IBM Power Support: What to expect when requesting a live call for your IBM support case (applies to AIX, HMC, IBM i, PowerHA, PowerVM, Power Systems)

IBM Power Support: What to expect when requesting a live call for your IBM support case (applies to AIX, HMC, IBM i, PowerHA, PowerVM, Power Systems)
For standard IBM support, IBM Remote Technical Support teams will communicate, by default, using electronic support (e.g., electronic case updates and/or email).  IBM understands, from time to time, customers may prefer discussing a support case using a live call (e.g., web meeting, voice call, screen share).  IBM provides multiple options for the clients to indicate when they prefer a live call over electronic updates, such as; configuring a IBM Support profile to configure a communication preference or requesting live calls in their support cases.
As a courtesy to all IBM customers, IBM Remote Technical Support will reply to live call requests based on:
  • In the order requests are received,
  • Based on the severity of the business impact (e.g., getting a production system back to an operational state).
  • The availability of a Subject Matter Expert (SME) with the technical skills being requested for the technical issue.
  • When requested data has been provided, and the SME has had adequate time to review the data.
  • When customer can ensure all of their knowledgeable staff (system admins, network admins, storage admins, etc) are available to participate in the call and have authority to run commands and make necessary changes.
IBM recommends these steps to request a live call for assistance with your support case:
1. Request a live call
  • Customers should communicate their request for an live call with an SME through their support case,
  • Clearly state the urgency and nature of the issue requiring immediate attention,
  • Specify any available times for immediate live calls and suggest additional times in case our SME are already committed to previously scheduled calls,
  • Update the case with any special handling requirements, such as language requirements, limited accessibility to systems and data, or security restrictions.  Every effort will be made to accommodate the special handling requests and if not, alternative options will be provided,
  • Important: For live call requests and proactive cases for upcoming system maintenance, please review this article for details on how these requests are handled: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/881454.  Also, when customers make requests for hands-on assistance during their maintenance windows, customers may be directed to an IBM services team or IBM business partner to provide this level of in-depth custom assistance.
2. Receive a confirmation
  • The remote technical support team will acknowledge and confirm the request based on the severity of the business impact and published response time guidelines.
3. Preparation
4. Agenda and Objectives
  • Customers are encouraged to outline the agenda or key discussion points for the live call to ensure the call remains focus on the technical topics and all pertinent topics are addressed,
  • Clearly define the objectives for the live call, whether it's troubleshooting, decision-making, or technical consultation.
5. Technical Requirements
  • Inform the support team of any specific tools, software versions, or access permissions required for the live call,
  • Ensure compatibility and functionality of necessary communication tools to facilitate smooth communication and collaboration.
6. Active Participation
  • Actively participate in the live call by providing insights, answering questions, and collaborating with the support team to reach a resolution,
  • Engage in constructive dialogue to ensure mutual understanding of the issue and proposed solutions,
  • During live calls, the SME will not take control of sessions and perform actions directly on customer systems.  The SME may provide instructions in advance of the call (the support case) and/or may provide instructions in chat sessions to review and execute in real time,
  • During the live call, the SME will provide technical assistance for activities that are within the scope defined in the IBM Support Guide, assist with issues collecting requested and required data, and discussions of topics to resolve any confusion that can be impacting the time to resolution.  If during the live call, the discussion and requests go beyond the scope of work defined in the IBM Support Guide, the SME with refer customers to an IBM service team or IBM business partner to provide the hands-on, in-depth and custom assistance being requested.  The SME will then continue to complete any tasks that are defined as being within the scope,
  • For live calls with the purpose to collect and upload requested and required data collection, once the data is uploaded, the SME may request to disengage from the live call.  The purpose is to give the SME time to accurately and thoroughly review the data. The SME will provide an update on the progress or the results from the review of the data provided,
  • For long duration live calls which the SME is not required for the active discussions and/or does not have specific actions, the SME may request to disengage from the call until such time the SME is needed.
7. Follow-Up and Feedback
  • After the live call, customers can expect a summary of discussed points, actions taken, and any follow-up steps agreed upon,
  • Provide feedback on the support experience to help us improve our service and responsiveness.
8. Conclusion
  • Clear communication and proactive engagement are essential for helping customers to have a successful call with IBM Remote Technical Support to help move toward a resolution to the IBM Support case.
  • When planned correctly, we find that live calls will have better communication, be more productive, and lead to quicker identification and resolution of issues or questions.

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