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Hardy101 to TURBO1112
Anon
2012-Feb-25 9:41 am
to TURBO1112
Re: Why do you use forums as your first line of support?Because the resolution of my issues may assist others. I have searched this forum in the past and finding the same or similar issue(s) I had been encountering....lead to a better understanding of the problem and a Fix. The new direct forum has its place, but its drawback is it only helps 1 person whereas in the public forum, it could help many. | actions · 2012-Feb-25 9:41 am · (locked) | BHNtechXpertThe One & Only
Premium Member
join:2006-02-16
Saint Petersburg, FL |
said by Hardy101 :Because the resolution of my issues may assist others. I have searched this forum in the past and finding the same or similar issue(s) I had been encountering....lead to a better understanding of the problem and a Fix. The new direct forum has its place, but its drawback is it only helps 1 person whereas in the public forum, it could help many.
Understand your concern but that wasn't my question besides the direct forum is used where it needs to be one on one due to account specific issues in which case it wouldn't help many anyway. You have to be careful not to assume that just because your issue "looks" like someone elses doesn't mean that it is...in fact less than a handful of issues are related to anyone else despite appearances. My question is very specific. Why do YOU use forums for your first line of support. Not specifc to this forum or direct forums JUST forums. | actions · 2012-Feb-25 9:45 am · (locked) | bighorn1
Premium Member
join:2004-06-19
California |
bighorn1
Premium Member
2012-Feb-25 12:46 pm
1) Phone system is annoying (press this, press that, currently nobody available, please wait, blah blah)
2) Usually canned answers from 1st level tech support. To be fair, that applies more for RR than BH.
3) It's easier to describe problem here, especially if issue is more complex. On the phone, many things get lost or misunderstood. Sometimes you talk about white, and the person on the other side about black.
4) Usually here in forum, you get relevant answer quicker due to several savvy BH people posting. That doesn't necessarily mean the problem is solved, but you get general idea what you should next.
5) It's easier to understand possible solution to your problem, because you can reread it several times (in case you didn't get it first time). It's more comfortable, less stresfull than hanging on the phone.
6) For more general troubleshooting, it may be useful to more people with similar issues. | actions · 2012-Feb-25 12:46 pm · (locked) | | BHNtechXpertThe One & Only
Premium Member
join:2006-02-16
Saint Petersburg, FL |
said by bighorn1:1) Phone system is annoying (press this, press that, currently nobody available, please wait, blah blah)
2) Usually canned answers from 1st level tech support. To be fair, that applies more for RR than BH.
3) It's easier to describe problem here, especially if issue is more complex. On the phone, many things get lost or misunderstood. Sometimes you talk about white, and the person on the other side about black.
4) Usually here in forum, you get relevant answer quicker due to several savvy BH people posting. That doesn't necessarily mean the problem is solved, but you get general idea what you should next.
5) It's easier to understand possible solution to your problem, because you can reread it several times (in case you didn't get it first time). It's more comfortable, less stresfull than hanging on the phone.
6) For more general troubleshooting, it may be useful to more people with similar issues.
Thank you for the very detailed response...guys/gals this is the kind of response I'm looking for so when responding keep in mind how he answered the questions...this feedback is very helpful so keep it coming  Bighorn since you took the time to provide such excellent feedback on my first question I want to ask a second of YOU (and only you...when the time comes I will ask others the same queston). Where can we improve the experience for you here? What do you need, what would you like to see, generally speaking how can we make it better? | actions · 2012-Feb-25 2:38 pm · (locked) | bighorn1
Premium Member
join:2004-06-19
California |
bighorn1
Premium Member
2012-Feb-25 4:06 pm
said by BHNtechXpert:Where can we improve the experience for you here? What do you need, what would you like to see, generally speaking how can we make it better?
