TalentQuest Client Support Policy

Table of Contents

Introduction

The TalentQuest Client Support Policy provides you with an overview of the comprehensive support services that we offer our clients. We hope that this guide gives you an understanding of what TalentQuest offers and how we can work together most effectively.

The TalentQuest team strives to quickly resolve any issues that are encountered while using the TalentQuest application (the “System”). We provide a support team who is ready to serve you and to deal promptly with any issue that may arise. This policy provides minimum standards that are in place to ensure consistent and timely resolution.

Note: Although we make every effort to maintain consistent support policies, business changes and conditions may dictate the need for periodic review and update of our policy.

Support Summary

TalentQuest provides support services to Client’s system administrators and super-administrators. These individuals will receive system training from the TalentQuest team prior to launch of the System. Through this training, system administrators will be equipped to support end users. Similarly, the Client super-administrator will have in-depth knowledge of the System and will be the primary point of contact for questions or requests from Client administrators.

Client support includes information about and assistance with:

  • Questions related to the administration of the System.
  • Product features and functions.
  • Performance and/or possible defect-related issues.
  • Identifying and providing application enhancement requests to the TalentQuest product management group.
  • Proactive notifications that inform clients via email or website posting of planned maintenance windows, known defects, fixes, updates, new releases, new service offerings, and other information of interest regarding the TalentQuest products. Proactive notifications are sent to designated Client contacts on a periodic basis.
  • Documentation regarding administration of the system to enable self-service support.

TalentQuest support services are available via telephone at 404.266.9368 or email at Support@TalentQuest.com.

Hours of Support

TalentQuest provides support services Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding U.S. holidays which are defined as the following:

  • New Year’s Day
  • Martin Luther King Day
  • Memorial Day
  • Independence Day
  • Labor Day
  • Thanksgiving Day
  • Day after Thanksgiving
  • Christmas Day

Severity Levels

Severity levels are assigned based on the business impact. Severity levels are defined as follows:

Severity Level Description
Level 1
Critical Business Impact		 The System is not available for Client’s use or Client cannot continue using the System and no workaround is available. TalentQuest will work to address the problem immediately and will continue until an acceptable resolution or workaround is achieved.
Level 2
Severe Business Impact		 Important System features are not functioning, and no workaround is readily available. The System can be used; however, there is significant impact on the service level. Work will begin within 4 hours of notification and will continue until an acceptable resolution or workaround is achieved.
Level 3
Isolated Business Impact		 A specific System feature is not functioning, but a workaround is available, or there is minor loss of business functionality with no workaround. TalentQuest will begin analyzing the problem within one day of notification and will continue until an acceptable resolution or workaround is achieved.
Level 4
Minimal Business Impact		 Includes Client requests for enhancements, information, or documentation regarding the System. The System continues to be used and there is no work being impeded at the time. An initial response will be provided, and application enhancement requests will be submitted to the TalentQuest product management group for consideration.

Response Times

TalentQuest client and technical support resources will be assigned in accordance with the severity of the problem being encountered. If needed, Client should be prepared to devote resources to work with TalentQuest to resolve issues.

Severity Level Response Time Follow-up Contact Desired Time to Resolution
1 – Critical 30 minutes Hourly Not more than 1 business day
2 – Severe 1 hour Daily Not more than 3 business days
3 – Isolated 4 hours A minimum of weekly Within 30 business days
4 – Minimal 8 hours As needed As agreed upon with Client

Response times are during normal business hours of operation and are not applicable during weekends, holidays and closures due to natural disasters. The TalentQuest calendar of holidays can be found in the Hours of Operation section of this document. TalentQuest does not guarantee resolutions to questions within the response time, only responses to initial calls. Failure to contact Client within the response time period because Client is unavailable (e.g., phone busy, no answer, in a meeting, out of the office) does not constitute TalentQuest’s non-compliance with the response commitment.

Support & Escalation Procedures

Our goal is to resolve all issues as quickly as possible. TalentQuest’s client support team will act in accordance with the escalation procedures set forth below. If necessary, the client support team may:

  • Discuss your issue with other TalentQuest resources or the technical support team and call you back with a resolution.
  • Determine that the issue requires further data from you or further research by TalentQuest. For example, the support team may need to replicate the issue you are experiencing in order to research it.
  • Determine that the issue is an application defect and forward the problem to the technical support team to resolve.
  • Determine that the call is a request for a product enhancement and submit a request on your behalf for review by the product management group.
  • Conclude that there is a third-party issue. If related to a third-party tool used by the System, TalentQuest’s technical support team will initiate a call with the third-party vendor and will work collaboratively to reach a successful solution. In the event the problem is due to Client’s third-party software used to access the System, Client is responsible for initiating and managing the third-party contact and any associated costs.
  • Determine that there is a network (internet) connectivity issue that is outside the control of TalentQuest.

If for any reason you are not satisfied with the progress of your support request, you are welcomed and encouraged to escalate your concerns through our management structure. We ask that you contact your Client Relationship representative, and then escalate your concerns to:

Rachel Finglass
Office: 404.266.9368 x226
Mobile: 404.849.0008
rfinglass@talentquest.com

System Defect Policy

If Client encounters a functional defect, the TalentQuest support team will work very closely with Client to provide an adequate workaround or solution for the issue. All serious defects will be reviewed by the product management group to determine when the defect will be resolved. Minor defects will be assessed for inclusion in normal product release cycles.

