Path: utzoo!censor!teecs!belkin
From: belkin@teecs.UUCP (Hershel Belkin)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.hp
Subject: Re: HP Customer Support...
Message-ID: <1690008@teecs.UUCP>
Date: 18 Dec 89 21:07:45 GMT
References: <203@limbo.Intuitive.Com>
Organization: Litton Systems, Toronto ONT
Lines: 69

>>Golly, about a year ago I got a patches sendmail.cf file through the mail
>>from the Response Center.  Somebody there has a connection, perhaps it
>>is a close-guarded secret?

>	Last week one of the sites I support had reported a problem the
>	response center asked that the info be emailed to them.  Must be
>	very dependant on whom you get.

I recently dealt with the Western Response Center and they asked me to
FAX them a 15-page listing!  Well, I have in the past found out that
you get what you ask for -- ie. if you don't ask (read: demand), you
don't get, so I launched into an attack of such a high-tech company
not making use of e-mail.  The consultant then managed to come up
with an e-mail address on usenet!  I sent the file immediately, and
even got back a patch the next day!!!

Generally, I find response center support to be excellent!  And I've
used it for the past 7 years, for all sorts of HP systems.  I do 
agree that much more use of e-mail would be great, but I'm also
sensitive to the fact that many HP sites are not (or cannot be)
connected to usenet.  Most problems that I have seen with the
response center are a result of what I would call "mis-use" by the
customer.  (Although I wish that the customer need not know all
the "rules" in order to get good service).  What I mean is that
you, as the customer, have the final say in your support response --
don't allow a call to be closed until you are satisfied!  I make
sure to end each RC call with an agreement as to whether the call
remains open or is closed.  And if things seem to drag, don't 
hesitate to escalate the problem!  Worst that can happen is your 
local SE will be dispatched to "talk some reason" into you!!  (You
probably would like to see him/her at that point anyways :-)

I plan to put into writing a set of "rules" for dealing with HP
support that I have used for years with success...when I do I'll
post it for discussion!  (One important one is to keep a detailed
log of every call and callback, including times, names, action
plans, etc.)

Recent experience:  Had a *major* problem on our main system one
evening.  After some considerable effort, called RC (Atlanta).
Explained problem, and informed them that my system was down.
Got a call back from Atlanta; as it was already late, they promised
to forward the call to California.  Short time later got a call
back from California; decided on some action attempts and left it
that I would call again if I still wanted more help.  I did.  The
next call back came from Melbourne, Australia!  This really surprised me;
seems that on urgent calls they now follow the time zones.  Problem
was eventually solved (before morning).  I don't think many computer
companies would do this well.  (And I really didn't push it -- it 
was late and I was almost willing to leave the system down until
morning :-)  My only complaint is that in the end I sort of solved 
the problem myself...but I _did_ require some answers from HP that
I allowed me to succeed, and I got them.  (Had I not known what
to ask, I would have had to wait for an SE).

I'll end here for now by stating that I'm a _big_ fan of HP.  In
the past 8 years I have seen almost no system failures except those
caused by user error, and most software is very solid (compared to 
lots of other manufacturer's stuff).  However, I have a number
of suggestions which I've been waiting to make -- this seems like the
best forum, but I'll post them as a separate article.  I think it's
great that such a discussion can take place here!

-- 
+-----------------------------------------------+-------------------------+
| Hershel Belkin               hp9000/825(HP-UX)|      UUCP: teecs!belkin |
| Test Equipment Engineering Computing Services |     Phone: 416 246-2647 |
| Litton Systems Canada Limited       (Toronto) |       FAX: 416 246-5233 |
+-----------------------------------------------+-------------------------+