Support Policies - Revision history

Ronald at 20:56, August 13, 2012

2012-08-13T20:56:37Z

Ronald: /* Tips for posting on the Support Forums */

2012-08-13T20:53:35Z

Tips for posting on the Support Forums

Ronald at 20:51, August 13, 2012

2012-08-13T20:51:46Z

Bes: Expandeed /* Email Support */ with details on what to include in such emails

2011-09-27T20:39:56Z

Expandeed - Email Support: with details on what to include in such emails

Bes: Clarified # 6 to include all info in one single message. /* Tips for posting on the Support Forums */

2011-09-27T20:25:49Z

Clarified # 6 to include all info in one single message. - Tips for posting on the Support Forums

Dustin: /* Live Chat */

2011-09-26T18:19:52Z

Live Chat

Dustin: grammar fix

2011-09-26T18:17:38Z

grammar fix

Bes: Added info about not contacting staff on their personal accounts /* Other NON-FORUM UNOFFICIAL Support Methods */

2011-09-23T00:13:42Z

Added info about not contacting staff on their personal accounts - Other NON-FORUM UNOFFICIAL Support Methods

Bes: Created this Support Policies page. It outlines the official support policies.

2011-09-22T21:59:21Z

Created this Support Policies page. It outlines the official support policies.

New page

Welcome to the official Support Policies page. This page basically outlines all the official support means and any related requirements that go along with any kind of support.

All of these Support Policies apply to any iThemes brand support: iThemes themes, PluginBuddy, and/or WebDesign.

Throughout this page AND on any and every other page, section or area of the iThemes, PluginBuddy and WebDesign websites, the general term "iThemes" represents all 3 brands and all involved products and offerings.

=Official Support Method - FORUMS=

iThemes Forum (including the WebDesign.com forum for WebDesign users) is the official (and only) support method. The iThemes forums are full of knowledge, wealth and information shared in thousands of topics in dozens of different specific sections catering to any and all products you may have from iThemes.

===Existing Customer Support===
Forums are only official support method provided by iThemes. All iThemes products come with full official forum support.

iThemes.com itself and PluginBuddy.com support for existing customers is offered mainly and solely on the [http://ithemes.com/forum/ Official iThemes/PluginBuddy Support Forums]. WebDesign.com support is provided via the WebDesign forums available to you after you log into your [http://www.webdesign.com WebDesign.com] account.

Support is 8am – 5pm Monday through Friday, CST. No support is provided nor guaranteed after those hours OR on other days. [http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=184 Check out the current iThemes local day and time]

===Potential Customer Support===
All support for FUTURE/POTENTIAL customers is provided via one of the following 3 channels:
*1 : [http://ithemes.com/forum/pre-sales-and-other-inquiries/ Pre-Sales Forums section]
*2 : Live Chat. You can click the Live Sales Chat Panda on top of ANY [http://www.ithemes.com iThemes.com] OR [http://www.pluginbuddy.com PluginBuddy.com] page
*3 : By emailing sales@ithemes.com with your Pre-Sales questions

Sales also works from 8am – 5pm Monday through Friday, CST. No answers are provided nor guaranteed after those hours OR on other days. [http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=184 Check out the current iThemes local day and time]

==Who to Contact for Support==

The iThemes brands have many people working on different products and sections. However, for ANY kind of support or direct communication, there are ONLY TWO groups you need to contact for ANY kind of question. This rule is strongly enforced in all communication (please help us enforce them more - that results in MORE forum support efficiency).

For Sales, please contact only ONE of the following teams first, and only after 24 business hours have passed (and you do not get a reply), please go ahead and contact the OTHER team to have your original inquiry looked at.

=====Support Team=====

The support team is the OFFICIAL MAIN and ONLY FIRST point of contact for ANY questions you may have as an existing customer. If there is ANY question or post of ANY kind that requires communication with anyone else at iThemes, like Sales OR a Developer of a specific product, the official support staff will direct you to the appropriate person OR have the appropriate person come contact you on the forums, AFTER you post your inquiry on the support forums.

