Software Maintenance and Support (AMS) Outsourcing

Last updated: November 11, 2026

Most business software spends far more of its life in operation than in development. Once a system goes live, someone has to answer user questions, fix defects, keep integrations running, apply security patches and adapt the application to changing business rules. Application Management Services (AMS) is the discipline that does this in a structured way. 360 Soft provides software maintenance and support outsourcing (AMS) from Istanbul for custom applications, web platforms, portals and integration layers, with ITIL-based processes and agreed service levels.

Software Maintenance and Support (AMS) Outsourcing

What AMS is and who needs it

AMS outsourcing means that an external team takes over the support and maintenance of one or more applications under a contract defining scope, priorities, response and resolution times, and reporting. It suits companies whose original development vendor has left or become too expensive, IT departments that want to free internal developers for new projects, and organisations with a growing portfolio of applications that lack consistent support. We support applications built with.NET, Java, PHP, Python and JavaScript frameworks, their databases and their integrations. Teams range from one engineer to 200+ people, working remotely, on-site or hybrid, with 7/24 shifts possible.

Scope: ITIL-based AMS service components

Service component	Typical activities
Service desk (L1)	Request intake, categorisation, user guidance, known-error handling
Application support (L2)	Analysis of incidents, data corrections, configuration changes, workarounds
Development support (L3)	Bug fixing in code, root-cause analysis, performance tuning
Corrective maintenance	Defect fixes with regression testing
Adaptive maintenance	Changes for new regulations, OS, browser, database or framework versions
Perfective maintenance	Small enhancements and usability improvements from a backlog
Preventive maintenance	Dependency updates, security patches, technical debt reduction, monitoring
Problem and change management	Recurring incident analysis, change approval, release planning
Integration support	APIs, file transfers, message queues and third-party connections

Standards and regulatory framework

Our processes follow ITIL practices for incident, problem, change and service level management, and align with ISO/IEC 20000 and ISO/IEC 27001 principles for service and information security management (we state alignment, not certification). Applications processing personal data fall under KVKK in Türkiye and the GDPR or UK GDPR for European users; sector systems may also be subject to banking, payment (PCI DSS) or health data rules. Turkish regulation applies where the team operates, and local rules in your country apply to your contract and data.

Delivery models

Managed AMS: 360 Soft owns support outcomes under SLAs, with a service manager and monthly service reviews.
Dedicated support team: engineers working only on your applications under your priorities.
Hours bucket: a monthly pool of hours for maintenance and small enhancements.
Hybrid with your team: we cover L1/L2 and out-of-hours support, your developers focus on roadmap work.

Transition: from takeover to stable operation

Due diligence: application inventory, architecture, code and documentation review, ticket history, open risks.
Transition plan: knowledge transfer sessions, shadowing the current team, access and tooling set-up.
Reverse shadowing: our team handles tickets while the outgoing team supervises.
Handover: formal acceptance, start of SLA measurement.
Stabilisation: clearing the backlog, fixing recurring incidents, improving monitoring and documentation.
Continuous improvement: monthly service reviews, problem management and technical debt reduction.

SLA and KPI tables

Priorities and targets are agreed per application. The tables show a typical structure, not promised results.

Priority	Definition	Typical target structure
P1 Critical	System down or core business process stopped	Fastest response, continuous work until a workaround
P2 High	Major function impaired, no reasonable workaround	Response within hours, resolution within agreed business hours
P3 Medium	Function impaired, workaround available	Response within a business day
P4 Low	Question, cosmetic issue, minor request	Planned into regular releases

KPI	Description
Response time compliance	Share of tickets answered within the priority target
Resolution time compliance	Share of tickets resolved within the priority target
Backlog trend	Open tickets and ageing over time
Recurring incidents	Incidents solved permanently through problem management
Change success rate	Releases deployed without rollback or incident
User satisfaction	Ticket survey results

Pricing factors

We do not publish prices; we quote after due diligence. Main cost drivers:

