Rockwell Techconnect wait times out of control?

[slick_william]

Hi everybody,

not sure if anyone else has experienced this. I have been reaching out to Rockwell Techconnect this morning to try to ask a simple question about the error on my Panelview Plus 7 10".

The first time, I was on hold 16 minutes and then the call just dropped (lol, how fun is this). Now I'm on my second call, 9 minutes of wait time and counting and haven't spoken to a single person yet.

I noticed that they changed their wait music and menus (the ringback music and info like 'all our operators are busy, please visit us online' is more frequent.) It seems that they changed their telephone system recently, and I'm not sure if this wait time is due to that or if it is just a busy day.

Interested to hear if anyone has had a similar experience. Thanks all.

 

[PLCDontUQuitOnMe]

For the price I pay for my Techconnect contract, I would expect to be connected to a live person within a few minutes if not immediately. What they charge for support is highway robbery, at least they could connect you to someone quickly, otherwise what are you paying all that money for?

 

[dummy_bit]

For the price I pay for my Techconnect contract, I would expect to be connected to a live person within a few minutes if not immediately. What they charge for support is highway robbery, at least they could connect you to someone quickly, otherwise what are you paying all that money for?

So you can go on their website and actually have access to technotes on hardware you bought All those 'known anomalies' they have no intention of fixing. "This is a legacy product we no longer support..."

Honestly when I do get through to someone, they have the most basic knowledge and seem to be reading off a script. I have to throw out so much technical babble until they get fed up and get transferred to someone who actually works with the hardware.

 

[TheWaterboy]

Personally noticed it seems to be related to either time of day(late) or maybe the number of calls waiting in queue. When I have had to wait a long time, it seems I always get sent to an India call center (assuming that the case because of what happens next) because it's usually just someone googling the KB and/or I can't understand them because of my subpar hearing combined with their very thick accent and I have to ask to be transferred/escalated.

When I get in quickly its usually someone I can understand and that know the material well enough to ask follow up questions off the top of their head.

 

[A_G]

My experience, I call right at 8:00 Eastern time, then I get someone quickly. It seems if you call after noon Eastern the hold times are much longer

 

[arpus4KM]

Hi everybody,

not sure if anyone else has experienced this. I have been reaching out to Rockwell Techconnect this morning to try to ask a simple question about the error on my Panelview Plus 7 10".

The first time, I was on hold 16 minutes and then the call just dropped (lol, how fun is this). Now I'm on my second call, 9 minutes of wait time and counting and haven't spoken to a single person yet.

I noticed that they changed their wait music and menus (the ringback music and info like 'all our operators are busy, please visit us online' is more frequent.) It seems that they changed their telephone system recently, and I'm not sure if this wait time is due to that or if it is just a busy day.

Interested to hear if anyone has had a similar experience. Thanks all.

I think the old Rockwell guys on the forum can attest to this, but it's not something you can just bring people on and train them to know the ins and outs in a matter of a few weeks. Which means the wait times have to do with how quickly their support people can solve problems and move on to the next one, it could be worse though. When i've tried contacting ABB, or Omron, they've waited 48 hours to get back to me like it's no big deal.

Apple does support, but their products are always new products with a huge base of support behind them, and they drop their old products much faster so there's no need for old support.


With rockwell and other PLC manufacturers, I feel like there are 3 tiers of knowledge.

Lowest - The guy who just looks up your problems and tells you what article hes looking at and what it says to do. sometimes has a basic knowledge of controls but really is just looking things up.

Mid - The guy who knows more recent controls, uses the KB, but doesn't know the quirks and the ins and outs of problems. So when you call with that weird issue that has to do with a specific firmware, you'll be solving a problem that has been solved by the older guys a few times already, and may spend 2 hours on the phone whereas the older guy would have had it done in 10 minutes.

Ken Roach level - The guys that have been around since the early days and knows their stuff. They can remember old problems and old solutions, and also have a great knowledge of newer products that easily makes them the best to get on the phone.




Unfortunately, from the talks I've had with support the few times i've called for some very odd issues, I've only ever gotten the older guys a few times. Even had a couple of them ask me if I ever thought of doing phone support for rockwell also, because they seem to have a hard time finding people with a solid knowledge of software and hardware that can think through problems.


