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Conference 7.286::digital

Title:	The Digital way of working

Moderator:	QUARK::LIONELON

Created:	Fri Feb 14 1986
Last Modified:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	5321
Total number of notes:	139771

272.0. "DEC property and the customer" by TPLVAX::DODIER (Have a good whatever........) Fri Feb 20 1987 13:20

    	About 2 years ago, manufacturing stopped shipping diagnostics,
    maintenance and tech manuals, and prints with customer orders. The
    reason for this was explained to me as such.
    
    	A supposed customer would not get a maintenance contract and
    would not let Field Service remove these items from their site. The terms
    and conditions of sale indicate that those items are DEC property
    and are for DEC's sole use unless the customer purchases a specific
    license to aquire and use these items. However, when DEC took the
    customer to court, DEC supposedly lost. 
                  
    	I know we occasionally get Dear Ken letters because some customers
    feel that they should receive the above items. My question is, are
    the people in Sales and Field Service (people in direct communication
    with the customer) aware of this situation ?
                       
    RAYJ

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
272.1	Value determines $	GRAMPS::FORTIER	Where did those bits go?	`Sat Feb 21 1987 10:34`	12
	It may also have something to do with the value of the content of the items you have listed. Have you looked at the price of some of our tech manuals lately! We also have started to charge for the diagnostic license, not the software, but the license to use the software you will later purchase. The uVAX II MDM license I think goes for $2,500.00! The general idea is to charge for the things we used to give away, becouse of their value. John
272.2	Everything has a value to someone	USMRW1::RSCHAVONE	Be a good wizard	`Mon Feb 23 1987 11:42`	17
	The reason these products were originally shipped with the system, was so field service did not have to carry them onto the customer site at time of installation, and they were to be removed after installation. Then, when we began offering the customer the option of doing self-maintenance, it quickly became apparent why some customers were not buying diagnostics and tech manuals. (they were getting them free.) Why would a customer complain about no longer getting these items with their system, unless this was the case?? Ray
272.3	It's not even fine print anymore	TPVAX3::DODIER	Have a good whatever........	`Wed Feb 25 1987 12:04`	20
	re:1 Since obtaining the diagnostics/prints is necessary for doing any kind of self maintenance, they are indeed very valuable. re:2 Some customers expect to receive diagnostics and prints from based on long ago purchases from DEC. This is a simple matter of educating the customer. Other customers know very well that they are not entitled to get these things. In some cases, it's the old get something for nothing routine. Some even try to intimidate DEC personnel into giving them what they want by threatening Dear Ken letters. A copy of the T's and C's of the sale I imagine would be enough to set them straight. RAYJ BTW - I'm sure there are some Field Service types out there that have run into the later type of customer before. I know I have.