Issue Replication

With all severity levels, Client will work very closely with the TalentQuest client support team to provide reproducible results for any reported issue. TalentQuest cannot guarantee a solution or workaround if the issue cannot be reproduced. If Client determines they would like to engage a TalentQuest team member onsite, consulting fees may be incurred as defined in Appendix A: Client Support Fee Schedule.

System Availability

The TalentQuest system will maintain 99.9% System availability, 24 hours per day, seven days per week. System availability will exclude (i) scheduled maintenance; (ii) an outage that continues for an hour or less that TalentQuest fails to identify and Client fails to report to TalentQuest within 1 business day; (iii) reasons of Force Majeure.

TalentQuest will notify Client, via email or website posting, of any scheduled maintenance outages at least 72 hours prior to the event. Whenever reasonably feasible, scheduled maintenance work that will affect the availability of the System will be performed between the hours of 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time and 5:00 a.m. Eastern Time. In most instances, software maintenance work will be limited to a maximum of 180 minutes of downtime to allow for releases of new versions of the System or the application of patches to the TalentQuest environment. If a longer window or a weekend deployment is required, the announcements will communicate the need and the necessary window.

Unscheduled maintenance may be required from time to time to fix critical issues such as security attacks and virus outbreaks. TalentQuest may perform such maintenance work without previously notifying Client; however, details of these events shall be provided to Client upon request.

Releases & Enhancements

As a part of your annual subscription service, you will have access to the latest release of the TalentQuest System. TalentQuest will apply updates and enhancements to the hosted environment.

Supported Configurations

With each System release, TalentQuest may provide a list of supported configurations for that specific release. This list of supported configurations will clearly define the browsers and operating systems compatible with the System. Problems encountered when running the System in configurations other than those specifically defined in the most recent list of supported configurations must be reproduced on a supported configuration prior to consideration for correction via a patch or a new release of the System. Support in reproducing the problem in a supported environment is available and will be billed at the rates provided in Appendix A: Client Support Fee Schedule.

Service Level Targets

System Uptime

TalentQuest is committed to providing a level of uptime in accordance with the details of the System Availability section of this document. A failure to meet a cumulative uptime level of 99.9% for any contract year of service, as determined on each anniversary of the effective date, may result in TalentQuest crediting Client with 5% of the recurring monthly fee to be applied to the following year of services.

In order to receive any credit of free service, Client will notify TalentQuest in writing no later than thirty (30) days after the end of the contract year in which the availability of the software fell below the warranted level of Client’s desire to receive the credited service.

System Performance

The performance of the TalentQuest System can be affected by many external factors that are out of the control of TalentQuest. For example, a poorly performing Client PC or a poor Client network can seriously affect the user experience. TalentQuest monitors the System using a real-time monitoring system. If the response time for the initial login screen exceeds 10 seconds, then TalentQuest support is notified by the monitoring system that System performance is unacceptably slow. The system architecture is configured to automatically scale the underlying resources based on the load on the system.

Response to Defects

TalentQuest is committed to providing an efficient resolution to reported defects on the timescale defined in the Response Times section of this document. It is essential that Client fulfills their obligations regarding providing adequate defect information for TalentQuest to be able to respond efficiently.

Client Satisfaction Surveys

In order to obtain feedback and improve our client support processes, we may ask that you participate in periodic satisfaction surveys. We may contact you via email to solicit your input regarding the level of service and value of our system capabilities. We ask that you be candid in your responses to ensure that we address any issues perceived by our clients.

Exclusions

The following services are not included as part of the Client Support Policy defined herein.

Training

Client support does not provide in-depth or extended training. If product instruction is required, Client will be referred for training services. These training services will be billed at the rates provided in Appendix A: Client Support Fee Schedule.

System Customization Consulting

TalentQuest’s client support program does not include assistance in developing your specific customization requirements. Depending upon the nature and complexity of the consulting request, Client will be referred to our software development team.

Third Party Technology Support

  • Assistance in the identification of defects in other third-party technologies. If the TalentQuest support team identifies that the problems Client is encountering are due to a defect in an enabling technology not provided by TalentQuest, they will notify Client and will inform Client that TalentQuest can continue by providing billable assistance with the problem resolution. These consulting services will be billed at the rates provided in Appendix A: Client Support Fee Schedule. If it is determined that the defect is within the TalentQuest product then this work will not be billed.
  • Assistance with the installation, configuration, and support of hardware. Such hardware may include, but is not limited to, computers, hard disks, networks, and printers.
  • Assistance with technical issues related to the installation, administration, and use of enabling technologies not provided by TalentQuest. Such technologies may include databases, computer networks, and communications. These consulting services can be provided but will be billed at the rates provided in Appendix A: Client Support Fee Schedule.

Appendix A: Client Support Fee Schedule

  • After Hours Support
    Support for coverage outside normal hours of operation is billed at $150 per hour with a one-hour minimum per incident.
  • Onsite Support
    Onsite support fees are quoted at the time of request based upon the nature of the request and time requirement. Actual hours incurred will be billed at a rate of $300 per hour.
  • Online Training Fees
    Online training fees are quoted at the time of request based upon the nature of the request and time requirement.

Last updated on 24 September 2021

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