On Mon, 2006-03-06 at 00:20 +1030, Tim wrote: > On Sun, 2006-03-05 at 07:18 -0600, Jeff Vian wrote: > > Vote with your $. Only buy from those who will build it as you > > specified, and have a written build spec so they cannot just make a > > change without your written approval. > > Well, I do. It was the last time I bought from them, and the last time > I had anyone else build a system for me. > You paid for a system that was not built to your spec? If so then shame on you. You got what you accepted! It does not matter to them that you were unhappy with that particular item, they got paid anyway. NEVER accept or pay for something that is not what was ordered unless you intend to also accept the differences in performance. > It was also a new experience for me. Never before had I had a supplier > for any product play such underhanded tricks on me. In my other line of > trade, video production, I was known as a perfectionist for the > equipment I bought. My preferred supplier frequently used me as a gauge > over what products would be up to speed for any of his other clients. > They knew if I was happy, as their fussiest client, it was pretty > unlikely that anybody else would have a problem. > IME if the builder wants your business they will build to your requirements. It does not matter if it is computers, audio electronics, video, or home building. A build contract is just that, build to the specs given. Anyone who knows the rules of word-of-mouth advertising will always strive to satisfy the customer. Each bad experience generates at least 10 negative referrals. Each good experience might generate one good referral. > In that line of work "try before you buy" was standard fare. You would > have demo models to play with before you paid for it. Of course this is > hard to do in the PC world, where so many products are crap that they'd > never survive the customer vetting process. It's always a case of *you* > spending yet more money (faster CPU, fancier motherboard, more RAM) to > get around any let downs with the system you had someone make up for > you. > > > Their excuses are just that - excuses! Unless the customer (you) > > holds them to the specs agreed upon they can easily modify things. > > Yes, I gave them grief about this. I even asked them if I could have a > job with them, I couldn't possibly do any worse than their existing > staff. Yes, I did actually say that to them, and in writing. > You complained, but still paid? Again, shame on you. It should have been returned as unsatisfactory. At least then they would not only have had a dissatisfied customer but also would have born the expense of their error themselves. > Computer dealers, the new used car salesmen... > Most are just that, salesmen. If it has lots of bells and whistles it attracts attention, and the average buyer does not look at what is inside nor do they look at the future usage. The average computer has become a disposable commodity with in many cases (probably most) less than a 3 year life span (although for businesses, the IRS feels otherwise).
