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Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!wuarchive!kuhub.cc.ukans.edu!arritt
From: ARRITT@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu (What a waste it is to lose one's mind.)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.zenith,comp.sys.ibm.pc
Subject: Re: zenith sucks
Message-ID: <19357@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu>
Date: 6 Dec 89 13:06:21 GMT
References: <9390@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu>
Distribution: comp
Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Services
Lines: 53

In article <9390@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu>, prove@batcomputer.tn.cornell.edu (Roger Ove) writes:
> Think twice before buying anything from this company (Zenith).
> In June I bought a zenith machine, directly from zenith,
> in a package that included a mouse (Logitech) and some
> software.  There were some delays because the monitors had not
> yet been manufactured.  They never sent the mouse.  They send

[...etc.]

> This was the third zenith machine I had bought. Needless to say
> I will never buy another one.  Any suggestions on getting even
> with them would be greatly appreciated.

When I ordered my Zenith a few months ago, they also originally shorted me
for the mouse and Windows.  After complaining, they ponied up fairly quickly.

Zenith has the state contract for our pc's, and in general their service has
been poor.  The biggest problem is LONG delays in shipping, especially for
peripherals, etc. (2 months to get a serial port).  So I can certainly
sympathize with your attitude toward Zenith.

Ways on "getting even" depend on who you are and whether your voice will be
heard.  If you're just John Q. Public, I suspect Zenith doesn't give a damn.
However, if you're in any position of authority (read: able to commit 
institutional $), businesses will listen closely.  This might be University
faculty, system administrator, chief programmer, etc.  If you aren't any of
these people, maybe you can find a sympathetic ear amongst one of them.

The thing to do is to write a sharply worded letter to your chief purchasing
authority, with a copy to Zenith.  Send the copy to someone high up the ladder
at Zenith, NOT to your local store.  A good idea is to send one copy to 
corporate headquarters and another to the regional sales office.  In your
letter, explain that Zenith has not fulfilled their legal obligations and that
this has placed a serious impediment to your (research, teaching, customer
service, software development, or whatever) mission at your institution.  For
this reason, you recommend that your institution does not do business with
Zenith until they demonstrate that they are willing and capable of fulfilling
their contractural obligations.

DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, USE EMOTIONAL LANGUAGE IN YOUR LETTER.  You
are simply stating a fact and stating why Zenith's performance (or lack 
thereof) is impairing your institution (or company's) mission.  Keep your
letter as short as possible -- two paragraphs max.  Also ask the person to
reply within 30 days as to what action has been taken to remedy the
situation.

Given the nature of corporate/institutional bureaucracy, you may need to write
a follow-up letter.  Do it.  If they know you won't just go away, you are much
more likely to eventually get satisfaction.  Persistence pays.

Good luck.

-- Ray Arritt