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Author Topic: Analogic Computers - The Stinker  (Read 12299 times)

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Offline Jettah

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #29 from previous page: November 21, 2004, 01:50:13 PM »
@AmigaKit

You've got a point there. But when a customer writes a letter as to inquire after some practices and none of those letters have been answered to, then that customer may justifyingly regard himself as being pissed off. In my case ANY answer would have been sufficient, as long as it had been an answer with some body.
Being in some kind of trade myself, although due to worldwide market situations not so actively anymore, I may speak of having had pleasant encounters with my customers when it came to knowledge of the matters at hand. I have always felt that the better the (potential) customer was informed the better it was for all involved.
I have had very little complaints at that time and those that eventually came through were dealt with in a proper way, me not being Sinterklaas (Dutch for Santa Claus).

So even as a reseller is a customer in his own right he cannot and may not neglect the final customer! My reseller did and is rewarded for that in my own way: no more business even when he's about 50% cheaper, faster, better, whatever!My money is as good as anyone's and I want to be treated with due respect. And, yes I take the particular Amiga-market into account: guess what I could have gotten myself for that 7000.-- Euri's Windoze-(un)wise!But that would include headaches by the score, extensive headbalding, heargreying and nightmares to boot probably :-D

Cheers,

Jettah
Sometimes I wish I was Mt Vesuvius: laying on my back in the sun while smoking a bit and everybody seeing me would say: \\"Look! He\\\'s active!\\" (author unknown to me)
 

Offline Cyberus

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #30 on: November 21, 2004, 01:58:09 PM »
Quote

amigakit wrote:
* Bad experiences are always documented- not the countless good transactions.


But that's what the customer is paying for!
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Offline amigakit

Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #31 on: November 21, 2004, 03:16:49 PM »
I agree, that is what the customer is paying for.

However, in these forums, we must keep a sense of proportion.

I will illustrate what I mean: one company has 1000 happy customers and 1 unhappy customer experience.  Should we mention them in the same context as a company that consistently lets their customer base down?

Its all too easy to document the repeated failings of a significantly bad company and then for someone to mention an isolated bad experience from another and then in the thread it appears that they are tarred with the same brush.
www.AmigaKit.com - Amiga Reseller | Manufacturer | Developer

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Offline Cyberus

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #32 on: November 21, 2004, 03:24:04 PM »
I see your point - which is why, as you say, threads like this can be quite dangerous.

For example, misunderstandings arise, a small operation run by one person - well that person may be ill or go on holiday.

However, my personal experiences with companies, is that they will go out of their way to keep customers happy. If you complain, you will get an apology or even a gift voucher.

Of course, with the Amiga market, we are talking about a whole  different kettle of fish, because the customer base is so small, and the operations serving them are so small. It isn't as easy for them to bend over backwards for their customers.
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Offline Brian Hoskins

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #33 on: November 21, 2004, 05:04:23 PM »
Actually, I have often been known to compliment good service.  Just the other week I received quite a bit of help from someone in our local WHSmiths store so I wrote a letter addressed to the manager informing them as such.

That said, I work in customer service and I know all too well about the frequent disregard given to service beyond customer expectations.  It's a fact that bad experiences go announced far more often than the good ones - why do you think you hear more bad news in the papers than good ;-)

I think consistent good service DOES get noticed though, and people who have had consistent good service and support will recommend that to their friends.  As I mentioned earlier you can never EVER satisfy everyone, it's completely impossible.  As long as you can be sure you've done your best to ensure good service for every customer then basically you're going to earn yourself a good reputation.

Going back to the original point of this thread, I wouldn't agree that Analogic do their best to ensure good customer service.  My complaint with them doesn't surround the fact that I had problems with them, but more the fact that they dealt with it badly.  So badly infact that I paid for a product that they never sent to me, and I never received a refund either, despite many many MANY phone calls (all of which I made) attempting to resolve the situation.  That's the kind of thing that isn't easily forgiven, in my opinion.  And as I said before, I think Analogic get more than their fair share of complaints, and that's why they end up with a bad rep.

Brian
 

Offline Cyberus

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #34 on: November 21, 2004, 11:20:49 PM »
I've written compliment letters too actually, but you're right, there are probably plenty of instances when I've had outstanding service and not bothered.

What I think a lot of businesses don't appreciate (although I'm sure a hell of a lot of them do, as well) is that, as you say, keeping your customers happy can pay dividends.