Factor	Effect
Number and complexity of applications	More applications and technologies require broader skills
Ticket volume	Higher volumes need more L1/L2 capacity
Support hours	Business hours, extended hours or 7/24
SLA targets	Stricter targets require on-call and redundancy
Code and documentation quality	Legacy systems need more stabilisation
Enhancement share	Hours reserved for improvements on top of support

In-house, freelancer or AMS outsourcing

Criterion	In-house	Freelancer	AMS outsourcing (360 Soft)
Process maturity	Varies	Usually informal	ITIL-based, measured
Coverage	Business hours	Limited	Up to 7/24
Continuity	Key-person risk	High risk	Replacement process and documentation
Scalability	Slow	Limited	From 1 to 200+ people

Software Maintenance and Support (AMS) Outsourcing — overview

Risks and mitigations

Knowledge gaps at takeover: structured transition with shadowing and reverse shadowing.
Undocumented systems: documentation built during stabilisation and kept current.
SLA disputes: clear priority definitions and transparent ticket reporting.
Security exposure: least-privilege access, MFA, logging and patch management.
Lock-in: code in your repositories, standard tooling and a documented exit plan.

Security, data protection, NDA and IP

Staff sign NDAs; access runs through your systems or secured environments with MFA, VPN/VDI and audit logs. The contract is a B2B service agreement with IP assignment, so all code changes and documentation belong to you. For EU, UK and international clients we sign a GDPR data processing agreement with Standard Contractual Clauses (UK IDTA where relevant); for Turkish data a KVKK-compliant agreement.

Illustrative scenario: a dealer portal changing its vendor

Illustrative scenario: a distributor runs a dealer portal for orders and stock queries. The original vendor ends its support contract with short notice. Our team runs due diligence, takes part in knowledge transfer sessions, documents the integrations with ERP and payment systems, then takes over L1 to L3 support with a priority matrix. Recurring order synchronisation errors are analysed through problem management and fixed at the root. This example illustrates the approach and does not describe a specific client.

Provider selection checklist

ITIL-based incident, problem and change processes
Clear priority matrix and SLA reporting
Structured transition plan with shadowing
Skills across your technology stack and integrations
Coverage hours that match your business, up to 7/24
Security controls and patch management
IP assignment, NDA and GDPR/KVKK data processing terms
Replacement process and living documentation
Monthly service reviews and continuous improvement

Frequently asked questions

What does AMS cover?

Service desk, application support, bug fixing, adaptive and preventive maintenance, small enhancements, problem and change management, and integration support.

Can you support software another vendor built?

Yes. We start with due diligence and a structured transition, including knowledge transfer and shadowing.

Which technologies do you support?

Applications built with.NET, Java, PHP, Python and JavaScript frameworks, their databases and integrations.

How are priorities and SLAs defined?

With a priority matrix from P1 to P4 and response and resolution targets agreed per application.

Do you provide 24/7 support?

Yes. On-call or 7/24 shift coverage can be agreed for critical applications.

Is enhancement work included?

It can be. Many clients reserve part of the monthly hours for improvements from a backlog.

How long does a transition take?

It depends on the number and complexity of applications. A plan with milestones is agreed during due diligence.

Who owns the code?

You do. Code stays in your repositories and IP in all changes is assigned to you.

How do you protect our data?

Through NDAs, least-privilege access, MFA, logging and a GDPR or KVKK data processing agreement.

How fast can you start?

Typically within 1–2 weeks after approval and access set-up.

What is the smallest engagement?

A monthly hours bucket for one application. You can scale to a dedicated team later.

Contact

Tell us about your applications, technologies, ticket volumes and support hours, and we will propose a transition plan, team and SLA structure. Call or WhatsApp us on +90 850 335 10 87, write to info@360-soft.com, message us directly on WhatsApp, or use the form on our contact page. 360 Soft Marketing Yazılım ve Danışmanlık Ltd. Şti., Nidakule Ataşehir Batı, Barbaros Mah. Begonya Sk. No:1 D:2, 34746 Ataşehir/İstanbul.

Türkçe: Türkçe sürüm