RH IC PAID SUPPORT (WAS:[ic] Frustrated with IC 4.8)

[Dave Jenkins]

> 
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> Date: Tue, 18 Sep 2001 07:40:52 -0400 (EDT)
> From: Jim Balcom <jim@idk-enterprises.com>
> Reply-To: interchange-users@interchange.redhat.com
> To: interchange-users@interchange.redhat.com
> Subject: Re: [ic] Frustrated with IC 4.8
> 
> On Mon, 17 Sep 2001, Thore Karlsen wrote:
> 
> TK>>I did ask the question here before we went to him. We also asked Red Hat for
> TK>>help. (Paid support, of course.) I've asked multiple questions here, but the
> TK>>responses (if any) haven't been much help. Oftentimes other people ask about
> TK>>problems that we have experienced, but mostly they go unanswered.
> 
> I've experienced the same thing, including unanswered questions to paid
> support.
> 
> -= Jim =-

Without delving into the larger (and more ethereal) philosophical
pinnings of Open Source, and for the sake of clarity, let me state the
following:

1. My name is Dave Jenkins.  I am a Project Manager for Red Hat
Professional Services.  It is my job to work with the sales team,
prepare proposals for development work, and then oversee that
development work as it is accomplished by our development team here.  I
also negotiate and accept technical support retainer agreements.

2. Red Hat has both 1) an Interchange Product Development team that
maintains the core IC software, fixes bugs, and develops new features,
and 2) a Professional Services team that accomplishes installs,
customized development, system integration, and paid technical support
for Interchange.  These two teams eat lunch together, sit 20 feet from
each other, and are well-coordinated on issues concerning support and
configuration.

3. Red Hat will happily pursue paid technical support agreements with
developers, design studios, and end-clients.  Please accept my apology
if this point has been clouded or the parameters not clearly explained.

4. Our process for paid technical support can work in one of two ways:
    a) A person can email with a one-time issue/problem.  We would take
their Credit Card and charge for 2 hours (@ $180/hour) for investigation
and discovery.  At the end of that two hours, we would know how long the
problem will take to solve.  Usually, if it's something simple and takes
another 20 minutes, we'll have already solved it, or not charge for the
next 20 minutes.  Otherwise, I will call/email the client and tell them
"This will take 10 hours to do" or "That kind of integration is
possible, but it will take 20 hours to develop the code".  At that
point, I send off a short agreement, we sign the deal, and our
developers proceed with the work. [we are handling several such projects
right now]
    b) A developer or design studio or large client might anticipate a
need for support on several issues over the long-term.  In this case, it
is better for our team and the client to sign a support retainer
agreement for 10-50 hours/month @ $170/hour - 140/hour (the more you
buy, the cheaper it gets).  We then set up some sort of support schedule
that allows the client to send in questions, and get a response the same
or next day.  The client can also have a weekly scheduled conference
call with our team (upon prior request).

I cannot begin to thank the community enough for their answers,
dedicated support, and thoughtful insights to the program architecture
as well as Open Source approaches.

Yoroshiku,

Dave