Re: Support for End User Services

[Keith Stokes]

I’ve always used wording such as “I’m contacting you on behalf of so-and-so.” 
If they ask further I usually tell them I’m a consultant.



On Feb 20, 2021, at 11:29 AM, Mike Hammett 
mailto:na...@ics-il.net>> wrote:

Leave aside any conversation about whether the business has the ability (or 
approval) to pay for it or not.


Is it appropriate for organizations that provide services to end-users to 
require that you are a paying customer to contact their support?

Is it appropriate to pretend to be your complaining customer to get support on 
network-level issues (IP Geolocation, false VPN notices, buffering, despite a 
clean path to their CDN, etc.)?



-
Mike Hammett
Intelligent Computing Solutions
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Midwest Internet Exchange
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The Brothers WISP
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Re: Support for End User Services

[Mark Tinka]

On 2/20/21 19:18, Mike Hammett wrote:

Leave aside any conversation about whether the business has the 
ability (or approval) to pay for it or not.



Is it appropriate for organizations that provide services to end-users 
to require that you are a paying customer to contact their support?


Is it appropriate to pretend to be your complaining customer to get 
support on network-level issues (IP Geolocation, false VPN notices, 
buffering, despite a clean path to their CDN, etc.)?


I'd argue, no... but then, the company does expend resources to deal 
with support queries. It won't scale well to use those resources on 
queries that do not contribute to that cost.


That said, the major content providers have found a way to provide 
support without actually speaking to warm bodies. While it doesn't work 
so well, it is better than nothing for queries that do not directly 
contribute to that cost.


Am I convinced there should be better way? Sure!

Do I know what that is? Not right now!

Mark.

Support for End User Services

[Mike Hammett]

Leave aside any conversation about whether the business has the ability (or 
approval) to pay for it or not. 




Is it appropriate for organizations that provide services to end-users to 
require that you are a paying customer to contact their support? 


Is it appropriate to pretend to be your complaining customer to get support on 
network-level issues (IP Geolocation, false VPN notices, buffering, despite a 
clean path to their CDN, etc.)? 




- 
Mike Hammett 
Intelligent Computing Solutions 

Midwest Internet Exchange 

The Brothers WISP