[geeks] Re: Help me convert a computer illiterate to an iMac!

[Gavin Hubbard]

At 23:30 6/01/2003 -0700, you wrote:
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: geeks-bounces at sunhelp.org 
>> [mailto:geeks-bounces at sunhelp.org] On Behalf Of Gavin Hubbard
>
>> 
>> Interesting. I just automatically assumed that general 
>> warranties on new
>> PCs were still between 2-3 years with 5 years being 'extended'.
>> 
>> Regards,
>> 
>> Gavin
>
>
>I wish. Dell no longer covers ANYTHING for longer than 3 years unless
>you are what they call a "premier relationship customer" like Intel or
>the US Navy. Everyone else has a permanent 3 year upgrade cycle if they
>want to stay in support, and of course 99% (actually the conversion rate
>is something like 80% according to my salesguy friends)
>
>There are three grades of premium support for Dell that you can
>purchase, and then one you get automatically if you are a big enough
>customer
>
>Bronze is next business day callback, next business day onsite
>Silver is same business day callback, same businessday onsite (basically
>if you get in before noon itll be there that day, if not the next
>businssmorning)
>gold is guaranteed 4 hour 24x7 callback and onsite (4 hours to call you
>back, four hours from call termination til engineer onsite). If you are
>a gold customer you can also purchase a response time upgrade to go to 2
>hour response time. 
>
>Unfortunately gold is often NOT 4 hour, and theres no penalty if they
>miss the time.
>
>You cant buy permier relationship status, theres only two ways to get
>it. Either you have to have a Dell certified helpdesk onsite, which they
>charge you anually for, or you have to be one of the biggies.
>
>You still can't beat Suns platinum serive. Anywhere they sell it, 2
>hours guaranteed a guy will be on your doorstep with the parts. Of
>course you pay two to three times the cost of the box to get it.
>
>BTW, the reason I know all that crap about Dell above is because I was
>oone of the European enterprise expert center "subject matter experts"
>until about 8 weeks ago.

You're right about the quality of Sun service - I've seen Sun FEs move
heaven and earth.

Regards,

Gavin