I think the best ones is when tickets are left open for weeks with little or no response. Every so often someone does some managerial/SLA-type poking around and I receive an update in every one of my open tickets with:
>This email is just to follow up on issue <issue#> (<description>) can I please request update on this issue? >May I close this issue? -tony -- Tony Worthington [EMAIL PROTECTED] 262-703-5911 Dwayne Martin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent by: "Action Request System discussion list(ARSList)" <[email protected]> 06/13/2007 06:37 AM Please respond to [email protected] To [email protected] cc Subject Re: BMC Rant Here's one I don't THINK anyone has mentioned: In a satisfaction survey, if you check that you want somebody to contact you, nobody does. Donald already mentioned that "knowledgebase [is] no longer usable". In the surveys they ask whether or not you tried to solve the problem on their website. I presume they are talking about the knowledge base. Yes, I try it, and occasionally find an answer, but usually I don't. I am not a "knowledge" expert, but it seems like if they want us to use their website to find answers a slightly more user-friendly interface would be helpful. I would like to suggest this to Support, and so in the part where they ask "Do you want somebody to contact you about this issue?" I always check "Yes." But so far nobody ever has. Dwayne Martin James Madison University ---- Original message ---- >Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:15:37 -0700 >From: "Savant, [EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Re: BMC Rant >To: [email protected] > >Unfortunately, I have nothing more to add but to join with the consensus >here. We're having similar support experiences: >- knowledgebase no longer usable >- communication barriers with overseas support >- initial ticket responses that do little more than satisfy the SLA >- requests for log files that are already included in the ticket >- directives to upgrade (as if that will solve all our problems!) >- lack of initial response for tickets (I submitted one Friday to which >I've received NO response and we waited 4 hours this morning for a >'server down' issue! The response was, "we were in a team meeting so we >couldn't look at the worklog") > >On occasion, the service is fast and spot on - probably holdovers from >the old Remedy regime. Never thought I'd be saying, 'those were the >good old days' in regards to technology... > >-----Original Message----- >From: Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Susan Palmer >Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2007 2:36 PM >To: [email protected] >Subject: Re: BMC Rant > >------=_Part_18267_15502493.1181684144702 >Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed >Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit >Content-Disposition: inline > >I have found when I put the logs on initially they barely look at them >if >the ticket goes overseas and often ask for the log that is already >there. I >try to be diligent and know the drills and include every log I can think >of >demonstrating the issue. Sometimes requiring several updates to the >tickets >since you are limited as to how many you can attach at one time. I am >always asked for additional things and when I ask why they need them >there's >no answer especially when I know the info doesn't matter. > >I guess one issue I have is that when I finally get the initial first >contact back to me, the following contacts take quite a while. It >appears >the first contact satisfies the SLA and then it doesn't seem to count >after >that. They tend to leave the status in Customer Response like they are >waiting for something from me. If the ticket ends up in India it seems >to >stay there. I understand the concept of follow the sun, but the tickets >don't. I guess it's too difficult to doc what they've done and let the >next >person take over. I've found part of it is timing ... knowing when to >submit that ticket. > >But it's nothing I can change nor seem to be able to influence. >Therefore >.... I have to let go. No more soap box for today ... maybe even for >this >week! > >Susan > > > >On 6/12/07, strauss <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >> ** You must not have ever worked with Microsoft premium or paid >> support; IMHO, for server products, they have no competition. In my >> personal experience, they will not let you hang up the phone until >they are >> satisfied that the problem has been solved (one call lasted from 1 AM >to 4 >> AM - they remained on the toll-free line during all of the re-starts >of DNS >> and AD), and then they follow up for several days afterwards to make >sure >> that you completed all necessary actions to prevent reoccurrence of >the >> problem, and they help you document the solution. I have only had to >use it >> twice, but it was exceptional. Not to be confused with "free" support >for >> consumer products, which NO ONE does well. >> >> I must miss out on a lot of the frustration others have experienced by >not >> having/paying for BMC phone support. When I submit a new issue on the >web >> it is usually accompanied by a long explanation of what I have seen >and >> tried, and loads of log files and other data. These tickets don't >spend >> much time with overseas frontline techs - they are quickly >> baffled/overwhelmed and escalate the ticket to someone who might know >> something. Once you reach the second level of BMC support, especially >with >> some of the more experienced people, response tends to be much better >and >> quite often they begin a steady interchange with the backline >engineers on >> your behalf. If the problem is serious, they start calling me (I >can't call >> them) and scheduling webexes with the engineers watching to see the >problem >> in action. On the other hand, on those occasions when I just casually >(or >> impatiently) toss a newly observed application error into the >submission >> form without logs or other detail, I know that I can expect to pay for >it >> later answering successive, inane questions from frontline techs who >are >> just following their troubleshooting scripts. The process takes >longer >> since I did not perform due diligence troubleshooting up front, and >report >> all of my results in the initial ticket submission. >> >> Christopher Strauss, Ph.D. >> Remedy Database Administrator >> University of North Texas Computing Center >> http://remedy.unt.edu/helpdesk/ >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> *From:* Action Request System discussion list(ARSList) [mailto: >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] *On Behalf Of *Pierson, Shawn >> *Sent:* Tuesday, June 12, 2007 3:21 PM >> *To:* [email protected] >> *Subject:* Re: BMC Rant >> >> >> ** I agree completely with what you've written, and I've had to deal >with >> pretty much everything you wrote here within the past few months. >I've got >> a high priority ticket open right now that I haven't heard from BMC >support >> in a few days now, despite updating the ticket asking for a call. >> >> On the other hand, other companies are much worse. Microsoft's >support is >> a joke, and Adobe is abysmal. I was working on an Adobe product that >was >> having issues and their average response time for a server down is >about a >> month, based on my experiences. They also randomly close out their >tickets >> and ask you to open a new one if you still have the problem. On my >recent >> server down with Adobe, I had to complain to my sales rep, who then >pawned >> it off on someone else, and eventually it was dropped again until I >told my >> sales rep that we were starting to evaluate what other software we >could use >> since support for their products were non-existent. That worked, my >issue >> got escalated up to the VP over Adobe's support staff. The issue was >> eventually resolved. >> >> So while I do feel that on average customer support is getting worse >and >> worse, I really wish that a company whose flagship product is used for >> helpdesks around the world wouldn't follow that trend. >> >> __20060125_______________________This posting was submitted with HTML >in >> it___ >> > >________________________________________________________________________ >_______ >UNSUBSCRIBE or access ARSlist Archives at www.arslist.org ARSlist:"Where >the Answers Are" > >------=_Part_18267_15502493.1181684144702 >Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 >Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable >Content-Disposition: inline > >** ><div>I have found when I put the logs on initially they barely look >at= > them if the ticket goes overseas and often ask for the log that is >already= > there. I try to be diligent and know the drills and include >eve= >ry log I can think of demonstrating the issue. Sometimes requiring >se= >veral updates to the tickets since you are limited as to how many you >can a= >ttach at one time. I am always asked for additional things and >when I= > ask why they need them there's no answer especially when I know the >in= >fo doesn't matter. =20 ></div> ><div> </div> ><div>I guess one issue I have is that when I finally get the initial >first = >contact back to me, the following contacts take quite a while. It >app= >ears the first contact satisfies the SLA and then it doesn't seem to >co= >unt after that. They tend to leave the status in Customer Response >li= >ke they are waiting for something from me. If the >ticket e= >nds up in India it seems to stay there. I understand the concept >of f= >ollow the sun, but the tickets don't. I guess it's too >diffic= >ult to doc what they've done and let the next person take >over. I= >'ve found part of it is timing ... knowing when to submit that >ticket.&= >nbsp;=20 ></div> ><div> </div> ><div>But it's nothing I can change nor seem to be able to >influence.&nb= >sp; Therefore .... I have to let go. No more soap box for today >... m= >aybe even for this week!</div> ><div> </div> ><div>Susan</div> ><div> </div> ><div><br> </div> ><div><span class=3D"gmail_quote">On 6/12/07, <b >class=3D"gmail_sendername">= >strauss</b> <<a >href=3D"mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]">[EMAIL PROTECTED] >y.acs.unt.edu</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">**=20 ><div> ><div dir=3D"ltr" align=3D"left"><span><font face=3D"Arial" >color=3D"#0000ff= >" size=3D"2">You must not have ever worked with Microsoft premium or >paid s= >upport; IMHO, for server products, they have no >competition. &nbs= >p;In my personal experience, they will not let you hang up the phone >until = >they are satisfied that the problem has been solved (one call lasted >from 1= > AM to 4 AM - they remained on the toll-free line during all of the >re= >-starts of DNS and AD), and then they follow up for several days >afterwards= > to make sure that you completed all necessary actions to prevent >reoc= >currence of the problem, and they help you document the solution. >I h= >ave only had