Slight irritating factor in regards to Support

[osirion]

It has happened on several occassions where a problem occurrs and then I submit a ticket. Having already done this a couple of times, I know to provide the domain name, server name and cpanel details.

What is irritating though is when responses are sent back in forth requesting further information. It would be nice if the support people asked for -everything- they needed the first time around so that the problem could be resolved quicker.

For example: There was a phpWCMS with some of my clients sites (login details got cleared/changed; this is the second time it happens and I think this might even be a phpWCMS bug of some sort). In any case, my client provided me with all the cPanel details and I forwarded that on to HG.
Later, I get a reply from HG asking for the reseller details...

(Here is when it starts to get irritating)
Couldn't support just look this up? I mean, they know who the reseller is, and surely they have a root/master password?

In any case, another e-Mail was sent to my client asking for the details, and again these details were forwarded to HG.
Later, I get a reply from HG asking for the phpWCMS details of the domains with the problems.

(Once again, irritation sets in).
Couldn't they have asked for this the first time around?


I guess at the end of the day I could also be blamed for not asking my client for these details; but then again - Im not the one troubleshooting the problem.
Just getting it out there to HG - when possible, please ask for everything you will require up front.

[Serra]

Originally Posted by osirion

(Here is when it starts to get irritating)
Couldn't support just look this up? I mean, they know who the reseller is, and surely they have a root/master password?

In any case, another e-Mail was sent to my client asking for the details, and again these details were forwarded to HG.
Later, I get a reply from HG asking for the phpWCMS details of the domains with the problems.

(Once again, irritation sets in).
Couldn't they have asked for this the first time around?

They ask for the reseller details because they do not support your customers. They are asking you those details to insure it is actually you putting in the request. Those would not be available to your client.

Add to that they often don't know exactly what details they will need because they don't yet know what the problems is. They assume YOU have given them all of the details they will need to fix the problem,as you are the account owner and you must know sort of what is wrong.

I've gotten in the habit of just giving them all of my details each time I contact them, if they need them or not.

From my perspective (and what occurs most often during my daily ticket routine):

When I first begin investigating an issue in most cases I need absolutely nothing from the end-user: Just a username and password or even less to ensure they're the account owner.

If I'm then unable to reproduce the issue I ask for additional details so I can see specific error messages as they occur. In some cases rather than asking for the login details I'll ask for the full error message.

Sure enough a few e-mails later the issue is resolved. Could the ticket 'tennis' as I like to call it have been avoided?

Of course!

Simply provide the following with each and every ticket (like Serra says whether it's needed or not):

1. The full error message you're receiving and where you're receiving it (e-mail client, browser -- if so: what url)
   
2. Any applicable login details (user/pass) to get the above error reproduced.
   
3. If that includes going to a certain page on a site please also include that URL.

In some cases we'll ask for additional information during networking issues but it's a bit more rare.

I can assure you we dislike having to request additional details as well.