"We like to think of ourselves as the best Support Department in the industry."
         
        - The Support Phone

We pride ourselves on the quality of our Support.  We like to think of ourselves as the best Support Department in the industry.  Part of that comes from our mandates.  During our normal business hours, 8 to 5 Central Time, we return standard non-emergency calls within one hour.  Emergencies, which means the station is off the air, get a call back within five minutes.  If it takes the full five minutes, there

is a reason.  After hours, we only respond to off-air emergencies, returning the call within 15 minutes.  Non-emergencies will be called during the next business day.  Calling in a second time within the time limit only delays the return call because we now need to clear your second message from the machine.  If the time limit should pass without a call back, please place a second call.

DPD is short for Digital Program Director, the music selection program from SMARTS Broadcast Systems.  Looking at the Support patterns for common trends, we find two items worth mentioning. 

First, when setting up Clocks in DPD, you want to have the same number of breaks per hour as the Traffic Department has for that hour.  If Traffic has three breaks, then there should be three break entries in DPD.  The exception to the rule is if the first Traffic break is at the top of the hour.  If this occurs, you do not  need to enter that break on your DPD Clock.

Second, when setting up the Artists, make sure you watch your typing.  Any character difference on a name allows the computer to think it is a totally different artist.  Uppercase as opposed to lowercase will do the same thing.  This potentially could play the same artist back to back in spite of intended separation.

How would you like six months of free Support?  Six months where there is no bill for Support on any SMARTCASTER equipment in your building.  "What's the catch?" you may ask.  SMARTS is looking for Beta sites to test new SMARTCASTER software.  We need several stations to run software that is under development, and report to us on its performance.  This would require that the operators keep logs on a day-to-day basis and submit those logs to SMARTS.  In exchange,  Support would be free for a six month period.  If your station

manangement and personnel are interested in being a Beta site for the next version of SMARTCASTER software, let us know.  Contact us by fax at 1-800-398-8309.  On the fax, use station letterhead and please include your name as contact person, call letters, address, code number, and number of SMARTCASTERS in the building.  Once the selection process is complete, you will be notified if your station has been chosen as a Beta site.

I recently heard of a station that was running out of storage space for their commercials.  Their salesmen never threw anything away.  They kept a large inventory of outdated material on their SMARTCASTER

hard drive.  By using Cut Manager and the Sort option, it is easy to determine what is outdated in your inventory.  This file may be printed out for the Sales Department.  The sales staff can then mark off spots that can be deleted.  This allows

the on-air staff to make some room on the hard drive for spots that are currently airing.  Other alternatives may be explored by calling the Support line during regular business hours.

Greeting & Notice
The Support Phone
Free Support
Outdated Material
DPD Notes

  Office: 800.747.6278            Support: 800.765.2930
  Sales:  800.498.0487            E-mail: support@smartsbroadcast.com
              Website: http//www.smartsbroadcast.com