Re: Terrible Technical Support

libido_at_netcom.com (Ron Bogdanoff) writes:

:Patrick Elliott (pat.e_at_ix.netcom.com) wrote:
:: I just had a very bad experience with Oracle tech support that I would like t
:: share with you all. I attempted to install an upgrade from 7.1.4 to 7.1.6 this
:: morning at 10 AM. When Oracle started relinking, I got an error saying tha
 

:[deleted]
 

:Well, I guess you must not have very much experience with Oracle tech
:support. The experience you describe is not uncommon at all.

My recent brushes with Oracle Support have been better, except for when I ran into a problem with 7.1.6 that turned out to be caused by the release of SVR4 I was running. It was not, however, in a do-or-die situation, I still had the previous release available for the several weeks it took to track down the problem. (I'm fortunate that I have enough disk space to be able to support two or even three separate instances so I don't have to rely on an install being successful.)

If Oracle is not working at all, you need to make that situation CLEAR when you call in your TAR initially. (They've revised the voice mail menus to make it clear that this does not have to just be on a 'production' system, just one that is not working.)

Ask what severity level your TAR has been assigned. If you aren't happy with that, ask to speak to a supervisor to have the level raised. If you don't get callbacks within a reasonable time (and be realistic on what you deem a 'reasonable time'), call and ask to speak to a supervisor about your severity level and lack of response.

When you do speak to an analyst, MAKE SURE s/he accepts responsibility for the TAR. (And if the analyst seemingly disappears off the face of the earth, call to ask to have it reassigned.)

It shouldn't be necessary to go through these steps with Oracle Support, but it often is. (I've had VERY good results at times, and VERY bad results at other times, and I've never heard an explanation for the inconsistency.)

---
Michael Nolan, Sysop for the DBMS RoundTable on GEnie
nolan_at_tssi.com, dbms_at_genie.com, nolan_at_inetnebr.com
(posted from nolan_at_helios.unl.edu)