Support Forums are the ONLY OFFICIAL way to get support and communicate with the Support Team and with ANYONE ELSE at iThemes.

There is no other way around this. If you contact any person at iThemes directly while BYPASSING support, you WILL BE redirected back to the support forums. Support will always answer you first, check everything, try to solve things for you OR get other people involved OR get your inquiries escalated to the appropriate teams/people.

Basically: '''You must contact support first for anything. You CAN contact SALES first for any SALES related questions, however.'''

=====Sales Team=====

The sales team is the other OFFICIAL MAIN and ONE OF THE ONLY TWO INITIAL points of contact for ANY questions you may have, whether as an existing customer OR a potential customer, regarding any sales related questions.

==Forum Principles==

The iThemes forums area is the only official way to get support on any of your current active iThemes products.

=====Tips for posting on the Support Forums=====

Before you post a new thread on the forums OR reply to another thread, please make sure you've done the following:

* 1 : Search the forums.
* 2 : [http://ithemes.com/codex/page/IThemes_Codex Read our ever-expanding Codex, which is updated almost daily]
* 3 : Always post full required links, all required answers, AS MUCH INFORMATION AS YOU CAN, any LOG FILES, and detailed info w/screenshots.
* 4 : Support is 8am – 5pm Monday through Friday, CST. No support is provided nor guaranteed after those hours OR on other days. [http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=184 Check out the current iThemes local day and time]
* 5 : You'll get a reply usually within 24 business hours. Please wait at least 24 full business hours before BUMPING (replying again to bring your post to the top) your original post.
* 6 : Always include FTP/cPanel/iThemes-Membership/WP-Admin login info AND links to each (including the exact forum post link that you're referring to) when asked to do so, by an iThemes employee on the forums, via email OR pm. If you miss any of the required information, we will have to reply to you on the forums to resend us the email OR the pm with ALL the required info.
* 7 : If you're asked to email or pm us, please do so only once.
* 8 : Create only ONE NEW topic per issue.
* 9 : Start your own topic unless you know your issue is 100% the same as someone else's topic.
* 10: Please post in the CORRECT category. If you are NOT sure where to post OR cannot find the appropriate category where you can post, post in any of the most relevant category you can see AND also mention in your post that you're not sure where to post. We'll take care of it from there!
* 11 : We do NOT support ANY extra customizations of ANY of our Plugins or Themes, OR any form of support for any EXTERNAL plugin or theme, in any manner. [http://ithemes.com/codex/page/PluginBuddy#Extra_Customizations See our official Extra customizations/edits Policies] and our [http://ithemes.com/codex/page/PluginBuddy#External_Plugins_Compatibility Externa Plugins Compatibility policies].
* 12 : Any free plugins are provided as is and no support is offered nor guaranteed in any manner. Check out our [http://ithemes.com/codex/page/PluginBuddy#Free_Plugins Free Plugins Policies].
* 12 : Email a staff member ONLY when asked specifically. Otherwise, we may reply to you and tell you to please post on the forums, OR we may not be able to reply at all.
* 13 : PM (private message) a staff member on the forums ONLY when asked specifically. Otherwise, just like email, we may reply to you and tell you to please post on the forums OR we may not be able to reply at all.

=iThemes Codex=

[http://ithemes.com/codex/page/IThemes_Codex The iThemes Codex] is our version of a comprehensive and detailed FAQ (frequently asked questions) and tips that can help you with our products and general WordPress and website questions. In fact, this very page you are reading right now is in the Codex: you are basically reading the Support Policies section of the iThemes Codex.

Anytime you hear the word "Codex" anywhere related to iThemes, it is basically referring to this entire [http://ithemes.com/codex/page/IThemes_Codex iThemes Codex].

