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From: ron@brl-tgr.ARPA (Ron Natalie )
Newsgroups: net.followup
Subject: Re: Digital Equipment Service(DEC): Is it as bad elsewhere?
Message-ID: <7997@brl-tgr.ARPA>
Date: Mon, 4-Feb-85 16:42:22 EST
Article-I.D.: brl-tgr.7997
Posted: Mon Feb  4 16:42:22 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 10-Feb-85 05:21:16 EST
References: <927@druxj.UUCP> <664@whuxlm.UUCP> <169@phri.UUCP>
Organization: Ballistic Research Lab
Lines: 41

> I really have no complaints about our local DEC field service (NYC).
> When I came here about 5 years ago, we had 3rd party maintenance -- now
> THAT was a disaster.  A few things I've learned about dealing with Field
> Service:
> 
> 	Tell them what they need to know -- don't hide screw-ups.  We
> once snagged a Unibus cable trying to fix something ourselves.  I told
> them what happened, and they fixed it.  If you have a reasonable branch
> manager (we do) s/he will realize that bailing you out is cheaper than
> having you hide the problem and waste his techs' time trying to find it.
> 
> 	Watch, observe, be aware of what's going on, make suggestions if
> you REALLY think you know something they don't, but don't get in the way
> (I had a LOT of trouble learning this one).
> 
> 	If you have a problem with a particular technician, request that
> that particular person not be assigned to your site.  Let them break
> someone else's machine.  Let's face it -- I've seen some techs who I
> wouldn't trust to sharpen my pencils.
> 
> 	When the techs finally get your machine running again, let them know
> you appreciate it.  Scratch them behind the ears or give them a nice warm
> bowl of milk.
> -- 

Well, DEC tends to be different in each office.  The people in DC tell
me they have no problems with DEC.  We have routinely miserable problems.
It took them an average of one month to install each of four 780's we have.
Part of this is attributable to poor qualitiy control from the factory,
but a large share is the first line support people being incompetent.

We don't trust them anymore.  Both here and in Denver DEC did not listen
to us, and did some very questionable things in their service procedures
that caused extended down time.  Again, the most irritating strategy is
to make the first line support people the lowest trained person on the
team.  After he screws up for three days, then they provide for escalation
with other people who know something.  Sorry.  DEC is well aware of what
their problem is, we've told them at a meeting they called after they did
not get the 1.5 million dollar BRL maintenance contract.

-Ron