RE: Reduction in the Quality of Informix Support
David Linthwaite wrote > In the UK it has recently transpired that IBM are refusing to provide > direct support to their UK business partners and customers, where that > support contract has been purchased through one particular, > IBM-appointed UK distributor. And the obvious question is, which particular distributor is this !! Colin Bull c.bull@videonetworks.com sending to informix-list
"Colin Bull" <c.bull@videonetworks.com> wrote in message news:<c3cfs2$t97$1@terabinaries.xmission.com>... > David Linthwaite wrote > > In the UK it has recently transpired that IBM are refusing to provide > > direct support to their UK business partners and customers, where that > > support contract has been purchased through one particular, > > IBM-appointed UK distributor. > > And the obvious question is, which particular distributor is this !! OpenPSL. I have heard that the reason is reduced headcount from IBM for Informix support. I do not know if this is so. Also, it is said that IBM have no record of which customers have been sold support by OpenPSL. Maybe they worry about this ...
de Stomerij wrote: > "Colin Bull" <c.bull@videonetworks.com> wrote: >>David Linthwaite wrote: >> >>>In the UK it has recently transpired that IBM are refusing to provide >>>direct support to their UK business partners and customers, where that >>>support contract has been purchased through one particular, >>>IBM-appointed UK distributor. >> >>And the obvious question is, which particular distributor is this !! > > OpenPSL. > > I have heard that the reason is reduced headcount from IBM for > Informix support. I do not know if this is so. > > Also, it is said that IBM have no record of which customers have been > sold support by OpenPSL. Maybe they worry about this ... Is OpenPSL (or any other reseller) allowed to sell direct IBM support, or are they supposed to provide the first lines of support? The way I heard it, OpenPSL customers are supposed to go to OpenPSL for support; only complex cases get referred on to IBM/Informix? People like the discount that OpenPSL provides on software, but aren't so keen on the reduced support service, perhaps? Colin hit the nail on the head - it's about money... If you want direct support from IBM/Informix, buy direct support directly from IBM/Informix? If you want cheap support, go where you like to get it - you get what you pay for? Ah-choo!
"The Sneeze" <gezundheit@earthlink.net> wrote in message news:HEu6c.47430$aT1.30813@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net... > Is OpenPSL (or any other reseller) allowed to sell direct IBM support, > or are they supposed to provide the first lines of support? The way I > heard it, OpenPSL customers are supposed to go to OpenPSL for support; > only complex cases get referred on to IBM/Informix? To answer the second question first, that's what I've been told, too. All calls must go to OpenPSL. It has been made clear that no matter how complex, drawn-out or critical to the business of the end user (the IBM customer!) the problem is, the end user or their IBM Business Partner will *never* be allowed to talk directly to IBM Informix tech Support. Imagine trying to fix a down system under those circumstances ...! To address your the question: you misunderstand the situation. OpenPSL is not a reseller, it is a distributor. OpenPSL cannot and does not sell to end users. The IBM Business Partner chooses through which (IBM approved) distributor to source an order. The customer has no say in this choice, and is almost always unaware which distributor has in fact been used to fulfill his order. > If you want direct support from IBM/Informix, buy direct support > directly from IBM/Informix? If you want cheap support, go where you > like to get it - you get what you pay for? 1. The idea that to get entitlement to full-blown product it must *only* be bought directly from the manufacturer violates every principle of a distribution channel! Did you buy your road tax through The Post Office rather than direct from DVLA? Sorry, mate, it's invalid, you'll have to go to prison! 2. I have not bought "cheap support". My customer has ordered IBM Informix Tech Support from me, and I have ordered for him, as it says on my invoice from OpenPSL, product code (E00PCLL IBM INFORMIX DYNAMIC SERVER ENTERPRISE ED CONCSESSION ANNUAL SW MAINT RNWL). Whether I fulfill the order direct or through an IBM-approved distributor he is buying the same commodity. 3. Think of this from the point of view of the end user whom IBM seem to be forgettting is also actually their customer. He places his order for IBM Informix with an IBM-approved business partner. He has no say whatever whether his order is fulfilled through Distributor A or Distributor B, nor will he know after the fact. If his order was fulfilled through Distributor A, he will receive E00PCLL IBM INFORMIX SW MAINT, and a full service from IBM. If it is sourced through Distributor B, he will receive E00PCLL IBM INFORMIX SW MAINT, but IBM will refuse direct calls to its IBM Informix support technicians, no matter how business-critical his problem. How is that fair then?
stomerij1@hotmail.com (de Stomerij) wrote in message news:<4e68d49b.0403181109.29058290@posting.google.com>... > "Colin Bull" <c.bull@videonetworks.com> wrote in message news:<c3cfs2$t97$1@terabinaries.xmission.com>... > > David Linthwaite wrote > > > In the UK it has recently transpired that IBM are refusing to provide > > > direct support to their UK business partners and customers, where that > > > support contract has been purchased through one particular, > > > IBM-appointed UK distributor. > > > > And the obvious question is, which particular distributor is this !! > > OpenPSL. > > I have heard that the reason is reduced headcount from IBM for > Informix support. I do not know if this is so. 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. > > Also, it is said that IBM have no record of which customers have been > sold support by OpenPSL. Maybe they worry about this ... Surely that's up to OpenPSL to manage? Can't blame IBM for that. Malc
"Malc P" <malc_p@btinternet.com> wrote in message news:8c28402a.0403190318.861dcf4@posting.google.com... > stomerij1@hotmail.com (de Stomerij) wrote in message news:<4e68d49b.0403181109.29058290@posting.google.com>... > 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. You're right, Malc, that's exactly how rumours start. Remember though that in this case IBM has (still) made no formal announcement at all about this radical, unilteral and arbitary reduction in the quality of support to some of its customers, so it should hardly be surprised if people assume the worst. > My experience of tech support has been excellent lately. Because you're a Passport Advantage customer, fulfilled through a different distributor. PA customers, which include all of IBM's direct customers, are not affected.