1HE

Version: v1.0

Effective Date: [Date of incorporation]

Last Updated: 2026-01-22

Table of Contents

1. Introduction2. Support Channels3. Contact Details4. Priority Levels & Response Times5. How to Get Support6. What's Included in Support7. Escalation Process8. Out-of-Hours Support9. Known Limitations10. Support During Migration11. Planned Maintenance12. Customer Responsibilities13. Feedback & Complaints14. Support for Different Product Types

1. Introduction

This Support Policy explains how to get help with SeaReady services and what level of support you can expect.

This policy applies to all paying customers. Free trials receive best-effort support only.

2. Support Channels

ChannelAvailabilityBest For
Email24/7 submission, monitored business hoursNon-urgent queries, detailed issues
Knowledge Base24/7 self-serviceCommon questions, how-to guides
PhoneBusiness hours (09:00-17:00 Mon-Fri)Urgent issues, quick questions
Live ChatBusiness hours (if implemented)Quick questions, initial triage

Business Hours: Monday - Friday, 09:00-17:00 GMT/BST (excluding UK public holidays)

3. Contact Details

  • Email Support: support@seaready.co.uk
  • Phone Support: [To be added after incorporation]
  • Knowledge Base: help.seaready.co.uk [To be implemented]
  • Status Page: status.seaready.co.uk [To be implemented]

4. Priority Levels & Response Times

4.1 Priority Definitions

PriorityDefinitionExamples
P1 - CriticalService completely down, major data loss, no workaround
  • App totally inaccessible
  • Database corruption
  • Security breach
P2 - HighMajor function broken, significant impact, workaround may exist
  • Key feature not working
  • Severe performance issues
  • Login problems affecting multiple users
P3 - MediumMinor function issue, limited impact, workaround available
  • Non-critical bug
  • Feature not working as expected
  • Cosmetic issues affecting usability
P4 - LowQuestions, minor issues, feature requests
  • How-to questions
  • Typos or minor cosmetic issues
  • Feature enhancement requests

4.2 Response Time Commitments

PriorityFirst ResponseResolution TargetUpdates
P11 hour4 hoursEvery 2 hours
P24 hours24 hoursDaily
P31 business day5 business daysAs needed
P41 business dayBest effortAs needed

Notes:

  • First Response = Acknowledgment and initial assessment
  • Resolution Target = Issue fixed OR workaround provided OR escalated
  • Times calculated during business hours only for P3/P4
  • Times calculated 24/7 for P1/P2 (though human response may be delayed out-of-hours for P2)

4.3 What We Can't Guarantee

  • Instant resolution (complex issues take time)
  • 24/7 phone support (email monitored out-of-hours for critical issues)
  • Support in languages other than English
  • Training on your internal processes (consultancy available separately)

5. How to Get Support

5.1 Before You Contact Us

Try these first:

  1. Check Knowledge Base - help.seaready.co.uk (common issues solved there)
  2. Check Status Page - status.seaready.co.uk (is there a known outage?)
  3. Try basic troubleshooting:
    • Refresh the page
    • Clear browser cache
    • Try a different browser
    • Check your internet connection

5.2 When You Contact Us

Provide this information for faster resolution:

  • Account details: Your email address, company name
  • Issue description: What happened? What did you expect?
  • Steps to reproduce: How can we recreate the problem?
  • Screenshots/videos: If applicable (very helpful!)
  • Browser/device: Chrome/Safari/Firefox? Desktop/mobile?
  • Urgency: Which priority level? (see Section 4.1)
  • Impact: How many users affected? Is work blocked?

Good Example vs Bad Example

Good Example:

Subject: P2 - Cannot upload documents in SMS Pro

Account: john@example.com (Vessel: MV Example)

Issue: When I click "Upload Document" in the Procedures section, nothing happens. Expected: File picker to open.

Steps: Login → SMS Pro → Procedures → Upload Document button

Browser: Chrome 120 on Windows 11

Impact: 3 users blocked from uploading today's logs

Screenshot: [attached]

Bad Example:

Subject: Help

It's not working.

5.3 Automatic Acknowledgment

You'll receive:

  • Automated email confirmation (within 5 minutes)
  • Ticket number for tracking (e.g., #12345)
  • Estimated response time based on priority

6. What's Included in Support

6.1 Included (Free)

  • Bug fixes - Software defects corrected at no charge
  • How-to guidance - Help using existing features
  • Performance issues - If our systems are slow
  • Account issues - Login problems, password resets, user management
  • Basic troubleshooting - Investigating reported issues
  • Service notifications - Planned maintenance, outages

6.2 Not Included (Chargeable or Separate Service)

  • Training - Onboarding new staff, comprehensive training sessions (consultancy rates apply)
  • Custom development - New features specific to you (quoted separately)
  • Data migration - Importing large volumes of legacy data (consultancy)
  • Integration with your systems - Connecting to your ERP/PMIS (quoted project)
  • MCA compliance advice - Professional maritime consultancy (separate service)
  • On-site support - Visiting your premises (consultancy + travel costs)

If unsure, ask - we'll clarify before any charges.

