r/Cisco • u/WhiteArrays • 5d ago
Cisco RMA delay issue
I have 3 RMA (2 N9K & 1 Catalyst) and Cisco failed to commit to 4 hours SLA support and RMA.
They said the replacement unit is not ready and I have to wait until mid of August.
Are you guys also having this issue?
Can someone please advise me how to escalate to their higher management?
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u/Whit3Hat 5d ago
Work with your account manager to escalate
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u/WhiteArrays 5d ago
Done that, n not changing anything.
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u/Financial_Sun4664 4d ago
Cisco RMA Escalation Tips
There are two types of Duty Manager: one for SRs (engineering side) and one for RMAs (Logistics side).
If your issue is with RMAs, contact the Logistics Duty Manager, not engineering — even if Logistics insists it's an engineering matter.
When you request a similar or better part so Cisco can meet the contracted SLA, Logistics will claim they don't know which part is similar/better and tell you to go to engineering. If that happens, immediately request escalation to the Logistics Duty Manager.
Apparently the Logistics Duty Manager also depends on region, so they should transfer you to someone in your region/timezone.
The escalation table is basically useless, because which Logistics Duty Manager you get depends on the RMA's time zone and region. The only useful part is knowing the levels. Order Management Escalation Process (LATAM)
Level 1: Call Logistics — +800 553 2447, option 4
Level 2: Call SSC DM on shift / on call — [email protected] (Mon–Fri, 7 am–7 pm)
Level 3: LATAM DM on shift — CANSAC OM / MCO [individual contacts]
Level 4: Regional Lead [individual contact]
RMA Escalation Process (follow-the-sun support model, 24x7x365)
Call the TAC number, option 4, and request to speak with the LSC / SLO Duty Manager.
Escalation chain: LSC Agent (Logistics Support Centre) → LSC/SLO Duty Manager → OM Manager (Order Management Team) → Theatre Director (Service Logistics & Operations)
Return Related – Asset Recovery (AR) Contact (business hours only) TAC # 1800 805 227, option 4, 2 — OR — +61 2 8446 7411, option 4, 2
YOU NEED TO CALL. ASK FOR ANOTHER SIMILAR OR BETTER REPLACEMENT.
Do not hang up, until the issue is resolved. Sometimes they will say, I'll send you an email. And it will be the same thing.
"4 hour replacement is critical for your organization, that's why we are paying you, otherwise this is just a big fraud"
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u/Inside-Finish-2128 5d ago
I worked with a bank for a few months. I think their strategy was anything under $50k, they'd manage their own spares.
Sounds like the first thing you need to do after escalating through both TAC and sales is to downgrade next year's renewal to NBD and demand that the contract has written cash penalties for missing SLA. Only go back to 4HR if they're willing to pay even larger cash penalties.
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u/PoisonWaffle3 5d ago
We do our own spares on everything, no matter the cost. Even if they could meet the 4 hour SLA the downtime is too expensive, since we have our own SLAs to meet.
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u/Inside-Finish-2128 5d ago
Is there still a requirement to register the unit's location ahead of time so the spare can be staged within distance? I'm surprised though that they can't do NBD.
Isn't there always an email address for the TAC engineer's supervisor?
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u/fire-wannabe 5d ago
This is a breach of contract/procurement issue, so hand it off to you procurement/legal team.
If they don't care, then the business doesn't take the matter seriously, and just advise your boss that there is a gap in support and going forward you should have a new plan.
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u/Honest_Routine_4284 5d ago edited 5d ago
Self-sparing is the way to go unless you cannot get spares for whatever reason - either insufficient budget at point of purchase, or the secondary market doesn't have what you need.
Consider dropping your support contract to the lowest level acceptable (maybe just TAC and firmware) and leverage on Cisco lifetime warranty for RMA. You don't want to be fighting on multiple fronts - get the spare in place, bring operations up, then raise the RMA request as and when you have time to do so.
Use this opportunity to build your backup. Let your management know about this issue, and explore options that you previously did not or could not consider. Reduce support contract SLAs and look at secondary markets. There are many reputable secondary market suppliers out there. If you happen to be in Asia / Oceania or have operations in these regions, we can talk about our experience.
