AB - Tyranny!

nighthawkjw

Member
Join Date
Jan 2006
Location
North Carolina
Posts
34
My company president informed me today that AB will no longer provide service/support contracts for any of the software we purchased from them. This news came after the first shock was that my humble employer was willing to shell out the $2500 for 3 years of support on 4 pieces of software. But no, AB, who was doing support contracts for their software up to last year, won't be selling any support anymore.

Why? The company I work for is a 3rd party repair center - we are AB's competition. Now think about it... we paid $6000 for the software, which they were very happy to take our money then. Gradually, they became less and less friendly regarding support for this software. First they were fine with answering questions over the phone, then they wanted us to buy a service/support contract.

I just looked on AB's website to see if they mention this anywhere -- no. I did see that they are "your single source for all of your electrical, electronic, mechanical, and servo product repairs. RepairPlus provides you comprehensive repair ser vices for over 80,000 items from 1500+ manufacturers."

I work for a little shop that repairs a bunch of stuff AB no longer supports. Some of thier PLC stuff is obsolete to the point that AB will only replace it - no repairs. We give new life to the stuff they would trash.

Oh, and they quit selling replacement parts long ago. I know that isn't so unique, but I understand they tried to sue a company for reverse-engineering a part that they would not sell and lost the lawsuit. That is the kind of support my repair industry can expect from AB.

This is kind of like Ford trying to put all 3rd party repair shops out of business so that anyone driving a Ford would have to go to a dealership repair shop. There needs to be a law against it!

So, I am sure someone will come along jumping to AB's defense and try to justify AB's position on this issue. I have said a few harsh things about this company in the past, and have nothing kind to say about them today! I welcome anyone's opinions regarding why AB should continue to squash smaller companies and make people like myself miserable.

My message is to anyone who works for one of those 1500+ manufacturers, subcontracting repairs to AB RepairPlus: Do you provide AB with support? What would happen if you stopped providing AB with support?

My message is also to anyone considering ending or not renewing a support contract with AB -- DO IT!!! You will be so glad that you did! If you are considering sending your repairs to another repair shop instead of AB -- DO IT!!!

NC PLC Tech
 
Well…I love their support and I would pay double if they would let me, several times they have saved my a$$

I think they make a very good product and I am shocked you are even in business repairing their stuff, it never breaks

If you changed you attitude you could get all the support here…for free, then just think how happy your boss would be.
 
geniusintraining said:
Well…I love their support and I would pay double if they would let me, several times they have saved my a$$

Well it may be like that in the states, but over here from my own expierence AB's support is about as much use as a chocolate teapot!
 
AB, who was doing support contracts for their software up to last year, won't be selling any support anymore.
Bad day? Get 6-pack and relax and change your tone.

Your boss telling you BS trying to save his a*s*s. AB sells support contracts to everyone including GE and Siemens.

You did not specify what software you had, but by the nature of your business you are probably talking about very old software.

You can get help here if you change the tone you address this forum.
 
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504bloke said:
chocolate teapot!

Hi Dave!

...so is chocolate tea any good?, my wife like chocolate in her coffee :D

I just get damn tired of people talking ****, it get's old, I know its just a way for people to vent, but if you don't like AB or any other manufacture...dont use their product, repair Siemens, hell you make a living indirectly from AB but you are talking ****, if they stop buying their product, someday you will need another job

We dont talk positive enough...the negative vibes gets me depressed
 
A little something to help ease the stress!



Alan-Badly.gif




With a "Special Thanks" to it's creater, "ERIC"
 
I have to agree with both sides of the discussion. Allen Bradley makes one hell of a good product,whether it be software(Rockwell Automation) , PLCs, HMIs , Pushbuttons,etc,etc. And although the original poster's statements may not be exactly correct, AB does want an arm and a leg to give you tech support no matter how much other money you spend on hardware or software. For example,tomorrow I could order $50,000 worth of AB PLCs and not pay for the service contract, and on Monday, when I have a problem, they won't help you out over the phone. Kinda ridiculous in my mind.
 
Contr_Conn in part said:
Your boss telling you BS trying to save his a*s*s. AB sells support contracts to everyone including GE and Siemens.QUOTE]

That they do. I have worked for both GE and Siemens, and they do have AB support.

I like GE better, though the "common folk" at Siemens were nicer.

I dislike most of the sales people from both.

(DOUG B, if you're reading this, your'e okay!)

AB wouldn't give up a cash cow like that.

Someday they may have to reduce the price to keep the money coming. Law of Supply and Demand, but it's a long way off!
 
I chuckle and pay for the support every year. There has been VERY few times I have needed it but when I did it was PRICELESS!!

I once had a problem with a 1395 DC drive that had our plant down. I went through a couple of layers of support and after about 15 minutes I was talking to an Engineer that had actually designed the drive and he got us straightened out in no time.

