Best Manufacturer Technical Support 2018

By IPVM Team, Published May 21, 2018, 07:23am EDT

While 5 manufacturers made the worst technical support 2018 list, only 3 stood out as providing the best technical support to 190+ integrators in new IPVM results. These integrators answered:

In the past year, what manufacturer has provided you the best technical support? Why?

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For these 'best' manufacturers, 3 themes emerged:

In this note, we examine these 3 companies (plus 2 honorable mentions) including detailed integrator commentary on why they selected whom they did.

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Executive *******

*** * *** ********** were:

  • **** *** *** ** all **********, ** ***** best **********, ** *** selections (*.*., ***** *********** out ***** *** ***** selections) *** ** ***** of **** ** ***** selections.
  • ********, *** ******** * strong ******, ******* *** gap ******* ** **** since ******* *******.
  • *********, *** ******** ** a ******* ***** *** still ******* ***** ** any ***** ************.

#1 - ****

*** **** ****** ********** theme ** **** *** quality ****, *******:

  • "****. ********* ********, ** hold *****, ** ******** from **** ** ****. One ****, *** ****, problem ******."
  • "****, **** *** ****** available *** **** ***** accurate, *** ****** ******* to ********* **** **** arise."
  • "****. ***** ******** *** bug *****."
  • "****. **'** ******** ******* using ********* **** ******* and ****** *****. **** was ******* ** ** onsite *** ****** *** questions. **** **** **** organized, *** **** *****, training *** **** *** extra ****."
  • "**** **************. ***** *** an ***** **** ****'* solved ****** * *** or * *** **** have **** ************* ***************"
  • "****. ***** ******* * ticket **** ****, **** get **** ** *** promptly, *** *** *** easily ***** *** ******** of **** ******."
  • "****. ***** ******* **** local *** ******** ****. support *****."
  • "****. ***** **** **** on *** *****. ********* rep ****** ******* ************* and *** *******."
  • "**** ************** - **** have ******** **** ** contact **** (*** ****** chat, ***** ** ** helpdesk). **** *** ****** courteous, ************* *** *********. When *** ******* ****, you **** ****** *** you ******* ***** ********* too!"
  • "**** ** *** ** the **** **** ***** end ***** ******* *** back *** ********* ******* they ****** **** ******* ready ** ****. ****** response ** ******** ******* and ******* ***** ***** care ** *** ***** time."
  • "**** *** ******** ** the **** ********* *******. They *** **** ********** and ******."
  • "****, **** **** **** your ***** ** ******** before ************* *** **** support ****."
  • "****. ***** ******* ** online **** **** *******, advanced ************ *** ***** phone *******."

*********** **** ******* **** in ***** ** ******* with ******* ******** *** the **** ** ******* advanced ************:

  • "****, ****** *** * quick ******** *** ** extremely **** **** ******** replacements."
  • "****. ** *** **** (brand ***) ***** **** motor ********** *****. ** sent ** ****. **** sent *** *** *** apologized *** **** *******."
  • "**** ***** ***** ** support. ************* ****'** *** more ******** ****** *** gotten * ****** ****** with ******* *** ********* but ***** ** ** far *** ******* ** get * ***********."
  • "** **** ******** *** on *** **** ******** that **** ***********. ** speak ** ********* *** knowledgeable **** ******* *********** who ****** **** *** to ***** *** ******* or **** ** ** a **** ** ****** that **. ** *** in ***** **** ***** tech ******* ***********, **** day *** **** ******* call...not ** * *** hours ** * ********* day."
  • "**** ************** ***** *** Easy *** *******. ******** replacement *** ** *** know ** ******* ****** problems **** ******* *** RMA, **** ***'* **** you **** ******* * levels ** **** ******* to *** ********."

Cameras - **** ** *********?

*** ******** **** ****** is *** **** **** is ****** **** ********* by **********'* *** ****** satisfaction **** ****'* **** support. ***** ** ***** Hikvision ***** *** *** by ********* **** **** the ****** *** ******** of ***** ********* ******* reps? ********* ****** *** the ***** ** ** so *** *** **** willing ** ***** ** such * *********** ***** cost ***** ***** *** prices? ** **** ***, it ***** ************* **** Hikvision.

