#very poor support
3 messages in this thread
DOn,
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. Most of the time we can figure the problem
out ourselves and sometimes we need to call Adesk. But we always get an answer
to the customer. And it's never the wrong answer because we were afraid to
admit our ineptness. I think you are right though about dealers telling their
customers about this forum. Even if they don't need support from it they can
learn a lot. Also, most dealers are segregated into departments. I work in the
CAD department. Your dealer most certainly should know a lot about the product
he sells. Our department concentrates on CAD/3DS and the utilities associated
with them. We don't need to know how to support Excel or Quatro-Pro someone
else does that. Well, just wanted to give my input.
Dave Mennenoh
>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.
Don,
Wow, quite the reply. I wasn't meaning to defend my employer at all. I don't
have any reason to actually. I just feel there is nothing wrong with the fact
that Adesk does not do direct support. There are many Adesk dealers across the
country and I agree with you that many of them are incompetent. That should be
up to the customer to report that to Autodesk so that dealer can either be
reprimanded or just denied dealership anymore. I know one such dealer myself –
they are incompetent also and they can't get much business. I do agree that
Adesk should push this forum – maybe put a flyer in every box of 3DS and
AutoCAD they sell explaining it etc. I do think though that the dealer should
have every right to sell it's support services. Support contracts can mean
needed income for small dealers. Training is also important and if done
correctly can make for very satisfied customers and make the dealer more aware
of it's product. Anyway, talk to ya later.
Dave Mennenoh