RE: Just a simple service call . . .

**THIS** is why we have tiered pricing.  To fund the bureacracy.  Talk about
out of touch with the customer!

Phil

> -----Original Message-----
> From: midrange-l-admin@midrange.com
> [mailto:midrange-l-admin@midrange.com]On Behalf Of Jeff Crosby
> Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2001 2:57 PM
> To: Midrange Mailing List
> Subject: Just a simple service call . . .
>
>
> I'm always bragging how few times I've had to place a service call on
> the AS/400.  If today's experience is any indication, I'm glad, or I
> would be looking for a rope.
>
> Here's what's happened (so far):
>
> 1) Placed a service call on our 3570 tape drive.  After months of
> operation (about a year), the 'picker' doesn't want to work well and
> needs PMed, per our IBM CE. (Attn Rob Berendt:  It's Mike W.)  That time
> has come, so I place the call.
>
> 2) IBM doesn't show it under service.  In fact, they show the S/N I
> report, xxxx8 installed at another company I have never heard of.  I
> insist it's here and have in fact placed a service call about a year
> ago, under warranty, to do this exact thing I want done again.  IBM says
> someone else will get back to me.
>
> 3) Yolanda Cirilo of IBM calls.  She says this tape drive is installed
> at another company that cancelled service on it in late 1999.  I tell
> her that makes a lot of sense since I bought it used at that time. <g>
> She says it's still installed at this other company, per IBM records.  I
> inform her I have a 3-page document on IBM letterhead signed by IBM
> employee Sean Williams and dated October 20, 1999 that says this exact
> 3570 model B02 tape drive S/N xxxx8 is move to customer 2501412, which
> is my company.  It also says full maintenance will begin when the
> warranty expires.
>
> 4) We have received no maintenance invoices because when we got our 270
> box last January, we rolled everything (specifically including this tape
> drive) into that financing so we get 1 bill per month.  This all seemed
> good.  I didn't expect any separate invoices for maintenance.
>
> 5) Yolanda wanted a business partner contact (the business partner is
> Sirius).  Turns out that Sirius is somehow partnered with a company
> called Avnet, which sent the information to IBM.  Avnet screwed up and
> told IBM it was S/N xxxx7 instead of xxxx8, so IBM cannot come and work
> on xxxx8 without billing for it.
>
> 6) Yolanda informs me she _can_ dispatch service on S/N xxxx7 since IBM
> thinks that's installed here, but if the CE arrives and and the tape
> drive is not xxxx7, it is billable because we are criminals and can't be
> trusted. <g>  She give me the contact at Avnet, Adela Lopez, who is the
> one who can straighten this out.
>
> 7) Immediately call Adela and she has gone home for the day (it's only 2
> pm EST . . .).  Left a VM for another employee who has yet to call me
> back.
>
> All told, I've spent 2-3 hours today just trying to get IBM service.  I
> haven't had this much fun since the shee . . . oh, never mind.
>
> --
> -Jeff
>
> New email address: jlcrosby@dilgardfoods.com
>
> The opinions expressed are my own and not necessarily
> the opinion of my company.  Unless I say so.
>
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