TSANet

1. TSANet The Industry Infrastructure for Multivendor Support Dennis Smeltzer President, TSANet, Inc.

2. TSANet • The Industry’s Best Kept Secret? • Established in 1993 as Not-For-Profit / Vendor- Neutral • Over 200 Members Worldwide • Used to Solve Hundreds of Multivendor Problems • Saved Thousands in Sales and Lost Revenue for Members • Why isn’t it better known? • Behind the Scenes Process • Customers rarely know TSANet is being used • Members don’t promote problem solving • Intranet Links can Provide a Path of Least Resistance but name recognition is not a priority • Call Volumes are low to begin with • Last ditch effort … call the other guy for help • Easier to Push the Customer off … “especially when I get reviewed based on call closure” • Failure to emphasize processes for TSANet or any other CSAs

3. What is TSANet? • TSANet is an INFRASTRUCTURE • Legal (Industry Standard Language) • Tactical (Simple Database for “everyone” to store process instructions • Technical Support Alliance Network • Vendor-Neutral • Not-For-Profit • Members Worldwide • Most Major IT Vendors Participate • Provides Support Personnel a Mechanism to Collaborate with other Partners • Member to Member Portal • Via our Intranet or Direct to TSANet Portal www.tsanet.org • Members Post Process and Escalation Documents for other Members in the TSANet web site • Contact is typically made via phone or email via each members’ posted process • TSANet is NOT a 3rd Party -- Contact is made direct between other Partner/Member

4. TSANet Community Model • The TSANet Structure allows members to create two types of relationships • Open Groups • Many to Many type relationship • SLAs vary per relationship • Closed Groups (Customized) • Many to Many • One to Many • One to One

5. TSANet Model Traditional TSANet Model Many-to-Many Closed Group Option One-to-Many One-to-One

6. Standard (Classic) TSANetOpen Group Relationship • Standard TSANet or Classic TSANet • Largest Membership (400 support centers) • Best Effort (No SLA but quick response) • Single Point of Escalation to Program Manager on Site • Member Defines Mutual Customer (e.g. Support Agreement Required, Products Supported, etc.) • Limited Number of Callers have access to Place Calls

7. Mission Critical Customer (MCC) • Common Elements of MCC • Many to Many type relationship • Mutual (End-User) Customer must have 24/7/365 contract with member being called • Members agree to work to Isolation and/or Resolution • Must involve Post Sales Products in the Field • Member can use TSANet as a Vendor-Neutral Escalation Point

8. Mission Critical Customer (MCC)Open Group Relationship • MCC Elements • Requires 24/7/365 • Requires 24/7/365 Escalation • Mutual Customer Must have 24/7/365 Contract • Information about what is required to identify customer is located in the database (You will need to get this information from the customer) • Contact Procedures are posted in the database • Response Times • 2 Hour Response in P-1 (Severe) • 4 Hour Response in P-2 • Next Day Business Day for P-3 • Unlimited Callers have access* • Must be member of TSANet in a specific Global Region to Place Calls

9. Customized / Closed Groups • Typically utilize the TSANet Standard language • Use the TSANet Database / Web site as the single point for storing and updating contact / process documents • Member’s will “host” the relationship and choose Participants and support elements of the relationship • Can be formed as • Many to Many • One to Many • One to One

10. Globalization • Formerly Two Separate Companies • TSANet, Inc. • Americas / APAC • TSANet Europe, Ltd. • EMEA • Two • Sets of Paperwork • Boards / Leadership • Operations / Pricing • Global Company • One • Direction (Mission) • Leadership (Global Board) • Operations (Global Staff) • Members (Global Input)

11. New Open Group Relationship • Objective • Create a “Direct” mechanism for Senior-level Code Engineers to collaborate within the industry.

12. What is the problem? • Collaboration between high-level engineers happens but typically takes place as a last resort and after days of customer finger-pointing and internal escalations • Calls internally must be escalated to the correct level of engineering which is typically not a timely process. • The mechanism for code de-bugging engineers to collaborate at an Industry level is a behind the scenes process and usually takes the form of a business card relationships. These relationships are vulnerable and not accounted for. • Once high-level engineering is involved, inviting another partner/vendor means starting the problem resolution process all over again. At times, this process is better accomplished by an upset customer who can get a call escalated more rapidly. • Customer satisfaction can deteriorate rapidly when confronted with the industry’s inability to get their paid suppliers together • Customers’ experience the same level of frustration as engineers experience when engagement of like resources at another company takes the course of starting all over again. Thus, finger-pointing can and does occur. • Senior Engineers can move rapidly to resolution once the correct level is engaged increasing customer satisfaction • Entitlement is not the issue is most cases. These are high-level paying customers

13. What will this solve? • Establishes a quick, vendor-neutral easy to implement process for engagement of senior-level, code debugging engineers throughout the industry. • Establishes criteria • For the Engineers who use it • When the process should be used • Obligates the industry to work on behalf of qualified Mutual Customers but establishes criteria for disengagement should common, mutually agreed principals not be in place • Keeps the customer informed but out of the escalation and finger-pointing process between members • Formalizes the process and establishes an industry standard mechanism already in place • Implemented at little or no cost for most members

14. What are the obstacles / hurdles? • Industry Definition of “Terms and Procedures” • Customer Entitlement • Who, When and How can someone “Push the Button” • What is the ROI and is it Tangible?

15. Industry Input Needed to define scope • Define when the relationship can be invoked • Problem solved by Sr. Level Engineers with access to Code? • Define Sr. Level Engineers (Outbound Process) • The agreement will allow only “named” qualified engineers to engage • Define what is acceptable process for receiving a call (Inbound) • To what level • Process or Named Callers • Customer Entitlement • Engagement • Disengagement • Certified Platforms • Response Time Criteria • Response Time and Definitions • 24/7/365

16. Short Call Process Example Problem Identified and Escalated Internally Customer Entitled Problem Verified Qualified Engineer Determines Engagement with other vendor necessary Pre-Post Customer Entitlement? Process to Engage? Customer Involvement? Non-Disclosure Necessary? Collaboration Occurs Call Ownership? Who informs who/ when? Call Closure?

17. Steps to Implementation • Obtain interest in moving forward • TSANet Global Board Meeting – Complete • Obtain interest and commitment of time from industry in pursuing • Identify Working Group and Initial Participants • Define Scope of Relationship using Industry Templates and Database (TSANet) • Management Approval • Legal Input and Feedback • Process Templates • Beta Testing • Release to Membership and Press