From: lethien@scoman.enet.dec.com (NoLordShallStandsBeforeMyself,IamDeicide)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.vietnamese
Subject: [Joke] Story from a Customer Who Wanted to Buy From DEC But Couldn't.
Date: 9 Apr 92 15:04:05 GMT
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation



I had an interesting experience over the weekend; I had a plumbing problem. 
So, I went to the local plumbing supplier to get some parts I needed. While 
I was there, I chatted a bit with the owner of the store. When he found out 
I worked for DEC (his store is in Maynard near the Mill), he said. "You
know, a couple of guys are coming in to sell me some personal computers
from DEC this week." I said "Great! What will you do with them?" He then
described software he wanted to use (estimates, designing bathrooms, etc.)
I said it sounded like DEC could take care of him. 

Then he said "You know something? It has taken 2 years to get a salesman to
come and see me?" "What?" I said, "You're kidding." He said, "No I'm not. 
If I didn't do a lot of business with DEC I would have given up by now. I 
first called them 2 years ago, and they told me they were selling their PCs 
through vendors. I called the vendor they gave me. The representative came 
in, and told me I could do better than DEC. I said `but I want DEC. Aren't 
you a DEC supplier?' She said she was, but told me I could do better with 
some Japanese model she had. She was so persistent, I finally asked her to 
leave the store. You know, DEC should get to know the people they have 
selling their stuff." 

By this time I was fascinated. "Then what happened?" He said, "Well, IBM 
came in, on their own. I told them what I wanted to do (and told them I 
would probably buy DEC), but they did up a proposal and brought it in 2 
weeks later. They were going to sell me 3 PCs and some software for $25K. 
They called me by phone every two weeks after that. Very polite, but
very persistent." 

"I was still determined to buy DEC, so I called again. They referred me to
someone in Marlboro. I called her and was told she was on vacation for 2
weeks. I waited the 2 weeks and called. She told me I had to talk to
someone else. I called them. They sent me back to her. By now I'm
frustrated; IBM is still calling every 2 weeks. Even my wife said to buy
IBM. `To h*ll with DEC if they don't have their act more together than
that.' But, I do a lot of business with DEC, and want to buy DEC." 

I was in a hurry to go fix a leaky faucet, but was really engrossed. "So
what did you do?" "I did the only thing I knew to do," he said. "I called
Ken Olsen's office. I used to be his plumber and thought maybe he could get
me an inside track." (An inside track! To buy our computers!) "How long ago
was that?" I asked. "Oh, a few months ago. They're coming in this week. He
must've pulled some strings." "Yeah." I said. "He has a lot of power." 

As I was leaving, he said, "I hear they're having more layoffs there." I said,
"Yes, probably. *You* shouldn't be surprised." He said. "No. Not really."



I_have_always_loved_three_things_and_never_understood:Art_Music_Women

Ngo^`i buo^`n ddo^'t ddie^'u thuo^'c tho+m
Kho'i bay nghi ngu't nhu+ng cha? tho+m chu't na`o
Kho'i bay le^n ta^.n Thie^n Ta`o
Ngo.c Hoa`ng pha'n ho?i :
"tha(`ng na`o hu't thuo^'c tho+m ?"

      \ /   \ /         We like to think of ourselves as a well
       |     |          sharpened bone saw ready to rip through
   O---+-----+---(-     your skull.
       |     |                     -Cannibal Corpse-
       |  O--+---(-        Don't say a word, shut up and obey
       |     |             Your opinion doesn't matter to us anyway.
      ---   ---                           -Death Angel-
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