CompuServe Messages

>I think you are being unfair to Autodesk. There is absolutely nothing wrong with their policy. I work for a AutoCAD/3DS dealer and we do our best to offer top notch support to our customers.> Who me? being unfair? First of all I can understand your bias since you are part of a very elete group of expert dealers. You can not assume all dealers are expert as you or most of the other active forum member dealers. The temper of your message is very defensive of the dealer you work for and your customer procedures. If you are indeed as you say why did you feel the need to defend your operation? This discussion had only to do with the many incapable dealers that do not respond to customer's request for help or tell them of this forum. Second, my response was only to agree that the original complainer that started this thread had a valid complaint in how his cry for help was handled by Autodesk. Neither they nor his dealer explained the proper avenue for support. Namely the dealer first, CIS forum second and keep Autodesk out of it. Instead he was given the run around by Autodesk employees when he phoned in. They should have had the procedure to tell him on the first call. Third, My dealer is a personal friend of mine I've known long before Autodesk ever heard of 3Dstudio. He took on this dealership at my suggestion because the Autocad dealer in this area (now out of business) was such a arrogant jerk. My dealer knows only what he learned at the Autodesk school for 3DS for dealers. He certainly is no expert and other than simple install has no experience with accessories such as tape controllers, frame buffers, etc. I don't think he wishes to make Autodesk his main line of business. Fourth. My message to Bob P. (Autodesk) suggesting several ways to improve their Tech Support PR was met as constructive criticism and would be, along with others suggestions, refered to the proper channels. I think Autodesk has a sincere desire to improve this image but just doesn't know how to do it without alienating those few dealers selling the tech support service. At the risk of opening a new can of worms, I, as a business attempting to use 3Dstudio for profit do not care to patronize a dealer that also competes with me for 3Dstudio business. How would a dealer respond to my call for tech support on a job I just beat him on a bid, or vice versa, or I found out I just lost a new customer to my dealer after my dealer learned of him through supporting me on a problem with his logo. Thank God my dealer is just a dealer, he refers service work to me and he sticks to just selling the product. I only wish he would have opened my eyes to this forum sooner. That I blaimed Autodesk for. They need to emphasize this forum more.