I recall being able to get help from a very knowledgable Engineer about an old Max Pak (circa 1978) drive about two years ago at 3 in the morning.

WHO ELSE OFFERS THAT KIND OF SUPPORT IN NORTH AMERICA???

My Siemens support sucks, but that is probably due to my location.
 
As with anything the support is relevant to the people involved.

I have had my issues with AB support but overall may be undersandable.

I do not think AB cares who you are, if you buy their products and pay the support contract agreement then you are set. Some of their stuff is obsolete so if that is what you have then it is all BS.

I agree with the above, your boss is filling you with a bucket of manure. AB will support contracts for any non=obolete software.to anyone.

EDIT: Unless your company is one of those they know to pirate software, duplicate machinery (of otheres), and reverse engineer the work of others.

To put it simple, if they did that then your company did something (wrong).
 
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Quick question just out of curiosity.How many other industrial automation companies (PLCs,HMIs,VFDs) follow the same policies as far as support agreements/contracts like AB does? In other words, if I purchase a Siemens PLC and purchase the software to program that PLC, do I also have to pay them to help me when I have a problem? I'm not bashing AB. I'm just curious how many other companies follow procedures like this.
 
ctilley said:
Quick question just out of curiosity.How many other industrial automation companies (PLCs,HMIs,VFDs) follow the same policies as far as support agreements/contracts like AB does? In other words, if I purchase a Siemens PLC and purchase the software to program that PLC, do I also have to pay them to help me when I have a problem? I'm not bashing AB. I'm just curious how many other companies follow procedures like this.

All depends & varies from company to company.
 
ctilley said:
Quick question just out of curiosity.How many other industrial automation companies (PLCs,HMIs,VFDs) follow the same policies as far as support agreements/contracts like AB does? In other words, if I purchase a Siemens PLC and purchase the software to program that PLC, do I also have to pay them to help me when I have a problem? I'm not bashing AB. I'm just curious how many other companies follow procedures like this.


I have had to call modicon numerous times in the last couple of years, last time was 2.00am and i needed parts not tech support..it took an hour but i was on the phone with one of the tech support guys..(Someone woke him up at home)..a couple of other times i was having a hard time setting up a module with modsoft (Obsolete for years now)..the tech emailed the last version of modsoft they made an that fixed me up....

when modsoft was still a sell able product i got new releases as they came out..mailed to me on 5" floppies and then 3.5" disks..

The grand total for tech support from modicon for the last 10 years... $0.00

Now i called tech support for AB 2 or 3 days ago (see one of my other threads regarding config for a module) and i was told my contract ran out last november..I had just shelled out around $40,000 in AB products last week..the operator told me i was SOL and to call my distributor..it was 6.00pm at night..i told her the distributor was closed and could they help me out?..i was told no and call back when i payed for the support..i said some very unkind words when i put the phone down...

However i must say that i like AB product and do try to use it as often as i can..the support can use some work..but with people like Ken roach and Cont conn here, AB tech support is almost useless!! (BTW Ken got me in the right direction, i needed an upgrade) so basically i pay the support fees for the upgrades..not the tech support..

d


EDIT..

I should also say that as far as i am concerned AB is the better product between the two..I just finished upgrading the modicon system to the quantum line only to hear they are discontinuing it in the next couple of years..that and the price is at the the high end..
 
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You have to put things in perspective.

Siemens, GE, and Square-D are very large corporations, especially compared to AB.

You pay for what you get. I rarely, if ever, hear anyone complain about AB prodocts in general. Usually its like the above, 20 year old plc they want support for at 3 am on a Sunday morning.

I built and sold computers with the same kind of situation. You can not provide free support 24/7, go broke like that. A CAR costs much more than a PLC or associated products, when have you ever thought of calling Ford, GM, etc because you broke down?

You can tell me this is a bad analogy to dooms day, I will just ask why every time.

WAIT A MINUTE, HOLD THAT BUS. Hell, many of you are OEM's, how many customrs do you give access to 24.7?

Put your waders on guys.

I do not get it, buy something...VCR for simple example. YOU can not program it to do what you want....bash that company...but use that product for years.

Many of you should understand what it is like working for a small company?

Give the AB guys a break, KEN, mgvol etc need to have XMAS too.
 
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rsdoran in part said:
You have to put things in perspective.

AND

Give the AB guys a break, KEN, mgvol etc need to have XMAS too.

Ahhh, I feel a poll coming on. And maybe not!

They "Deserve A Break Today", oooops, wrong adverstisement.

Yes, they do a tremendous job, and time off.

But then, we had the threads before on paying for software and paying for tech support.

"Fair and Reasonable" comes to mind.

Or at least Tech Support on a 900 number, perhaps $25 a call or per hour...........

Maybe another POLL, what is a reasonable charge for Tesh Support?
 
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