Come at it from another angle.. I'm a newbie developer who can't be assed reading the manual on how to install. I find the Support number for macromedia, i call them and begin to probe them for everything from how to use the start bar to how to install SQL server.
You the hardcore dev guy needs help with an install one day, you ring and automatically placed in a que, you get more pissed off by the "we value your call and will be with you shortly" automated message. Why? All because some clown abused the system put in place for people like you? Solution? Ask for some bucks and seperate the monkeys from the developer? If MM put your solution play, people would not only abuse it but it would become a sure resource drain as you have to not only think domestic but globally, in that millions of people around the world may end up calling the support centers, thus resulting in MM having a few kids in a sweatshop in KL giving support, to someone like you or myself who despite the helpfulness can't frekin understand a word they are saying because english isn't their monther tongue and they use words like "hurroo sir, how rikey help j000". Despite it all, if your companies a big player as you say (sorry i haven't a clue as to how big or what your company does so i can't comment etc) then join the partner program of some kind? In the end you get your ass kissed and support. Scott "Michael Kear" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message news:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Well Scott, I'm all for separating out the tyre kickers, but lets look > at this in some more detail: > > (a) I'm a developer, hoster, recommender, influencer. I have clients > I'm advising whether or not to migrate to CFMX. I WAS about to move my > hosting business to CFMX, because I want to get into this Flash > Remoting. IF I can't get it to work on my own system, then first of all > I'm not going to move my hosting business to a server that doesn't match > mine, and second I'm not going to recommend to my clients that they move > and potentially face the same problems. > > (b) The point of evaluation, when a prospect has a severe intractable > problem with the softare is NOT the time to ask for money. At that > moment they're feeling pretty grumpy about the product. That's the time > to be showing them how good your backup and support is. Look at it > another way. US$500 is AUD$804 today. Firmware put the retail price > of CFMX Professional at $2497. Therefore this fee is about a third of > the price, and this is BEFORE the prospect has decided to buy. > > Computer store: > "Excuse me, I'm wanting to see if this $4500 laptop will do what I need > but when I turn it on, nothing happens." > "Pay me $1500 and I'll turn it on for you." > "Forget it, there's another store down the road. I'll go there." > > Car dealership: > "excuse me, I wanted to take this $45,000 car on a test drive, but when > I turn the key, it doesn't start. I don't know what's the matter with > it," > "Pay us $15,000 and we'll fix it so you can take it on a test drive." > "Forget it, there's another dealership almost next door. I'll get a car > there." > > Camera dealership: > "I'm looking at your $1200 Nikon XV400 to see if I should upgrade my > cameras for my photography business. But when I look through the > viewfinder, I cant see anything. I've taken the lens cap off, but there > must be something wrong." > "Pay us $400 and we'll fix it for you." > "Forget it, I can get a Canon instead just down the road." > > > DO you know anyone who would pay up under those circumstances? Would > you? > > Why would we ask our clients to pay? The only reason I'm trying to > talk to someone in support is because I have exhausted everything else I > can think of. I'm a reseller of Macromedia products. I sell and > recommend them. I guess I'm not allowed the backup of the official > Macromedia processes. Yes, I know if I asked Robin, I'd get help. He's > a helpful guy, but I wanted to see how the official process goes. > > > Cheers, > Michael Kear > Windsor, NSW, Australia > AFP Webworks. > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Scott > Barnes > Sent: Tuesday, 11 March 2003 3:46 PM > To: CFAussie Mailing List > Subject: [cfaussie] Re: Macromedia support for partners - is this really > the policy? > > Comes down to cashflow, if you have people out there wanting free > support > for a product they are thinking of buying, how do you justify a return > on > that product? > > $500 sets the tyre kickers from the buyers. > > Scott. > > "Michael Kear" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message > news:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > Just to elaborate a little . this is NOT intended to be slamming > > Macromedia, even though reading it back now it looks like it is. > That > > was NOT intended, and if anyone is offended by it I'm sorry. > > > > > > I am astonished that I am asked to pay US$500 to even talk to a > support > > person if I call the 1800 number in the white pages for Macromedia > > support. > > > > > > What is really the process that we should follow? Surely it can't be > > true that if someone is evaluating the product (and therefore by > > definition has NOT yet decided whether to buy ) they're going to be > > charged US$500 to help set it up so they can decide whether to buy or > > not. That would kill the sale for sure .. wouldn't it? Is this 1800 > > number the place where users who download the package from the MM site > > would be sent in all cases? > > > > > > Sorry if it seemed like I was lashing out. I guess my well-known > > diplomacy is somewhat strained these days since I've spent at least 30 > > hours now trying to install CFMX, and all I've got for my trouble is > no > > server at all, not even the CF5 I had previously. > > > > > > Cheers, > > Michael Kear > > Windsor, NSW, Australia > > AFP Webworks. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Michael > > Kear > > Sent: Tuesday, 11 March 2003 3:13 PM > > To: CFAussie Mailing List > > Subject: [cfaussie] Macromedia support for partners - is this really > the > > policy? > > > > AMAZING > > > > Regular readers to CF-Talk will be aware that I have been wrestling > with > > installing CFMX since last Friday to no avail. Despite everything > that > > has been suggested, it just wont set up jrun so it works. I can't > make > > CFMX work with IIs and it can't get the internal web server to set up > a > > virtual directory. I've installed, removed, reinstalled, removed > > again, eliminated every trace of ColdFusion, cleaned the registry, > > reinstalled a dozen times. I've had several people doing remote > > sessions on my desktop. People like Dave Watts can't find the > problem. > > > > > > So I decided to see if Macromedia would back me up as a reseller and > > developer, and I called their support line at 1800 001 014 > > > > I got connected to their Manilla office and Pauline's response was > that > > I couldn't even talk to a support person unless I paid US$500. > > > > In other words, I have downloaded the CFMX, it doesn't install > > correctly, for whatever reason, I can't make it work, no one else can > > either apparently, and Macromedia aren't going to try unless I cough > up > > nearly 2/3 of the cost of a server. That's to evalutate it!!! > Imagine > > if I was a potential customer. I have to persevere with this damn > thing > > because a substantial part of my business is based around COldFusion. > > But if I was a web site owned, I'd have dumped ColdFusion days ago. > And > > I certainly wouldn't continue after learning I had to pay all that to > > even get someone to hear what my problem was!! > > > > I guess I'm just not meant to be in the MX world. > > > > > > Cheers, > > Michael Kear > > Windsor, NSW, Australia > > AFP Webworks. > > > > > > > > > > > > --- > > You are currently subscribed to cfaussie as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > MX Downunder AsiaPac DevCon - http://mxdu.com/ > > > > > > > > > > --- > You are currently subscribed to cfaussie as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > MX Downunder AsiaPac DevCon - http://mxdu.com/ > > > --- You are currently subscribed to cfaussie as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] MX Downunder AsiaPac DevCon - http://mxdu.com/
