The quality of managed support depends heavily on the first few weeks. A well-prepared handover means the support team can respond quickly instead of spending time discovering how things work.
1. Collect access
Prepare a secure list of everything the support team will need:
- Source code repository
- Hosting or cloud console
- Servers, databases and admin panels
- Domain, DNS and SSL certificate providers
- Third-party services (payment, email, SMS, APIs)
Share credentials through a password manager, never over email or chat.
2. Document the architecture
Even a simple diagram helps: where the application runs, which services it talks to, and where data is stored. Note the technology stack and versions.
3. Describe environments and deployments
Explain how code moves from development to production. Is there a staging environment? Are deployments automated or manual? Who approves releases?
4. List known issues
Every application has quirks. A list of known bugs, fragile areas and recurring complaints saves hours of investigation.
5. Identify critical business flows
Which functions must never break? Login, checkout, invoicing, reporting? These become the priority for monitoring and testing.
6. Clarify backups and monitoring
Confirm what is currently backed up, how often, and whether restores have been tested. Note any existing monitoring or alerting.
7. Agree on priorities and contacts
Define priority levels, support hours and who on your side can approve changes.
After the handover
Expect a short stabilisation period where the support team reviews the codebase, fixes urgent issues and sets up monitoring. From there, support moves into a regular rhythm of maintenance, updates and improvements.