The real kicker is that some products have been completely discontinued for support because the guys who had the knowledge to support those products retired, and it just isn't worth it to try to teach anyone the old products just to provide support for them. This is going to be the case for other products as well, just wait for the next wave of retirees and people who leave the support work and there won't be any support for Micrologix or SLC in 10 years simply due to not enough people having experience with them.

 

[busarider29]

And they charge you for that??

 

[arpus4KM]

And they charge you for that??

Almost seems like people take instant and high grade support for granted and assume it should be free no matter what.

If it were free, the wait times would be just as bad as the other companies that don't charge for tech support calls, ie, 2-3 days before they get back to you with someone who can't help much.

 

[busarider29]

If it were free, the wait times would be just as bad as the other companies that don't charge for tech support calls, ie, 2-3 days before they get back to you with someone who can't help much.

Hence my point. If you're forced to wait just as much as the free guys, then what's the point paying for it? It's just one reason we opted to drop RA tech connect support. The other reasons being what you already listed in your original post. I mean, if I have to pay for support, then the support persons on the other end better all be experts and not just some person reading from a script, but doesn't really know the product/s. Otherwise, that "support" is no better than what I can do myself. I refuse to pay for that.

 

[tlf30]

I do now know what our contract is, but I almost never wait, and I almost always get US or AU support.

I usually will wait until past 3pm Alaska time, just to get the Australians. While the US support is great, the AU support is amazing. And unlike others on the forums I have never been told a product is out of support. I have had many phone calls with PLC5 and SLC related questions. I personally talk to Rockwell support at least once a month, but sometimes as often as a couple times a week. The only time I ever have any issues is when I get redirected to India, a tell tail sign is being on hold for more than 10 minutes. For as much as I call, it happens only about once a year. Usually I am told I will get a call back, and do within the hour.

 

[boardmaker]

I disagree with the idea support cannot be good and free. Automation Direct's DoMore and Productivity line are great little plcs. I've never had to wait anytime I've called their tech support line. Not once.
And as far as the DoMore goes, you can go on their forum to ask a question and most likely have the president of the company be one of the guys that answer.

I pay good money for tech connect. I am not satisfied. If I pay for a service, I should not have to wait more than a few minutes.

My opinion is that Allen Bradley's reputation is not what it once was. Sure, they may have cutting edge tech. But, how many applications require that? Less than 1%? So basically any modern cheap plc will do 99% of the applications out there.

I apologize for the rant, AB has been on my "only if I last resort" list for years now.

 

[Jeev]

If you are having issues with calling them, then try using the online chat. We've had some good outcomes from the chat, and chances are if they can't answer your query then they will keep escalating until you get a direct line anyway.

 

[JaxGTO]

I know after 2PM Pacific time I get Australia or India.
I always try to only call 8-5 Milwaukee time.


Chat is good for starting one you know the first person who answers is not going to be able to help.

 

[arpus4KM]

Hence my point. If you're forced to wait just as much as the free guys, then what's the point paying for it? It's just one reason we opted to drop RA tech connect support. The other reasons being what you already listed in your original post. I mean, if I have to pay for support, then the support persons on the other end better all be experts and not just some person reading from a script, but doesn't really know the product/s. Otherwise, that "support" is no better than what I can do myself. I refuse to pay for that.

when you pay for support you get techconnect articles too, that's a big part of it.

but who was waiting a whole day to hear back from a support guy from rockwell? I've never heard of that.

 

[arpus4KM]

I disagree with the idea support cannot be good and free. Automation Direct's DoMore and Productivity line are great little plcs. I've never had to wait anytime I've called their tech support line. Not once.
And as far as the DoMore goes, you can go on their forum to ask a question and most likely have the president of the company be one of the guys that answer.

I pay good money for tech connect. I am not satisfied. If I pay for a service, I should not have to wait more than a few minutes.

My opinion is that Allen Bradley's reputation is not what it once was. Sure, they may have cutting edge tech. But, how many applications require that? Less than 1%? So basically any modern cheap plc will do 99% of the applications out there.

I apologize for the rant, AB has been on my "only if I last resort" list for years now.

AD is definitely winning hearts these days, they are the Arizona Tea of PLC hardware/software/support.