🚀 go-pugleaf

I thought I'd add my voice to this onslaught of complaints which
started the day I called to price a Zeos  Pantera-90 system.

First: The package included a 4x Mitsumi CD-ROM drive at no additional
cost.  My salesrep told me that the CD-ROM drive was a "today only"
deal; I said that I wasn't ready to order yet.  Her response was that
she'd have to get approval from her manager to extend the offer, and
to do so I'd have to call her later that day (after she'd left, but on
the same day) and leave a message. *KNOWING* that this had to be
bullshit, I played along, called back and said that I was interested.
The next day, I called back and got a different salesrep and checked
the price.  Yep, same price, 4X CD included, no one-day only
mentioned.

When I got the system, there was a standard note included which said
something to the effect that.. "Your ZEOS system has been upgraded
with a 4X CD-ROM drive at no charge.."  Yeah, right.  Today
only. Today Only only specials aren't either.

Second: Lotus SmartSuite was to be bundled with this system, also at
no charge.  I specifically asked if it came with printed
documentation.  I was told that it did.  The idiot salesrep (Miss One
Day Only) said that it came in 5 boxes, one for each software package,
bundled together.  5 CDs.  I figured that she hadn't actually opened
it but had seen SmartSuite which looks like it's 5 boxes.  I asked if
the whole package was in stock, particularly Lotus and the CD-ROM
drive.  I was told that it was.

When my system arrived, there was NO Lotus SmartSuite.

I called.  It was on backorder.  It would be shipped soon.  It *did*
go out FedEx, but when I opened the box, I found it to contain one CD,
and nothing else.  No book, no manual, no nothing.  One CD. Lotus
SmartSuite with Online Documentation.

I called and got a support person who said that it must have been an
oversight and that she'd ship the documentation.  A week later I got a
packing slip in the mail which, I now assume, was the documentation
*she* thought I meant.  I called back (yesterday, now) and was told
that SmartSuite CD ships with no printed docs, just the online stuff.

Now I'm pissed. This smells of bait-and-switch.  I *am* a savvy
customer, asked all of the right questions, and got screwed anyway.  I
am on the verge of packing the whole system in and returning it.  I
have had a call in to a customer service supervisor for 3 days, but he
has not returned my calls.  His voicemail says that he's out sick
today.

Before getting the Attorneys General of New York and MN involved in
investigating potential mail-fraud and Zeos' sales practices in
general, I was wondering if anybody else had similar stories of
salespeople who 'misinterpreted' or gave information which differed
somewhat from reality in terms of what was in stock or what the
package contained.

There were other issues with my order which point towards incompetence
on their part.  Zeos had a problem with my credit card company (AT&T
Universal). Zeos Cust Support said that the order was 'kicked back
into sales for a credit problem.'  I assumed that the charge was
denied despite the fact that I had cleared additional credit the night
before.  It turns out the charge was not denied, but the CC company
wanted to speak with someone from Zeos in order for the charge to go
through.  Zeos had no idea how to handle this and kicked the ball back
into my court.  2 or 3 business days later, the system can be ordered
and shipped.  By the way, AT&T called *me* back twice to get the
situation resolved and called again to make sure everything was OK.
Zeos, needless to say, did not.

And, as if to add insult to injury, the keyboard on the system was
broken when it arrived.

So: This is not only a rant but a call for accurate, unbiased
accountings of tales of screw regarding Zeos.  If they shafted you, I
want to know.  Please don't count the replacement Pentium matter.
I've read enough about that.

~~~Steve
--
/*************************************************
 *
 *Steven Abrams             abrams@cs.columbia.edu
 *
 **************************************************/
INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY = Interactive Network For Organizing,
Retrieving, Manipulating, Accessing, and Transferring Information On
National Systems, Unleashing Practically Every Rebellious Human
Intelligence, Gratifying Hackers, Wiseacres, And Yahoos. -- Kevin Kwaku.