Know Your Support Options: Microsoft Dynamics AX Partners Refine Post-Install Service Packages

Like many mid-sized business that run Microsoft Dynamics AX, Clever Devices, a New York-based designer of technology solutions for public transportation systems, needs to manage many diverse aspects of their system. Needs come up at different times that require a broad range of skills that the small in-house team can't maintain.

Clever Devices needs access to a "diverse set of systems skills, but not a lot of any one thing," says Lisa Wootton, the company's Dynamics AX business system manager.

Once Dynamics AX, or any other complex information system, is up and running, the team that helped launch it typically moves on to other projects. In the case of outside consultants, the move is over to other clients. It is a logical next step for them, but it means those with the most system expertise and experience are often no longer available to answer questions, troubleshoot and handle maintenance and upgrades.

To remedy this support situation, some Dynamics partners now market ongoing post-installation support services. More than technical support, these plans are focused on providing the regular services that a Dynamics AX system requires but that might require specialized skills that some clients, especially small and mid-sized organizations, don't keep on staff.

Wooten says Clever Devices found such a service plan to be the right fit for their needs,giving them access to the full range of system skills required to keep their AX system running - not just to fix it when something broke. The company went with a plan from ColumbusCare, the service offered through their long time Dynamics AX partner Columbus.

"We provide everything needed for ‘life after live'" says Maria Urdinarrain, team manager with ColumbusCare. Just as organizations ...