I've been dealing with Microsoft support for a long time, initially using software assurance and now mostly paying per ticket. Unfortunately, the quality of support has really dropped over the years. It often takes too long to reach someone who can actually help without just directing me to FAQ articles. I'm wondering how to get more effective and timely support. Can I hire a managed service provider (MSP) to handle interactions with Microsoft? Is there a better paid tier than what I currently have? My main frustration is the back-and-forth, often taking weeks to reach technicians who truly know the products. Recently, my vendor quoted me $34k a year for just 12 hours of support, which seems excessive. Are there any alternatives that actually provide timely, helpful support, especially if I have to pay extra?
2 Answers
You have to think of Microsoft as split into various segments. For instance, Azure support isn’t the same as Office 365 support. Each product has a different process for getting help. Sometimes, I've found that if the product I need support for is listed in Azure's support options, the response is much faster—around 3-5 days, especially for licensing issues. But I agree, at the end of the day, I just want quicker help too, and I'm willing to pay for it!
We've tried premier support too, and honestly, it's not that great. The wait times for issues categorized as P2 and above often stretch from weeks to months. Those quoted hourly rates can be shocking, right? It's frustrating just thinking about it.
Exactly, the specific support for Azure features can sometimes be tricky to navigate. I had a similar experience trying to get support for Azure Application Proxy and couldn’t find the right channel either. It’s like hitting a wall, but it helps to push for those distinctions so you can get better service.