Customer Support¶
ConnexCS does not charge for support, however there are reasonable level of expectations from both parties involved. (Unless you are paying for dedicated support NOC on Demand).
Expectations¶
ConnexCS Server Provider Obligations¶
ConnexCS support engineers make all efforts to fix reported problems within a timeframe deemed appropriate for the severity of the issue.
We make best efforts to reply 24/7.
Customer Obligations¶
As a customer we expect from you:
- Basic level or above of computer operation.
- Basic level or above of Telephony.
- Act as liaison with your customers and carriers.
- Initial problem investigation.
- Problem Isolation (See Debugging guide)
Support Channels¶
There are several methods of contacting ConnexCS for assistance outlined below. If you need to Report a Problem, please make sure you check that section for information on issue classification and response times, and some tips for reporting issues so we can best address your needs.
ConnexCS System Status
Before reporting a problem, please check the ConnexCS System Status Page for current known issues.
Online Chat¶
Online Chat allows for real-time assistance. Initial communication is with a bot. If the bot is unable to help, it will advise you to type "Human" to connect with a support representative. Clicking this button alerts staff, and the first person to become available will reply as soon as possible. We find that most questions are resolved efficiently this way. Please note that the chat system is for one-on-one communication about a specific problem, not for multiple concerns or system-wide change requests.
Support Tickets¶
Support Ticket (found at the bottom of the ConnexCS navigation menu) displays all open tickets for an account. Create a ticket by sending an email to support@connexcs.com.
Phone¶
To speak to a Support Representative, please call our office number listed at www.connexcs.com.
When to call the support number
Our support line rings directly to our engineers. We kindly ask that you only ring this number during 9:00am - 23:00pm UTC, unless there is a CRITICAL issue.
SMS¶
Contact us using SMS:
- UK: +44 7481 346 455
- USA: +1 408 475 9494
Telegram¶
Contact us via Telegram:
- https://t.me/connexcs_support_bot
- @connexcs_support_bot
NOC-On-Demand¶
If you are interested in NOC-on-Demand or Enhanced Support, which would give 24/7 (or to cover their time zone) operational support, please contact us directly to discuss this option.
Report a Problem¶
This section covers the best practices for reporting problems to ConnexCS support. We encourage feedback but also want to make sure you have the most efficient means of expressing a problem so there are no delays.
Issue Classification and Response times¶
ConnexCS classifies issues based on a combination of Category and Severity. If you are not able to determine the Category or Severity, we can help with this.
Categories¶
- Platform- Refers to the stability of the ConnexCS system (typically outside customer control). Ex: ConnexCS platform is down.
- Operational- Any configuration related issues, which are typically within the customer's control. Ex: Misconfiguration issue.
Severity Levels¶
| Level | Severity | Example |
|---|---|---|
| P0 | Critical | ConnexCS is down, this is affecting all customers and all calls are failing. The best thing to do is to monitor https://status.connexcs.com/ and await updates. As we are a small team, we may be focusing on resolving the issue, and although a reply may only take 10 seconds, we will have 100's of customers asking the same thing. |
| P1 | Critical | A customer of ConnexCS is down and it is affecting all calls. |
| P2 | Critical | A customer of our customers calls are down, or there is a serious User Interface problem. |
| P3 | Important | A partial outage on a customer or carrier, and/or some but not all calls are affected, or there is a serious User Interface Problem. |
| P4 | Trivial | A feature is broken but business can continue (User Interface problem, or a low-impact problem affecting calls). |
| P5 | Trivial | A feature does not work as expected or an enhancement is required. |
Paid Support Escalation
If you have a P3, P4, we are out of working hours and you have a problem that internally you consider to be critical, you have the option to escalate it. We will charge $150 per hour for our support (min 1 hour). A P5 feature request may be escalated but a project cost may be involved, please discuss this with us if you are considering it.
Classification usage
These Severity levels are here to assess the impact of a problem but are not followed blindly. We will attempt to answer support requests 24/7, however repeated instances of misreporting incidents as Critical beyond normal working hours may result in fines on the account or account termination.
Response Times¶
-
Platform for P2+ (Critical) Issues = 24/7 support.
- Platform Issue
- Our Monitoring will alert Us
- Check our status page, ETA's will be issued if we have them available.
- You can contact us, but please don't expect any detailed replies while we are focused on troubleshooting the issue.
- 24/7 response incident.
-
All other Platform (non-Critical) and Operational Issues = 8:00am - 8:00pm UTC business hours support. Whenever possible, we strive to provide best-effort support outside these times if we are available. We are a small team, so we request you keep this in mind when reporting issue severity.
- Operational or Configuration Issue
- Our Monitoring will not alert Us
- Our status page won't show this problem
- Contact us immediately
- Problem are resolved during working hours or best effort.
Issues with new interconnects
Issues encountered when turning up a new interconnect which is not working are not considered Critical.
Issues when making changes
Issues encountered when you are making a change, testing a new feature, or onboarding a new customer, are not considered Critical.
Requested Troubleshooting and Information¶
For best results when reporting an issue, please provide us with the following information. This will help our support staff and engineers best address reported problems.
Step 1: Check for Outages
Please check the ConnexCS System Status Page for current known issues.
Step 2: Check Documentation
ConnexCS onsite documentation, found at docs.connexcs.com, serves multiple functions:
- To provide a repository where you can search for information relevant to your problem.
- To inform your questions when you contact support.
Sometimes complications are resolved easily by turning off parameters that are not compatible. These are instances where a little troubleshooting might solve it. There are other times where a bit of help is needed as well; understanding the documentation will speed our efforts to remedy larger concerns. Whenever possible please consult the ConnexCS documentation before contacting support.
Step 3: Gather data
This step helps us understand and resolve your issue as quickly as possible. Whenever possible, we recommend you follow a standardized troubleshooting process, such as our recommended Debugging steps.
- User Interface Issues: Including a screenshot along with a clear description of the problem can really help us understand the issue. For an efficient utility to take UI screenshots, we recommend a browser plugin called "Lightshot", or use your OS's built-in snipping tool.
- Problems with Calls: For problems with call flow, the Call-ID is how we identify affected calls. It helps us isolate customers, providers, and/or channels that may be affected. Find a Call-ID in the Logging section by clicking on a call, and then copying the ID to right of the panel.
- Clear and Concise Issue Description: The above steps contain more ways for you to be able to identify your problem, troubleshoot it, and then communicate the problem(s) clearly in the event of contact.
Respectful communications
We are also happy to talk with you about wider SIP topics outside of our switch where possible. Under no circumstance will we tolerate rude behaviour, intimidation, or threats. We are all SSVVP and SSCA qualified, and whenever possible, we will cite references or point you to SIP traces for fact-checking information.
Reporting Multiple Problems¶
If you have more than one problem to report, we ask:
- Create a separate ticket for each request sone is routed to the correct staff member.
- Allow an adequate amount of time for us to assess the problem and resolve it. We first determine if the problems are connected, adding extra time onto finding the roots themselves.
- Call instead of emailing. This is so we can get a concise reading on all concerns quickly and ask follow-up questions on the spot.