Recommendations

As an independent consultant, I want to assist you, my clients and other Time Matters and Billing Matters customers, as you make important decisions. You face choices about the software you depend on to run your office. My intention is to give you advice and information to help you make the choices that are best for you.

In general, I advise that you:

Keep an Annual Maintenance Plan (AMP) in force for Time Matters or Time Matters/Billing Matters.

LexisNexis Policy

New software versions, updates and technical support are all covered by the Annual Maintenance Plan (AMP). This policy conforms to those of competing products. If you do not have an AMP in force and need to update Time Matters, you must pay for an AMP plus a Reinstatement Fee. The same is true if you need Technical Support, for example, if you have a Time Matters proble and cannot get into your database.

My analysis:

If you rely on Time Matters, you need to maintain a subscription to an Annual Maintenance Plan (AMP).
You will pay a predictable annual fee for the AMP that covers everything: new versions, updates, Technical Support, and basic online training.
If you upgraded to each new version in the past (TM 7, 8, 9), you will pay less now on average. If you upgraded every other year in the past, you will pay a little more now.
If you don't keep an AMP in force, you will pay a high price if you want to upgrade or need tech support.

Many customers appreciate having a predictable annual amount to budget for. The want the "insurance policy" of having access to live answer LexisNexis Technical Support if they have a serious problem with Time Matters that brings their office to a halt. They understand that it costs money to keep Time Matters working with new versions Microsoft Windows and over 20 third-party software programs.

Other customers don't like the policy change. They may have had bad experiences with some new versions or with LexisNexis Technical Support and prefer to skip some upgrades. They may resent having to pay for an annual subscription and question whether it is worth it.

After you have considered all the factors, I think most of you will see that the best decision is to maintain an AMP in force. The money you pay buys you the highest quality version of Time Matters and gives you, in effect, an "insurance policy" that protects you if you experience a serious problem that brings your office to a halt. It delivers updates, new versions and online training as well.

As I see it, LexisNexis has made a renewed commitment to product quality. I know the people in charge Quality Assurance, Technical Support, and Product Development. The company has made a big investment in its practice management software products. The policy change calls for customers to make a regular financial commitment. LexisNexis understands that they, in turn, must produce high quality releases and excellent customer support in order to earn the loyalty of their customers.

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