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John 3:16

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Have your support/aka customer service team go through training with the devs so they know where tidbits are located.  Simple questions that take forever or not at all to get answered on the community support forum can be answered in minutes.  Or, why not simply have docs that show how things go together under the hood, as we are not all devs and not all can afford to hire one.  This happen with Expression Engine, you have a handful of people that will answer questions and then for the questions that go unanswered it takes the end user way to much of their time to try and figure it out.  Time that should be spent on bringing an idea or business to life.

So, stop wasting our time and give us docs that help, thank you for creating a great system but love it or lump it, this is my feedback.

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I have read through there, hours in fact, there is some good info there but why should it take me hours of my time and still not understand, and I understand a lot.  Andy I appreciate the docs but the thing is, you are dev, you built IPS or someone else did and they write the docs on their know-how, they speak geek, they don't break it down to make it legible for those of us that don't have an M.I.T degree.  I don't see how things connect together, the docs are cryptic, at least to me.  That is the way it always seems to be and it's insane why it always ends up being so hard to customize, even simple things.  I am not alone in this, I am just willing to say it.  We need better docs, we need a customer service department that knows what the docs don't say or at least translate the docs for the end-user.

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I've never been a dev. :) Support / MP Moderator etc but never a developer.

With regard to the documentation it can sometimes be difficult to know what area's need documenting and how far to go with it for example creating a category etc. It would be best to compile a list of area's you feel are lacking or what needs more clarification etc, perhaps with a new topic. That way IPS can expand on or write new sections to cover these areas.

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Thanks Andy, I appreciate that, but I don't need to spend more of my time (your clients) doing the work of IPS, I have my business to attend to also. So as you say, "compile a list of areas I fee are lacking", that's pretty clear in the docs.  Yes IPS4 is just getting going with RCs but this is not a free software like phpBB or something like that, this is a paid for, meaning you all profit, you do the work and we pay for something that has the docs to back it up.

So, I agree that Invision should hire someone to do that, I don't get a percentage of or work at IPS.  Sorry if I am out of line but enough is enough,

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I am also not very happy with the Ticket Support here as well the assistance here in forums! - i often ask myself for what is the payment in this part - when you have a simple question for example where is something located in the code in which file, only the file would be enough (i do not demand any guide or something else how to do it - when i know where it is i can change the code by myself) what is an simple question for the development you get always the answer to ask the forum community!

For example RSS Feed 20 items in IPS3 inside and 10 only (!!) in IPS4 - i want to change this number in the feed - you get no info ! 

Or to change a hard coded word anywhere - no help ! 

I do not demand that everything must be in the ACP to change with some clicks - but when i have an ticket support there must be a simple help possible!

We pay for this here - it is not free! And the renewal every 6 months should offer a little bit more !

Without some great other clients (!) here it would not be possible to use the product in a good and not 0815 way ! - here a big thanks to them - not to IPS

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For example RSS Feed 20 items in IPS3 inside and 10 only (!!) in IPS4 - i want to change this number in the feed - you get no info ! 

 

RSS_feed.thumb.png.bc5835689891fdcd3553d

EDIT: Ok, nevermind my response.  I see you want to change the number.  Not disable them because they aren't showing up like you want them.

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no ... i get no answer in another forum (maybe other clients here also do not know how to change or modify) as well via the support tickets i get no answer - only that i should write in the forums and its not included in support to ask something like that (?!) .... that is really a lack in service - when Alan for example write a short email to IPS develompent they know where it is.

It would be great for me to use it because i have something other where i can transfer into the gallery via RSS stream the pictures from my ips gallery - which really good works but only with to less items in feed :-(  -> the RSS feed is perfect from IPS but not possible to have some settings or the info where to change it ...

question topic is here: http://community.invisionpower.com/topic/409116-rss-feed-number-of-items/

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I am also not very happy with the Ticket Support here as well the assistance here in forums! - i often ask myself for what is the payment in this part - when you have a simple question for example where is something located in the code in which file, only the file would be enough (i do not demand any guide or something else how to do it - when i know where it is i can change the code by myself) what is an simple question for the development you get always the answer to ask the forum community!

For example RSS Feed 20 items in IPS3 inside and 10 only (!!) in IPS4 - i want to change this number in the feed - you get no info ! 

Or to change a hard coded word anywhere - no help ! 

I do not demand that everything must be in the ACP to change with some clicks - but when i have an ticket support there must be a simple help possible!

We pay for this here - it is not free! And the renewal every 6 months should offer a little bit more !

Without some great other clients (!) here it would not be possible to use the product in a good and not 0815 way ! - here a big thanks to them - not to IPS

​I'm sorry for any frustration here, our support staff is here to assist with the following per our service standards.

Our technical support is designed to assist you with the built-in functionality of our software or to address problems running our software in a normal manner in a hosting environment that is the norm for the majority of web hosting providers. Special services (conversions, server transfers, database management, etc.), customization's (both code and design), and sever-level assistance are outside the scope of support.

Modifying code does fall outside the scope of our support ticket system.  In fact, we never recommend modifying our stock code, if functionality change is needed beyond the scope of our built in configuration, then we would recommend that you or a developer create a plugin for this modification. We have a modification request section for this here Modification Request Forum.

If you feel this is an oversight perhaps with IPS4 and would like to provide your feedback for a change to this area, you can also post this in our Product Feedback Forum here.

Thank you

 

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​I'm sorry for any frustration here, our support staff is here to assist with the following per our service standards.

