Upgrade to Fast-Track Support is insulting

[jin]

I find your Upgrade "to Fast-Track Support" insulting, I have paid my money just like the rest here and I have paid it for two systems, and have done this for around 8 years.

 

If I am running into an issue and waiting on support, anyone with $5 can bump me down extending my wait time! Are you frigging kidding me!

 

So if 10 people come along I am pushed down the list by 10, that is pretty insulting, if you need the money that bad raise your yearly fee a bit but to force my support requests down when I am in need is pretty bad.

[WHMCS Jesse]

I find your Upgrade "to Fast-Track Support" insulting, I have paid my money just like the rest here and I have paid it for two systems, and have done this for around 8 years.

 

If I am running into an issue and waiting on support, anyone with $5 can bump me down extending my wait time! Are you frigging kidding me!

 

So if 10 people come along I am pushed down the list by 10, that is pretty insulting, if you need the money that bad raise your yearly fee a bit but to force my support requests down when I am in need is pretty bad.

 

Jin,

 

I apologize for your frustrations with Fast-Track Support, however, please note that the $5 fee is only an introductory fee for the first 30 days. The fee for "Fast-Tracking" your support request will potentially be higher after 30 days as noted in our blog here.

 

Additionally, we've been expanding our support team and have 24/7/365 on-site coverage to allow for this kind of option to be available. In fact, most support requests are getting responded and resolved quicker than it ever has in the past. The Fast-Track Support is merely offering an emergency option for people who want to expedite their support requests, and only available during specific timeframes M-F where we have the most staff available online.

 

If you ever have an issue with the level or quickness of service you have received, feel free to reach out to myself via the forums here or by asking for a manager via the ticket. We are more than happy to address service-level issues.

 

Thanks!

[jin]

I understand what it is supposed to be, that doesn't make it right.

 

I know the fee is $5 and knew it was going up which makes it even more bothersome. I just didn't feel to rant even more about that. But now that you brought it up, that is absurd. I guess you are trying to follow cPanel support system style.

 

You expanding your support team shouldn't affect me supporting my clients in which case this can, well unless, I am willing to keep paying higher and higher.

 

 

The forums here are helpful and many users do their best, but they shouldn't be consider a form of support for WHMCS. They are a guide and especially helpful for new users to keep them from opening support tickets for confusion they face learning a new system.

 

Your point for emergency is exactly my point for support. When isn't a support request an emergency!

 

Point in case:

Your latest release has cause the domain checker and the support tickets to have issues, my clients needed domains and couldn't get them, I asked in the forums and it was an issue that couldn't be resolved. I opened a support ticket and it took over 3 hours to resolve(which isn't bad) now for a hosting provider a domain checker that doesn't work, and/or a support system that doesn't work is an emergency.

 

If it took a reasonable 3 hours to deal with my issue, but 10 others felt it was too much of an emergency to wait the 3+ hours and jumped in front of me because they were willing to pay the $x or even the $xx amount is unreal.

 

If WHMCS can't see they are alienating users then I don't think much thought was given to this. Like I said I am willing to pay a bit more for a yearly license, but to be bumped down the support list over money is a bit difficult to swallow.

[wsa]

That 100% right Jin

[nuxwin]

Hello ;

 

This is exactly what I thought too. When I've read the related announcement, I've thinked: God, it's like in FRANCE: They now provide a different support level for both the poor and the rich... This is exactly why this looks like an insult. If you need more money, you can always increase the licence price a bit (for everyone) but you you should never create a service which can cause some disruptions and inequalities in the treatment of your customers.

 

BTW: I'm also wondering if in term of law, this kind of system is really legal. Afaik, all licenses come with a support level which should be same for any customer. The creation of such service will cause different treatments for your customers, which have paid their licenses before this upgrade. You're claiming that you've the logistic to answer any support request in time but nobody will trust you. If you have such logistic, the Fast-Track support service is not needed.

Edited July 16, 2014 by nuxwin
Typo

[malfunction]

A pretty shabby move by WHMCS, but everyone knows stuff only goes wrong on a Friday night. Or can we expect premium out of hours support at an even bigger price to come next?

