Subject: (usr-tc) Good news or bad news? You decide...

From: Jeff Mcadams <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2000 01:44:09 +0000

Well...this is either good news or bad news...I'll let each decide for
themselves.  :)

Right before I left the office I got a call from a gentleman at 3Com
trying to followup on our issues and see what could be done about them.
This is the good news part...at least they're trying to do something.

The bad news perspective of it though...he was from the technical
support department.  This means that his concerns, and areas where he
would be able to help, would be if there were any outside issues with
the actual equipment/software/whatever.  While there are some
outstanding issues...they're not of that magnitude IMO (v.90
compatibility, early disconnects...stuff like that), and, for the most
part, they're being dealt with fairly well.

The main issues that I have been dealing with, and I shared this with
this gentleman were the issues of obtaining support *contracts*, not
obtaining *support*.  So, the bad news being...while 3Com is listening
and trying to address issues...they don't seem to be doing a terribly
good job of it...or at least they're not delegating the problem to the
right people.

The gentleman that I spoke to listened to what I had to say about the
support contract issues, understood my position, then pretty much
indicated that this was kinda outside his area of being able to do
anything, but that if we had any outside trouble tickets or whatever
that weren't being dealt, that he could indeed help there.  Like I
said...I didn't have anything earth shattering...I wish I would've
mentioned the v.90 compatibility problems, but didn't, but by and large,
this guy wasn't in a position to help out with the issues that we've
been throwing email back and forth about today.  He did mention that he
would mention the substance of my issues to his boss...so there is still
some hope that the right people will get notified of these things before
its all over and done with.

I do appreciate 3Com folks at least making an effort to get a response
in motion...hopefully we can get the right people involved and really
make some forward progress.  :)

My decision is that this is "qualified good news".  It shows that things
are at least moving...though we're still to see how efficiently.
-- 
Jeff McAdams                            Email: [email-masked]
Head Network Administrator              Voice: (502) 966-3848
IgLou Internet Services                        (800) 436-4456

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From: Paul Farber <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2000 03:57:36 +0000

Well, this has been a pretty good discussion about a pretty important
issue.

I like TC... I like what it has done for me.  But the issue remains... I'm
out $1200, have no support contract, and Michelle on the other end dosen't
seem to give a rats ass that this support contract pays her salary so she
can be rude on the phone to me.

Paul Farber
Farber Technology
[email-masked]
Ph  570-628-5303
Fax 570-628-5545

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From: Brian <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2000 07:59:04 +0000

She shouldn't be rude to you.

Between about 10 of us on this list, their is probably $10-$15M in
business with 3Com in the last 3-4 years alone.  Losing one client could
mean a million dollars or more to 3Com.  They should not let her abuse
people.

Brian

>  "help" to the same address.  Do not use quotes in your message.

-----------------------------------------------------
Brian Feeny (BF304)     [email-masked]   
318-222-2638 x 109	http://www.shreve.net/~signal      
Network Administrator   ShreveNet Inc. (ASN 11881) 	      

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From: Kirk Mitchell <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2000 15:41:24 +0000

>This is the good news part...at least they're trying to do something.

  My question is; "Did he take it upon himself to call you, or was he asked
to do so by management?" If he took it upon himself, I'd have to catagorize
it as "No news". I don't think anyone here has questioned the desire of
3Com technical staff to help. Krish, Mike, and others have always been
helpful and supportive of the customers but, until management decides to
bend an ear and pay attention, nothing is likely to change. Thus far,
nobody that makes decisions has shown an interest in addressing the
problems with the contract policies.

-- 
Kirk Mitchell-General Manager        [email-masked]
Keystone Connect                     Unlock Your World
Altoona, PA  814-941-5000/886-2500   http://www.keyconn.net

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From: Jeff Mcadams <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2000 15:48:03 +0000

Thus spake Kirk Mitchell
>  My question is; "Did he take it upon himself to call you, or was he
>asked to do so by management?" If he took it upon himself, I'd have to
>catagorize it as "No news". I don't think anyone here has questioned
>the desire of 3Com technical staff to help. Krish, Mike, and others
>have always been helpful and supportive of the customers but, until
>management decides to bend an ear and pay attention, nothing is likely
>to change. Thus far, nobody that makes decisions has shown an interest
>in addressing the problems with the contract policies.

Oh, it definitely came down from above...from *well* above.  :)
-- 
Jeff McAdams                            Email: [email-masked]
Head Network Administrator              Voice: (502) 966-3848
IgLou Internet Services                        (800) 436-4456

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From: Kirk Mitchell <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 03 Feb 2000 15:58:16 +0000

>Oh, it definitely came down from above...from *well* above.  :)

  Cool, then I'll amend my vote to "qualified good news" also. Let's just
hope that "well above" heeds what they hear and aren't just paying lip
service to quiet the squeaky wheel.
  Imagine if upper management started actually paying attention to what
their front-line people say...they'd have a whole new company on their
hands, and a far more profitible one too, I'd bet  :)

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