I know what some of you will say to this. So before I start this, I'd like to say in advance, that this rant is about a current service, that we pay thousands of dollars for every year. Every year, the bill comes, and we pay it.
So, in my job, one of my responsibilities has been with the document imaging system. I suppose it is kind of fitting, in my last job I was very involved in administrating and maintaining the document imaging system. At that job, it was OnBase, which is a nice system that I found easy to use, a little complicated to figure out at first since I was thrown into it without basic training, but once I finally got some proper training it all came together.
But then I came here, and we had this system called ixos. Now, I can't really fairly compare the two systems, because the ixos system we are on is a rather old version of the system.
Currently, the system runs with a unix server that has a 4 drive 64 slot juke box attached to it. The juke box is loaded with optical platters that hold somewhere around 5 gigs on a platter.
Holy fucking shit, that's outdated.
But, we must archive these documents to a write once read many type of media. So, replacing it wouldn't mean just grab a server with disk space, turn it on, and start saving there. We would need to get in a new array for this purpose. Plus, changing out hardware would basically be a project, which would probably require help from ixos support, which would mean we'd need to upgrade to a new version....so, getting rid of that juke box would mean an expensive time consuming project.
Which means, until that day comes, if it does, it needs to keep working.
For the most part, I don't mind owning this responsibility. Adding platters, finalizing platters, swapping them out as requested.....basic stuff, and it puts something on my plate that involves logging into a unix server every now and then, which isn't a bad thing.
But, when it goes wrong......holy fuck.
Not holy fuck, it really goes wrong. Holy fuck, it's a bitch to get fixed.
Now, this wasn't always the case. The first few times I needed to call for support, I would get a call back from someone within a few hours, and over the course of a phone conversation, the problem would be fixed.
There have been a few times that the problems were quite involved and complicated. One time, it was determined we may have a bad drive in the juke box. So, the tech guided me through unix to edit a file that would comment out all but one drive, and then run a command that requires the use of the drive, to determine whether or not that drive is working. And one by one we determined, we had 3 bad drives. And then the 4th failed before we got the tech in.
The tech came, with 4 refurbished drives, of which 2 were bad after we tested those.
So, yeah....keeping this thing alive is a bit of a chore, and at times a nightmare.
But then....the techs that actually knew how to do this stuff, moved on. And nowadays, I open a ticket, and usually at some point in the first 5 minutes of any discussion, it is pointed out to me that the version we are on is no longer covered by support, however, they will see what they can do.
Now, at first that sounded fair enough. But then I found out, we pay thousands of dollars a year in support for this.
So, let me get this straight......every year, when it's time for us to renew support, you do offer support, being that you sell it to us. But, then when we call for it, you don't support it, but only do so out of the kindess of your hearts?
That's absolute bullshit!
You do too support it. You just want to give a bullshit line that will let you weasel out of difficult situations. If you don't want difficult situations, then either keep on the techs that know what they're doing, train people on these things, or stop selling the support. You can't have your cake and eat it too.
So, nowadays, I find it is more and more difficult to get anyone on the phone. It used to be so simple, open a ticket, get a call back, fix the problem. Now, I open a ticket. I get an email asking to see the logs. The first few times, I had to go around in circles to find the logs. I would ask, how do I get the logs. They don't know.....could be anywhere. I didn't set this system up, so I don't know where they are. Past techs.....usually didn't even ask for these logs, or if they did they knew how to get them in a remote session. So, after a few times going through this song and dance, I have an ftp setting saved to get right to the logs folder, so I can grab them all, zip them up, and send an email.
Then this song and dance goes on, with them asking me to do things I don't know how to do, so I have to get clear instruction, which either does something or nothing....and basically things go around in circles until I lose it, and start calling supervisors.
Now, it used to be that once I pulled in a supervisor, they would defend themselves, pointing out this is above and beyond the normal support they provide, and they've already gone beyond their normal scope of things, and if I want the type of support I'm asking for we'd have to pay more for that level of support.
I push back pointing out the many times in the past I've had people do these exact same things, without having to ask for it, and in the first call.
Usually they would say, oh, ok, we'll make an exception, and get you in touch with that tech again....and then things would get done.
Well, 2 weeks ago, I opened another ticket. This time for failing backups.
Next thing I know, I'm going on a wild goose chase to try and test our drives. Now, I haven't seen the typical behavior for a failing drive. But, they looked at the logs, and have seen errors that they want to focus on. Errors.....which are different from the problem I opened the ticket for. So now I'm 2 weeks into solving THEIR problem, and I still can't get an answer to my problem.
And, I already am familiar with the process that would satisfy what they are trying to do. Except that, I don't know the details of it since it was done by better techs of their on remote sessions, and it has been a while. So, I try to explain to them that, yeah, so-and-so had walked me through this before, I need you to give me the right procedures and commands to do this.
They don't know them.....the ones they give me, don't work.....
Well.....is so-and-so still with the company?
Yes....but she's in the consulting department, you'd have to pay to talk to her.
Um....she works for your company....she has knowledge that would help your department adequately do their job, on this ticket, and future tickets......you can't get in touch with her to get that knowledge....
No, can't do it, wish I could.
WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THE WORLD?
I think next time they come looking for us to renew the support, we should demand a lower price. The quality of support has greatly deteriorated. Why should we pay the same rate?
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