Clarification on ATi support

[BrunoPuntzJones]

NOT a thread for inciting flames either way. I'm not trying to start anything.

Techbargains posted the other day saying that ATi was going to charge $1.25 a minute for phone support after the first 30 days of owning a product. I just wanted to know if it's true. I haven't seen anything on the ATi site about it.

I called them about 9 months ago because my TV Wonder VE was giving me tons of problems. Spoke to a guy named Simon and he was super helpful. The problem is that over 2 calls with him we talked for at least 30 minutes. That's more than what the card cost

So is this true or was techbargains just misinformed?

 

[nitrousninja]

I'd think that they would do it for free a long as the warrenty lasts.

 

[klah]

From www.ati.com/support/customercare.html :

BUILT BY ATI retail customers will be entitled to 30 days of complimentary access to telephone support (toll charges may apply).

This new support commitment applies to all BUILT BY ATI Radeon 7000, 8000, 9000 and TV WONDER series retail products and ongoing.

And from www.ati.com/support/customercareus.html There is a table that shows that "After 30 days of purchase and warranty registration" customer support will be $1.25(US) per minute via a 1-900 number for all "Currently Shipping 'BUILT BY ATI' PC Products".

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: BrunoPuntzJones
...
I called them about 9 months ago because my TV Wonder VE was giving me tons of problems. Spoke to a guy named Simon and he was super helpful. The problem is that over 2 calls with him we talked for at least 30 minutes. That's more than what the card cost

In ATI's defense
(1) you have 30 days to get your card up and running, which is a decent amount of time
(2) they lost money on your card -- they have to pay salaries, office space, equipment etc.
(3) aside from users with real problems they are likely paying for a lot of dumb users who refuse to RTFM and check the website support area before calling.

A company I used to work for cut way down on stupid, time-burning calls just by switching from free/toll-free to free-but-toll call, but even then we got a fair number of people using support to read the friendly manual to them over the phone.

 

[Nvidiot]

Simmons,

You know of what you speak. But, what do you really know about ATI. They are selling the 9700 Pro, but it is NOT EVEN listed on their website under supported products. REAL NICE. Hey are you the Simmons that used to work at EMC? I heard stuff about you man. That customer sat level was waay down there bro. j/k

 

[Auric]

Seems reasonable to me. A warrantee is for defects not for not knowing how to use a product. That's what manuals and the extensive online support is for. But wait, you say, I should not have to be online to get support. Aha, I say, but you can use your local community facilities. Telephone support just takes more of the user's time anyway and first tier support drones are probably just accessing the same information you can online anyway. Only lazy people with a lot of time to waste will suffer.

 

[rogue1979]

All I can say is that I had a Radeon 32MB DDR that fruited on me. After following the steps on the ATI website, I was promptly sent an RMA number. Ten days later I had a replacement card that works great. I stand by ATI!