The Codex is updated almost daily, and contains a wealth of information to help you get started. The iThemes Codex even contains MANY code examples and snippets which are NOT covered by official iThemes support policies on this page. All of such code examples and tips are provided voluntarily by each staff who added them, just for your benefit.

=Other NON-FORUM UNOFFICIAL Support Methods=

No other form of support is guaranteed, NOR provided, NOR supported, EXCEPT the [http://ithemes.com/forum iThemes forums] OR the [http://www.webdesign.com WebDesign forums].

===Email Support===

iThemes does not provide any form of Email support. Unless you are asked specifically to email us with something like login information (for security reasons), you must always post any questions or replies you have regarding any support question on the forums.

Even if you email us regarding some info after we ask you to email us, please post all further replies on the forums and NOT email any such further responses to us. Any emails or email replies, other than for something which we ask specifically, will be answered with the default information that you should post your support email or reply on the forums. We work fully on the forums helping you, and thus are focusing fully on keeping the forums as the central and ONLY place for support.

===Phone Support===

No phone support of any kind is provided at the moment. Sorry, we cannot call you regarding any support nor can we receive any calls regarding any support.

===Live Chat===

No live chat support is provided for existing customers. Live Chat on all iThemes pages (the Panda icon on top of all pages) is available only to Pre-Sales customers (existing OR new) who may have quick pre-sales questions.

===Instant Messaging===

No support via any form of instant messaging is provided at this moment.

===Offline Support===

No offline support of any kind is currently provided.

===Online Support ELSEWHERE===

All support questions must be asked on the official iThemes forums. Sorry, we cannot provide support on other external blogs, forums or sites (and are also usually not allowed to do so, by those blog/forum/site owners).

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:56, August 13, 2012
Line 51:		Line 51:

