Why is AVID support so terrible?

[lapezeus]

What gives people? After the THOUSANDS of dollars I have spent with your company, I can't even talk to someone without BUYING A CODE?

I was given a code after my latest upgrade to PT 8 (which I had to PAY FOR), but the damn thing doesn't work. I go to your site, I put it in, and I am allegedly supposed to get some information on my code's status... But hell no.. Just a blank screen..

Why do I even have to do this in the first place?

Why does your "support section" not even offer an email address to contact you?

Why is it that I can't call the number without being sent in circles before I figure out NO ONE I TALK TO IS GOING TO HELP ME?

Things break... whatever.. that's fine.. the problem is the lack of service after the sale...

I now have over $5000 worth of crap that just stopped working.. and what am I supposed to do? Just buy a brand new hardware interface and hope that it doesn't crap out?

If I buy a car and it craps out, there are numbers I can call. There are people I can go see. There is help.

You people hide behind a wall of unhelpful internet pages, phone numbers that lead to nothing of value, and this whole "give us money to talk to us" scheme...

I am PISSED.. I am about as PISSED as I could possibly be...

I have this guy trying to set up a repair with me and the problem hasn't even been diagnosed..

And apparently, my code isn't good for me to deserve real help....

Instead of spending so much time thinking of ways to nickel and dime your customers/make their blood pressure kill them, how about googling the term "integrity" and taking some notes?

I want answers, dammit...I don't want to run around chasing this carrot in front of my nose in a futile attempt of getting some real, actual assistance..

[lapezeus]

Oh, and I REALLY love how you direct anyone who is having a problem to talk it out amongst ourselves within a forum...

As if this absolves your responsibility?

That would be like:
me buying a new car..
The transmission goes out..
I go to the shop where I bought it..
They tell me "why don't you go to a car show and ask someone how to fix your car?"

You have got to be F****** kidding me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[lapezeus]

I mean really.. You guys may as well have broken into my home and just flat out stolen 5K worth of random stuff....In fact, I would have preferred that over this..At least in that case, I would have some immediate recourse, and you wouldn't be able to just silently hide and hope I stop caring..

[lapezeus]

The way I see it, AVID owes me one of the following:

*actual help in diagnosing my problem for FREE
*approx. $5,000
*a free pass to come into your office and just steal as much crap as I can carry
*5 minutes alone with whoever the CEO/CFO is in a cage match

[lincol1]

Have you thought of posting your problem on say... a user forum for some help?

[lapezeus]

That is my point, bud. I am being told to talk to all these people about my problem simply because the company who sold me the gear runs for the hills, so to speak.

See my above car/transmission analogy..

I am here to bitch and to complain..

I want the people who made and sold me the gear to help me...Out of principle...

The forum is not an acceptable substitute for customer service..

I think the forum is great, but I shouldn't have to take my problem with avid to other avid customers..I should be able to take it to avid..

It's obvious that I have a hardware malfunction. What exactly is the problem? I don't know.

Sorry, but I think it's only fair to demand help from those who built the damned product in the first place..

Again, see the car analogy..

[The Dougfather]

Your not going to get much sympathy if you post loads of ranting crap.

Post the issue, all your systems specs, pro tools version, mac OS, Mac, setup etc. The tips you've tried from the general troubleshooting sticky at the top of the forum and let's see if the problem can't be resolved with the help of the community.

The chances are if you have the issue, somebody else may have had it as well. Have you tried a search?

[HD2]

While I agree with you that customer support is not as good as it should be, if you were to post what the issue you are having with your hardware is, there maybe someone here that can help you get up and running fast, instead of waiting for support that may never come. A lot of times it could be something very simple you may have overlooked.
A good starting point would be to read this thread and then post the pertinent information and see what help you get.

[Tom Hartman]

Better starting point would be the dealer. Alto Music would have this solved already. (shameless plug for my favorite Digi dealer).

TH

[skabuddah]

Alto Music is great They have helped me out so many times when I was a newbie and asked silly questions They treated me with respect and never talked down to me