Direct Microsoft Support. Possible and Affordable?

[Gongalong]

Hi folks,

 

We've been using Microsoft's essentially free support with Office 365 Education, and it's pretty good.

 

So I've been wondering, is it possible to get direct support somehow with Windows Server and the client version? We've tried to bottom this out with our reseller, but it's been like trying to get blood out of a stone. They've suggested if we bought a commercial server license it could be possible, at over £1k a year, which we'd probably we willing to pay. But is there another route?

 

Essentially we'd want support on server and client versions of Windows. Do Microsoft offer a direct support service to customers?

 

Thanks

[Steve21]

There are MS tickets you can buy to resolve an issue, but it's literally like 1 ticket to 1 issue, and generally used for the "oh crap it's all borked" not "how do you add XYZ Role" etc

 

There's one under tech-net etc if I remember, but there's also the standalone ones: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/gp/offerprophone

 

Steve

[Norphy]

The university I worked at before certainly got support directly from Microsoft. They had some kind of Premier account I think but I'm not up on the nitty gritty details.

[Steve21]

The university I worked at before certainly got support directly from Microsoft. They had some kind of Premier account I think but I'm not up on the nitty gritty details.

 

Aye that's the other one I meant above It's a lot more expensive though as it's like pre-paid for the year, and then however many tickets under the account. Think it "started" at 100 tickets last time we looked at that as its 24/7 support etc

 

Steve

[Gongalong]

I'm doing my damndest to try and find out. As mentioned, our reseller are less than helpful. Via Microsoft's global Customer Service number I've spoken to Technical Support, Customer Service, and Partner Support. All I've learned is that the per incident cost for Windows Server is £199 + VAT. They all tell me that one of the others will provide contract costs, yet none of them can. It's ridiculous!

[mikkydoos]

You might be better off finding a decent commercial or local authority support service. We use an LA service outside of our own LA - This is for Sims/Capita stuff however but I'm sure others would do system support.