Tech connect contract Allen Bradley

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The Smashing Electrons

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Is any one as mad as I am about Allen Bradley's tech connect contract?

Seems AB will no longer answer technical questions without a paid contract.

Does anyone have this contract and how much are you paying.

Seem they won't say how much it costs on there website
 
I was designing a small project and needed so technical information, so when I called, I found the same thing...you have to have a tech support contract to get an answer. I just specified a competitive product.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
I was designing a small project and needed so technical information, so when I called, I found the same thing...you have to have a tech support contract to get an answer. I just specified a competitive product.
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I wonder whether they would answer the same questions for a distributor or dealer?
 
I have a contract with them. Imagine my frustration when they told me it did not cover the question I had with , IIRC, an ML1000. To old. Not sure what it does cover now. The online data base if you can figure out how to ask the question. I do get invited to tech connect online seminars that are available in tbe middle of the day.

My local AB guys find the answer if I cant.
 
Cow said:
What kind of equipment were you looking for support on? PLC, VFD's, etc??
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There are some products that don't require a tech connect contract at all. The current plc's require a tech connect contract. Some of the knowledge base is available with or without a tech connect contract but you still have to have an account. I think the accounts are still available for free. At one time you couldn't even download manuals without going through your account but I think now you can manuals for everything without having to enter your account. My personal opinion is AB does not want to deal with people who only use a small amount of their product. They are just too expensive to support. The guys that use a few thousand dollars a month worth of PLC Hardware might as well go to automation direct or someone else because Siemens GE and Allen Bradley really don't want you. They all have similar Tech support requirements, although as best I can tell GE will at least talk to you although it may take them several days to get to you if you are not a paying customer. Your best bet in my opinion if you are not using a lot of product and are forced into one of the 3 main automation suppliers is to get whatever support you might need through the distributor.
 
Thanks for the input

Thanks for the input

Thanks

I think the reality is that Bob is correct in that they really don't want small business people.

I would normally deal with Automation Direct but they don't have this one product I need and other suppliers don't have it either.

I dread not say what it is less my AB salesman find out and jack the already high price even further.

Still I am very unhappy about this.
 
We pay about $5,000 a year for our AB tech connect contract. It covers more then just tech support. It also covers software licensing and license up grades.

And yes, it's hugely frustrating to call them and have them tell you to "pay us" or go pound sand. Especially when you just bought their product.

But compared to wonderware they are great to deal with. Our support with them is $55,000 a year and wait time for tech support call back is usually 4-24 hours.
 
The Smashing Electrons said:
I would normally deal with Automation Direct but they don't have this one product I need and other suppliers don't have it either.

I dread not say what it is less my AB salesman find out and jack the already high price even further.
Click to expand...

The salesman has little or no say in the price for low volume customers. There is a list price and then about 50 different levels of discounts. Every customer is assigned a discount level for every product. Our discounts (off list) for AB products range from 10% to a lot more (I am not in a position to say much more than that). It was not all that long ago that one thing we were buying from AB was being sold to us at 12% of list price. Depending on how much you buy they also offer special deals for certain products where you can get an even better deal on those products. One has to be cautious though because the deals don't always apply to everything in a line. For instance, there was once a time when some panelview +6 units were at one discount level and near identical ones at a different level. No idea why.

personally, I am curious what product AB has available that no one else does. that would be pretty unusual, especially since AB makes almost nothing themselves anymore.
 
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