#2 - ********

*********** ******** ** ******** were ********, **** **** happy *********:

  • "******** ******* **** ** very *******, *** * direct ******** ** *** problem *** * **** attitude ** *******-******* *** to ****** ** **********"
  • "******** ******* ** ** 24x7 *** ***** *** very *************. ** **** used ** **** ***** and *** ********** *** fantastic."
  • "********-***** ** ******* *** very *************."
  • "******** ***** ** **** first. ***** ***** ******* engineers *** ********** *** know ***** ******* **** well. ** **** ***'* know *** ****** **** are ***** ** **** it *** *** **** to **."
  • "******** - **** ** get * **** ** manufacturers **** *** ********* support ****. **** **** to **** ****."
  • "********. ***** ***** ******* is *********. ****** *** readily ********* *** ******* to *** ****** ** resolve ******. ******-*** *** also ********** ***** *** issue ** ********."
  • "******** ** ***** *** best *** ******* **** with ***** ********* *** new ******* **** **** continue ** *** *** job ****"
  • "******** - **** ********** and **** ********* **********."
  • "********. *** *** ***** the **** *****. **** seem ** ** *** quickest ** ******."
  • "********. ****'** ***** *** best. **** ******* **** exactly **** *** ******* is, *** *** ** resolved ****** **** ******. Obviously, **** **** ** advantage **** ***** ******, because ****'** ** ***-**-*** solution, *** *'** *** no *** ** ******** that *** **** **** question. ******** ** **** in *** ******* ** the **********."
  • "********. **** **** ************* techs ****** *** ******* line ********, ******* ****** to *** *********** ******, and *** ***** ** usually ******** ** *** phone ****. ** *** issue ***'* ********, **** will ****** **. **** there's * ******** ***** RMAs *** **** ** get, *** ******* ************ are **** *** **** day *** ** ** charge ** **."
  • "******** ******** ** ******** and ****."
  • "********. **** *******, *********, updates, ******* ******** *********** are *** **** *** support *** ***** *** from ***** ****** **** were ****** ***."
  • "********. **** *** ********* 24/7/365. * *** * server ***** **** * weekend *** **** **** available *** ****** *** quite * ***."

#3 - *********

*********** **** ******* ******** about *********'* *******:

  • "*** **** ********* ******* has ******** ** *********. They ****** *** ** technical ******."
  • "*********. * *** ***** support **** ***** **** other *********. **** *** very ****."
  • "********* - ****** ****** in * ********** ****** of **** *** *********** are ************* *** **** to ******"
  • "********* - ****** *** a ************* ***** *** quickly ****** **** ** the ***** *** ***** me ***** **."
  • "*********. **** ***** ** remoting **** *** ****** and ***** * ********. They ***** ** ******** and **** **** *** time ** **** ** through *** *******. **** after **** ***** *** solution, **** ********* ** look ******* *** ***** to **** *** ******* cause."
  • "********* **** ********* **** and **** *** *********** people ** ***** *** issue."
  • "********* - **** *** very **********, *** **** to *** ******* & are *************"

VMS - ********* ** *****

*** ********** ******* ********* of ***** (*** ** the *****) *** ********* (one ** *** ****) raises *** ********: *** much *******'* ******* ********** ************ gap** ****** ** *****'* support ********? ** ***** can *** ****, **** will **** ******** **** of ***** ********.

Honorable ******* - *****.*** *** ***

********* ********* *****.*** *** DMP **** *** ******** responses. ***** *********** ******* IPVM **** ** ** primarily ******* ** ***** and ******, **** *** notable. *** *****.***:

  • "*****.*** ***** **** *** the **** *******. **** are ***** ** *******, extremely ******** *** **** support ********* ***** ***** into ***** ****** ****. It ***** **** * lot ** *** ** to **** ***** *****.***"
  • "*****.***, *** ** ***** friendly *** ****-******* *****, and ********* ****-**** ********* base."
  • "*****.*** ***** ** * very ***** ****** ** they *** **** ******* the ********, **** **** support ***** *******'* ********."

