Advanced technical support
When something breaks and nobody knows why. I come in, diagnose it and sort it out, with no contract and no waiting.
- Urgent
- Diagnosis
- Blockers
- By the hour
- Arrangement
- By the hour or in blocks
- Indicative timeframe
- Subject to availability
- Billing
- As you use it
- Ideal for
- One-off problems and blockers
What's included
In the price
Diagnosing the problem
Finding the real cause, not the symptom you can see from outside.
Resolution
I fix it, and if it can't be fixed I explain why and what the alternatives are.
An explanation of what happened
What went wrong and what to do so it doesn't happen again.
Estimate first
Before touching anything I tell you how many hours I reckon it'll take.
What isn't
Quoted separately
Warranty on someone else's code
I fix what can be fixed, but I can't answer for how someone else built it.
Ongoing maintenance
These are one-off interventions. For anything continuous there's the monthly plan.
Reserved availability
I get to it as soon as I can, but without a block of hours there's no committed schedule.
What you take away
01
The problem solved
Or a clear explanation of why it can't be, and what options are left.
02
Report of the work
What was wrong, what I did and how long it took.
03
Recommendations
What's worth reviewing so it doesn't happen again.
How it works
- 01When you call
You write to me
Tell me what's happening and since when. The more detail, the faster I go.
- 02First hours
Diagnosis
I reproduce the problem and find the cause. I tell you the estimated time to fix it.
- 03Depends on the case
Resolution
I fix it and check everything else still works.
- 04At the end
Report
I explain what was happening and how to avoid it in future.
How it's billed
There's no fixed fee and no commitment: the time spent is what's billed. If you expect to need me often, a block of hours works out cheaper than one-off jobs.
One-off
By the hour
A single job
For a specific problem. I give you the estimated time before starting.
Recurring
Block
A block of hours
You buy hours up front at a better rate and use them whenever you need.
Emergencies
Priority
If it can't wait
It jumps the queue, with a surcharge agreed beforehand.
Common questions
Yes, as long as it's built with technology I know. The first thing I do is look and tell you whether I can help — that part isn't charged.
I charge for the diagnosis time, which always leaves something useful: knowing what's wrong and what your options are. If I can see early on that it isn't for me, I say so and we stop there.
No. You can write only when you have a problem and pay for that job. The block of hours is an option, not a requirement.
Before touching anything I give you an estimate in hours. If along the way I see it's going to run long, I tell you and you decide whether I carry on.
Something broken and nobody knows why?
Tell me what's happening. Looking at it and telling you whether I can help costs nothing.