I've been following this topic for some time now, as we are looking on switching our support from BMC. We have been using BMC as our main support for just under a year now.
We are getting tired of not having a 24/7 support line and when calling in, getting a person we have a hard time trying to understand. We also have to schedule our own maintenance around BMC's support hours when we apply patches to Remedy for the "just incase" scenario. In BMC's defense, the "only" time we really had excellent support was when we had a server down. We talked with a team lead personnel, who was from America, and seemed to be one of the engineers. She loaded up a webex session with us and walked us through the whole situation we were having. She walked us through on what we needed to show her, as I was the one she was talking with, I didn't know very much about the in's and out's of Remedy at the time. She had us on speaker-phone with her team, and I must say, it was like having her here at our facility right next to me helping us solve the problem. I was very impressed. In fact, I wish I got her for all of our problems. We are considering on switching to Column Technologies for our support. We're looking at getting a 24/7 support solution as most things don't happen during the day. I've took my Remedy training through Column Technologies with Dan Garrish and I've also visited their NOC headquarters in Downer's Grove, IL and their corporate office in New York City. Overall, I was impressed with what I saw. Bob Halstead Bresnan Communications -----Original Message----- From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Dan Caissie Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 2:04 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: New Support Policy? I would have to second this endorsement! We have used ColumnIT for support for just under 3 years now. I even was at there support center in a training class when we had a bit problem and they worked on it for most of the day with my backup until we got the problem solved. Dan Caissie United Natural Foods, Inc -----Original Message----- From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Joseph Kasell Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2007 3:45 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: New Support Policy? Here's another endorsement...but for ColumnIT. We switched to them late last year and I have to say that the change has been noticeable from our end. In the last year we had support from BMC, the quality of assistance had been uneven at best: sometimes getting support staff who was pretty knowledgeable, and other times getting support staff who seemed to have been a recent "grad" of the Admin class that would provide what appeared to be canned responses to questions (in one case the response did not directly answer the question posed...after repeated attempts for a response on point I had to go to management to get the information I was seeking). Naturally, I had no idea what we were getting into by engaging Column. I have to say I've been pretty pleased. They have been responsive; they don't rely on the crutch of "send us your log files"; they call back; if need be they will set up a WebEx session and walk through various steps to troubleshoot a problem (I had them on for an hour and a half in one instance...they were very patient in their approach). Overall, we've been happy. Joseph Kasell Network Management Integrator Telecommunications Division Navy Federal Credit Union Vienna, Virginia Susan Palmer <[EMAIL PROTECTED] L.COM> To Sent by: "Action [email protected] Request System cc discussion list(ARSList)" Subject <[EMAIL PROTECTED] Re: New Support Policy? ORG> 04/19/2007 02:57 PM Please respond to [EMAIL PROTECTED] RG ------=_Part_58343_509886.1177009053768 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=WINDOWS-1252; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: inline Now that is a 'customer' endorsement. The kind that counts. Not only are they paying, but they are using! Don't get caught up in the partner sell jobs. This is the type of information you need to base your choices on. Susan On 4/19/07, Ben Cantatore <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > ** > I would recommend TuringSMI support at this point and time. I've been > working with them since October 2006. My first opinion of them was what = the > hell did my boss get us into. I was used to the excellent support I used= to > get from BMC, coupled with the fact that ITSM was (and still is) buggy an= d > relatively few people were familiar, much less expert in it. Since those > early days, Turing has hired some quality individuals (many familiar name= s > from ARSlist) and I believe worked on their internal communications. I > still think they have a bit more growing pains to work out but they've do= ne > an execellent job of turning around their support. > > > > > > > *"Wilson, Bruce B" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>* Sent by: "Action > Request System discussion list(ARSList)" < [email protected]> > > 04/18/2007 02:10 PM Please respond to > [email protected] > > To > [email protected] cc > Subject > New Support Policy? > > > > > ** > The trail is becoming more twisted=85 > > Apparently, when you now call the BMC support center with a new issue, yo= u > no longer speak to a support technician. > Instead, you speak to someone who takes some cursory notes and creates a > ticket for you. > Basically, it is the same thing as if you were to go online via Remedy > support and create your own ticket. > > I remember previous to this, you got someone who could not speak very goo= d > English and would attempt to solve your problem with the limited knowledg= e > they had and would then TEXT MESSAGE the BMC support engineer you previou= sly > were able to speak directly to. > > Add the fact that the on-line Remedy knowledge base is incredibly slow to > search and retrieve and you basically complete the poor support. > > We are paying thousands and thousands of dollars for incredibly poor > support that seems to continuously get worse. > What is next? > > > I am seriously considering utilizing a non-BMC service center for support= . > I am told at one vendor, the technicians go through a certification > program. > You get the same person each time you call so they get to become familiar > with you. > Does anyone have any good (or bad) experiences with non-BMC service cente= r > vendors? > > Sorry for venting, but enough is enough! > > > Bruce Wilson > C&S Remedy Administrator > Norfolk Southern Corporation > Atlanta, GA > > __20060125_______________________This posting was submitted with HTML in > it___ > > __20060125_______________________This posting was submitted with HTML in > it___ > > ________________________________________________________________________ _______ UNSUBSCRIBE or access ARSlist Archives at www.arslist.org ARSlist:"Where the Answers Are" ------=_Part_58343_509886.1177009053768 Content-Type: text/html; charset=WINDOWS-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: inline ** <div>Now that is a 'customer' endorsement. The kind that coun= ts. Not only are they paying, but they are using! Don't