Why we ask for serial numbers

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jon
Posts: 433
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2015 10:48 am

Why we ask for serial numbers

Post by jon » Mon Nov 23, 2015 12:53 pm

We are very aware that a number of people have expressed some frustration as to having to register the serial number for their unit before being able to download and install the software. Whilst this might seem unnecessary, the information is actually very important to us. It is crucial for us to keep track of RSP units as they end up in the hands of end users. This was relatively easy when SDRplay was totally responsible for shipping every unit. However, over time we have entered into agreements with several different retailers, distributors and agents – they each have their own way of working and we no longer have visibility of when and where units are sold and which manufacturing batch they came from. By asking our users to register their serial number allows us to see which units end up where and when. It allows us to deal proactively in the event of quality issues and to get a clear view of the numbers of units being bought and most importantly, this helps with our production planning and helps avoid product shortfalls. It also allows us to see if customer complaints, should they arise, are in any way attributable to a particular purchasing channel. At the same time we understand some people want to download software ahead of receiving their unit so we made an allowance for that which yes, can be exploited, but we rely on trust which generally speaking seems to work in what is a pretty fair-minded community. The reason we ask for the serial number at the beginning of ‘Start Here’ is that this generates automatic alerts to our support team – we are then able to go to customers and say ‘Have you tried this or that?’ – we have strong evidence this is reducing frustration levels where previously people would have otherwise exhausted their patience before finally contacting support@sdrplay.com for help. So that is why we do what we do. Having said that we are listening to your concerns and will see what improvements can be made to the process. Jon (SDRplay marketing)

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