Conference 7.286::digital

    Thank you for that number.  I just called the company in North Attleboro and
    he was both delighted and dismayed that a casual conversation with a 
    customer has *possibly* (I inserted that because I know not yet the 
    results) put him closer to a solution then several calls to the 
    1-800-Digital line.  He says the OEM he purchased the system through 
    is MCS Corp out of Pittsburg PA. He calls his tape drive a TZ2000.  
    I am tech support of the DSPS Product file and *I* don't even know 
    how to get a part number out of that.
    
    Thanks,
    STEVE

From the SSAG::ASK_SSAG conference (the correct name is DLT2000, not 
TZ2000):

          <<< SSAG::DISK$ARCH2:[NOTES$LIBRARY.SSAG]ASK_SSAG.NOTE;7 >>>
                    -< Ask the Storage Architecture Group >-
================================================================================
Note 3391.1                         DLT2000 ?                             1 of 1
ELWOOD::PETERS                                       20 lines  21-SEP-1994 07:28
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    
    
    	The DLT 2000 is the OEM name for a Digital TZ87. If you buy the
    drive from Conners, Dell, MTI, ... and soon Quantum they call the drive
    a DLT 2000. 
    
    		TZ87  = DLT2000
    		TZ875 = DLT2500 ( drive with 5 tape loader )
    		TZ877 = DLT2700 ( drive with 7 tape loader )
    
    	NOTE: The DLT 2000 is a generic OEM drive and is setup to the
    	specification of the buyer. It may be setup in a way that causes
    	problems on VMS or OSF. Digital Only supports Digital
    	TZ87/TZ875/TZ877 not DLT 2000/2500/2700. As of Oct 1, Quantum
    	owns DLT development, manufacturing, and OEM support. Digital
    	will continue to support TZ87/TZ875/TZ877.
    
    				Steve Peters
    				Storage Systems Eng.
    

    re: -1
    
    Great numbers, however, where's the variants?????  Thats what
    1-800-digital wants......  and, OH, BTW, don't just pull the model #
    off the back of the machine, it's probably a model # that is embedded
    in the "real" # that is required for ordering/replacement.....  Yep,
    run into it often...
    
    Hope this customer get's some "REAL" help.... (Not that the person
    helping them wasn't...8*)...
    
    Toodles.....JPs

>    Great numbers, however, where's the variants?????  Thats what
>    1-800-digital wants......  and, OH, BTW, don't just pull the model #
>    off the back of the machine, it's probably a model # that is embedded
>    in the "real" # that is required for ordering/replacement.....  Yep,
>    run into it often...
>    


Part of the point of .3 was the comment from Storage Systems Engineering 
indicating that these OEM versions may NEVER work with OpenVMS or Digital 
UNIX since they do not always contain the same firmware revs as the versions 
we have tested and sell. That could be part of the customer's problem - not 
that he needs another replacement for what he has already replaced 3 or 4 
times, but that he needs a tape drive that has been tested and certified on
the Operating System he is using. When our VARs and other "Partners" sell 
OEM versions of products to end-users, they don't do us or the customer any 
good. They may have saved a few bucks, but you can see what the results are.

 - from .3

>    	NOTE: The DLT 2000 is a generic OEM drive and is setup to the
>    	specification of the buyer. It may be setup in a way that causes
>    	problems on VMS or OSF. Digital Only supports Digital
>    	TZ87/TZ875/TZ877 not DLT 2000/2500/2700. As of Oct 1, Quantum
>    	owns DLT development, manufacturing, and OEM support. Digital
>    	will continue to support TZ87/TZ875/TZ877.
>    

> When our VARs and other "Partners" sell OEM versions of products to
> end-users, they don't do us or the customer any good. They may have saved
> a few bucks, but you can see what the results are.

And the customer sees that Digital's "partner" (OEM, VAR, what have you)
isn't reliable, obviously isn't held by Digital to adequate standards of
quality and reliability, and decides the next time to buy from what appears
to be a more trustworthy company.  This is where reputation counts.

I wonder how our reputation here (for the quality of our partners) compares
with our competitors'.

___Pete

    Is there anything in here that says MCS Corp are an AUTHORIZED Digital
    business partner ? If they're not, e.g. they're an independent happy to
    undercut Digital's channels on price, Digital has no control over them,
    and no responsibility for them, and the customer has just discovered
    the value of buying from authorized business partners where Digital
    just _might_ be morally and commercially obliged to be a bit helpful
    here.
    
    regards
    john

    >> He says the OEM he purchased the system through
    >>    is MCS Corp out of Pittsburg PA.
    
    If you wish to help this guy, beat up the guys above. He is their
    resposiblity, it is up to them to bring in Digital if they need. One of
    the points of the channel strategy is for OEMs to look after customers
    and reduce our cost of sale.

> If you wish to help this guy, beat up the guys above. He is their
> resposiblity, it is up to them to bring in Digital if they need. One of
> the points of the channel strategy is for OEMs to look after customers
> and reduce our cost of sale.

  I disagree, or at least feel that the answer above ("...beat up on
  [MCS]") is incomplete.

  While it may be true that the ultimate responsibilityu for this
  mess lies with a third party, it's equally apparent that at least
  som part of the system says "Digital" on the front of it, and that
  it's "Digital" that the customer feels is being unresponsive, and
  that it's "Digital" that the customer will remember badly to all
  of their friends and neighbors when asked "How's that new com-
  puter doing?"

  I'd suggest we either fix the problem or state in very plain lan-
  guage what we believe it to be and why it's not our problem. And
  if we chose the later, realize that we're still kissing (sp?) off
  the customer.

  We can reconcile with the third-party later, out of the customer's
  earshot.

 (I'll also point out that there's at least some chance that "MCS"
  is actually "Multivendor Customer Services".)

                                      Atlant

    Yep!!! MCS is an Authorized Digital somethingorother..... Not sure
    whether they're a VAR, Distributer, etc., etc..... But I have a
    customer that swears by them.  I've found them to be cooperative and
    helpful, however, I do find that they have a lot of NEW sales people
    that are pretty much unfamiliar with Digital's warranty options
    (supplemental services) as are their (which become our) customers.  My
    customer was unaware that the Alpha boxes only come with 90 days
    software support unless there's supplemental services purchased.  It
    can be a rude awakening.....
    
    Toodles.....JPs
    

    	If you check VTX (CALOOK) you'll see that MCS is served by many of
    our distributors, wonder who knows which one is responsible?
    
    
    	Leo

    CALOOK and similar tools are available on the web at:
    
    http://egbar.mko.dec.com
    
    -Vin

    Thank you all for your responses.  I have sent the information to 
    the Customer Relations department (which I was pointed to via a mail
    message).  
    
    I agree with .9 wholeheartedly that it's our reputation that gets
    tarnished and not the business partner (MCS - this wouldn't be MERCURY
    COMPUTER SYSTEMS, would it?).  
    
    It seems the North Attleboro Customer Satisfaction issue is a side-affect 
    of the much larger problem that has been discussed here. This was very 
    eye opening for me, and has given me a different view of the company 
    that I work for.  It was certianly a departure from the deep dark core
    in which I normally operate.
    
    I am impressed by the amount of exposure this notes conference has.  I 
    think I'll keep this one in my notebook.
    
    
    Thanks,
    STEVE
    
    P.S. Just for the Record, The company's actual name is "On Call Home
    Health Care", in North Attleborough MA. The customer's name is Ron,
    and their phone number is (508)699-2090