RE: Reduction in the Quality of Informix Support
Malc P > > I was at the UK site in West London on Wednesday and had a tour of the > tech support area. There's lots of names still there I can remember > speaking to in 1995 and the level of morale and enthusiasm looks > pretty good to me. > There's too much FUD, if you ask me. It just takes one person to say > "I have heard from someone who was told by someone that...." and it > immediately becomes indistinguishable from fact. > My experience of tech support has been excellent lately. > We have recently migrated to 9.4 despite of IBM support. We have had half a dozen problems and I can only think of one that has been resolved. We have found we are put in a holding routine, ie send the af and log files, then they have got to sort out an environment, and 6 weeks later if we are lucky someone knowledgeable looks at the problem. Colin Bull c.bull@videonetworks.com sending to informix-list
"Colin Bull" <c.bull@videonetworks.com> wrote in message news:c3f2kd$7mv$1@terabinaries.xmission.com... > > Malc P > > > > I was at the UK site in West London on Wednesday and had a tour of the > > tech support area. There's lots of names still there I can remember > > speaking to in 1995 and the level of morale and enthusiasm looks > > pretty good to me. > > There's too much FUD, if you ask me. It just takes one person to say > > "I have heard from someone who was told by someone that...." and it > > immediately becomes indistinguishable from fact. > > My experience of tech support has been excellent lately. > > > > We have recently migrated to 9.4 despite of IBM support. We have had half a dozen problems and I can only think of one that has been > resolved. > > We have found we are put in a holding routine, ie > send the af and log files, then they have got to sort out an environment, > and 6 weeks later if we are lucky someone knowledgeable looks at the problem. That doesn't mirror my experience. The IBM Informix Tech Support people in the UK, when you speak to them, are in my experience pretty switched on. It is true that there are usually hoops to jump through at the start of the problem: send the $ONCONFIG, af. files etc etc. But wouldn't you do that if you were them too? I'm sure it saves a lot of time in many cases, but I accept it can be irritating to start off with if you're someone who knows your stuff. With regard to calls running on for weeks: the call priority is defined by the customer. So if you're not getting the response you need, ask to have the priority raised. I've never had any problems with escalating: obviously it's best to pick and choose the calls that are seriously lagging and not "cry wolf" too often. Finally, why not buy your support through a IBM Business Partner with a full lab and all product versions available who can help you out as well?!
Neil Truby wrote: > Finally, why not buy your support through a IBM Business Partner with a > full lab and all product versions available who can help you out as well?! Would this be OpenPSL? -- Enor
Colin Bull wrote: > Malc P > >>I was at the UK site in West London on Wednesday and had a tour of the >>tech support area. There's lots of names still there I can remember >>speaking to in 1995 and the level of morale and enthusiasm looks >>pretty good to me. >>There's too much FUD, if you ask me. It just takes one person to say >>"I have heard from someone who was told by someone that...." and it >>immediately becomes indistinguishable from fact. >>My experience of tech support has been excellent lately. >> > > > We have recently migrated to 9.4 despite of IBM support. We have had half a dozen problems and I can only think of one that has been > resolved. > > We have found we are put in a holding routine, ie > send the af and log files, then they have got to sort out an environment, > and 6 weeks later if we are lucky someone knowledgeable looks at the problem. Moan at them. You're in control of your case's priority. -- Ciao, Obnoxio Tip of the day: don't think that an in-place Linux upgrade is a likely to be painless like an Informix in-place upgrade. :o(
"Colin Bull" <c.bull@videonetworks.com> wrote in message news:<c3f2kd$7mv$1@terabinaries.xmission.com>... > We have recently migrated to 9.4 despite of IBM support. We have had half a dozen problems and I can only think of one that has been > resolved. > > We have found we are put in a holding routine, ie > send the af and log files, then they have got to sort out an environment, > and 6 weeks later if we are lucky someone knowledgeable looks at the problem. case numbers? M.P. > > Colin Bull > c.bull@videonetworks.com > > sending to informix-list