From: maurices@spock.dis.cccd.edu (Maurice Shihadi)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next.misc
Subject: Re: Pathetic news from NeXT--what's new??
Date: 3 Oct 92 19:39:52 GMT
Organization: Coast Community College District, Costa Mesa, CA

I've had difficulties with NeXT for about two years and there are some
people there who can help, you just have to find them.  Most recently
during a conversation with a "supervisor" at order management I asked
where I could send a formal letter of complaint and was told that there is no
e-mail address to send formal complaints to.  Furthermore, NeXT customer
service will not even give e-mail addresses for employees referred to by
name.

Questions I have would be as followes:  


1)  How come we (users) are not notified that all hardware swaps are made
with refurbished parts unless we specifically ask?  I don't mind this 
policy but I would've liked to have known before having a good 
hard drive swapped with a bad one when my problem had nothing to do with 
a my hard drive.  On the other hand, NeXT did replace it immediately so 
I can't complain much.


2)  How come the effort of customer support is excellent when calling in a 
hardware problem under warranty but the assessment of problems and solution 
is often wrong the first time around?  Often times, hardware is swapped with 
refurbished parts when there is really nothing wrong with the hardware.  


3)  Why contract with Motorola when they do absolutely no diagnostic
maintanence?  From what I've experienced all the Motorola guys do is 
arrive on site and swap motherboards, hard discs, disc drives etc.
Why can't NeXT involve the registered developers by giving them a half
day (Friday, the last day on camp.) lecture at dev camp on "How to swap 
internal components?"  and then dispatch them as consultants with their
official NeXT phillips screwdriver and give them oh four free questions
from NeXTEdge as payment for their time.


4)  Why be so liberal with shipping out multiple replacement parts next
day air when there is no confirmation that those parts are not 
performing adaquately?   

etc.

Since its so easy to criticize anything I'll stop here; however, I hope
NeXT realizes how much money and time they waste in their lack of efficiency.
It's quite understandable to insulate the brilliant people so they can  
continue to be brilliant and not be distracted by FASQ's (frequently asked
stupid questions) but, hiring minimum wage workers (this is an assumption)
and giving them responsabilities that are above their technical abilities
is not fair to either the employee or the user.  Again, why doesn't NeXT
compile a listing of all registered developers who have access to the 
internet--better yet, why not offer a cheap offordable way to log on
with the nearest university without being a student or faculty member--
and use them as consultants to help with problems.   NeXT could set
up their 1.800 number to read the number of an incomming call 
including area code (this ability may not be offered nation wide but since
the boxes are being sold by Radio Shack I assume it soon will be) 
and route that call to the home number of the developer (consultant).  
The developer's machine could take the message and support could be given 
locally within 24 hours all in exchange for a couple of NeXTEdge questions 
per call of assistance.  

I was anxious to buy NeXT stock for the longest time but since viewing
first hand how procedure and business is conducted I think I'll buy a
house instead at least for now.

All in all, NeXT is not perfect but its the best computer I've ever 
worked with for under a million dollars.  The company really ain't so 
bad either.  If punctuality and waste are all of NeXT's problem's than
I still think we come out ahead.



Sincerely,


maurices

P.S.  I would love to hear some tidbits concerning an expansion chassis
for the NeXTstation.  After all the Mac platform has it, why doesn't NeXT?


Key words:

Second Wave
Digidesign