🚀 go-pugleaf

In message <3081A545.4B7F@primenet.com> - Willie <wman@primenet.com> writes:

:>Your hindsight is appreciated,  let's see,  the reality is that once 
:>again it's my fault that MCI did this to me and I should have known that 
:>regardless of the promises made by they can't be trusted.

It is not your fault that MCI couldn't meet a promised delivery, but when it 
comes to money being lost because of someone's promise of a delivery date, it 
a case of shame on you(and me) for not having backup in place.

:>Your experience with USA Connect is tragic and I'm sorry to hear about 
:>it, however I'm dealing directly with MCI not a reseller.  I had several 
:>back-up options which after being convinced by my MCI rep that I was 
:>only a week from install I did not pursue.  

Back then MCI was still the carrier and they were the ones that turned up my 
service and they were the ones I had to deal with during installation and for 
service. The reseller was still in the picture only because of their 
purchasing power due to the number of curcuits they had turned up all over 
the country.

:>I picked MCI not because of Price or timing but because they came highly 
:>recommended by people I respected.  

Same here with Connect USA. We should create a "I've been screwed club".

:>Having a back up option as a simple matter is not quite as simple as you 
:>make it sound.  Most carriers don't tell you that they are willing to 
:>let you bail out so easily. And You're right, I was far to trusting of 
:>my rep, but I have to say she did a very good job of convincing me that 
:>I would be turned-up.  This next week, next week thing had me suckered 
:>in.  Chalk one up for the Rep.

Yup. But consider this, You are the customer and with any kind of backup in 
place, you can tell them up front that if they cannot meet a promised date 
that you will go with another provider. Have the backup scheduled for 2 weeks 
after the first one and tell them that if they cannot meet the promised date 
that wou will go with another provider. When the first one is on premise 
doing the install, wait till it is up and then call the backup(assuming that 
you really do not want them as a backup and tell them that your business 
plans have changed and you will not be needing their service.

In all conversations, remember that YOU are the customer and that there are 
other providers for the service that you want even if you really want them to 
provide that service.

:>I would agree with you that having a back-up plan is in the best 
:>interest of any aspiring organization.  The fact is it doesn't change 
:>the reality that MCI contiued to led us on with incorrect information.

I agree with you, but when money is going out the door based on a promised 
date, you have to draw the line. In my case, I only had two alternatives at 
the time that would reach my users and both of them were much more expensive 
and the business had already lost $240K as a result of Connect USA and I was 
immediately under capitalized.

:>I don't believe that I was shortsighted in staying with MCI.  I believed 
:>what I was being told.  My only admission is that perhaps I was gulible 
:>and naieve in believing.  I had back-up plans and I am now reinstating 
:>those plans.  I don't believe that I'm at fault for believing and 
:>trusting , just naieve.

But business is business. I was shortsighted and I believed what I was told 
by Connect USA even though I was warned that something may happen.

:>As a matter of fact I will be having multiple installations done from 
:>different carriers in order to avoid the crash and burn of any single 
:>carriers network.

Definitly the way to go. I wish you luck in your venture.

Robert Michal
rmichal@phoenix.net
http://www.phoenix.net/~rmichal