Well, I don't know if that's feasible here in the West, because of much smaller market (not sure if the current automated system is the same in the East), but what I'd really like to see are separate phone numbers for sales, billing and tech support, instead of having to fight through that phone system (which can be very frustrating at times) Also, when larger outages happen and BH reps are very busy, it would be great if there would be some sort of automated estimate of how long it would take to get somebody on the line. For example "You are 14th person in the queue and it may take about 45 minutes before next representative is available" (similar to what some telcos have). Other than that, I'm pretty much pleased with BH support BH finally have official reps here, so that's off the list too (BTW good job on that). | actions · 2012-Feb-25 4:06 pm · (locked) |  fatnesssubtle
join:2000-11-17
fishing
1 recommendation |
to Hardy101
said by Hardy101 :Because the resolution of my issues may assist others. That is why I began using this site many years ago, before I even registered as a member: There were problem/resolution threads on many topics: provider-related, hardware-related, software-related. I found many answers without even having to post. And when I couldn't find the answer I'd post, knowing both that I'd usually get help fairly quickly, and that the topic later might help others. | actions · 2012-Feb-25 4:52 pm · (locked) | BHNtechXpertThe One & Only
Premium Member
join:2006-02-16
Saint Petersburg, FL |
to bighorn1
said by bighorn1:said by BHNtechXpert:Where can we improve the experience for you here? What do you need, what would you like to see, generally speaking how can we make it better?
Well, I don't know if that's feasible here in the West, because of much smaller market (not sure if the current automated system is the same in the East), but what I'd really like to see are separate phone numbers for sales, billing and tech support, instead of having to fight through that phone system (which can be very frustrating at times) Also, when larger outages happen and BH reps are very busy, it would be great if there would be some sort of automated estimate of how long it would take to get somebody on the line. For example "You are 14th person in the queue and it may take about 45 minutes before next representative is available" (similar to what some telcos have). Other than that, I'm pretty much pleased with BH support BH finally have official reps here, so that's off the list too (BTW good job on that). Once again excellent answers BUT they don't apply to the question So let me try again... (and again this question only applies to you Bighorn) Where can we improve the experience for you HERE (at DSLR)? What do you need, what would you like to see, generally speaking how can we make it better? | actions · 2012-Feb-25 5:54 pm · (locked) | bighorn1
Premium Member
join:2004-06-19
California |
bighorn1
Premium Member
2012-Feb-26 9:56 am
said by BHNtechXpert:Once again excellent answers BUT they don't apply to the question So let me try again... (and again this question only applies to you Bighorn)
Where can we improve the experience for you HERE (at DSLR)? What do you need, what would you like to see, generally speaking how can we make it better?
'tim tim tim' and you do good job, so there's not much to improve IMO. I guess, the most difficult part will be to keep it at that level. Maybe you could get one more BH person to post here to cover times (and topics) when your or tim tim tim aren't available. | actions · 2012-Feb-26 9:56 am · (locked) | BHNtechXpertThe One & Only
Premium Member
join:2006-02-16
Saint Petersburg, FL |
said by bighorn1:said by BHNtechXpert:Once again excellent answers BUT they don't apply to the question So let me try again... (and again this question only applies to you Bighorn)
Where can we improve the experience for you HERE (at DSLR)? What do you need, what would you like to see, generally speaking how can we make it better?
'tim tim tim' and you do good job, so there's not much to improve IMO. I guess, the most difficult part will be to keep it at that level. Maybe you could get one more BH person to post here to cover times (and topics) when your or tim tim tim aren't available. Scratchin my head on this one You mean I'm not available enough for you? Really? The avg response time is just minutes 7 days a week which is better than ANY support forum I know of in the industry And I've been in the industry a long long time | actions · 2012-Feb-26 10:51 am · (locked) | bighorn1
Premium Member
join:2004-06-19
California |
bighorn1
Premium Member
2012-Feb-27 3:41 pm
said by BHNtechXpert:said by bighorn1:'tim tim tim' and you do good job, so there's not much to improve IMO. I guess, the most difficult part will be to keep it at that level.
Maybe you could get one more BH person to post here to cover times (and topics) when you or tim tim tim aren't available.
