Hypercare
Hypercare is the phase of intensive support right after a new system goes live. The project team and support fix errors immediately until the system runs reliably day to day.
Explained simply
Go-live means a new system goes into operation. Even after good tests, new errors appear then. Real customers do things no test anticipated.
During hypercare, the project team therefore stays on board. Reports from stores or departments come in through one fixed channel. Every day, the team decides which errors to fix first.
An example: after switching to new tills, a store in Wels reports problems with vouchers. The hypercare team quickly fixes the cause. The next wave of stores benefits from it.
The hypercare team usually includes members of the project team, the future support staff and contacts at the software vendor. In retail, contacts from the stores join them. It is important that this team may decide quickly.
What does this mean for your business?
Plan hypercare from the start, including in the budget. Decide in advance when it ends. One possible criterion: there are no open critical errors left. Only then does regular support take over. At handover, record which errors are known and how to work around them.
Hypercare is not a sign of a bad project. It is the planned transition from project to everyday operation. Without it, start-up problems land with regular support, which often does not yet know the new system well.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a hypercare phase last?
How JJW helps
IT projects in retailWhere needed, our project managers support your project until it has stabilised after go-live.
See Retail IT services →