J.T. I too have had my share of grief with the current support. In my dealings with the good folks at BMC, I learned a couple of things....
1. BMC didn't actually outsource support (although it sure feels that way). What they did was offshore it. The problem is that in making this HUGE COLLOSAL mistake (IMHO) they lost a TON of knowledge in the form of long time, highly paid support staff. The new folks (who by the way are well paid based on the local wage structures of their locations), no matter how well meaning and smart, are just not comparable to the old support staff who knew the product inside and out. That trigger has been pulled, the bullet has left the chamber and it ain't coming back. BMC is now stuck with a multi year project of rebuilding what had been a good support structure. 2. BMC is aware of the issues. They are working on training these people (see #1). But it's going to take a while. 3. I have found that the folks in charge of support are pretty sensetive to these issues. I'd contact them and let them know how ticked off you are. Put the ball in their court. 4. To the comment about investors. Yeah, your right, most don't care where the money is, but as an investor, we have the right/responsibility to give our input to the company that we own. If they screw up, it may mean more $'s to the investor in the short run, but will the company be around long term? Make sure you contact them, let them know your pissed, and hold their feet to the fire. Good luck! Warren On 11/20/07, Rick Cook <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > ** J.T., if you haven't already, I would contact both your sales rep. and > the Director of BMC Support, Jay Shankar (jay_shankarATbmcDOTcom<[EMAIL > PROTECTED]>), > with your questions and issues. I agree that the BMC SLA needs to mean > something more than it does now, but that's a process that will have to be > discussed at an individual customer level. That's as it should be, to an > extent - that's what the concept of an SL Agreement is - a mutually agreed > upon set of goals, deliverables, and actions. > > Jay said that they were trying to improve things - let's see what she has > to say about your situation. I wish you well. > > Rick > > On 11/20/07, Davies, J.T. <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > ** Don't mind me...I'm just standing in the corner blowing off steam... > > > > I guess BMC's initial response SLA (which is published on their website > > (1)) doesn't mean the bits and bytes they're coded with anymore... I put in > > an issue on 11/15 (as severity 4-Low)...and have yet to receive confirmation > > - 5 calendar days and counting...30 business hours and counting... I think > > I get better response from a mushroom. > > > > With the amount that we all pay for direct support...and the disregard > > for the advertised benefits in return for the paid maintenance fees...has > > anyone investigated about possible legal remedies/actions? Had I not known > > what's going on with support (by merely monitoring this list), I'd suspect > > there are some activities in fraud happening: Charge customer for a promised > > benefit/delivery...but fall way short of that benefit (if delivering at > > all.) Stepping back, doesn't it sound like something unintentionally fishy? > > > > > > I read (occasionally) that BMC is aware of the problem...but my huge > > question is: What's being done about it and when will it be implemented? > > I'm tired of waiting. My problems aren't getting solved (let alone > > responded to)...and the responses are mostly "Try this new patch that will > > be out next week. That might fix the issue." > > > > If anyone asked me about Remedy, I used to confidently say it's a > > phenomenal product and would recommend it highly. These days, the product > > is good, but with the current state of the support structure, I wouldn't > > give my recommendation anymore. It's abysmal. > > > > I work at a company that out-sourced first-line support (like many > > companies.) Our support numbers went into the tank (like most companies.) > > It got to the point where our customers were leaving faster than we were > > bringing in new. Management immediately reversed course and now we're back > > to an ideal situation. It seems to me the same needs to happen here. > > Unfortunately, there aren't a lot of equally identical and powerful products > > like Remedy out on the market...and the cost to switch would be nearly > > prohibitive. > > > > My question is: How can we - as unhappy customers - initiate (or > > continue) the change? If we - as customers - continue to pay the yearly > > maintenance fees and continue to purchase the additional licensing to > > support growth of our applications, what benefit does BMC have to change the > > status quo of support? I can't see any...they'll continue to deal with the > > "squeaky wheels" and appease them -- all the while earning positive returns > > for the shareholders. (And who can blame them? As an investor [not of BMC, > > but generically], I don't care how a company is run...all I want to see is a > > dividend and a rising stock price.) > > > > > > On a side note: The company (and parent company) made a decision to use > > BMC support directly, moving away from a partner. Not my decision and I > > can't change it. Thank you for the solicitations to transfer support back > > to a partner, but the minds-that-be made their choices... > > > > I'm glad it's my Friday. > > > > J.T. Davies > > > > (1) > > http://www.bmc.com/info_center_support/overview/0,,19097_4736154_39482584,00.html > > > > __20060125_______________________This posting was submitted with HTML in > > it___ > > > __20060125_______________________This posting was submitted with HTML in > it___ > -- Warren R. Baltimore II Remedy Developer UW Medicine IT Services School of Medicine University of Washington Box 358220 1325 Fourth Ave, Suite 2000 Seattle, WA 98101 The opinions expressed in this e-mail are in no way those of the University of Washington, or the State of Washington. They are my own. _______________________________________________________________________________ UNSUBSCRIBE or access ARSlist Archives at www.arslist.org Platinum Sponsor: www.rmsportal.com ARSlist: "Where the Answers Are"
