Newsgroups: bit.listserv.dectei-l
Date:         Thu, 17 Dec 1992 23:18:44 EST
              <DECTEI-L@UBVM.BITNET>
From:         Ta Fuh Chiam <chiam@VULCAN.CBA.OHIOU.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Info needed on CSLG and other TEI changes

>Not only does DEC appear not to understand how its customers work, a
>point I also made before which received tremendous criticism from some
>members of this group, DEC appears not to understand WHO its customers

I think you probabaly need to be a little gentle in your complaints. :-)

>are.  I received a cold call from a local DEC person with whom I had
>not previously talked regarding a DECstation whose warranty was ending.
> I said I had been trying for over a year to come up with a unified
>maintenance approach for our 10 DECstations and assorted VAXstations

Yes, Digital should be working hard to get this problem fixed. Unfortunately, I
am not sure whether there is an effort or a consistent system in place to handle
this. If you are trying to get something critical like that from Digital and the
local office fails to respond, I would suggest you escalate through the
appropriate channels - go to the manager, if that fails, go higher up. If all
else fails, call Digital Corporate Customer Relations group.

It should not be that way and the customers should not have to do this but
sometimes the process breaks.

>this process however, we determined DEC's records had not a clue as to
>the existence of our "work group" of computers (other than the one
>which caused the call from DEC) though they do have all of the serial
>numbers in their data base.  They are listed as being owned by one of
>the University's purchasing agents (now retired) who, most likely, has
>never seen a DECstation.   The listed location address is a loading
>dock in a different building.

This is a common problem, actually two problems. First, it is difficult for
Digital to get the correct name and address since they can only rely on tbe
information provided on the purchase order. From an operational point of view,
Digital is not really at fault. The problem is our purchase order system that is
causing the problem. There is no way that Digital can obtain the so-called "your
work group" information from the purchase order information.

Now the cause of that problem aside, the second problem is what you and I have
just described - Digital does not know much about how its customers operate. Let
me explain. It is clear that there is a problem that incorrect information is
being used by Digital. If Digital is truly customer-driven, then Digital should
try to resolve the problem and get the "work group" information. Digital's old
customer base is probably the DP shops. Over the past years, a new customer base
has emerged - end-users. Digital needs to pay a lot more attention to this group
of customers. I just had a long talk with my local Digital sales rep. and this
topic came up. One of the constraints that Digital sales rep. have is a good
justification to visit every departments on campus, it is costly and probably
not profitable, from Digital's point of view. However, Digital needs to realize
that it needs to look at these customers as a resource and invest in this
resource. Now, if you think about it this way, that "work group" information
becomes very critical.

Digital, in my opinion, tends to look at the profitability ratios very closely,
which is perfectly fine (you need to do that to survive), but also seems to miss
the boat in investing in its customers as a resource. :-)

>This is in spite of the fact I had made
>several specific calls to the local DEC sales office about maintenance
>on these machines and complained to this list.  I'm not sure we

As I have said, I think you are approaching your problem in the wrong direction.
If calling your local office fails to produce results, escalate it up the
channel. Complaining to this group is not going to help you much since this
group and the TEI group are not the appropriate group to fix your "maintenance
contract" problem.

>education customers are the only people working in "Chaos Net."

Yes, Digital is now operating in "Chaos Neet." That said, I think we should be a
little more patient when dealing with Digital. On the other hand, there is a
limit to patience. :-) So, it works both ways, both Digital and we have to work
together to resolve the problems.

If you want results, you need to be patient. On the other hand, it is Digital's
job to make its customers happy. So, Digital, are you listening?

============================================================================
Ta Fuh Chiam
Ohio University, College of Business Administration / Phone: (614)593-2088
Management Information Systems                        FAX:   (614)593-0319
Copeland Hall 22                   INTERNET : chiam@vulcan.cba.ohiou.edu
Athens, Ohio 45701, U.S.A.            or    : chiam@ouvaxa.ucls.ohiou.edu
                                   BITNET   : CHIAM@OUACCVMB
                          Use my first Internet address if at all possible.
Disclaimer: What I have said are my opinions, not of anyone else.
============================================================================
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