	The Codex is updated almost daily, and contains a wealth of information to help you get started. The iThemes Codex even contains MANY code examples and snippets which are NOT covered by official iThemes support policies on this page. All of such code examples and tips are provided voluntarily by each staff who added them, just for your benefit.		The Codex is updated almost daily, and contains a wealth of information to help you get started. The iThemes Codex even contains MANY code examples and snippets which are NOT covered by official iThemes support policies on this page. All of such code examples and tips are provided voluntarily by each staff who added them, just for your benefit.
−
−	~~=Other NON-FORUM UNOFFICIAL Support Methods=~~
−
−	~~No other form of support is guaranteed, NOR provided, NOR supported, EXCEPT the [http://ithemes.com/forum iThemes forums] OR the [http://www.webdesign.com WebDesign forums].~~
−
−	~~===Email Support===~~
−
−	iThemes does not provide any form of Email support. Unless you are asked specifically to email us with something like login information (for security reasons), you must always post any questions or replies you have regarding any support question on the forums.
−
−	Even if you email us regarding some info after we ask you to email us, please post all further replies on the forums and NOT email any such further responses to us. Any emails or email replies, other than for something which we ask specifically, will be answered with the default information that you should post your support email or reply on the forums. We work fully on the forums helping you, and thus are focusing fully on keeping the forums as the central and ONLY place for support.
−
−	When asked SPECIFICALLY, please email support directly with all the required information. Otherwise, any email sent to support staff for support will be replied to with the default message to post the issue on the forums instead.
−
−	Please do NOT send all the required and requested info in separate emails. Combine them all into one and send one email only. If any automated email is involved, like automated username and password, find out the info in it first WITHOUT sending us the automated email, and include all the info from it in your single email with all the other info.
−
−	*Always include the following in ONE SINGLE email OR pm as specified by the support staff on the forums:
−	**'''1:''' WP login URL
−	**'''2:''' WP ADMIN login username AND password
−	**'''3:''' Cpanel login URL
−	**'''4:''' Cpanel login username AND password
−	**'''5:''' iThemes Membership username AND password
−	**'''6:''' FTP url/address
−	**'''7:''' FTP username and password with full access to the required directories
−	**'''8:''' FULL info on which directories contain your WP files, which folders/files to work on, OR not touch, etc.
−	**'''9:''' Make the subject of the email relevant please. Many staff members get hundreds of different kinds of emails a day, and thus subject lines are IMPORTANT. Starting with "REQUESTED INFO: " and then putting in your issue summary is a good start.
−	**'''10:''' In the body of your email, number or organize all the above info in any manner you wish please, BUT please do organize it. It will help us save time and get to your issue faster.
−	**'''11:''' You can post on the forums letting the staff member, who asked you to email them, know that you emailed them.
−	**'''12:''' Please wait at least 24 business hours after you send the email for an actual reply to that email, on the forums. After 24 hours, go ahead and post a message on the forum thread you were originally on to check on the status update of your issue.
−	**'''13:''' Please do NOT send follow-up emails - do all follow-ups on the forums after 24 hours.
−
−	*'''REMEMBER:''' Since support is NOT provided via email, and the above kind of emails are only used to exchange info on a one time basis, unless otherwise specified by the staff member who requested you to email them, all further replies and communication will happen on the forums instead of email replies.
−
−	~~===Phone Support===~~
−
−	~~No phone support of any kind is provided at the moment. Sorry, we cannot call you regarding any support nor can we receive any calls regarding any support.~~
−
−	~~===Live Chat===~~
−
−	No live chat support is provided for existing customers. Live Chat on all iThemes pages (the Panda icon on top of all pages) is available only to Pre-Sales customers (existing OR new) who may have quick pre-sales questions. Product support for existing customers is not offered through the chat.
−
−	~~===Instant Messaging===~~
−
−	~~No support via any form of instant messaging is provided at this moment.~~
−
−	~~===Offline Support===~~
−
−	~~No offline support of any kind is currently provided.~~
−
−	~~===Social Network===~~
−
−	~~No support via any Social Network (twitter, facebook, myspace, Google+, etc is currently provided.~~
−
−	~~===Online Support ELSEWHERE===~~
−
−	All support questions must be asked on the official iThemes forums. Sorry, we cannot provide support on other external blogs, forums or sites (and are also usually not allowed to do so, by those blog/forum/site owners).
−
−	~~===Personal Staff Accounts===~~
−
−	Please do not contact any iThemes staff, regarding any support issues or questions, on or via ANY staff's personal online account like their Twitter, Facebook, blog, site, etc, or even their personal email address, instant messaging account, or anything else. No support is provided via any staff's personal account anywhere online.

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:51, August 13, 2012
Line 23:		Line 23:

	Sales also works from 8am – 5pm Monday through Friday, CST. No answers are provided nor guaranteed after those hours OR on other days. [http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=184 Check out the current iThemes local day and time]		Sales also works from 8am – 5pm Monday through Friday, CST. No answers are provided nor guaranteed after those hours OR on other days. [http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=184 Check out the current iThemes local day and time]
−
−	~~==Who to Contact for Support==~~
−
−	The iThemes brands have many people working on different products and sections. However, for ANY kind of support or direct communication, there are ONLY TWO groups you need to contact for ANY kind of question. This rule is strongly enforced in all communication (please help us enforce them more - that results in MORE forum support efficiency).
−
−	For Sales, please contact only ONE of the following teams first, and only after 24 business hours have passed (and you do not get a reply), please go ahead and contact the OTHER team to have your original inquiry looked at.
−
−	~~=====Support Team=====~~
−
−	The support team is the OFFICIAL MAIN and ONLY FIRST point of contact for ANY questions you may have as an existing customer. If there is ANY question or post of ANY kind that requires communication with anyone else at iThemes, like Sales OR a Developer of a specific product, the official support staff will direct you to the appropriate person OR have the appropriate person come contact you on the forums, AFTER you post your inquiry on the support forums.
−
−	~~Support Forums are the ONLY OFFICIAL way to get support and communicate with the Support Team and with ANYONE ELSE at iThemes.~~
−
−	There is no other way around this. If you contact any person at iThemes directly while BYPASSING support, you WILL BE redirected back to the support forums. Support will always answer you first, check everything, try to solve things for you OR get other people involved OR get your inquiries escalated to the appropriate teams/people.
−
−	~~Basically: '''You must contact support first for anything. You CAN contact SALES first for any SALES related questions, however.'''~~
−
−	~~=====Sales Team=====~~
−
−	The sales team is the other OFFICIAL MAIN and ONE OF THE ONLY TWO INITIAL points of contact for ANY questions you may have, whether as an existing customer OR a potential customer, regarding any sales related questions.

