No Access to Support

[agamba415]

I am a little disgusted that PowerSchool has taken over SchoolMessenger, assured us that everything would work the same, and then when IT DOES NOT WORK THE SAME OR WELL, disabled our support. I have to register an account to get support only to find out that I don't have access to support.

Is there anyone out there who is satisfied with this service because I am now shopping for a new provider.

[KritiS]

Hi @agamba415 

We understand that you might be facing challenges in accessing support, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced. Please be assured that SchoolMessenger support is available to all users, and we're here to assist you.

To access support for SchoolMessenger, please follow the steps below. You can also find detailed instructions and a video guide in our Getting Started in Community for SchoolMessenger Customers article.

1. Select Support in the main menu of PowerSchool Community
2. Choose the category SchoolMessenger or use this direct link.

I've noticed that you recently created a case that our Support team is currently reviewing, addressing concerns about communications being routed to the spam queue. It's important to note that this issue is likely linked to the recent DMARC changes implemented by Google and Yahoo, not PowerSchool. We understand that this situation can be frustrating, and we aim to keep you well-informed about these changes while guiding you through any necessary steps.

Please take a moment to read our recent announcement regarding DMARC changes. This announcement contains valuable information on how to adapt to the new requirements and ensure a seamless experience.

Should you continue to face difficulties or have specific concerns related to the recent DMARC changes, our support team is prepared to assist you. Follow the aforementioned steps to access SchoolMessenger support, or reply to the ongoing case with Support.

We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work together to address your concerns. 

[psutulovich]

I am a technical support person for our district in the PowerSchool community.  However, I do not have SchoolMessenger in my Support drop down.  I also have open tickets and can not see them anywhere.  Yesterday I telephoned the support number at the bottom of our SchoolMessenger screen, got PS support who tranferred me to SchoolMessenger support, waited on hold for 2 hours, the support person had to escalate.  I did get a call back yesterday and that wonderful person got to the bottom of the problem and got it fixed by the end of the call.  Now I had to open another ticket to notify we made the necessary email changes and to update on the SchoolMessenger side but who knows where that went?

[cpettus]

@KritiS,

There is no way for us to "respond to the ongoing case with Support". Once we create a case with Support here: https://help.powerschool.com/t5/Support-Case-Chat/ct-p/SupportCaseChat The case goes into the ether. We as technical contacts can't see the case anymore. It is not listed in our usual case area here: https://help.powerschool.com/t5/Case-Portal/ct-p/Support-CasePortal

That is why everyone is beyond frustrated.

Cheri

[KritiS]

Hi @cpettus @psutulovich

Thank you for bringing this to our attention; I fully understand your frustration. You are correct; the SchoolMessenger chat and case form are not currently integrated into the Technical Contacts' Case Portal, and it lacks the capability to manage cases.

Regarding the response time on Support cases, please be aware that your concerns are our first priority, and we are totally committed to providing a better experience for you. Our Support Team is continually working to improve our systems to enable faster answers, with a priority on handling serious issues immediately.

Your patience during this time is much appreciated, and we want you to know that we are committed to addressing any open cases submitted by our clients. Thank you for your understanding and ongoing support

[cpettus]

The confusion lies in that there are now TWO different places to go to in order to create a support case:

1) PowerSchool / eCollect / Naviance (whatever PowerSchool products you have): https://help.powerschool.com/t5/Find-Helpful-Resources-on-our/ct-p/New-Cases

2) School Messenger: https://help.powerschool.com/t5/Support-Case-Chat/ct-p/SupportCaseChat

Clearly, this support site is for the general public, as well as technical contacts, because it asks if you are at least 13 years old. So you get lumped into one huge queue. My suggestion: Make sure you mention that you are a technical contact for your District somewhere in the body of the case, if you create a case here.

It should all be consolidated into one web site (https://help.powerschool.com/t5/Find-Helpful-Resources-on-our/ct-p/New-Cases), in my opinion.

Also, there is no place where you can see the cases that you create on the School Messenger support site at https://help.powerschool.com/t5/Support-Case-Chat/ct-p/SupportCaseChat. So you create a case, and it disappears into the ether. The case is there; you just can't see it, or see the status of it. I've already created 2 of the exact same cases because I wasn't sure the first one went through. They are working on it, from what I am told.

Also, support@schoolmessenger.com doesn't work anymore. I sat around waiting for 2 weeks before I figured that one out....

Cheri

[LisaC17]

I checked our Technical Contacts list in Community which is listed under Customer Connect.  When I discovered no one in our district was listed as a Technical Contact I emailed businessoperations@powerschool.com to have the correct individuals added.  I did let them know we were existing SchoolMessenger customers prior to the PowerSchool purchase and integration.  I just heard back today and we have been added.  

[mhennessy]

I feel your pain.  I'm trying to contact Tech Support to change to the new interface, mainly because we're having so odd glitches, but so far I've been on hold for 10 minutes and counting.  They keep trying to push me to this Community page but I'm seeing much "assistance" on this page.  I love how when I called the Tech Support number 800-920-3897 it no longer mentions School Messenger.  You have to wait thru the ridiculous roll call of options until you get to #9 Other!!  Yep, that's where they buried School Messenger.  After you select #9 then you have wait until #6 or #7 to select School Messenger Communicate...but who knows if that's correct because no one has actually picked up yet. I tried this earlier this morning and finally selected "Call Back"...no one has called back and it's been several hours.   Nothing good lasts forever...

[Bloomingdale07403]

SAME experience, EVERY time since the changeover. 

[cpettus]

We called our helpful PowerSchool sales /customer support manager to elevate the case. I think Sales should be aware of what is going on, so they can be kept in the loop.

[jlaux]

I have successfully used the online CHAT Support - go to: 

     https://help.powerschool.com/t5/Support-Case-Chat/ct-p/SupportCaseChat  

Then choose your product, fill in all fields, then click the "Launch Chat Support" at the bottom and WAIT....I've had to wait up to 15 minutes, but someone always comes onto the CHAT, and I am able to discuss via this CHAT SUPPORT my issue to get it resolved - hope that helps! 

[KritiS]

Hi @mhennessy @Bloomingdale07403 

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

We understand that many of you are experiencing delays in receiving support, particularly given the increasing volume of requests caused by forthcoming DMARC changes and other causes.

 We understand your concern and have shared this feedback with our SchoolMessenger Team. Please know that addressing your concerns is our priority, and we are completely committed to improving your overall experience.

We truly value your patience during this time, and want to underscore our commitment to resolving all open cases submitted by our customers. Thank you for your understanding and continuous support.