Website Maintenance and AMC Checklist for Business Owners

What should a website AMC cover?

A website annual maintenance contract should describe the work, its frequency, and the responsibilities of both teams. The phrase “complete maintenance” is not enough to compare proposals. Start with your platform, known issues, and the changes you expect each month.

Document the website before support begins

List the hosting provider, domain owner, CMS, themes, plugins, connected services, and existing access arrangements. Identify licences that need renewal and any unsupported components. Existing faults may need a separately scoped repair before routine maintenance can begin.

Agree updates and testing

For WordPress maintenance and support, specify whether coverage includes core, theme, and plugin updates. Agree when updates are reviewed, whether a staging environment is available, which important journeys are checked, and how a failed update is rolled back. A custom website needs a similarly explicit approach to its dependencies and deployment process.

Define backup and restoration responsibilities

• Who creates and monitors backups?
• Where are copies stored, and who can access them?
• How frequently are copies made, and how long are they retained?
• How is restoration tested?
• What recovery targets are agreed, and what happens if a provider is unavailable?

A backup schedule is not the same as a proven recovery process. Ask how the team checks that a usable copy can actually be restored.

Separate routine changes from development

Define the allowance for text, images, products, and page updates. Agree how requests are submitted and approved. New features, redesigns, data imports, and third-party integrations should have a clear estimation process rather than an assumption that every request is covered.

Clarify response times and reporting

A response time describes when a request is acknowledged; it is not necessarily a resolution deadline. Confirm working hours, priority levels, escalation contacts, and emergency arrangements. Do not assume 24/7 coverage unless it is explicitly agreed. Request a record of completed work, outstanding issues, and recommended next actions.

Compare proposals using the same checklist

Check exclusions, cancellation and handover terms, account ownership, third-party charges, and how larger repairs are quoted. The right arrangement depends on the site's condition and the support it needs, rather than a universal monthly package.

Explore SaptOne's website maintenance and AMC services in Gurgaon. Send your website URL and typical support requests so we can discuss suitable coverage.