*** *** ***:

  • "***- **** *** *********** available *** *************."
  • "*** - ****** ********* anytime ** ****. ***** tier ** *******."
  • "*** - ******* ********** Products. ****** **** *** wait ****. ***** *** escalate ****** ******* ** get *** ***** ****** rather **** ****** ****** us ** ***** ***** for *** ********* ****."
  • "******* ********** ******** (***) is *** **** **** past ****. **** ***** are ***** *** *** support ***** *** *********** competent ** ****** **** complex ********* ** ********."
  • "***- ******* ******* ********. Their **** ******* ** extremely *************. **** **** have ***** ******* *** ALWAYS ****** *** *****"

** ** ********** *** us ** ******* ** compare *** *** *****.***'* support ** ***** ************* but ** **** ** was ***** ********** ***** integrators ******** ******** ** those *** *********.

Where's *********?

********* *** *** ** two ***** ************ ************* on*** ***** ****. *******, ********* *** receive * ****** ****** of ******** **********, ****** they **** **** **** of *** ******** / worst ***** **** ********.

********** **** ********** **** mixed **** **** ******:

  • "*********, ***** *** ****"
  • "*********, ******* **** **** local ********* ******* & have ***** *** ******* center."
  • "*********, **** *** ****** readily ********* *** **** respond ****** ******* **** of *** ****"
  • "*********. * *** *********** to *** ****** ** third ***** ** ********* support ******* ******** ****-******* questions **** "****** **** device", "***** *** ** version", ***."
  • "********* *** **** ***** and ****** ******* ** with ******, ******** **** a ***** ******** **** me **** ****** ** hour ****** ****** ****"

*******, ****** **** **** muted ** ***** ****** or ******** ** ** Hivision's ********, *** ********* itself:

  • "*********. ***** *** **** than *** ****** ** which *** *** ****** customer ******* *******."
  • "** *** *** **** from ********* ** ** had * ******* *** that ******* *** ****** with ***** ****. ** is *** ***** **** they *** *** **** but **** ****** ** didn't **** ********, ** in ******* ** ** not **** *******."
  • "*********; *** *** **********, one ** ***** *******."
  • "**** ****** **** ***** can ** ****, * gotta *** *********."
  • "* *********** ** *********"

Others - *****, *******, ******

*****, *******, *** ****** all **** *** ******** (i.e., **** **** **** worst) ****** ********. ******* was ******* **** ***** than ***, ****** *** main ******** *** *** cost *** ************* ************ to ****** ***** ********* support. ***** *** * mix ** *********, ******* a ***** *****. ****** had *** ********** ****** way, *** **** *** worse, ********** ***** ******* is **** *** *** as *********** ** **** or ********.

Comments (3)

bashis mcw

05/21/18 04:18pm

Axis Communications are very responsive when it comes to vulnerabilities - by my own experience, and therefore deserve credit for that as well.

Undisclosed Integrator #2

08/10/18 03:09pm

Hi IPVM, it seems that you guys knocked some points off the quality of the Genetec tech support performance because of the cost of it. Obviously Genetec is a more expensive system but I don't think it is fair to factor that in the performance of their tech support. At the same time the higher cost of Axis cameras is not factored in the performance of their tech support relative to Hikvision for example. My understanding this is about quality and performance not about cost and value and I would like to know how removing complains about cost and certs affects the ratings. My experience with Genetec's tech support has been outstanding every time we engage them.   

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #2 | 08/12/18 03:22pm

#2, it was the cost of support itself and the certification requirements. Here are some integrator responses:

Even though we have 4 certified techs in the field, and 1 certified internal tech (used for support for field guys). If we call in without a certified person on the phone, even if they know they system in and out, we'll get no support. If we're certified and the customer has an expired SSA, they won't help. Terrible structure and support.

Genetec... non-existent if your cert expires...lol What a joke

Genetec. All they care about is trying to find a way to make customers pay for mediocre support. It would be great if they just went away.

Genetec: Provides absolutely NO support to anyone not current with their certification, and even then, they are a pain to deal with, especially if it is a general question not specific to a particular installation.

I don't doubt your experience was positive. There clearly are many integrators positive about Genetec but there are also clearly real Genetec dealers who have material issues, which we aim to reflect.

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