CompuServe Thread

#very poor support

2 messages in this thread
#47220From: Roger DanielsenJun 23, 1993 2:21 AM
I think your first mistake is mixing Autodesk up with a company that gives a poop. It's been 2 years now since I went through almost identically the same runaround. I'm still miffed. I didn't have a modem originally, and ended up going so far as getting ahold of the magazines where I read about 3DStudio, contacting the editor, and talking personally to one of them on the phone. She contacted an official at Autodesk who promised her he would look into it all, and contact me personally. Well, it's 2 years, and I still haven't received that phone call, so don't hold your breath. You may end up turning blue, or worse, before you get anything out of Autodesk. The only thing that has changed is after lots and lots of ragging that Autodesk had no technical support, some genius cooked up this $3000 idea, which is basically only a way to shut critics up, because any question you ask one of the $3000 people, if they don't know, the question will only get posted on this forum. So I'd personally recommend strongly against wasting $3000. Compuserve time is a little cheaper. <g> A warning about being too critical: After hitting them with a couple too many questions and criticisms they either couldn't or wouldn't answer, they gave up answering my questions altogether, and just leave me little nastygrams in email. But don't worry. Your best sources are from volunteers and the Yost Group anyway, so who cares? All this is probably little consolation for the fact that you thought that you were buying a quality product from a reputable company and now they tell you to go hang out on a bulletin board. And I also feel that bulletin board support is no substitute for a company personally standing behind its product. But until somebody wakes up and screws their head on straight, or their competitors start using this fact against them, it's probably all you're going to get. I've been using the product for 2 years, and if there's anything I can help you with feel free to ask. I know how you feel.
#47228From: Andrew McClaryJun 23, 1993 7:51 AM
I used to work for an Autodesk dealler for a while. Autodesk relies on their dealers for all of the support. The problem is that 3D Studio rarely ever sells for $2995. Unless the user doesnt shop around, he is crazy to pay that price when there are deallers that are selling boxes for around $2400 or lower. The problem is that for that price most deallers cant afford to waste too much time supporting the client. It isnt worth it. What we used to do was offer classes. But unfortunately the user that is just getting into 3D Studio thinks that he has paid his $2400 and that we have made a lot of money and should get 20 or more hours of free support. Autodesk is the one who makes the most money from the product and needs to change because as long as there are copies of 3DS selling for low prices, deallers are not going to give support along with the purchase. The best info is on the asoft forum anyway.