to use it twice, but it was exceptional. Not to be >confu= >sed with "free" support for consumer products, which NO ONE >does = >well. ></font></span></div> ><div dir=3D"ltr" align=3D"left"><span><font face=3D"Arial" >color=3D"#0000ff= >" size=3D"2"></font></span> </div> ><div dir=3D"ltr" align=3D"left"><span><font face=3D"Arial" >color=3D"#0000ff= >" size=3D"2">I must miss out on a lot of the frustration others have >experi= >enced by not having/paying for BMC phone support. When I >submit = >a new issue on the web it is usually accompanied by a long explanation >of w= >hat I have seen and tried, and loads of log files and other data. >The= >se tickets don't spend much time with overseas frontline techs - >they a= >re quickly baffled/overwhelmed and escalate the ticket to someone who >might= > know something. Once you reach the second level of BMC support, >espe= >cially with some of the more experienced people, response tends to be >much = >better and quite often they begin a steady interchange with the backline >en= >gineers on your behalf. If the problem is serious, they start >calling= > me (I can't call them) and scheduling webexes with the engineers >watch= >ing to see the problem in action. On the other hand, on those >occasio= >ns when I just casually (or impatiently) toss a newly observed >application = >error into the submission form without logs or other detail, I know that >I = >can expect to pay for it later answering successive, inane questions >from f= >rontline techs who are just following their troubleshooting >scripts. = >The process takes longer since I did not perform due diligence >troubleshoot= >ing up front, and report all of my results in the initial ticket >submission= >. ></font></span></div> ><p><font size=3D"2">Christopher Strauss, Ph.D.<br>Remedy Database >Administr= >ator<br>University of North Texas Computing Center<br><a >onclick=3D"return = >top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" >href=3D"http://remedy.unt.edu/helpde= >sk/" target=3D"_blank"> >http://remedy.unt.edu/helpdesk/</a></font> </p> ><div> </div><br> ><blockquote style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: >#000= >0ff 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> ><div lang=3D"en-us" dir=3D"ltr" align=3D"left"> ><hr> ><font face=3D"Tahoma" size=3D"2"><b>From:</b> Action Request System >discuss= >ion list(ARSList) [mailto:<a onclick=3D"return >top.js.OpenExtLink(window,ev= >ent,this)" href=3D"mailto:[email protected]"; >target=3D"_blank">[EMAIL PROTECTED] >SLIST.ORG ></a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Pierson, Shawn<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, June >12, = >2007 3:21 PM<br><b>To:</b> <a onclick=3D"return >top.js.OpenExtLink(window,e= >vent,this)" href=3D"mailto:[email protected]"; >target=3D"_blank">[EMAIL PROTECTED] >RSLIST.ORG ></a><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: BMC Rant<br></font><br> </div><span >class= >=3D"q"> ><div></div>**=20 ><div><span><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#0000ff" size=3D"2">I agree >comple= >tely with what you've written, and I've had to deal with pretty >muc= >h everything you wrote here within the past few months. I've >got = >a high priority ticket open right now that I haven't heard from >BM= >C support in a few days now, despite updating the ticket asking for a >call. ></font></span></div> ><div><span><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#0000ff" >size=3D"2"></font></span>= > </div> ><div><span><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#0000ff" size=3D"2">On the >other h= >and, other companies are much worse. Microsoft's support is a >jok= >e, and Adobe is abysmal. I was working on an Adobe product that >was h= >aving issues and their average response time for a server down is about >a m= >onth, based on my experiences. They also randomly close out their >tic= >kets and ask you to open a new one if you still have the problem. >On = >my recent server down with Adobe, I had to complain to my sales rep, who >th= >en pawned it off on someone else, and eventually it was dropped again >until= > I told my sales rep that we were starting to evaluate what other >software = >we could use since support for their products were non-existent. >That= > worked, my issue got escalated up to the VP over Adobe's support >staff= >. The issue was eventually resolved. ></font></span></div> ><div><span><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#0000ff" >size=3D"2"></font></span>= > </div> ><div><span><font face=3D"Arial" color=3D"#0000ff" size=3D"2">So while I >do = >feel that on average customer support is getting worse and worse, I >really = >wish that a company whose flagship product is used for helpdesks around >the= > world wouldn't follow that trend. ></font></span></div></span></blockquote></div> ><div><span class=3D"e" >id=3D"q_11321bcba92a2a0d_3">__20060125______________= >_________This posting was submitted with HTML in it___ ></span></div></block= >quote></div><br> >__20060125_______________________This posting was submitted with HTML in >it___ > >------=_Part_18267_15502493.1181684144702-- > >_______________________________________________________________________________ >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" CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This is a transmission from Kohl's Department Stores, Inc. and may contain information which is confidential and proprietary. 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