Absolutely HORRIBLE support response times!

[Tom Whiting]

You know, 14 hours is far too long to just let a ticket go without even bothering to respond to it.
Of course, during that time, I was able to find and handle the issue myself, but if this is the typical 'response time', I'll find somewhere else to take my business.

I'm not an impatient guy, 4-5 hours is reasonable, at least as long as things are submitted during business hours (which this was), but 14 hours is pushing it.
Even better? A second reply took 45 minutes or less. Kinda ironic.

The moral of the story? DON'T keep your customer waiting. If they open a ticket, they deserve a non automated reply, same business day, urgent or not.

[Connor T]

Sorry you feel that way man. With over thousands of clients imagine the amount of tickets they get.

They get to them as they finish others. They don't intentionally wait 24 hours then respond to your ticket.

[RobertMidd]

See http://www.invisionp...rd/purchase.php

2 business days ticket response although it is usually a lot less than that.

If you need urgent support then you can always call the support number.

[Tom Whiting]

[quote name='iBotPeaches' date='18 September 2009 - 05:42 AM' timestamp='1253270532' post='1857049']
Sorry you feel that way man. With over thousands of clients imagine the amount of tickets they get.

They get to them as they finish others. They don't intentionally wait 24 hours then respond to your ticket.


When I call my bank, do I get put on hold for 14 hours? Of course not.
When I open up a ticket with any major company (except IPB), do I get put on hold for 14 hours? No. In fact, this is the most horrific support time I've seen.
Just a few examples of what I'm talking about here:

Softlayer - major corporation, major clients, 1000s of clients - 2 hours max for initial response
Hivelocity - same thing, maybe 3 hours

I could go on and on and on, but the point is that 14 hours is pushing it for response times. If it takes you that long to get a response, you need help.

[Brandon D]

I like how you're comparing apples to oranges here ;) You're certainly entitled to your opinion, but comparing this tiny (w/ respect to employee size) web services company to large hosting companies and banks isn't helping your cause. Perhaps you're making these analogies to show that IPS should grow with its client base to lessen response times. I'd tend to agree, but being small is one aspect of IPS I like, as a customer.

[Adriano Faria]

[quote name='Tom Whiting' date='18 September 2009 - 08:46 AM' timestamp='1253270802' post='1857051']Softlayer - major corporation, major clients, 1000s of clients - 2 hours max for initial response
Hivelocity - same thing, maybe 3 hours
This is easy for IPS! It's enough just they send an automatic reply to your email:


With that, I'm sure that IPS would win the record for fastest response to a ticket; but that's not the case.

I'm pretty sure that IPS have more than 1.000 clients!

Hey, we received your ticket, ok ? Now, since you agreed to the time when you purchased the IPB, wait the 2 business days ticket response.

[Tom Whiting]

[quote name='Brandon D' date='18 September 2009 - 05:59 AM' timestamp='1253271566' post='1857054']I like how you're comparing apples to oranges here ;)

Nonsense. Both are 'web services companies', both serve 1000s of clients, yeah, that's not apples to oranges at all. Just because one handles servers and one handles code doesn't make one any different from the other.

[quote name='Brandon D' date='18 September 2009 - 05:59 AM' timestamp='1253271566' post='1857054']
Perhaps you're making these analogies to show that IPS should grow with its client base to lessen response times. I'd tend to agree, but being small is one aspect of IPS I like, as a customer.

Until they ignore your request for hours on end. The point is that if they CAN'T provide same day responses to clients, they need to expand their support services.
Sure, I found out my own answers after waiting a few hours, but I shouldn't have to find out my own answers here.
Sure, I could have called in for support, but I shouldn't have to call in for support on a webhosting package (and yes, it wasn't only a license that was purchased, but a webhosting package with that).


[quote name='Adriano Faria' date='18 September 2009 - 05:59 AM' timestamp='1253271598' post='1857055']
This is easy for IPS! It's enough just they send an automatic reply to your email:

Automated replies are not human and do not count, which is why I specified non automated

When emails are sent, and support tickets are opened, it's only proper and polite, from a company perspective to respond to that (a human response) within the same business day. Even something as simple as I'm working on this now will do wonders when dealing with clients. Ignoring your client's ticket (for whatever reason) for 14 hours is unacceptable, and it only shows that you don't care about your client's business. It's a brush off, it's rude, and it's horrible business practice.

