JAContact

Maintenance

Website Maintenance and Management Plans

Esolab Inc. provides maintenance that keeps your website running after launch, and ongoing management that covers updates and improvements. Whether you only want us to look after your server and domain, or you want us to handle news updates and analytics as well, we will recommend one of three plans based on how your site is built and what it needs. We also maintain websites built by other companies.

WHY

Why your website needs maintenance

A website is not finished when it goes live. Server and domain contracts, software updates and backups all need ongoing attention to keep it running. Because a site keeps displaying normally for a while without maintenance, problems often go unnoticed.

What tends to happen without maintenance

  • Attackers exploit an outdated plugin and inject unknown pages or ads (defacement or takeover)
  • A server or email setting changes and contact form submissions fail without anyone noticing
  • A domain or server renewal is missed and both the website and email suddenly stop working
  • An SSL certificate fails to renew and browsers display a security warning
  • After years without updates, there is so much to fix that rebuilding is faster

Sites built on a CMS such as WordPress almost always need maintenance

WordPress and its plugins receive security updates several times a year. PHP, which runs the site, also has support deadlines: security support for PHP 8.2 ends on December 31, 2026. Because updates can sometimes break the layout, we plan them carefully, taking backups and checking the display as we go.

On the other hand, a static site that rarely changes (such as a plain HTML site) can be covered by the Management Only plan or by ordering work only when needed.

PLAN

Maintenance and management plans

Prices are monthly starting rates (excluding tax). They vary with the type of CMS, the number of plugins and the amount of updating, so we quote after reviewing your current site. Server and domain costs (paid at cost) are separate.

  • Management Only

    From ¥5,000/month(excl. tax)

    The essentials for keeping your website and email running. Suited to static sites that are rarely updated.

    • Domain and server contract renewals
    • SSL (https) management
    • Notification and recovery when problems occur

  • Standard

    From ¥15,000/month(excl. tax)

    For sites built on a CMS such as WordPress. Adds updates and backups to Management Only.

    • Everything in Management Only
    • CMS, plugin and PHP updates
    • Backups
    • Uptime and display monitoring
    • Minor edits a few times a month

  • Full Management

    From ¥30,000/month(excl. tax)

    For sites you want to use to attract customers, or when no one in-house can update them. Adds content updates and improvements to Standard.

    • Everything in Standard
    • Posting news and blog updates for you
    • Analytics reports
    • Improvement proposals

TASKS

Tasks included and how often

Domain and server contract renewalsOnce a year / Management Only, Standard, Full Management A missed renewal stops both your website and email. We track renewal dates and renew before they expire.
Checking SSL certificate renewalsAt each renewal / Management Only, Standard, Full Management Most certificates renew automatically, but a failed renewal triggers a "Not secure" warning, so we confirm each renewal.
Notification and recovery when problems occurAs needed / Management Only, Standard, Full Management If your site goes down, we let you know what is happening and work to restore it.
Monitoring for downtime and defacementContinuous / Standard, Full Management We watch for the site becoming unreachable or unknown pages being added.
BackupsDaily to weekly / Standard, Full Management Pages, images and the database are stored somewhere other than the server, and we check that they can actually be restored.
CMS and plugin updatesMonthly or as needed / Standard, Full Management We apply WordPress and plugin updates while checking the display.
PHP and other server-side updatesAbout once a year / Standard, Full Management When your PHP version nears the end of support, we take a backup, switch to a newer version and check the display, forms and admin screens.
Contact form checksMonthly / Standard, Full Management Prevents the all-too-common "we haven't received an inquiry in months" problem.
Minor editsA few times a month / Standard, Full Management Replacing text or photos and similar small changes.
Posting news and blog updatesAs needed / Full Management We publish the text and photos you send us as news or blog posts.
Analytics reports and improvement proposalsFull Management We summarize your analytics and suggest improvements to your pages.

PRICE

Pricing

Work not included in a plan is quoted separately. Quotes are free.

Maintenance plans
Management Only (per month)From ¥5,000
Standard (per month)From ¥15,000
Full Management (per month)From ¥30,000
Additional pages
Per pageFrom ¥33,000
Additional menu
From ¥11,000
Additional content sections
From ¥33,000
Basic security check
¥100,000
Quotes
Free

All prices exclude tax. Server and domain costs (paid at cost) are separate. There is no travel charge within Osaka city (travel outside the city is charged at cost). See the Pricing page for all of our rates.

TAKEOVER

We also maintain sites built by other companies

Please get in touch even if you can no longer reach the company that built your site, your maintenance contract has lapsed, or no one in-house knows how the site works. We also accept requests for updates and maintenance only on WordPress sites.

  • If you have the admin and server login details, we can take over from there
  • If you don't have the login details, we can start by checking your domain and server contracts
  • Before taking over, we check the current state of the site, such as the CMS, plugin and PHP versions, and tell you what work is needed

Your domain and server should be in your name

As a rule, we ask clients to hold their domain and server contracts in their own name. When these are registered in the web company's name, transferring them when you cancel or switch providers takes time, and it can lead to problems such as a site being deleted after maintenance ends or a domain not being handed over. With the contracts in your name, you are free to move to another company in the future.

CHECK

What you can check before signing up

Maintenance services are hard to compare on price alone. Before signing up, you can check the following with us.

  1. Scope of work: how many edits per month are included, and the cost of anything beyond that
  2. Domain and server ownership: whether the contracts are in your name
  3. Cancellation terms: whether you receive your site data and login details if you cancel
  4. Backups: how often they are taken, where they are stored and whether restoring is included
  5. Incident response: how we contact you and how recovery is handled
  6. Update policy: when and how the CMS and plugins are updated, and what happens if the layout breaks
  7. Reporting: how the work carried out is reported to you

You can also check the current state of your site with our free Website Security Check, which only needs a URL. We are also happy to review whether the maintenance you are paying for now is reasonable.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Which plan should I choose?

For sites built on a CMS such as WordPress, we recommend Standard or above because the core and plugins need regular updates. Management Only is enough for static sites that rarely change. Full Management suits you if no one in-house can post news or make small edits, or if you want to improve the site based on analytics. We will make a recommendation after reviewing your current site.

Will my website disappear if I don't have a maintenance contract?

No, as long as your server and domain contracts continue. However, if the web company holds the server and domain contracts, they may stop when you cancel maintenance. Please check who the contract holder is.

Can I order maintenance only for a site built by another company?

Yes. If you have the admin and server login details, we can take over from there. If you don't, we can start by checking your domain and server contracts.

Are server and domain fees included in the maintenance fee?

No. Because we recommend that the server and domain are contracted in your name, you pay those costs directly to each service.

Can I order a PHP update only?

Yes. We check the PHP version and server status of your site, take a backup, switch to a newer version and confirm that the display, forms and admin screens work. If work is needed, we will send you a quote.

Can maintenance fees be treated as a business expense?

Monthly maintenance and server fees are generally treated as business expenses. As the treatment depends on your company's circumstances, please consult your tax accountant for details.

Do you work with clients outside Osaka city?

Yes. We work across the Kansai region and with clients throughout Japan through online meetings. Within Osaka city, we can visit at no travel charge and review your current site together with you.

COLUMN

Related articles (in Japanese)

CONTACT

Feel free to ask us about maintenance. Send us your current website URL and any concerns, and we will recommend the maintenance scope you need.

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