🚀 go-pugleaf

geoff@zswamp.UUCP (Geoffrey Welsh) writes:
: woods@eci386.uucp (Greg A. Woods) writes:
: 
: > Why aren't the Telebit distributors (esp. in Canada) yelling and
: > screaming at Telebit to get the official right to do these
: > upgrades/swaps?  Such a move would impress me for one, and I expect
: > would be well worth the cost to improve customer relations!
: 
:    Let me count the reasons!
: 
: (1) Telebit distributors?  WHAT Telebit distributors, especially in Canada?  
: Once a mainstream item, Telebit modems are now just a tiny dot in the huge 
: catalogues of companies like Avnet Computer.
: 
:    OK, I shouldn't be tough on Avnet; unlike Merisel and other such companies, 
: Avnet reps usually know something about the products they sell.

Back after the Open Systems Show I posted something mentioning that
Truger were now Telebit distributors.  They join Sidus and someone else
whose name escapes me, but you are right about Avnet and Merisel, and
about Merisels knowledge of product.

As far as I can make out, Truger are selling telebit for a fraction less
than Merisel.   Lets translate this...   if you have a per broker and
order more than 15 at RETAIL prices from any one of a number of
organizations in the USA, pary duty tax and brokerage, it is cheaper to
buy T-3000s that way than from Canadian outlets.

My experience with Merisel as far as tech suport goes is far from
favourable.   It once took 12 weeks to get a bum WYSE-60 replaced.  
Boy did they kick up a fuss because clinet hadn't kep the original
packing....   In all honesty I can't expect much more from the other
vendors - with the possible exception of Avnet who I've never bought
from - since they are primarily box-pushers and simply don't have the
spare staf to devote to detailed techical support.

Perhaps they rely on the excellent tech support direct from telebit,
which is fine for setup and the like, but doesn't help with the case we
are now in (upgrades) or when you have a blown board.

:(2) Why would any distributor want to make a few meagre bucks upgrading modems 
: that were shipped directly by Telebit in what is a thinly veiled end-run 
: around their markups (and profits) in the first place?

Good customer relations.
But then I've answered the question in that phrase have'nt I?

: (3) It's hard enough to get decent tech support & service from most 
: distributors on products they sold, let alone stuff that they didn't.
: 
:    Don't hold your breath waiting for distributors to come to the rescue.  
: What surprises me is that Telebit's Canadian customers aren't calling them 
: DAILY to remind Telebit that they're being treated like second-class citizens.

Some of us are.
Perhaps more of you should.

--
Anton J Aylward