Re-iterating/clarrifying SGI Support protocols

[dave "who can do? ratmandu!" ratcliffe]

   This is to re-iterate a standing Support Engineering (aka Hotline) policy
   that we are experiencing a *little* slippage on and therefore need to make
   sure everyone--at least who reads comp.sys.sgi--is working with the same 
   set of guidelines/procedural understandings:

   Admittedly, those encountering problems with X are enduring various 
   levels of difficulty.  We have found that in recent months, a certain
   kind of "end-run" situation has been developing wherein certain 
   customers/users are up against the wall, and in various capacities
   are communicating directly with people in Software Engineering at SGI
   WITHOUT the problem/potential-bug/difficulty being matched/logged thru
   a currently opened call to the Hotline.  As frustrated and fed-up as 
   some people are with getting help/quick access from/to a Support 
   Engineer on the Hotline,

       IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT ALL PROBLEMS HAVE A CALLOG ASSOCIATED WITH
         THEM SO THAT THEY MAY BE ACCURATELY AND EFFICIENTLY TRACKED. 
         
   Without absolute adherence to this fundamentally basic tenet, our system
   of responding to the needs of our customer base will inevitably fail.

   This is because the only way to ensure that a given problem is known 
   about and is being properly studied/tracked/monitored is for a callog's
   call-ID to match up on a one-to-one basis with each and every problem.
   Without this one-to-one matching, miscommunications and incorrect working
   assumptions shared between Support and Software Engineering, will
   inevitably create replicating situations where specific problems start
   falling through the cracks.

   Hence, to re-state, please be sure that at any point you may be
   communicating with SGI on whatever level or basis regarding a specific
   problem--difficulties with X have increased this non-logged call 
   scenario--that there ALREADY EXISTS a call logged through the Hotline
   so all of us here at SGI, regardless of which division we're in, can 
   be dealing with this problem with the same parameters and tracking
   mechanisms clearly and unambiguously in place.

   Support Engineering does its best to solve a given problem in as timely 
   a fashion as is possible.  Frequently if the call is beyond our knowledge
   base, we will setup a conference call which will include a Software 
   Engineer, and take notes on the ensuing solution for future reference.  
   If, in such a case, the Software Engineer offers to call the customer 
   back, it should in NO WAY be construed from this that the Software 
   Engineer is now devoting herself to the problem and will be responsible
   for pursuing the customer with callbacks.  That is what Support 
   Engineering does.  We will continue to call back both the customer and 
   Software Engineer until the problem is solved, but it is not the Software
   Engineer's duty to interface in that manner with customers.  If further
   developments occur, the customer should call the Hotline back rather than
   the Software Engineer so we can log those problems as well.  

   The Hotline will never give out the phone numbers for the Software 
   Engineers even if politely asked.  We also discourage customers from 
   calling SGI and obtaining direct lines for Hotline people.  We are aware
   that during peak times you may not get an immediate response, but in 
   order for us to track your calls, it is imperative that you only use the
   Hotline number.  If you are given a Software Engineer's phone number by
   the engineer herself, we ask you to please treat it with respect and only
   use it for the duration of that call if you must use it at all.

   Your adherence to these essential rules regarding our problem-solving 
   procedures is greatly appreciated.

                            dave ratcliffe, product support system engineer