Let me say this first: I've discovered in the business of customer support, it's impossible to satisfy everyone! I do my best, but it's simply impossible.
Also, there are typically one or two people who literally take HOURS of your time. Add these to what I call the serial upgraders (who constantly scour the Barix web site looking for new firmware and install it the day it comes out-frequently bricking their units in the process), and your day can get pretty busy (what do they say about if it ain't broken.....?).
Then there's the guys who claim their units are broken, so you send them out refurbished ones and IF you get them back (about 20% of the time you don't) 80% of the time they come back fine. All this stuff takes time....
The best one was the guy who called me demanding a replacement Exstreamer. Only one problem: he had never owned one in the first place-he was trying to get one for free! Then I find units that come back hosed and when I open them up I find bad parts from 3 different units (we can trace which parts went into which units).
The best blowup one so far was the guy who crushed the wall transformer on his unit by running over it with his pickup truck. No problem though-he simply cut the wire off and attached a new AC plug to it.
I'm sure you can guess what his Instreamer looked like after he plugged it directly into 120 VAC. Fortunately, he didn't kill himself.
My experience is that the average broadcast engineer has little experience with the concept of networking. They don't understand what a router does or how a firewall works. They can't understand why you can't simply plug units into the wall and have them work (actually with QuikLink IP you can now). I don't know how many times I've been told that "My Internet connection has a static IP address" and when I ask what it is they say: "192.168....." Holding their hands takes a lot of time (and I'm pleased to say that I've never not been able to get someone working). BUT that all said-there's only one of me.
Thank goodness that
www.whatismyip.com exists though. Without it, I'd be screwed!
Look, all I can do is this: If you need support, call or email me. My number is 866-815-0866 x9114. My email is
[email protected]. I live in Los Angeles, and I'm usually around between at least 8:30 AM and 2 PM pacific time. Mondays and Thursdays are usually the busiest times. If you call and I'm not there, call me back. DON'T message me here-I usually only check here a few times a week. Also, if you have my home phone, try not to call em there. Thanks!
