Support Model Ideas

Sorry for not giving you some new content lately.  I was planning on making my next post about some of the new features we have added to the site in our latest release.  Since that isn't going out until tomorrow, I thought I would explain why in hopes it gets more feedback.  We try to work toward two-week goals for development.  With the launch, we have been getting new ideas tossed at us from new places.  Some of these turn into immediate tasks that will pile onto the current build sets goals.  Most of the time, I just take a timeout from what I am doing to incorporate the new ideas into future designs.  Those of you that have left feedback on the site, forum or via email know we are listening.

That said, I would like to get feedback on some new ideas for how to best support you all.  Traditional RIDGID support is handled primarily via the phone so that the customer is able to be walked though a troubleshooting process.  RIDGIDConnect has dedicated resources that you can reach via phone or email too: ridgidconnect@emerson.com or call us at 1-877-875-8785 (available 8am - 5pm EST, Monday through Friday).  However, I think that this product is so different from our traditional products that we can explore new models of support.  I don't want to shape the feedback too much, but I want to start some ideas here.  PLEASE leave me comments on this site to help discuss this idea.  I would normally use the Forum, but I havent decided if that is the right place to support this yet either.  Here are some ideas to think about...

• Should the support be kept within RIDGIDConnect itself, or should it be a stand-alone site?
• Would you expect it to be focused 100% on RIDGIDConnect, or would related products get supported there (all of the stuff here: www.ridgid.com/upgrade)
• What do you think if the basics of the site were: FAQ (linking to top Knowledge Base Items), Developer News (Replacement to this Blog and Authored by RIDGIDConnect Staff ), Knowledge Base (Collection of help that the RIDGIDConnect team creates along with guest authors),  and  a Technical Forum (This would not replace ridgidforum.com for general discussion on the RIDGID brand.  This would just be a technical place to get help from a community)

So that is what is rattling around in my mind now for ways to expand the support of RIDGIDConnect.  Let me know what you think in the comments.