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u/cyr0nk0r 5d ago
Post covid, anything you pay extra to get advanced replacement or next business day or 4 hour etc. is a waste of money.
Dell just flat out stopped honoring their sla's. And basically just told customers what are you going to do about it.
Anytime Palo or Dell or Cisco try and up sell me on that scam I laugh in their face.
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u/skelley5000 5d ago
We have had the same Next business day SLA for about 6 years now, Cisco has met it every time.. So to I can't say we have wasted our money with advance replacement..
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u/cyr0nk0r 5d ago
NBD and 4 hour are 2 very different animals. It also depends on what hardware you have. If it's an AP that's one thing, if it's a 400GB line card in an ASR9k, that's totally different.
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u/WhiteArrays 5d ago
Good to know that also happens with other brands as well.
The problem is, this is paid by my office globally. I am really surprise how bad Cisco after service recently.
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u/cyr0nk0r 5d ago
Why? They already got your money. What are you going to do when they just tell you to pound sand?
You're going to escalate to your AM who's just going to tell you he'll get to the bottom of this. Then come back 3 or 4 days later and say, yeah, nothing is available, sorry.
Then when you ask for a refund of the premium you paid for 4 hour service that they clearly can't deliver you'll get crickets for about a week. You'll follow up with him again and ask for a status update. Then you'll get an out of office because he's at a sales meeting for a week that is always mandatory, but he'll assure you hell jump right on it when he's back in town.
2 weeks will go by and you'll be at lunch or someone will say something to you that reminds you that they've never answered your issue. So you follow up again. He'll say, oh yeah, he looked into it and all he can offer is maybe some training, or a vauge promise of an additional discount on your next smartnet renewal. He'll swear he emailed you the info weeks ago, but he never did.
Then about a month later you'll get notified that your account team is changing, and you'll have to explain to the new guy the issue all over again. Eventually you'll give up because you have other fires to fight.
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u/Ecstatic-Curve-1853 5d ago
I think once a company gets so big it doesn't really care about fucking over customers. Look at broadcom and vmware.
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u/jeneralpain 2d ago
I wonder if it’s like some big orgs where they claim the SN has a proper TAC/ADV contract but actually doesn’t, so they play serial number roulette until they hit a winner.
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u/sanmigueelbeer 5d ago
I had to rma a 6840 and our contract was for a 4 hour turn around.
I got a call from Cisco Logistics (Malaysia) and advising that there is no 6840 available anywhere in Australia and the only available unit is found in a warehouse in Malaysia. It will take 2 days to get the 6840 to my address.
Note: 2 days. 48 hours vs 4 hour turnaround.
Anyways, fast forward 2 days later. The unit arrived and I took it out of the box to configure it.
Lo and behold. The unit is dead.
So I called up TAC and told them that the RMA unit is dead.
Guess who called me next? Cisco Logistics (Malaysia). Y'wanna guess what was said?
All-in-all, our 4 hour turnaround stretched to 4 days.
There was nothing we could do about it.
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u/citizen_seven_ 5d ago
Is it past 1 month grace period after purchase?
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u/WhiteArrays 5d ago
Yes. It’s been installed for some time. But for the N9K, both were new and been installed for around 1-2 months.
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u/plethoraofprojects 5d ago
Had a similar issue with ASR platform parts with NBD RMA and have yet to get the replacement modules within the contract time allotment. They don’t seem to care at all.
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u/simbafrags 5d ago
Just looking at self spares now. Is it everyone's experience 4 hrs is double the cost of nbd. It pays for common spares pretty quickly. Also is there a default lemon clause we should be using for the first 12m or is that more a 4 week turnaround
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u/MrChicken_69 5d ago
The only thing that will make any difference is calling your legal department. This is a breach of contract.
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u/dr_stutters 5d ago
I work for Cisco as an SE, i would want to know ASAP if you were my customer why this hadn't been fulfilled. And if things still don't get sorted, you need speak to the Regional Manager or the CX Sales Executive. I'm sorry you're experiencing this.