Am I seeing this right??

[Tim_Eastman]

That there is NO "real" tech support for this product? (BESR6.5)
No e-mail contacts - no phone support?

How is that legal?

I'm glad I do not have a system crashed. I have to seriously rethink my ways on Symantec in this office. We've already dumped their AV product entirely.

Come on Symantec - show me an e-mail contact at least.

Even downloaded FREEWARE does better than this!!

[Mike_Saunders]

Tim,
Where are you "seeing" this? Did you purchase GOLD maintenance? I am considering BESR and see that GOLD maintenance is supposed to have phone support.

However I seem to remember when going though the support web pages that no phone support is currently available for BESR, but I have not been able to find it again.

[Systems_Admin6]

I talked to a support agent that said Email support was available, but I couldn't find the link for BESR, just BE... and most of that was discontinued, saying to refer to this forum.

I can see moving the lower-end products to something like this, but to still ask $800+ for a server-level product and then try to soak the company for 'per year' support that may never be used is a joke! (But not illegal.) I'd have rather paid $1,200 for the product, knowing that for the 1st year, (or less for 90 days) I'd be able to resolve any major issues with an actual TECHIE on the phone, or at least through Email...Because I know that I'd probably never have to talk to them again...

[Tim_Eastman]

Hi Systems..

It's truly a sad state of affairs.

We went through a lot of R&D to develop a "bombproof" disaster recovery policy. I downloaded all the manuals I could get my hands on for BESR6.5, studied up on install and FAQs etc.

It all sounds good but to sell a server end product and say "BTW we don't support this - go talk to these guys over in this forum, they might be able to help you". This may be legal but it is unjust.

This is like going to a car dealership for service on a car you just purchased and being told by the service manager that they "sell that model but servicing is just too expensive" for them, "but you're more than welcome to go scrounge around in that parts bin over there and see if you can find anything that works".

Sorry Symantec - right is right and just is just. This is neither right nor just.
Word of mouth advertising is cheap - but in this case it's costly.

[Systems_Admin6]

Acronis has some pretty good (and quick) support, but they're Russian, so conversing is a bit hard.

I don't agree with this business model, either, and will be seriously reevaluating our next purchase for AV, Backup or other products. I can sort of see it, as Symantec is at the point where it's products should just work. The 4% of users with problems can probably tie it to something with their setup, and Symantec feels YOUR problems shouldn't become IT'S problems. But hey, that's the price of doing business, isn't it? Your analogy of the car is appropriate. Even if your car keeps breaking, at least you have someone to blow off steam at so that you'll feel better about your purchase. I know when I call these places that the chance of someone doing better troubleshooting that I've done is slim... but it's always nice to talk to someone.

And it sets my bosses at ease more when I can say, "I talked to the manufacturer and they don't know what's wrong," instead of "I've fully tested it, but haven't found a solution yet."

[Vladimir_Vuci1]

Hi!

First, there IS support if you buy GOLD or PLATINUM support. With GOLD (which is standard support and includes new versions during the support period - I don't know who is buying product without support) support you can get phone support and after you open a case you will get (if needed) email from tech support and all that is necessary to resolve issues. I had that experience with the customer who was using LSR 6.0 on W2K cluster servers and after two weeks during which we got debug and all other tools we manage to solve problem. Support guys were correct and we even move that case to level 2 - developers I guess that solved it. So, it is not true that this product doesn't have support. I can guess that with PLATINUM support you will have even faster and better response. What I know is that with PLATINUM you got web access to portal where you can open support cases.

Best regards,
Vladimir

[Tim_Eastman]

O-kay but this is my point.

When you buy a product you shouldn't have to BUY support for it. Of course we're seeing more and more of it in other companies but Symantec won't even offer us e-mail support for this product without sucking up and BUYing their illustrious support.

As I said earlier even FREEware does better than that.

Take yer pick Gold or Platinum but if you want an answer you pay for it. See my previous analogy of the car dealership.

Companies are proving that they are ultimately answerable and accountable only to the shareholders and not end users.

Telling someone they have to BUY tech support for a $450-$600-$1000 piece of software is ludicrous.

"hey if you don't like it - you can always go somewhere else"

Don't mind if I do. I've already dumped every shred of Symantec's anti-virus packages in this office. It's the last time I ever buy a product from this company.