If any of my clients opened up a ticket, it would be responded to within the same business day. Now, sure, I'm just a one man show, and have only a few clients, but still, that response would be there within the same day. NOT doing so is just wrong.

[Will Munny]

[quote name='Tom Whiting' date='18 September 2009 - 10:29 AM' timestamp='1253269796' post='1857047']
I'm not an impatient guy, 4-5 hours is reasonable

If you find the terms of your license unacceptable (2 business days support turnaround), why did you purchase it?...

Clown.

[Matt]

I'm sorry you feel that way.

As stated in our standards of service page, we ask that you allow a 48 hour window for a reply. Of course, if it is urgent then you can make use of the 'Critical Issue' flag in the client center. This is for people who have a critical issue like their board is down, etc.

Our average response time is less than two hours but, depending on the nature of your request, it may take up to two business days for your issue to be addressed. Our technicians will work to keep you updated on your request's progress. You can always view your existing tickets to see the progress of your request or what department your ticket has been assigned to. After a ticket has existed for 48 hours, you may use the management escalation feature to tag your ticket for management review if the issue is not being resolved properly. Billing, customer service, and special requests will only be answered during normal business hours.

I have looked up your ticket and I see that it was a general question regarding conversion that you chose to send into the Conversions and Transfers department. Ideally, that would have gone to sales as the C&T department is manned by fewer staff members than the technical support and sales departments. I realise that it's not abundantly clear but generally unless it is a matter dealing with an ongoing conversion or you are scheduling a conversion then you shouldn't need to send a ticket directly to it.

If you would like faster guaranteed response times then you could consider purchasing a business license.

Ticket Responses

[Tom Whiting]

[quote name='Patrick Shaw' date='18 September 2009 - 06:14 AM' timestamp='1253272453' post='1857060']
If you find the terms of your license unreasonable (2 business days), why did you purchase it?...

Clown.


Maybe, just maybe I didn't buy that specific license?
I purchased a hosting package, which did not come with that specific license. ALL that is said about thiat is as follows:

Full Support Yes Yes Yes Yes

Nothing about time limitations, or anything else.

I purchased the hosted package deliberately, as I need off network support forums, and, wanted to test a few things out with IPB, as a customer of another forum software originally.

[quote name='Matt' date='18 September 2009 - 06:15 AM' timestamp='1253272536' post='1857061']
Of course, if it is urgent then you can make use of the 'Critical Issue' flag in the client center. This is for people who have a critical issue like their board is down, etc.

Yeah, encourage abuse of critical issues. That's the ticket

[quote name='Matt' date='18 September 2009 - 06:15 AM' timestamp='1253272536' post='1857061']
I have looked up your ticket and I see that it was a general question regarding conversion that you chose to send into the Conversions and Transfers department. Ideally, that would have gone to sales as the C&T department is manned by fewer staff members than the technical support and sales departments.

Yet, they still work business hours no?

[quote name='Matt' date='18 September 2009 - 06:15 AM' timestamp='1253272536' post='1857061']
If you would like faster guaranteed response times then you could consider purchasing a business license.

And again with the hints of spending more money. Not going to happen. Why should I spend more money when you've already proven you're going to ignore my requests anyways?

[Matt]

Sure, I found out my own answers after waiting a few hours, but I shouldn't have to find out my own answers here. Sure, I could have called in for support, but I shouldn't have to call in for support on a webhosting package (and yes, it wasn't only a license that was purchased, but a webhosting package with that).

I sincerely don't wish to antagonize but I would like to respond to the points raised here.

Firstly, we do not ignore anyone. Our ticket system generally sorts by the oldest first. It's not like we see tickets and deliberately ignore them. We just work them in order.