Modifying code does fall outside the scope of our support ticket system.  In fact, we never recommend modifying our stock code, if functionality change is needed beyond the scope of our built in configuration, then we would recommend that you or a developer create a plugin for this modification. We have a modification request section for this here Modification Request Forum.

If you feel this is an oversight perhaps with IPS4 and would like to provide your feedback for a change to this area, you can also post this in our Product Feedback Forum here.

Thank you

 

​ehh IPS hosts a Marketplace where people modify and monetize modifying IPS code to some extent, and if you didn't have that core group of guys that made mods and hooks IPS would have probably 2/3s less clients (thus the marketplace push before the documentation push). Anyways, the Pages app is not much without some modifications of stock code and there's nothing on it. I'd start there. Pages seems to heave the most potential and least doc. Thanks!

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For example RSS Feed 20 items in IPS3 inside and 10 only (!!) in IPS4 - i want to change this number in the feed - you get no info ! 

Or to change a hard coded word anywhere - no help !

​It uses the default for node items ($table), which is 25.

To change the number of items on FORUMS app RSS, open applications\forums\modules\front\forums\forums.php and find;

				foreach ( $table->getRows( array() ) as $topic )

Add above:

				$table->limit = X;

Where X is the number you want.

I can try a hook in a few days.

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  • Management

I certainly appreciate your concerns as well as your time in sharing your feedback. 

There is a large difference between technical support and customization support. I think you'll find we're unsurpassed in the industry for technical support. We are, unfortunately, limited in terms of what we can do for you in terms of customization support. Hiring developers as support technicians  that can help you customize the product would certainly yield a higher license renewal than $25. :) 

It's not dissimilar to any other consumer product. We provide software with "stock" operation, parameters and functionality. We certainly recognize some wish to change certain behaviors and that is where our extremely talented third party authors such as Adriano come in. If they become stumped, they have a line to other contributors and our developers for limited assistance. 

Using an automotive analogy, you cannot reasonably expect the manufacturer to help you change the shift pattern of the transmission or even provide you, the end user, with a service manual on how to dismantle your own vehicle. That's not within the scope of your purchase, but it is definitely within the realm and in fact the very purpose of the aftermarket community, as I'm sure you can agree. 

It's not that we want to be unhelpful or not give you options, but it's not possible to account for every scenario a customer could encounter nor is it feasible to provide development/customization assistance within the standard support scope. We are, however, always open to feedback if there's something specific you'd like to see more easily customizable - we can't add options and toggles for every possible function the software performs, but there are many occasions where a customer will say "it would be nice if..." and we're able to accommodate. 

Thanks again for your feedback. 

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  • Management

What docs are you specifically looking for? Maybe we can help. :) Again, we don't provide documentation on how to dismantle every aspect of the software -- but there are developer documents available as linked to earlier in the topic and resources available to marketplace authors. I'm sorry you have found those insufficient or difficult to understand - once again, you are welcome to provide feedback on something specific you are looking for. Our goal is to provide information on how to extend the capabilities of the suite via theming, hooks and applications. Changing behavior and core code modifications are not supported by IPS and something that's done at your own risk. This is fairly standard practice outside of the open source arena. 

You're welcome to peruse the marketplace and support forums to get assistance with dissecting a specific area of the software. If you feel there's an area that could benefit from additional configuration options, please feel free to open a new topic to share that feedback. 

Thanks for your understanding.

 

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It's all in how you ask your question and how the support agreement reads. 

For example
i want to change this number in the feed - you get no info ! 


Instead:
Where is the RSS code located that feeds 20 items?

You are not saying you are going to modify the code in the statement I left above. You simply are asking where the stock code is which they support

I've also been here for years. When someone tells me to post a support topic you can count on one thing as a general rule. Crickets chirping.. Waste of time imo. I tried again recently to only encounter yet again the same exact thing after years of the same thing. It will never change. You either hire someone most of the time or give it up

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Lindy, I’m not sure I can speak for everyone but most know IPS is a company that prides themselves on customer support.  Where I am coming from is mainly the docs and simple things support should know.  Look I am busy, I don't get paid to answer questions or give feedback to IPS.  And yes I understand the docs are written for devs, for obvious reasons.  But, if you had 4-5 examples on the most requested mods that support encounters or simply by IPS browsing the forums, then it makes sense to put those in the docs.  You keep people like me from pounding support, because I will not give up, I will continue to ask.  So regardless if I am a full-blown developer or a growth hacker (know enough to be dangerous), I could use the examples to springboard from and not have to ask questions and most likely be deflected by support.  Now on occasion I have simply asked support where this functionality is in IPS and they said go to the community; pass the buck is all I hear.  I love the community and all but it 30% chance of getting an answer.   People are busy doing their own thing, if no one answers a question then I think being a customer service company like you are, you should step in an attempt to answer.  Yes I know there are those with IPS that do, but the 70% going unanswered (not getting a workable answer is the same thing) is unacceptable to me, it's not my company, but it truly irritates me, be fanatically excellent or just close the doors man, because that is the way I roll.

Again, you cannot support modified code, I get it but that is well understood, if I break the seal, I void the warranty.

Do you see how much time we all are wasting talking about this, it's $1000s of dollars a day across the forum, your time, my time, everyone’s time.  So your hands are tied and because of your support agreement, I get that too, but those agreements are not concrete and if I was one of your reps and knew the answer, I would answer the question and say I can do it this time but realize are support agreement starts and ends with this doc, that I can respect more then go and asked totally strangers to help you.

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