Just Joomla

Customers - if you need support from us - click on the "Support" link and log into your account.

This will take you into our online helpdesk ticketing system, and you can then submit a support ticket.

Who is entitled to support via the helpdesk ticketing system?:-

• Customers who have a current support subscription are entitled to request support via the helpdesk ticketing system

The entitlement to receive support doesn't give you the right to demand whatever you want, ignore instructions or abuse support staff.  You are required to comply with the scope of support services, participate in a meaningful way, and communicate appropriately - so please read the following information, as it's designed to help you get the most out of support.

We support the following:-

• installation issues affecting our software
• solving error messages or bugs with our software if you encounter these
• assisting you to configure EZ* and its addons (ie. the configuration settings for the EZ* component)
• answering general "how to use EZ* and its add-ons" questions not covered elsewhere in the online articles or documentation
• language file assistance in relation to translation

We do not support any of the following:-

• custom modification questions - eg. addition of new features, changes to the php code, html layouts or CSS design styles etc.  If you have a special request - visit our custom modifications information page
• Joomla template design or customizations
• solving problems that are the result of custom modifications not done by us
• conflicts with 3rd party add-ons - although we do like to hear about any conflicts you encounter, as there may already be existing settings in EZ* to deal with these
• how to use Joomla or other 3rd party add-ons - eg. SEF components, JoomFish etc. Refer to the documentation on how to use these over on their respective sites
• migrating your site from one server to another, or upgrading it from something like Joomla 1.0x to Joomla 1.5x. We have web development services available for these activities - as they're unrelated to EZ* software support.

Helpful information to include when submitting a support ticket:-

• provide a full description of the problem, so that support staff can gain an understanding of the issue. Don't just say it doesn't work or doesn't look right - try to be specific - such as what doesn't look right, where on the site it can be found, what you were doing at the time something happened etc.
• a URL to your site so we can look at any problems you may be having.  This is preferred to a screenshot - as screenshots do not provide a context for the problem - and they do not allow us to inspect the page source, which often provides clues to the source of the problem
• details of any error messages you may have received - so copy/paste the full error message text, as it'll help determine the cause of the problem
• temporary superadmin access is often required to solve problems, as support staff usually need to check settings and test the system
• occasionally temporary FTP access may be needed, but we'll advise you if we need this type of access
• if problems happen after an upgrade - include details of the previous version, and what version you've upgraded to

Some helpful hints so you get the most out of support:-

• seek support early - ie. do not struggle for days and days with a problem because you like to solve things yourself or because you don't like asking for help.  All you're doing is generating frustration and anger - and there's no need to feel like this
• ask for clarification - ie. if you don't understand an answer, or if an answer doesn't make sense to you - just ask support staff to go through an answer again with you, or ask them to recheck things - and just let them know why.  Sometimes complex answers need to be broken down into simpler explanations.  Other times - we may interpret your question differently to what you meant - which will be why an answer doesn't make sense to you. A simple follow-up is all that's needed.
• let us know if we've missed a question - ie. if you post multiple questions in a single ticket - we normally deal with the most important issues first, because sometimes they need to be dealt with before other questions can be dealt with.  If one of your questions is missed during this process - do not assume you're being ignored - it is simply what it is and nothing more.  Just provide a summary of the outstanding issues and we'll deal with them.

Your obligations as part of the support process:-

Support isn't just about one person solving your problems.  You have a role in this too - as support is a 2-way process.  It requires your cooperation if it's to have a successful outcome - so you're encouraged to participate in this process - and meet your obligations as follows:-

• seek support early
• communicate your problem clearly, and don't bury information
• provide adequate information so we can understand the nature of the problem
• follow the instructions that are given to you, and report back on your progress so further evaluation can take place
• if you're asked to provide site and/or FTP access - provide it. If you can't or won't provide the access we need to help you - you'll have to solve your own problems
• don't ask for things you're not entitled to under the terms of support
• confine your use of the helpdesk ticketing system to requesting support and working through the support process

We close tickets for the following reasons:-

We'll close a ticket if the problem has been successfully resolved - or if we don't hear back from you within 48 hours, and this is a normal part of the support system process.  If you find your ticket has been closed due to the time lapse between our reply and you getting back to us - just re-open the ticket to let us know it's still an active issue.

We also close off tickets for other reasons - such as where a support issue cannot be acted upon or resolved due to a failure on the client's part - eg.

• clients who are uncooperative will have their support ticket closed, as we can't help someone who doesn't want help
• clients who repeatedly fail to provide essential information or even a coherent description of the problem will have their support ticket closed, as we can't solve a problem if you can't even explain or describe what that problem is
• clients who can't or won't provide the necessary access to their site or FTP when required will have their support ticket closed, because if we can't replicate the problem on our dev server - we have to troubleshoot the problem in the environment in which it's happening
• clients who engage in attention-seeking behavior by repeatedly submitting nonsense tickets will have their tickets closed - and we will review their continued access to support services
• clients who demand non-support issues will have their tickets closed - as the scope of support is clearly defined to ensure essential support can be delivered to clients who genuinely need it

Where tickets are closed due to inappropriate use of support services or inappropriate client behavior - they are not to be reopened.

Our obligations under workplace health and safety laws:-

In order to comply with workplace health and safety laws in relation to the provision of a safe working environment, we have a zero-tolerance policy towards abusive behavior of any type.  Customers are cautioned to exercise care when posting support tickets and replies - as support staff may interpret what you write in a way that you did not intend it to come across.

Customers who are perceived as being abusive will be given a 48 hour time-out from support services, and subsequent instances of abuse will result in termination of support services.

Our support guidelines are intended to help you seek support early - so that you can have problems resolved in a timely manner with a minimum of fuss.