In this Article, I would like to rant on something that I call
[Tech Support Syndrome]
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Here is what happened.
Along my line of work, I've brought and use many Software.
Most technical Software were created with a certain workflow in mind.
As such, the process or solution that they provided, are not guarantee to suit everyone's preferences. Some of them won't even work depending on circumstances.
As such, when the Software's proposed method is insufficient to solve my issue.
I had to ask Tech Support directly.
Telling them the details in this order.
1. The Objective that I am trying to achieve.
2. The Problem that arose.
3. The result from using their proposed method.
4. Consulting for an alternative to the problem.
All of these can be fit in around a page of A4.
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And the reply that I usually received is
Please do [ the thing that they have up in the web and I told them that it was insufficient to solve my issue ]
....It's obvious that they didn't read the details that I sent them.
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Here lies the problem,
Tech Support are usually trained with giving default answers to solve an issue.
They see what you want to achieve, they gave you solution for that.
As, for them, this should solve the problem, they have no need to go to the details.
Also, since most Software were built to conform to certain workflow,
they usually have no alternative solution provided if that workflow is not to be used.
This is especially true if the Tech Support is the one who authored the software themselves.
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It should be Note that this does not happen from just any 3rd Rate Support.
It also held true to many well known Company.
Many of them are also nice people who are more than willing to help.
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Even worse. When some of them didn't even solve the problem for me, they have to add something along this line to the end of the mail.
[Our Software] is well known for [Some Selling point], you can [ A few more line describing their Software ]
...............................I KNEW THAT!!! THAT'S WHY I BROUGHT YOUR SOFTWARE, WHICH IS WHY I FOUND PROBLEM WITH IT ,AND WHICH IS WHY I ASKED FOR TECH SUPPORT!!!
YOU DIDN'T EVEN SOLVED MY PROBLEM, WHAT'S THE POINT!!!???
or
You can get help from the forum
........What's the point of having a support if you're going to say that.
Some [Support] even have to be paid to access one.
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If it's just for the Software, most of them are good on their own, even if flawed.
However, if they want you to pay extra and are trying to sell something along the line of [Premium Support] ......... which I did pay alot of.
Don't count on it,
Most of the time, they can be help by other people in the community that use the same Software.