Minitab Technical Support Policy

I. Overview

Unless otherwise agreed upon in writing by the parties this Technical Support Policy (“Support Policy”) describes the policies and procedures under which Minitab provides Technical Support services (“Technical Support”) for its proprietary Software (“Software”) to its customers (each, a “Customer”). Technical Support provided under this Support Policy for the Software is subject to the License, Subscription and/or Master Agreement (“Agreement”) in place between the parties for the term specified in the Ordering Document. All undefined capitalized terms used herein shall have the same meaning as set forth in the applicable Agreement. Technical Support is provided through Minitab’s online web-based support channels, email and via phone (“Supported Channels”) as indicated in this Support Policy. 

II. Definitions

1. Business Day. “Business Day” shall mean the days from Monday to Friday excluding applicable regional public holidays that correspond with Minitab’s operating days.
2. Business Hour. “Business Hour” shall mean the specified by region on a Business Day of the main support hub based on:
   • EMEA – 8:00am to 5:30pm Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
   • APAC – 8:30am to 8pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST)
   • Americas – 7am to 8pm Eastern Time (ET)
   • Minitab Global Support operating hours may change from time to time.
3. Case. Each individual issue submitted by a Customer through a Supported Channel
4. Documentation. Our technical documentation and usage guides for the applicable Software, as updated from time to time and made available to You.
5. Error. “Error” is defined below and classified as either Level 1 (Critical), Level 2 (High), Level 3 (Medium), or Level 4 (Low).
6. Software. The Minitab software identified in the applicable agreement.
7. Professional Services. Services provided for a fee via an applicable Statement of Work.
8. Statement of Work. Statement of Work shall mean a legal contract for a specific scope of work agreed by both parties.
9. Minitab's Support Portal. “Minitab's Support Portal” shall mean Minitab’s web-based customer support system, designed with proactive services, information and workarounds. Minitab’s Support Portal can currently be accessed on “https://www.minitab.com/support/” (this URL may change from time to time).
10. Release. Minitab defines a “Release” as any one of the following or a combination of:
    1. One in which new features and functionality are made available;
    2. One in which enhancements to existing features and functionality are made available; or
    3. One in which security updates and/or bug fixes are made available.
11. Major Release: A “Release” that may require a full installation of the desktop Software and the primary version number is incremented.
12. Minor Release: A “Release” that does not require a full installation of the desktop Software. Secondary version numbers are incremented.

III. Scope of Technical Support

1. What Technical Support Includes: Technical Support is intended to provide assistance to Customers for issues and questions regarding the use or operation of the Software. If Customer is current on payment for (i) Support and Maintenance Services for perpetual Software licenses or, (ii) Customer’s Software subscription, Minitab shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide Customer with Technical Support services consisting of the following: (a) access to Supported Channels; (b) Updated Releases of the Software where an Agreement allows; and (c) troubleshooting related to the following Customer activities with respect to the Software:
   1. Installation and Downloads: Support for installation includes providing troubleshooting related to Customer’s downloading and installing of the Software.
   2. Software Licensing Assistance: Support for facilitating access to users via Minitab License Manager and Minitab License Portal.
   3. Basic Configuration Issues: Support for configuration includes troubleshooting Customer’s configuration settings for existing installations on Supported Platforms (as defined below) to ensure proper operation and connectivity.
   4. Usage: Response to Customer’s "how to" questions related to standard and intended Software and/or Service usage.
   5. Updated Version Issue: Support for issues regarding replacing a previous version with a new version of the Software.
   6. Efforts to Correct the Software: Minitab shall make commercially reasonable efforts to correct defects or other errors in the Software in accordance with the applicable warranty and as outlined in Section VI.
2. What Technical Support Excludes: Minitab has no Technical Support obligations with respect to the issues relating from: (a) Software that is used on or in conjunction with unsupported hardware or software as specified in the applicable Documentation; (b) use of the Software by Customer in violation of the Agreement; (c) alterations, add-ons, customizations, or modifications to the Software by any party other than Minitab; (d) defects or failures in the Software due to any factors beyond Minitab’s reasonable control; (e) any version of the Software for which Technical Support has been discontinued by Minitab; (f) Evaluation Versions of the Software or other software provided at no charge; (g) training, customization, integration, and any issues arising from unlicensed use of the Software; and (h) any on-site services or remote access services.
3. Minitab’s Efforts. While Minitab will make commercially reasonable efforts to correct defects or other errors in the Software according to the applicable warranty and respond to Cases as described in this Support Policy, Customer acknowledges that it may not be possible for Minitab to correct every or any defect, error, or problem reported by Customer or of which Minitab is otherwise made aware.
4. Software Versions Covered.
   1. Supported Versions: Minitab will provide Technical Support only for the Software specified in this Support Policy or as specified at the time of purchase. Minitab’s Technical Support obligations do not cover hardware, operating systems, networks, or third-party software. Customer understands that Minitab will require their reasonable assistance and may need additional information as to its use of the Software in order to provide Technical Support and to enhance the Software.
   2. End of Support: Minitab will provide Technical Support services for the current Release of the Software and for one year after they are no longer widely distributed. After such time, Minitab reserves the right to provide or decline limited licensing support or other support once the end of support date has passed. Minitab provides an up-to-date list of supported versions on Minitab’s Support Portal.
   3. Environments Supported: Minitab supports use of the Software only on the environments specified on Minitab’s Support Portal.
5. VAR Partner Support. Minitab’s Value-Added Reseller Partners (VAR Partner) provide first level support for Customers who purchase Minitab’s Software and/or Service directly through a VAR Partner. Customers who are in need of technical support should refer to https://www.minitab.com/company/partners/find-partners/ to locate the contact information of the Customer contact to receive support. VAR Partner Support is subject to the Agreement between the Customer and VAR Partner.