[WebsiteIntegrations]

Wow, WHMCS can't win either way. Slow support people complain. They give an option for Express Support people complain. Should go check out the competitions $75 PER ticket fee!

[malfunction]

Slow support people complain. Premium support people complain. Do you suppose that might be because we're all already paying for their supposed "world class" support (complete with people who apparently wear capes) already. But as the average time to resolution or me giving up is usually months in my experience, I shan't be rushing to pay to get a useless response in 60 minutes or less.

[Infopro]

Wait a moment here, what do you have against capes?

[WHMCS John]

Hi Malfunciton,

Have you tried us out of late - just regular priority support? I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

At this precise moment there is currently no queue and support tickets are being answered as soon as they're submitted.

[wsa]

Well I do see that the support it little more better then before

[jin]

Wow, WHMCS can't win either way. Slow support people complain. They give an option for Express Support people complain. Should go check out the competitions $75 PER ticket fee!

 

We'll see how you feel about that when your system gets hacked and you can't get support because others are paying to get in front of you. Well that is until you are ready to kick out more money and step on the others who can't. (pushing new customers right out of business)

 

As for the $75, whom said that's not the target price here?

They already said it is going to go up so don't assume $75 or even more isn't the target.

 

And how much do those other systems cost? the yearly fees?

Not as much as the system here aside from maybe 1.

Matching some other product to what we have paid for here is not even a variable. We purchased the system here for different reasons but I would think one of those reasons was affordability, it was sold as affordable also as supported and etc. etc. etc.

 

"WHMCS can't win or lose" You have to be kidding me right?

 

The rational here is so they can provide better support, and that they have upgraded their support. OK well that is absolutely great.

 

But what if no one pays to use rapid support, does that mean the upgrades they just did (people) are out the door?

Does that mean that support will then go back downhill?

 

The present level of support is what it should have been years ago, and now they should be considering raising the bar.

 

I mean really do you ever read the boards?

The level of support before was less than good (great people but to long for responses), now it has been raised to good and the only way to reach better is to pay extra for it?

 

And to be able to do that by stepping over others here seem pretty irrational at the least. (The comment about France fits in perfect, less customers to deal with but that are willing to pay a premium)

 

Come on really?

 

As already mentioned, I and I am sure others are willing to pay more for yearly renewals but to mess with your clients when it comes to support is...well I'll say hard to comprehend, I sure wouldn't do that to mine I appreciate them to much for that.

[Infopro]

The level of support before was less than good (great people but to long for responses), now it has been raised to good and the only way to reach better is to pay extra for it?

 

This is incorrect. Much of your post's comments, are incorrect assumptions. No need to go thru them all I don't think but:

 

We'll see how you feel about that when your system gets hacked and you can't get support..

 

If your system gets hacked, and you have no clue how to deal with it, WHMCS support is not the best place to go. You need to contact your Hosting Provider or System Administrator, or a security professional of some sort. Your system has been hacked.

 

WHMCS Technical Support, of the software, doesn't include support for hacked servers.

 

Many, many, users will open a ticket as they are new to WHMCS and are looking for guidance on using the software, configuration questions etc. As an experienced user that you are, If you came across an unexpected issue out of the blue and it was preventing you from doing something, you might choose to pay a bit extra to have the ticket answered faster. A user with a theme question though, might be more inclined to wait for the ticket to be responded to, normally.

 

If not, they can escalate as well.

 

The level of support before was less than good (great people but to long for responses), now it has been raised to good...

 

The level of support of WHMCS software has always, as long as I have known about these guys, great. When you say less than good, you really mean, I think, too slow.

 

They were not slow, as in out to lunch, or on a coffee break, slow though. They were few, answering many tickets, slow.

 

That situation gets better every day.

 

Come on really?

 

As already mentioned, I and I am sure others are willing to pay more for yearly renewals...

 

You don't speak for me. I want to pay more when I want to. Not yearly whether I need extra support or not.

