Re: IBM Hardware service rant

[Larry Bolhuis <lbolhuis@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Glenn and Kendall are right on. Get your renewals in on time and verify 
the information is accurate BEFORE you need to call for real maintenance

One sage word of advice:  If you are going to use the phone for support 
have documentation that includes all the important stuff on it ready for 
when you need to call. Now here is THE one and single MOST important 
piece: The PHONE NUMBER at which the equipment is registered at. Yes it 
would seem that your CUSTOMER number would be useful but not a whit. 
Your Machine type and serial number should also be handy but 
unfortunately not until later in the process AFTER they have figured out 
who you are.  Occasionally your company name is useful but ONLY if you 
know EXACTLY how it's entered in IBM's database. For example I do work 
for a customer known as MC Sporting Goods. How wuz I to know that their 
company is in IBMs database as Michigan Sporting Goods. As you can 
imagine, no amount of searching was of any use whatever attempting to 
track this down. I spent 30 minutes one time going down a monster list 
of phone numbers and the lady on the other end was fit to be tied but we 
finally found one that rang up to the correct customer!

So here is the magical and somewhat baffling secret.  OPEN YOUR PROBLEMS 
ON THE WEB! Now you may wonder why this would help or how it can be fast 
enough but Try it and you will be baffled yourself. You fill in whatever 
you know and the apparently very intelligent folks on the other end 
figure out who you are and call you back often within just minutes! How 
they get notified, bring up the record, find you and call you up more 
quickly than the folks on the phone can figure out who you are, well who 
cares!

 - Larry

Kendall Kinnear wrote:
> I fully agree with Glenn. Usually these problems occur when:
>
> - You've bought used equipment
>
> - You've bought equipment through multiple business partners
>
> - You've waited to the last minute to renew your maintenance.
>
> - The Business Partner/Distributer/IBM dropped the ball on the paperwork
>
> Some Business Partners offer a service to review and consolidate all your 
> maintenance into one contract under one customer number. This usually works 
> pretty well but be patient and checked the equipment list on the contract 
> closely. I've personally seen cases where the correct information was submitted 
> but was dropped when the contract was created by IBM. It has quite literally 
> taken three or four passes to get the list or equipment correct. Also be 
> patient. As Glenn said, there does not appear to be a connection between the 
> order system and maintenance systems at IBM. Keep the paperwork and ask to 
> speak to Entitlement and the Duty Manager if the call taker isn't being helpful.
>
> Kendall Kinnear
> System i5 Architect
> Stonebridge
>
> Direct Telephone Number: 972.419.7709
> Or Toll Free:  800.776.9755 x7709
> Cell Phone Number:  214-676-3146
> Fax Number:  972.455.7260
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of Glenn Ericson
> Sent: Sun 5/21/2006 8:06 AM
> To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion; Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
> Subject: Re: IBM Hardware service rant
>  
>
>
> Brian
>    this should be  manageable  situation. A  couple of  key items 
> to  follow are:
> 1. renew early
>
> 2. your BP can give you  a paper  with  sufficient  information (  I 
> think you might  already have it, on site, within your company) on 
> it  to  at least  kill the matter before  you have to pullout the  credit card:
>
> 3. It  appears IBM  has more then one data base for maintenance 
> and  there is latency between the time your  Maintenance order is 
> processed into the IBM order system and this same coverage 
> information flow getting to the  IBM Service system.
>
> T