As we say to all of our potential clients, "Our references are our greatest strength." AST receives such positive feedback from our clients because we recognize that a crucial part of any project is assisting users in learning how to use the improved or new features and functionality of a system to optimize their performance, and that of their organization. From the commencement of a project to well after its completion, AST offers support services for all of our project services and products rendered.

Our support services are an integral part of the end-to-end services we provide for our clients. It is one of our common practices to provide on-site, post-production support for a specified period after a project's "go live" to assist a client with a smooth transition to a new system. This support service is defined during pre-production meetings and incorporated into a project plan, so that the manner in which post-production support is delivered allows no disruption to a client's staff and business processes. This support provides a "safety net" by keeping key AST consultants on site and available at a time when they are needed most.

In addition to our project-specific support services, AST provides a Customer Support System (CSS), an interactive web-based system used to track and manage issues on-line. The CSS has been developed and is managed by AST, and can be utilized at the discretion of a client.

The CSS is a state-of-the-art, web-based tool run in an Application Service Provider (ASP) model. With the CSS, any client project team member or AST consultant working on a client's project can register and track issues using a standard web browser, with the CSS providing a written record of any contact, and a log of all issues and resolutions. Issues are assigned a priority (severity status) based on the criticality, then assigned to the appropriate analyst associated with the project.

An analyst can send emails to the original requester for additional information, with all correspondence archived for search and viewing. Issues can be escalated using the online escalation mechanism. Project Managers can search the issues database using the Search Customer Service Request based on various search criteria.

When you know that you are supported after a complex project is completed, it is simply a great feeling. All concerned parties involved in the project have more peace of mind that the new system will function as promised, and will provide the needed benefits. AST helps our clients fully benefit from the services and products we provide, and our support services will help you get the most out of your business-critical projects.