 

If I can't wait for 2 hours or less, I can spend my money. You don't have to if you don't want to.

 

It does not affect your level of support that WHMCS Technical Support provide, either way.

[malfunction]

Hi Malfunciton,

Have you tried us out of late - just regular priority support? I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

At this precise moment there is currently no queue and support tickets are being answered as soon as they're submitted.

Pleasantly surprised? I'd be amazed actually, but...Not sure about "of late" as I don't open many tickets, the last one was opened in April and is still unresolved; long, painful and filled with misinformation from the half dozen people involved in it so far.

[Infopro]

Can I have your ticket ID please?

[DennisHermannsen]

I thought that I'd give me input on this.

 

I've contacted WHMCS more times than I'm happy about. Most of the times were when I was a WHMCS newbie and didn't know anything about it. At first, replies to tickets was pretty fast, but sometimes it took a day or two for me to get an answered. This is no longer the case - at least for me. The last time I contacted support, I got an answer in about 2 hours, which wasn't bad at all, since it wasn't important.

On the previous ticket I got the first reply within 8 minutes, and when I replied to that, I got an answer within 9 minutes.

On another ticket, the time it took them to reply was also around 10 minutes. I see a huge improvement right there.

 

We'll see how you feel about that when your system gets hacked and you can't get support because others are paying to get in front of you.

If your system is hacked, one way or another, you're not willing to pay a couple of dollars to bump you ticket in front of all the others? And I don't even think it's WHMCS's fault in most cases.

 

Slow support people complain. Premium support people complain.

Stop, wait a second... There haven't been any complaints about the fast-track support yet, have there? I've only seen people complain about not wanting to pay the price.

 

And I've also noticed that WHMCS is more active on the forums now. I could be wrong, but it sure seems like they are.

 

Sorry if something doesn't make any sense. My English ain't perfect

[Alex - Arvixe]

Stop, wait a second... There haven't been any complaints about the fast-track support yet, have there? I've only seen people complain about not wanting to pay the price.

 

I think that is what he meant. People complain regardless of what WHMCS does / doesn't do.

[DennisHermannsen]

I think I've misunderstood his entire post if that's the case...

[jin]

WHMCS Technical Support, of the software, doesn't include support for hacked servers.

 

Who was talking about servers? Are you trying to say WHMCS has never been hacked? The forum can show a much different picture.

 

The level of support of WHMCS software has always, as long as I have known about these guys, great. When you say less than good, you really mean, I think, too slow.

 

As you said as long as you know, so who is making the assumption?

 

Don't speak for me either.

I meant exactly what I said, the support was less than good and no I didn't only mean slow, I mean less than good, as in not addressing issues or addressing it to what they felt was good enough yet no resolve. AND doing it to slowly. Just look at the thread here a users has left their unfortunate interactions since April with support and yet you call my posts an assumption?

 

And a situation getting better everyday is another assumption, what do you base better on? Because I for one think I have different goal lines than yours. Anyone can make anything better with cash, it all depends on how you get that cash to to consider it "better" and better for who? Us, them, everyone?

 

You don't speak for me. I want to pay more when I want to. Not yearly whether I need extra support or not.

 

If I can't wait for 2 hours or less, I can spend my money. You don't have to if you don't want to.

 

It does not affect your level of support that WHMCS Technical Support provide, either way.

 

I didn't speak for you, did you see your name mentioned? I do see another person that said they would also pay more so please don't put confrontational words in my mouth.

 

Aside from that, pay what you want to pay when you want to pay it who cares. But don't step over my support ticket because you feel to pay more and I don't. Your money isn't better than mine nor is your need for support greater than mine when we both need support.

 

I didn't really expect anyone from WHMCS or their long time helpers (company men) to agree with any of the post. Sorry I don't do that go along to get along stuff, this has the potential to hurt a lot of lower end earners, and in a crisis hurt even more.

 

Infopro you are a long time and extremely helpful person on these forums, this community has a good person in you but please don't belittle my post with misinformation. I have been here a long time as well and I am very very aware of the years upon years of good and bad.

