Todd,

Thanks for the feedback. Glad you like the improvements on NOW! In fact we've many more in the pipeline, including realtime case updates (they're still batched up today). You should see some more changes roll out next month.

Hey, don't give up on submitting your cases through NOW! yet either. As a direct result of your feedback, we've changed the process for handling them. You're right we can't expect you to use it if we don't provide consistent

response. So as of yesterday (Monday 20th) all cases submitted through NOW! get

expidited service, which is tracked and reported daily to me.

Thanks for your continued support and feedback.

Alistair

-----Original Message----- From: Todd C. Merrill [mailto:tmerrill@mathworks.com] Sent: Thursday, September 16, 1999 2:02 PM To: Skinner, Alistair Cc: 'toasters@mathworks.com' Subject: Re: tech support waits

On Thu, 19 Aug 1999, Todd C. Merrill wrote:

I am getting frustrated with the response time from tech support.

[rest of diatribe deleted]

On Thu, 19 Aug 1999, Skinner, Alistair wrote:

Our preferred method of online access is through the web. Using the email option from within a case view gives you a pre-formatted subject line to make sure the email is attached to the case in our system. The comments field can also be used. Unfortunately currently there can be up to a day delay

between

you submitting something and it getting into our system as these updates are batched. We expect to have an enhanced version implemented in the next two months which will include immediate updates directly to the case.

I have a good response and a bad response to this response.

First, the good. I like what has been done to the NOW site. Getting to a final destination (ONTAP updates, case searches, etc.) requires a lot less clicking and the responsiveness seems much improved. Bravo.

However, I recently entered a case into the system via the NOW site for a tech support issue. *Nine* days later I got first response from an engineer on the case. (Luckily, it wasn't a critical issue.) With a response time like that, I am not encouraged to use the web/email way of calling in for tech support. [0] Throw some more manpower on the phones, 'cause that's how I'll be entering tech support cases in the future. [1]

(There's not much else to say on this case, but if you want to talk to me about it, Alistair, give a call.)

[0] This is generally true of most tech support calls I make, to NetApp or other companies. Email/web requests are treated as second class, lower-priority calls. If you (enter-your-favorite-company's-tech- support-organization-here) want us to save you time by entering data into your system, the least you could do is respond to the calls with equal priority. [1]

[1] Forgive the attitude. Having a bad week....bad weather....bad machines....bad network....stress headaches. Grrrr....

Until next time...

The Mathworks, Inc. 508-647-7000 x7792 3 Apple Hill Drive, Natick, MA 01760-2098 508-647-7001 FAX tmerrill@mathworks.com http://www.mathworks.com ---