IV. Policy Details

Important details of this Support Policy are set forth below including the business hours in which Minitab provides Technical Support (”Business Hours”), Supported Channels, supported software and other details.

V. Case Management

1. Case Submission: Cases are to be submitted to Minitab through the Supported Channels as indicated in the Supported Channels section of this Support Policy. Cases should include the Software (including version if available) that the Case is referencing, a short description of the issue and details needed to support resolution of the case. 
2. Case Management Strategies: Minitab Global Support uses the following case management strategies to solve or find a workaround to the Customer’s issues:
   1. Fault diagnosis/analysis:
      1. Evaluation of customer data supplied (including diagnostic information)
      2. Classification of the reported situation as product issue, user issue or third-party issue
      3. Information in Minitab’s Support Knowledge Center
      4. An attempt to reproduce the error situation (if possible)
      5. Coordination with Minitab’s engineering teams.
3. Results and/or solutions or workarounds will be provided via a Support Channel as referenced in the Supported Channels section.
4. Customer Cooperation. Customer will provide information and access to Customer resources reasonably required for Minitab to provide Technical Support. Customer may be asked to provide written consent via email authorization to access and review data, upon which data will be immediately destroyed upon Case resolution unless agreed by Customer for purposes of resolving an issue with the Software. 
5. Remote Assistance. Some Cases require remote assistance while engaged via telephone with Minitab Support. Remote Assistance will only be granted upon acceptance of terms and conditions of our Remote Assistance policy and is only available when calling Minitab LLC, Minitab Ltd., Minitab SARL, Minitab GmbH, Minitab Pty, or Minitab KK.
6. Case Closure. Cases shall be closed in the following manner:
   1. For solvable issues: Depending on the nature of the issue, the resolution may take the form of an explanation, recommendation, usage instructions, workaround instructions, or advising Customer of an available software fix.
   2. For Bugs or Enhancements: In the event that the Case is related to a Bug or Enhancement, Minitab will log the correct classification into internal systems for review by the appropriate teams.
   3. For issues outside of scope of Technical Support services: Minitab may also close issues by identifying the case as outside the scope of Technical Support or arising from something which is excluded from this Support Policy.
   4. Dormant Cases: Minitab will consider an open case dormant (and may close the case) if the Customer contact has not responded to two (2) attempts or more made by Minitab to collect additional information required to solve the Case. Customer may re-open the Case.