 

I am not against this company making money or any of that, if they need to generate more money then find a solution that doesn't hurt its user base, messing with support has a huge potential to hurt a lot of users.

[Infopro]

That post took too many turns for me to reply properly, so I'm gonna pass.

 

Thanks for your feedback on this topic though, jin!

[jin]

If your system is hacked, one way or another, you're not willing to pay a couple of dollars to bump you ticket in front of all the others? And I don't even think it's WHMCS's fault in most cases.

 

Good point, what I was saying is if mine is hacked then chances are lots of people can get hacked, so think into the future of a hack, 300 people opening support tickets crying for help.

 

100 of them pay to jump the line, you were the first one to open the support ticket and now you are number 101

 

We all hope a release will come out so we all can get the update but that is not always the case, this last release had a CAPTCH code and support ticket issue which I had to get my update by opening a support ticket. I would have to check but I still think it isn't resolved fully.

 

 

Also as I stated support has gotten better, today it is where it should have been 5 years ago. I am not trying to make this post about kicking the support staff around, it isn't about that. It is about paying for support ahead of other users.

[DennisHermannsen]

Good point, what I was saying is if mine is hacked then chances are lots of people can get hacked, so think into the future of a hack, 300 people opening support tickets crying for help.

I don't actually think that's exactly how it happens, and maybe 300 hacked installation in one day is a bit too much. Let's say my installation get hacked (not the server). I find out about it pretty quickly, and I create a ticket for WHMCS to look at it. Meanwhile I of course move my entire WHMCS installation to another location. Let's say a couple of other people also had their server hacked at the same time. I don't think we're talking 100 people, but let's just use that number. They all create a support ticket, and suddenly there's a lot of open tickets. At first WHMCS will (hopefully) try to see if they can reproduce this, and if not, they'll look torugh the tickets to find more information about this. At some point they can give an answer to all people who created a ticket about being hacked, explaining what to do.

But I don't know. This is just a guess, and it could might as well be completely wrong.

[SeanP]

I think the assumption here is that a fast track ticket will get "worked" before others in the queue. According to the description of the service, it is simply a response you are paying to receive quicker. The blog post says: "* A response is not necessarily a resolution. Resolution will depend upon the nature and complexity of an issue." To me, that means they could respond and say, "we're looking into it", "please provide more info", "please send us login info to your install", etc. That doesn't mean you are getting a resolution, or that someone is stopping everything else to work on your issue. So, you pay extra to get a "response", not an assigned resource working your ticket. I doubt responses like that will slow things down much for others in the queue.

[Alex - Arvixe]

I think the assumption here is that a fast track ticket will get "worked" before others in the queue. According to the description of the service, it is simply a response you are paying to receive quicker. The blog post says: "* A response is not necessarily a resolution. Resolution will depend upon the nature and complexity of an issue." To me, that means they could respond and say, "we're looking into it", "please provide more info", "please send us login info to your install", etc. That doesn't mean you are getting a resolution, or that someone is stopping everything else to work on your issue. So, you pay extra to get a "response", not an assigned resource working your ticket. I doubt responses like that will slow things down much for others in the queue.

 

I'd imagine it is the other way around, hopefully WHMCS can clarify. The way I see it they're stating your tickets do go to the top of the queue but are adding in a little disclaimer that resolutions might not come with the initial response in 60 minutes, for obvious reasons .

 

If more details are needed they will ask for it. If they can respond to the ticket and resolve it, I'd imagine they would as aprt of the fast track support offering.

[SeanP]

I'd imagine it is the other way around, hopefully WHMCS can clarify. The way I see it they're stating your tickets do go to the top of the queue but are adding in a little disclaimer that resolutions might not come with the initial response in 60 minutes, for obvious reasons .

 

If more details are needed they will ask for it. If they can respond to the ticket and resolve it, I'd imagine they would as aprt of the fast track support offering.

 

Possibly. I guess the question is, "Does it stay at the top of the queue until resolution?" If they respond with "please provide more info", and it drops to the bottom of the queue with that response, you would just be paying extra for that initial response.