	==Forum Principles==		==Forum Principles==

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:39, September 27, 2011
Line 84:		Line 84:

	Even if you email us regarding some info after we ask you to email us, please post all further replies on the forums and NOT email any such further responses to us. Any emails or email replies, other than for something which we ask specifically, will be answered with the default information that you should post your support email or reply on the forums. We work fully on the forums helping you, and thus are focusing fully on keeping the forums as the central and ONLY place for support.		Even if you email us regarding some info after we ask you to email us, please post all further replies on the forums and NOT email any such further responses to us. Any emails or email replies, other than for something which we ask specifically, will be answered with the default information that you should post your support email or reply on the forums. We work fully on the forums helping you, and thus are focusing fully on keeping the forums as the central and ONLY place for support.
		+
		+	When asked SPECIFICALLY, please email support directly with all the required information. Otherwise, any email sent to support staff for support will be replied to with the default message to post the issue on the forums instead.
		+
		+	Please do NOT send all the required and requested info in separate emails. Combine them all into one and send one email only. If any automated email is involved, like automated username and password, find out the info in it first WITHOUT sending us the automated email, and include all the info from it in your single email with all the other info.
		+
		+	*Always include the following in ONE SINGLE email OR pm as specified by the support staff on the forums:
		+	**'''1:''' WP login URL
		+	**'''2:''' WP ADMIN login username AND password
		+	**'''3:''' Cpanel login URL
		+	**'''4:''' Cpanel login username AND password
		+	**'''5:''' iThemes Membership username AND password
		+	**'''6:''' FTP url/address
		+	**'''7:''' FTP username and password with full access to the required directories
		+	**'''8:''' FULL info on which directories contain your WP files, which folders/files to work on, OR not touch, etc.
		+	**'''9:''' Make the subject of the email relevant please. Many staff members get hundreds of different kinds of emails a day, and thus subject lines are IMPORTANT. Starting with "REQUESTED INFO: " and then putting in your issue summary is a good start.
		+	**'''10:''' In the body of your email, number or organize all the above info in any manner you wish please, BUT please do organize it. It will help us save time and get to your issue faster.
		+	**'''11:''' You can post on the forums letting the staff member, who asked you to email them, know that you emailed them.
		+	**'''12:''' Please wait at least 24 business hours after you send the email for an actual reply to that email, on the forums. After 24 hours, go ahead and post a message on the forum thread you were originally on to check on the status update of your issue.
		+	**'''13:''' Please do NOT send follow-up emails - do all follow-ups on the forums after 24 hours.
		+
		+	*'''REMEMBER:''' Since support is NOT provided via email, and the above kind of emails are only used to exchange info on a one time basis, unless otherwise specified by the staff member who requested you to email them, all further replies and communication will happen on the forums instead of email replies.