VI. Case Response, Error Classification and Response Timeframe

1. Case Response: For each Case reported by Customer, Minitab shall:
   1. Confirm receipt of Case by providing a Case number for future reference which is logged and tracked in our CRM.
   2. Set a Severity Level in accordance with the terms below.
   3. Upon request of Customer, discuss Severity Level and ongoing communication time frame. Minitab may modify the Case settings.
   4. Use commercially reasonable efforts to respond to the Case within the terms below.
   5. Analyze the Case and, as applicable, verify the existence of the problem, which may include requesting that Customer provide additional information.
   6. Give Customer direction and assistance in resolving the Case.
   7. Update Case records in CRM of all ongoing communications with Customer.
2. Severity Classification and Response Timeframe: Minitab uses Severity Level classifications to ensure consistent treatment of issues handled by Minitab Global Support. The Severity Level Matrix is provided in Section C.
3. Software Severity and Response Timeframes: Minitab Global Support will determine the appropriate severity level according to the following table:
    
   

   Severity Level	Level 1 (Critical)	Level 2 (High)	Level 3 (Medium)	Level 4 (Low)
   Definition	Error that results in loss of all of the Software’s processing capability.	Error that disables major functions from being performed and therefore affects the normal operation of the Software.	Error that disables only certain non-essential functions, does not affect normal operation of the Software, and does not have an impact on Your business operations.	General questions on usage of the Software.
   Response Activities	We will immediately undertake a concerted support effort in accordance with industry standard best efforts to resolve the problem, if possible, until the Software is returned to operational functionality. Level 1 Errors will be escalated via Our escalation hierarchy.	After Our ability to duplicate the Error, We will undertake a concerted support effort to resolve the problem, if possible, in accordance with industry standard best efforts.	After Our ability to duplicate the Error, We will review and evaluate the Error for determination of appropriate resolution, if any, in accordance with industry standard best efforts.	Provide standard support activities related to the inquiry.
   Reporting Timeframe	We will provide You with regular ongoing status reports not less than every 4 hours until the Software returns to operation.	We will provide You with regular ongoing status reports not less than every 1 business day until a resolution has been met.	As agreed with Minitab Global Support on a case-by-case basis.	As agreed with Minitab Global Support on a case-by-case basis.

    

   For Cases a Customer believes to be higher than Level 3, we recommend contacting Minitab via telephone which will allow us to quickly triage and rank the issue.

VII. Data Privacy, Acceptable Use Policy and other Legal Terms and Conditions

Supplemental legal terms and conditions, if applicable, outside this Support Policy are available at https://www.minitab.com/legal/. The content and personal information you may provide to US are governed by our legal policies including the Privacy Notice and applicable DPA.  The support and information that we provide to YOU is to resolve YOUR customer covered support issue and no rights of ownership are implied or conferred.

VIII. SLAs

Unless otherwise specified, Service Level Agreements for Minitab Software and Services are on our Minitab Support Portal are available at the following link: https://www.minitab.com/support/policy/sla/

IX. Statistical Consulting versus Statistical Support

Assistance using a statistical tool or understanding the output generated by the Software is covered under this Support Policy. However, assistance in choosing an appropriate statistical tool, a project or interpreting the output relative to their process is available through our Professional Services statistical consulting at additional cost.  To help clarify the differences, Minitab has provided some examples below.

1. Support questions:
   1. How do I create a fractional factorial design in Minitab?
   2. What does the number of distinct categories mean in the Gage R&R output, and how is it calculated?
   3. When I analyze my data using regression, I get an error. What does the error mean?
2. Professional Services questions:
   1. Should I create a fractional factorial design for my project?
   2. I have four distinct categories, according to my Gage R&R output. Is this acceptable?
   3. Should I use regression to analyze my data?

Occasionally, our support staff may provide assistance with statistical concepts in the context of answering a question about Software or Service use. However, questions that are clearly about statistical concepts are referred to our Analytics Consultants, all of whom are seasoned statisticians.

X. Professional Services outside the scope of Minitab’s Product Support Policy

In addition to the scope of this Support Policy customers may request additional Professional Services. Based on availability, such Professional Services can be offered as part of a separate statement of work and payment of applicable fees.

The following are Professional Services examples and may be subject to change:

• Deployment and Technical Services
  • Deployment Services
  • Macro and Other Technical Services
  • Software Configuration
  • Integration Configuration
  • Technical Consulting
• Software and Statistical Consulting
  • Statistical Consulting
  • Operational Excellence
• Statistical and Software Training

Further information regarding the above Professional Services can be found on the Minitab website or by contacting Minitab using our Talk to Minitab Form.

Supported Channels