Dead brand new Powerpro

[rpd]

All I will add to this is that software is software.
Each piece of data (instruction, information, commands, etc) are just microscopic capacitors of some shape or description (many different iterations) holding a on or off state. If only one of those capacitors loses (or changes state), then the whole machine can come crashing down (in a virtual point of view).

A reboot just simply re-establishes the proper state of the "on's" an "off's" in those capacitors. That is never going to change as long as we use the current technology.

Nature of the beast(s)....

It can also be bad programming, or a bug in the software.

I am a courier and the App. that runs on our smart phones, to be dispatched jobs and sign them off, bogs down and then freezes on a fairly regular basis. Re starting the program restores normal operation. With the last, company issued, phones we had it used to crash at the same time every afternoon, now I am using my own, Android, phone and time between crashes is longer and it has a faster response time. There must be part of the code that does not properly release resources after running and eventually there isn't enough left for proper operation. There are other bugs in the code that have been there since before I started with them twelve years ago, so I am not hopeful that the IT department will ever fix it.

[garys]

That is not uncommon on proprietary software used for a single business. Often, the software writer doesn't have the knowledge to know what is wrong with the software and therefore can't fix it. If a piece of software has wider use over millions of users, there are more software writers in the pool to work on it, and more likely someone who knows a bit more and can fix it.

[rpd]

That is not uncommon on proprietary software used for a single business. Often, the software writer doesn't have the knowledge to know what is wrong with the software and therefore can't fix it. If a piece of software has wider use over millions of users, there are more software writers in the pool to work on it, and more likely someone who knows a bit more and can fix it.

This is a national company, USA and Canada, The basic software has been in existence for a long time and is just ported to new platforms as they come along, and occasionally updated to add new features.

I think part of the problem is that there is no way direct way, that I am aware of, for drivers to report problems to the IT department, (at head office, in Texas).

[garys]

But, likely proprietary software written and owned by a company who won't share the code and likely has minimal code writing staff. When that happens, limited knowledge and time prevents the bugs being addressed.

[number3456]

Well I called Shopsmith yesterday and the lady who answered the phone was very contrite about the engineer not calling me back. I told her not her fault - she was trying to get me right. She sent message to engineer and her boss so we'll see if I get a call back today.

[dusty]

I hesitate to comment on the "Customer Service" that is being provided today because I have had only very limited contact of late. I will say that in the past, the folks in Customer Service have been very helpful, patient and polite. I would have no reason to call them contrite.

However, a proper response to my questions and needs has always been timely. I have had engineers either connected immediately or call back the same day. That does not seems to be the case today.

SHOPSMITH: Pay Attention! Quality Customer Service is COSTLY but worth every penny spent.

[JPG]

I surmise that much of the current 'problems' is due to the departure of some very experienced personel that recently retired.

[dusty]

I surmise that much of the current 'problems' is due to the departure of some very experienced personel that recently retired.

If this assumption is true and I suspect it is, the real problem is Shopsmith's failure to plan for and react to the departure of those that the company is so dependent upon.

What happens when "the engineer" retires? Does the operation shut down? After reading many of these posts it seems that there is two maybe three persons in customer service and one maybe two persons in an engineering role.

These people are all to be commended but just how far can their talents be spread?

[number3456]

On Monday I called Shopsmith and receptionist forwarded my issue to the Engineer and her supervisor. She thought that I should get a call that afternoon or Tuesday morning.

Late Tuesday afternoon I had not received a call back and called again, Brooke who answered the phone said today was the first day of a brand new ticket system that is used to handle customer concerns and the info goes straight to the engineers and supervisors to they can track issues. Reading between the lines it appears that the company recognizes they have an issue with customer service and are addressing it. So we will see what happens next. This being a short week with Thanksgiving I doubt I’ll get a call back until Monday the 27th.

Kudos to Brooke as she is trying help and this is only her 2nd week on the job. She is a good addition the their staff.

[number3456]

Finally they posted the upgrade video on-line.

http://shopsmith.com/ss_forum/maintenan ... 20750.html

Still waiting for response from shopsmith...