Just a simple service call . . . -- MIDRANGE-L

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.