As a Symmetry Solutions customer I figured I would post this here. I don't know much about Hawk Ridge, but Symmetry was always good about problem solving and trouble shooting. So it looks like Hawk Ridge will have the West coast, Canada and the Midwest.
You'll be in a good hands of Hawk Ridge as I've been with them from day one of using SW. Excellent Service !!!
EDIT: The thing that impressed me much is the Hawk Ridge's application engineers spent hr and hr for remote sessions on my computer until the issue is gone while most of my requests were resolved within a day or 2.
We have had great support from HawkRidge, in fact my department head is at a HawkRidge conference in Calgary at the time of this message.
I have no doubts Hawk Ridge is a good VAR. We are supposed to keep the internal employees that are at Symmetry with the support of Hawk Ridge.
The biggest thing for any Solidworks customer is you don't know how good your VAR is until you have a problem, and that is a bad time to find out you do not have a good VAR. I have never had a bad experience with a VAR yet so I am knocking on wood that this will continue.
My sad experience tells me that TriMech has consolidated many VARs, and are now collecting subscription fees while giving essentially no customer support. I have sent their support team two emails in the past month, and only got the automated feedback email ("we'll get back to you within 24 hours"). Most likely they fired as many people as they could, and now cannot keep up with questions. And as far as I can tell, I have no other options for switching to a different VAR. Still looking for solutions, but if anyone reads this and knows how I can work with another company I would appreciate the advice. What I really don't want is for TriMech to jump on here and promise to do better, since they've clearly left themselves without the resources to do better.
Danielle,
Since most VAR's are region specific, where are you located?
thanks for responding. I'm in Vermont. Have reached out to a VAR in New York, hoping they can cover me. I hate the fact that two New England VARs were acquired by this one company, though. It hems me in so that I can't work with the team I've always trusted.
If you have additional recommendations please feel free to share them with the group. I appreciate having options, and hate having none!
Thanks,
Danielle
My search yielded the following,
Home - SolidWorks reseller for Quebec, Eastern Canada and New England
Fisher Unitech | Get SolidWorks Certified | CAD & 3D Printing Software
I have no knowledge or affiliation with either of these VARs. But they are options for the area you are in.
Good luck on your search.
Danielle Ohallisey wrote:
... TriMech has consolidated many VARs...
I got consolidated from CAPInc., but I can't really say that I'm sorry about it.
Danielle Ohallisey wrote:
...I have sent their support team two emails in the past month, and only got the automated feedback email...
I have called their Tech Support Hotline (1-888-874-6324) 4 times in the last 6 months. The last time being 10 minutes ago.
My phone call got answered by a human each time within 2 or 3 minutes.
They answered/solved the first 3 issues and the current issue the tech did an Rx. grabbed the zip file and will call/email me back. I have no doubt that he will.
Danielle Ohallisey wrote:
What I really don't want is for TriMech to jump on here and promise to do better, since they've clearly left themselves without the resources to do better.
My experience (granted a rather small data set) is very different.
If I may suggest, give them a call at the number I listed above. and let us know the result.
Danielle Ohallisey wrote:
... switching to a different VAR. Still looking for solutions, but if anyone reads this and knows how I can work with another company I would appreciate the advice. ...
Switching is possible. You can switch to any VAR anywhere. Keeping one regional to you makes sense because their business hours will probably coincide with your.
Th switch VARs, contact the new VAR and ask them to contact SolidWorks with your request to switch.
You will be queried as to why, but I'm very sure you can switch.
Good luck Danielle.
Thanks. My experience is based on three emails to tech support in the last couple of months (I was also with CAP, prior to this acquisition). The first was promptly responded to, the others have been ignored. I don't ask for a red carpet, just some feedback when I write to them. I could call, but it's always going to be more convenient (except in cases where the issue is time-sensitive) to use email.
Danielle Ohallisey wrote:
... I could call, but it's always going to be more convenient (except in cases where the issue is time-sensitive) to use email.
Interesting how we can have diametrically opposed experiences. I find having to type out an email, take screen shots, list each and every step I took a real PITA. I would much rather dial the phone, ask the tech to log onto my computer and show them what is going on.
In your case, I would recommend you give them a call.
It seems there is a consolidation of the VAR's going on. Trimech has been acquiring a few VAR's as well. SolidWorks 3D CAD & Stratasys 3D Printers | TriMech
Thoughts?