Re: Ascend Max-Up program E-mail correction (fwd)

Joe Hartley (jh@metheny.brainiac.com)
Thu, 7 Nov 96 21:52:30 EST

I'd already had it up to here (hand to eyebrows) with Ascend. An Ascend
salesgeek called me about 6 months ago. I said I was very happy with
Livingstons, had developed extensive accounting and maintenance programs
to handle them, and couldn't be happier. This put me on some sort of
"challenge" list for them, since I got a call about 6 weeks later from
someone trying to sell a package to replace the Livingstons with Ascends.

"Sorry," I said. "I'm very happy with Livingston, and I'd told someone that
the last time you called."

"Yessir," said the salesdroid, "that's why we're calling back. We're trying
to make a special effort to talk to happy Livingston customers."

I mean, come on. Admit defeat, man!

The kicker came about a month ago. One night, every half-hour or so,
our fax machine started spewing an 8 page fax from Ascend. We got
5 of them before we turned the FAX off. Of course, there was no one at
the number I called (which was on the fax), but I probably blistered the
voicemail system. I did mention that even if I'd been considering their
product, if they couldn't handle the fax technology, I doubt their ability
to handle routing or terminal servers!

The kicker was that while every fax had my name and address at the top,
each "personalized" note began the same way: "Dear John:"

I thought they couldn't get any worse, until today!

========================================================================
Joe Hartley - jh@brainiac.com - brainiac services, inc
PO Box 5069 : Greene, RI : 02827 - vox 401.539.9050 : fax 401.539.2070
Without deviation from the norm, "progress" is not possible. - FZappa