	===Phone Support===		===Phone Support===

@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 * 9 : Start your own topic unless you know your issue is 100% the same as someone else's topic.
 * 10: Please post in the CORRECT category. If you are NOT sure where to post OR cannot find the appropriate category where you can post, post in any of the most relevant category you can see AND also mention in your post that you're not sure where to post. We'll take care of it from there!
-* 11 : We do NOT support ANY extra customizations of ANY of our Plugins or Themes, OR any form of support for any EXTERNAL plugin or theme, in any manner. [http://ithemes.com/codex/page/PluginBuddy#Extra_Customizations See our official Extra customizations/edits Policies] and our [http://ithemes.com/codex/page/PluginBuddy#External_Plugins_Compatibility Externa Plugins Compatibility policies].
+* 11 : Any free plugins are provided as is and no support is offered nor guaranteed in any manner. Check out our [http://ithemes.com/codex/page/PluginBuddy#Free_Plugins Free Plugins Policies].
-* 12 : Any free plugins are provided as is and no support is offered nor guaranteed in any manner. Check out our [http://ithemes.com/codex/page/PluginBuddy#Free_Plugins Free Plugins Policies].
-* 12 : Email a staff member ONLY when asked specifically. Otherwise, we may reply to you and tell you to please post on the forums, OR we may not be able to reply at all.
-* 13 : PM (private message) a staff member on the forums ONLY when asked specifically. Otherwise, just like email, we may reply to you and tell you to please post on the forums OR we may not be able to reply at all.
 =iThemes Codex=

@@ Line 57: / Line 57: @@
 * 4 : Support is 8am – 5pm Monday through Friday, CST. No support is provided nor guaranteed after those hours OR on other days. [http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=184 Check out the current iThemes local day and time]
 * 5 : You'll get a reply usually within 24 business hours. Please wait at least 24 full business hours before BUMPING (replying again to bring your post to the top) your original post.
-* 6 : Always include FTP/cPanel/iThemes-Membership/WP-Admin login info AND links to each (including the exact forum post link that you're referring to) when asked to do so, by an iThemes employee on the forums, via email OR pm. If you miss any of the required information, we will have to reply to you on the forums to resend us the email OR the pm with ALL the required info.
+* 6 : Always include FTP/cPanel/iThemes-Membership/WP-Admin login info AND links to each (including the exact forum post link that you're referring to) when asked to do so, by an iThemes employee on the forums, via email OR pm. If you miss any of the required information, we will have to reply to you on the forums to resend us the email OR the pm with ALL the required info. Please include ALL info in ONE SINGLE message.
 * 7 : If you're asked to email or pm us, please do so only once.
 * 8 : Create only ONE NEW topic per issue.
@@ Line 66: / Line 66: @@
 * 12 : Email a staff member ONLY when asked specifically. Otherwise, we may reply to you and tell you to please post on the forums, OR we may not be able to reply at all.
 * 13 : PM (private message) a staff member on the forums ONLY when asked specifically. Otherwise, just like email, we may reply to you and tell you to please post on the forums OR we may not be able to reply at all.
 =iThemes Codex=

@@ Line 92: / Line 92: @@
 ===Live Chat===
-No live chat support is provided for existing customers. Live Chat on all iThemes pages (the Panda icon on top of all pages) is available only to Pre-Sales customers (existing OR new) who may have quick pre-sales questions.
+No live chat support is provided for existing customers. Live Chat on all iThemes pages (the Panda icon on top of all pages) is available only to Pre-Sales customers (existing OR new) who may have quick pre-sales questions.  Product support for existing customers is not offered through the chat.
 ===Instant Messaging===

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 ===Existing Customer Support===
-Forums are only official support method provided by iThemes. All iThemes products come with full official forum support.
+Forums are the only official support method provided by iThemes. All iThemes products come with full official forum support.
 iThemes.com itself and PluginBuddy.com support for existing customers is offered mainly and solely on the [http://ithemes.com/forum/ Official iThemes/PluginBuddy Support Forums]. WebDesign.com support is provided via the WebDesign forums available to you after you log into your [http://www.webdesign.com WebDesign.com] account.

@@ Line 101: / Line 101: @@
 No offline support of any kind is currently provided.
 ===Online Support ELSEWHERE===
 All support questions must be asked on the official iThemes forums. Sorry, we cannot provide support on other external blogs, forums or sites (and are also usually not allowed to do so, by those blog/forum/site owners).