I think that a 17 hour turnaround on a conversion query is acceptable given the nature of the request. As mentioned above, you can call us if your site is down and this pages our hosting team. That's 24/7. You can also mark tickets as "Critical" if they genuinely are. This ensures that vital issues are taken care of ASAP.


It's one click to remove the critical flag and another to remove that ability from a customer if it is abused.


There is no way you can have "cheap", "fast" and "good". With all due respect I think that you are getting good service for the $0.66/day you're paying for your hosting account.

Until they ignore your request for hours on end. The point is that if they CAN'T provide same day responses to clients, they need to expand their support services.

Yeah, encourage abuse of critical issues. That's the ticket

[Matt]

Well, I don't think I can say anymore. I've stated my case which I think is reasonable. I'm genuinely sorry for the way that you feel. :)

[Matt]

Sorry, would quickly like to address this:


The point being that if the conversion department has 5 conversions that need to be performed ahead of your ticket which was just asking a question, then you will have to wait longer than if it went into sales. Generally speaking, there are more people active in sales and technical support and tickets are turned around faster in those departments.

Yet, they still work business hours no?

[Tom Whiting]

[quote name='Matt' date='18 September 2009 - 06:20 AM' timestamp='1253272859' post='1857063']
Firstly, we do not ignore anyone. Our ticket system generally sorts by the oldest first. It's not like we see tickets and deliberately ignore them. We just work them in order.

IE: you ignore your customers until you're "told" to deal with them, instead of dealing with issues as they come in. Deliberate, not deliberate, it is not paying attention to the ticket in a timely fashion.
So, client A waits 12 hours to reply to a ticket, putting everyone else on hold that 12 hours. Multitasking anyone?

[quote name='Matt' date='18 September 2009 - 06:20 AM' timestamp='1253272859' post='1857063']
There is no way you can have "cheap", "fast" and "good". With all due respect I think that you are getting good service for the $0.66/day you're paying for your hosting account.

Are you kidding ? Really, $20/month is "cheap"? No, actually it's not. Considering the web hosting market is full of offers with more space/bandwidth/etc than you can imagine for less than 1/4 of what you offer, no, it's not 'cheap', and no, it's not unrealistic for me to expect what should be delivered.

[quote name='Matt' date='18 September 2009 - 06:25 AM' timestamp='1253273144' post='1857067']
The point being that if the conversion department has 5 conversions that need to be performed ahead of your ticket which was just asking a question, then you will have to wait longer than if it went into sales. Generally speaking, there are more people active in sales and technical support and tickets are turned around faster in those departments.

So, let's all be good little robots and not do anything out of order.
Again, you're ignoring a ticket. Whether deliberate, or because you're being told to, no matter.
Was the ticket placed in the proper department? Absolutely, because it was 100% relative to that department
Was it handled in a timely fashion? Absolutely not.
When I have the time to find and address the issue myself (ie: run the conversion, multiple times) before a response is actually given, then, there's an issue.

[Matt]

Tom, I honestly do not know what else to say. If you wish to make an official complaint, then you are welcome to email us.

[stoo2000]

I take it you've never heard of a Service Level Agreement then...

I think you are being really silly.

[Tom Whiting]

lol @ -rep for posting honest feedback, nothing new there I guess.
The point of this thread is to provide feedback. Just because someone doesn't agree with it doesn't mean it's not appropriate, or deserves -rep.

Is the software decent? I can't say, its only been a few hours , but it does look decent.

Is the support acceptable? From what I've experienced (so far), not in the slightest. If putting something in the 'wrong department' (which it wasn't) means it's going to get delayed 12+ hours, then perhaps those understaffed departments need more staff, or people need to think outside of the box, and stop listening to ticket systems as to when to help someone.

Anyways, the feedback's been left. No, it's not an unreasonable expectation to want tickets answered same business day at all, especially when one is a new customer.

[Connor T]

So assuming your argument all new users should be given faster support then old users. Yeah, that seems fair... :(

I think your being ignorant and not reading the replies that everyone has given, including the Staff themselves.

[Matt]

Feedback noted. It's a shame we've gotten off on the wrong foot.

If you've nothing further to add, then I'll close this topic in case it gets out of hand.