7. Escalation Process

7.1 When to Escalate

If you're not satisfied with:

  • Response time (exceeded SLA)
  • Quality of support
  • Resolution provided

7.2 How to Escalate

Level 1: Support Team

Email: support@seaready.co.uk (most issues resolved here)

Level 2: Escalation Team

Email: escalation@seaready.co.uk
(Mark subject: "ESCALATION - [Ticket #12345]")

Level 3: Director

Email: jonathan@seaready.co.uk
(For unresolved or serious issues only)

Escalation Response:

  • Level 2: Acknowledged within 4 business hours
  • Level 3: Acknowledged within 24 hours

8. Out-of-Hours Support

8.1 Standard Support (Included)

  • Email monitored out-of-hours for P1 critical issues only
  • Automated monitoring alerts us to system failures 24/7
  • Best-effort response out-of-hours (typically within 2-4 hours for P1)

8.2 24/7 Premium Support (Optional)

For customers requiring guaranteed 24/7 support:

Cost: £[X]/month or £[Y]/year (to be defined)

Includes:

  • Dedicated phone line (24/7)
  • Guaranteed 1-hour response for P1/P2 issues (24/7)
  • Priority handling of all tickets

Contact us for quote: sales@seaready.co.uk

9. Known Limitations

9.1 What We Can't Support

  • Third-party software - Your ERP, other apps (though we'll try to help with integrations)
  • Your IT infrastructure - Your internet, network, firewalls
  • Older browsers - We support latest 2 versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge only
  • Customized code - If you've modified our templates (consultancy can help)

9.2 User Error vs. Software Bug

  • Software bug (our fault) → Fixed free
  • User error (misunderstanding how it works) → We'll explain, but repeated training requests may be chargeable

10. Support During Migration

10.1 Onboarding Support (First 30 Days)

New customers receive enhanced support:

  • Extended response times (P3 treated as P2)
  • Dedicated onboarding assistance
  • Setup guidance and best practices

10.2 Data Migration Assistance

  • Self-service import tools - Included (CSV upload)
  • Assisted migration - We help map your data (chargeable if greater than 4 hours)
  • Full migration service - We do it all (quoted project)

11. Planned Maintenance

11.1 Scheduled Maintenance

  • Window: Sundays 02:00-06:00 GMT
  • Frequency: Up to once per month
  • Notification: 48 hours advance notice via email
  • Impact: Service may be unavailable or read-only

11.2 Emergency Maintenance

  • Performed outside maintenance window if critical (security patches, etc.)
  • Notification as soon as reasonably possible
  • Minimized impact where feasible

11.3 Status Updates

During outages or maintenance:

  • Status page updated: status.seaready.co.uk
  • Email notification to affected customers
  • Estimated restoration time provided

12. Customer Responsibilities

You should:

  • ✓ Report issues promptly (the sooner we know, the faster we fix)
  • ✓ Provide requested information (screenshots, steps to reproduce)
  • ✓ Keep software up-to-date (use latest browser versions)
  • ✓ Follow our guidance (if we provide a workaround, try it)
  • ✓ Maintain adequate internet connection
  • ✓ Back up critical data (we provide backups, but you should keep copies too)

We appreciate:

  • Patience during complex investigations
  • Detailed bug reports (easier to reproduce = faster fix)
  • Feedback on our support (helps us improve)

13. Feedback & Complaints

13.1 Feedback

We welcome feedback on our support:

  • After ticket resolution: Rate our service (1-5 stars)
  • Email anytime: feedback@seaready.co.uk
  • Annual survey: Help us improve

13.2 Formal Complaints

If you're unhappy with our support:

  1. Email: complaints@seaready.co.uk
  2. We'll investigate and respond within 5 business days
  3. If unresolved: Escalate to Director (jonathan@seaready.co.uk)

14. Support for Different Product Types

14.1 SaaS Products (SMS Pro, MPX)

  • Full support as per this policy
  • Ongoing updates and bug fixes included
  • Feature requests considered for roadmap

14.2 Digital Products (SMS Templates)

  • 14-day support after purchase (setup help, how-to questions)
  • Updates provided if regulatory changes require (first 12 months)
  • Extended support available (consultancy rates)

14.3 Consultancy Projects

  • Support during project delivery (included)
  • Post-project support: [Specify in project agreement - typically 30-90 days warranty]
  • Ongoing maintenance: Retainer or ad-hoc rates

Summary (Quick Reference)

NeedChannelExpected Response
Emergency (service down)Email support@ (mark P1)1 hour
Urgent (major issue)Email or phone4 hours
General helpEmail or Knowledge Base1 business day
How-to questionKnowledge Base first, then email1 business day
Feature requestEmail support@ (mark P4)Acknowledged, added to roadmap
Unhappy with supportescalation@ or jonathan@4 hours

Business Hours: Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00 GMT

Out-of-hours: P1 critical issues only (best effort)

Contact

Change Log

VersionDateChangesApproved By
v1.0[Incorporation date]Initial policyJ. Fulton, Director

This policy is incorporated into our Service Level Agreement (SLA).

Latest version: https://seaready.co.uk/support-policy