Rockwell Automation has reconfigured its TechConnect remote support solution to provide customers with improved troubleshooting, easier programming and product configuration, and a more seamless support experience for improved plantwide optimisation. The offering is available at four different levels: Self-Assist Support, Product Support, System Support and Application Support. Users also can now add a la carte options to their standard support level, allowing for customisation. 

"Our world-class support offerings are designed to provide customers with peace of mind, no matter where they're located or what their application entails," explained Jon Furniss, global product manager, Rockwell Automation. "To meet the evolving needs of our customers, we streamlined our remote support offerings and added several new capabilities. TechConnect subscribers can now receive support via email, online chat and interactive user forums. A forthcoming smartphone solution will allow access to support offerings and chat via the mobile Web.

 

The four updated support contract options replace the eConnect, DirectConnect, PriorityConnect and InSite offerings. However, users with existing contracts will not experience any disruption in service. 

Customers will continue to access Rockwell Automation technical support engineers at multiple regional support centres worldwide, who are available 24/7 to provide support in more than 20 local languages.

For experienced customers with a deep understanding of Rockwell Automation products who prefer to address their own support needs, the Self-Assist Support contract offers downloadable software updates and access to the Rockwell Automation Knowledgebase, the online database containing thousands of technical solutions developed by Rockwell Automation technical support engineers. Self-Assist Support users also can address service questions via email through the Knowledgebase platform.

Customers requiring support specific to Rockwell Automation products will benefit from a Product Support contract. At this level, customers receive real-time engineering support via phone or online options for specified products, as well as remote desktop capability and software media shipments.  

For customers with a complete automated system from Rockwell Automation, like the PlantPAx process automation system or the Integrated Architecture system, a System Support contract provides access to engineers who are trained specialists in Rockwell Automation control systems. A System Support contract also provides a timely response and a dedicated service technician for each service call.

With an Application Support contract, Rockwell Automation engineers visit the customer's manufacturing facility to gain a comprehensive understanding of the specific application within the context of their entire enterprise. These engineers are then on-call to provide technical account management as an extension of the company's in-house stuff, helping to develop and execute on production goals and provide scheduled consulting time whenever needed.

A la carte options can be added to most of these contract offerings and include: continuous monitoring, trending and archiving for as many as 10,000 data points by Rockwell Automation engineers; secure remote connection to a customer's system via VPN; surveillance and alarming for critical systems; system virtualisation and testing in a safe, non-production environment; control documentation management; and a customisable Knowledgebase of the customer's own questions and solutions, as well as the products used in their manufacturing facility.