<html>
<head>
<meta content="text/html; charset=windows-1252"
http-equiv="Content-Type">
</head>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">Hi William;<br>
<br>
Yes I'm getting too old to let manufacturers off the hook
anymore. They just don't pay me enough (wink, maybe if I ever was
compensated for service calls?) <br>
Unfortunately I have had the exact same experience with SMA's
phone tech support. I was having setup issues that were not
covered in the manual and they acted like I was an idiot. They
walked me through it and I got it working , and then after I asked
"where does it say that in the manual?" I then recited several
verses from their manual that bolstered my faulty reasoning. He
finally mellowed out a bit, realized I was somewhat knowledgable,
and admitted it wasn't in the manual, and that they needed to
update it. (hmmm...) <br>
Ultimately, I can deal with the attitude as long as they answer
the phone and can fix the problem; it's better than someone being
super nice but just wasting your time. Of course both fixing the
problem and being friendly would be even better.<br>
<br>
Attention SMA tech support: William, I, and many on this list
were installing off grid systems when you were still fudging in
your diapers. We read the manual first, and only call when we
still can't figure it out. We're the ones out there in the woods
trying to make SMA equipment work while the nervous customer looks
over our shoulder. <br>
Respect.<br>
<br>
Thanks,<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760</pre>
On 2/11/2015 5:44 PM, <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:william@millersolar.com">william@millersolar.com</a> wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:026001d0465d$1eac3710$5c04a530$@millersolar.com"
type="cite">
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;
charset=windows-1252">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 14 (filtered
medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoListParagraph, li.MsoListParagraph, div.MsoListParagraph
{mso-style-priority:34;
margin-top:0in;
margin-right:0in;
margin-bottom:0in;
margin-left:.5in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:1621110510;
mso-list-type:hybrid;
mso-list-template-ids:-395654190 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;}
@list l0:level1
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level2
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level3
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level4
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level5
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level6
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
@list l0:level7
{mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level8
{mso-level-number-format:alpha-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:left;
text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l0:level9
{mso-level-number-format:roman-lower;
mso-level-tab-stop:none;
mso-level-number-position:right;
text-indent:-9.0pt;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0in;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Friends:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p></o:p></span>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0
level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><span
style="mso-list:Ignore">6.<span style="font:7.0pt
"Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">I
have had a difficult time working with most of the phone
support technicians at SMA. From the very beginning most of
them have presented an attitude of arrogance and
condescension. I have had the quality of my work called
into question without any evidence to support that
position. I have experienced long delays in receiving
replies. I have seen technicians present incomplete
diagnoses. Fortunately Scoey Wildey of SMA was in town
while we were rebuilding a commercial Sunny Boy system and
he came and inspected our work and could vouch for it. I
have found one highly professional, competent person at SMA
who used to be in tech support who will take my calls. I’d
like to give him credit but I don’t want to share him.
Also, Steve Jefferson and Scoey Wildey have intervened on my
behalf on a few occasions and I am grateful to them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraph"
style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0
level1 lfo2"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><span
style="mso-list:Ignore">7.<span style="font:7.0pt
"Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">I
am wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience
with SMA tech support. If it is not just me, maybe several
of us could contact SMA management and ask that they augment
the training of the phone support crew. I am sure they are
capable of improving on their skills, both technical and
interpersonal. We all know people in the industry that
stand above the rest in professional demeanor, Rick Cullen,
for example. I try to emulate his always-available,
always-helpful, open-minded approach to dealing with people
and challenges. We should expect this of all manufacturer’s
representatives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Thanks
to any of you who are willing to review my many questions
and offer suggestions or comments.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">William
Miller<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
<br>
<fieldset class="mimeAttachmentHeader"></fieldset>
<br>
<pre wrap="">_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
List Address: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>
Change listserver email address & settings:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a>
List-Archive: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html">http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html</a>
List rules & etiquette:
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm">www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a>
Check out or update participant bios:
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org">www.members.re-wrenches.org</a>
</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
</body>
</html>