From: ignatz@chinet.chi.il.us (Dave Ihnat)
Subject: Re: >>An example of Dell's product support (Esix here I come...)
Summary: Agreed!  Give 'em a break...
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 17:03:45 GMT
Organization: Chinet - Public Access UNIX
Keywords: DELL Unix SVR4

In article <1992Jul20.214033.4037@digibd.com> rhealey@dellr4.digibd.com (Rob Healey) writes:
>	How many of you have been in Tech support for a product as
>	complex as a COMPLETE system? How many of you have wasted 
>	literally HOURS upon HOURS on the phone, usually 1-800 and eaten
>	by the company, having to listen to assholes who can't be
>	bothered to open the installation procedures manual and
>	follow the step by step instructions?
>
>	<<Many, many truisms about support deleted>>

I just had to step in.  Between this thread, and the one shooting down Dell
for various other things, I think we have to stop and think.  We have a company
that's gotten into the Unix field.  They're and is offering the "latest"
version of Unix--one which even USL isn't supporting all that well (in my
experience); it's large, new, and has a lot of new concepts to master (and
bugs to fix.)  Every other vendor has unbundled the heck out of it, and is
charging an arm, leg, and other organs for the various components.

General consensus is that Dell is offering, for the $$, possibly the best--if
not *the* best--port available:  stable, extremely complete, and even including
NIH extras such as the GNU software.  Moreover, they're right on the net, not
unwilling to get in the middle of discussions about their product, and have
an on-net support address.  (And they read the mail that is sent there.)  They
definitely monitor the newsgroup--I got a callback muy pronto when I voiced a
question a week or two ago.  Hell, they have an ftp site that they allow you
to access to pick up bug fixes, updates, and optional packages.

Now, the complaints.  The sales types don't know Unix.  Oh, definitely.  I just
went a long round with my representative over a botched order.  So?  YOU know
the buzzwords, YOU know your environment.  This isn't unique at all; if you've
any experience, you know how to couch questions, how to make sure you are
asking for what you really need.  The tech types don't know Unix.  Oh, sure,
partly.  Until recently, Dell's strong suite seems to have been DOS.  So do
what I do; preface your call with "This is a detailed Unix issue.  If your
expertise isn't Unix, could I talk to somebody who has worked with your SVR4?"
It's worked remarkably well.  I've had no problem with access to the tech
types, and they've been more than courteous and willing to work issues.  The
sales rep wants to help, and is (I'm sure) learning the field; so I have to be
careful what I order, and how.  

So what do we have?  A company that is easy to contact.  Tech types who don't
have layers of flappers that I have to bull my way through to express an
issue.  And because of that, personalities also come through--frustration,
annoyance.  And here you are flaming them to hell after hearing one side of
a story, and an annoyed response?  Come on, folks--drop the flames, keep it to
issues, and above all, don't let the polemic get to the point that Dell
management forbids the kind of close contact that we've been using.  They're
learning; if somebody does something that you consider unprofessional or
counter-productive, say so in unbiased and frank terms, without trying out
you new flamethrower.  Or they *will* become another USL or SCO...

		Dave Ihnat
		ignatz@homebru.chi.il.us (preferred return address)
		ignatz@chinet.chi.il.us
Newsgroups: comp.unix.sysv386