get= caught up in the partner sell jobs. This is the type of information = you need to base your choices on. =20 </div> <div> </div> <div>Susan<br><br> </div> <div><span class=3D"gmail_quote">On 4/19/07, <b class=3D"gmail_sendername">= Ben Cantatore</b> <<a href=3D"mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ">Ben.Cantato= [EMAIL PROTECTED]</a>> wrote:</span> <blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0= px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">** <br><font face=3D"sans-serif"= size=3D"2">I would recommend TuringSMI support at this point and time. &nb= sp;I've been working with them since October 2006. My first opini= on of them was what the hell did my boss get us into. I was used to t= he excellent support I used to get from BMC, coupled with the fact that ITS= M was (and still is) buggy and relatively few people were familiar, much le= ss expert in it. Since those early days, Turing has hired some qualit= y individuals (many familiar names from ARSlist) and I believe worked on th= eir internal communications. I still think they have a bit more growi= ng pains to work out but they've done an execellent job of turning arou= nd their support. </font> <br><br><br><br><br><br><br> <table width=3D"100%"> <tbody> <tr valign=3D"top"> <td width=3D"40%"><font face=3D"sans-serif" size=3D"1"><b>"Wilson, Bru= ce B" <<a onclick=3D"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" = href=3D"mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]" target=3D"_blank">[EMAIL PROTECTED] RP.COM</a> ></b> </font><br><font face=3D"sans-serif" size=3D"1">Sent by: "Act= ion Request System discussion list(ARSList)" <<a onclick=3D"return = top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href=3D"mailto:[email protected]"; = target=3D"_blank"> [email protected]</a>></font>=20 <p><font face=3D"sans-serif" size=3D"1">04/18/2007 02:10 PM</font>=20 <table border=3D"1"> <tbody> <tr valign=3D"top"> <td bgcolor=3D"white"> <div align=3D"center"><font face=3D"sans-serif" size=3D"1">Please respond t= o<br><a onclick=3D"return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href=3D"ma= ilto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a></font><= /div></td> </tr></tbody></table><br></p> <td width=3D"59%"> <table width=3D"100%"> <tbody> <tr valign=3D"top"> <td> <div align=3D"right"><font face=3D"sans-serif" size=3D"1">To</font></div> <td><font face=3D"sans-serif" size=3D"1"><a onclick=3D"return top.js.OpenEx= tLink(window,event,this)" href=3D"mailto:[email protected]"; target=3D"_bl= ank">[email protected]</a></font>=20 <tr valign=3D"top"> <td> <div align=3D"right"><font face=3D"sans-serif" size=3D"1">cc</font></div> <td> <tr valign=3D"top"> <td> <div align=3D"right"><font face=3D"sans-serif" size=3D"1">Subject</font></d= iv> <td><font face=3D"sans-serif" size=3D"1">New Support Policy?</font></td></t= d></tr></td></td></tr></td></td></tr></tbody></table><br> <table> <tbody> <tr valign=3D"top"> <td> <td></td></td></tr></tbody></table><br></td> <td><p></p></td></td></tr></tbody></table> <div><span class=3D"e" id=3D"q_1120b28bf403bf12_1"><br><br><br><font size= =3D"3">** </font><br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2">The = trail is becoming more twisted=85</font> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"= #000080" size=3D"2"> </font> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2">Apparen= tly, when you now call the BMC support center with a new issue, you no long= er speak to a support technician.</font> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"= #000080" size=3D"2"> Instead, you speak to someone who takes some cursory notes and creates a ti= cket for you.</font> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2">= Basically, it is the same thing as if you were to go online via Remedy supp= ort and create your own ticket. </font> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2"> </font>= <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2">I remember previous = to this, you got someone who could not speak very good English and would at= tempt to solve your problem with the limited knowledge they had and would t= hen TEXT MESSAGE the BMC support engineer you previously were able to speak= directly to. </font> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2"> </font>= <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2">Add the fact that th= e on-line Remedy knowledge base is incredibly slow to search and retrieve a= nd you basically complete the poor support. </font> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2"> </font>= <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2">We are paying thousa= nds and thousands of dollars for incredibly poor support that seems to cont= inuously get worse. </font> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2">What is next?= </font> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2"> </font>= <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2"> </font> <br><f= ont face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2"> I am seriously considering utilizing a non-BMC service center for support.<= /font> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2">I am told at o= ne vendor, the technicians go through a certification program.</font> <br><= font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2"> You get the same person each time you call so they get to become familiar w= ith you.</font> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2">Does = anyone have any good (or bad) experiences with non-BMC service center vendo= rs? </font> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2"> </font>= <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2">Sorry for venting, b= ut enough is enough!</font> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size= =3D"2"> </font> <br> <font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2"> </font> <br><font f= ace=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2">Bruce Wilson</font> <br><font fa= ce=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2">C&S Remedy Administrator</fon= t> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#000080" size=3D"2"> Norfolk Southern Corporation</font> <br><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#0000= 80" size=3D"2">Atlanta, GA</font>=20 <p><font size=3D"3">__20060125_______________________This posting was submi= tted with HTML in it___ </font> <p>__20060125_______________________This posting was submitted with HTML in= it___</p> <p></p></p></span></div></blockquote></div><br> __20060125_______________________This posting was submitted with HTML in it___ ------=_Part_58343_509886.1177009053768-- ________________________________________________________________________ _______ UNSUBSCRIBE or access ARSlist Archives at www.arslist.org ARSlist:"Where the Answers Are" ________________________________________________________________________ _______ UNSUBSCRIBE or access ARSlist Archives at www.arslist.org ARSlist:"Where the Answers Are" _______________________________________________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE or access ARSlist Archives at www.arslist.org ARSlist:"Where the Answers Are"