Scratchin my head on this one You mean I'm not available enough for you? Really? The avg response time is just minutes 7 days a week which is better than ANY support forum I know of in the industry And I've been in the industry a long long time Read the bold parts again.  I wasn't complaining about current support quality here. "Aren't available" does not mean you don't do excellent job, it means it may happen that sometime in the future Tim or you won't be available. You know, things like vacations and such. | actions · 2012-Feb-27 3:41 pm · (locked) | BHNtechXpertThe One & Only
Premium Member
join:2006-02-16
Saint Petersburg, FL |
said by bighorn1:said by BHNtechXpert:said by bighorn1:'tim tim tim' and you do good job, so there's not much to improve IMO. I guess, the most difficult part will be to keep it at that level.
Maybe you could get one more BH person to post here to cover times (and topics) when you or tim tim tim aren't available.
Scratchin my head on this one You mean I'm not available enough for you? Really? The avg response time is just minutes 7 days a week which is better than ANY support forum I know of in the industry And I've been in the industry a long long time Read the bold parts again. I wasn't complaining about current support quality here. "Aren't available" does not mean you don't do excellent job, it means it may happen that sometime in the future Tim or you won't be available. You know, things like vacations and such. Vacations? Whats a vacation? You mean if I get hit by a bus or rogue nuclear warhead happens to explode only on my home type stuff. Shssssh come close....I hear they are working on a very high tech bot that will fill in the event of my demise. Total Area 51 type stuff . All kidding aside I do have backup for these types of things we just haven't used them yet. Besides even when on vacation I check in several times a day. Taking advantage of technology makes it very easy to manage the significant number of forums where I service without impacting the day too much. If I'm on a boat or plane somewhere welllll thats a problem. | actions · 2012-Feb-27 3:47 pm · (locked) |  rebus9
join:2002-03-26
Tampa Bay
3 edits |
to bighorn1
said by bighorn1:1) Phone system is annoying (press this, press that, currently nobody available, please wait, blah blah)
2) Usually canned answers from 1st level tech support. To be fair, that applies more for RR than BH.
3) It's easier to describe problem here, especially if issue is more complex. On the phone, many things get lost or misunderstood. Sometimes you talk about white, and the person on the other side about black.
4) Usually here in forum, you get relevant answer quicker due to several savvy BH people posting. That doesn't necessarily mean the problem is solved, but you get general idea what you should next.
5) It's easier to understand possible solution to your problem, because you can reread it several times (in case you didn't get it first time). It's more comfortable, less stresfull than hanging on the phone.
6) For more general troubleshooting, it may be useful to more people with similar issues.
Couldn't have said it much better. I prefer the forums because: a) Large numbers. If there is an outage or widespread issue, it's likely to be discussed here very quickly. There is often a thread going before Level 1 support even learns (or at least admits) there is a problem. b) Honesty. Often vendors will gloss over a problem, even if they know one exists, or try to minimize what they disclose. My favorite is when a massive failure has occurred (fiber cut with no protect path, core router down, etc) where a large number of people are hard-down, and the carrier passes it off as "some customers may be experiencing degraded performance". Forum posts tell it like it is: "can't connect" or "totally down". c) Large base of information. Often, each of us hears a tiny piece of the story. Discussing what we all know, collectively, puts the puzzle pieces together and builds a clear picture of what is really happening. d) Time saver. If the issue is not critical, it's more convenient to post, go about my day and periodically check in on the responses. This beats wasting time sitting in a phone queue waiting to talk to a Level 1 support rep who may not even understand the problem at first. (I only call for complex issues beyond my reach to fix.) e) It's already happened to someone else. Occasionally, some anomoly will happen that by ourselves, we can't quite pin down. But discussing it openly, someone will often pop up and say, "Hey, the same thing happened to me a few months ago, and we got it fixed by....." f) We're taken more seriously. Provider employees who participate in forums take us more seriously and listen more carefully to the information we offer, because we (in general) are more savvy than the average customer. To sum all that up in one sentence, forums enable us to (quickly) draw on a much broader range of curent information and past experience, and to get more honest information without the corporate P.R. filters scraping away the useful-- but often ugly-- truth. | actions · 2012-May-13 7:43 am · (locked) |
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