For example, garages. The garage I use to get my car serviced, was recommended to me by my dad. I went there, got charged peanuts for some pretty routine work that was carried out that day, and as a result I've sent three friends there to get their cars serviced. If only some businesses weren't so short sighted....
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Offline HyperspeedTopic starter

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #35 on: November 22, 2004, 12:22:41 AM »
Speaking of software that Analogic might write - you should have seen
their 2.5" hard disk installation software.

Here's a copy of the file list on that disk (you may have read this on
my other Anal-Logic thread):

An old trashcan (WB1.3 anyone!?)
DiskDoctor (Is that some sort of 1989 PD virus?)
ancient icons (and dodgily drawn ones)
d.rive definitions
drimve definitions
drive definitions
drive definitions1 (Errr... highly worrying)
yy (Why oh why)
Test/Who.info (A icon with peoples signatures on it)
Devs/Keymaps/dave (It's probably a Klingon character set)
STARTUP-SEQUENCEO (sounds spanish...)
t/version.number (Version dot number? For what! Why in T/ !?)
davesetup (Dave Clark Five)
formathdo (not a zero worryingly)


Also, on Wed 4th April 2001 the following advert appeared on Amibench:

raj@analogic.co.uk
RajShukla
London
Surrey
UK
Wanted : Large quantity of Amiga A1200 new or used computers or motherboards need
to be working.

When I referred to a 'parcel' I meant a bundle of complaints to The
Ofiice of Fair Trading. I can see the appeal of the alternative
though.

:-D :-D :-D

When I said to do a search on Amiga.org I meant for previous threads,
I don't think Analogic have advertised on Amiga.org before. They do
advertise with Google though when you do a search for memory.

PMC, AMIGAZ & BrianJHoskins - What say we organise a joint complaint
to the OFT with a claim for the amounts owed. I have kept a file on
them since '95/'96 so it's a long shot. The evidence is there though.

:-)
 

Offline PMC

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #36 on: November 22, 2004, 10:52:59 AM »
Quote

Rob wrote:
I bought an 060 from Analogic a while ago and am quite happy with
although the price did manage jump an extra £20 between reading the ad
and making my order but £170 seemed reasonable at the time.

The chip is marked as an XC68EC060RC60 an genuine 60Mhz part.  


I ordered a full 68060 from Analogic and was sent what they told me was a 66Mhz model because I'd "been waiting patiently".  Turned out that they sent me the CPU you describe; the EC model which lacks both an MMU (memory management unit) and FPU (floating point unit) leaving it largely useless for my system.

When I complained about it, the chap from Analogic tried to convince me that the 68060EC was in fact a full '060 that had been "mis-badged by Motorola".  He then went on to question the validity of several benchmarking programs I ran to verify the type of CPU installed.

Moreover they refused point blank to pay for shipping charges - I phoned the receptionist who assured me that the accelerator would be collected, but who later admitted that they wouldn't pay shipping charges - who was unhelpful in the extreme.

With everyone's permission, I suggest that we email Analogic to advise them of this thread and invite their feedback before we go down the Trading Standards route?
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Offline HyperspeedTopic starter

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #37 on: December 01, 2004, 12:04:23 AM »
E-mailing them would give them a chance to think up more bull. I think
an under-the-radar approach would be best. Hit them when their pants
are down.

:-D :-D :-D
 

Offline HyperspeedTopic starter

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #38 on: December 01, 2004, 02:31:18 AM »
Sorry PMC, I just tried to message you using Amiga.org's forwarding system but it doesn't work on IBrowse2.3 or Voyager for some reason.

I've heard people saying it doesn't work on PC either!

:-D :-D :-D

I'll get the address for the OFT and Trading Standards tommorrow and paste them here. We can decide then if it's best to make a joint complaint or pursue things individually.

Personally I think a joint complaint would get more attention to the case as it would seem like fraud as opposed to a customer dispute.

:-)
 

Offline HyperspeedTopic starter

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #39 on: December 10, 2004, 10:43:04 PM »
Okay, it's the 9th anniversary of Analogic ripping me off so it's
time for a bit of payback.

If anyone would like to contribute towards a file heading for the
Office of Fair Trade, Trading Standards and possibly The Small Claims
Court then private-message me your details and we can get in touch.

Analogic are still in business so I might make enquiries about a
no-win, no-fee case.

Get in touch if you want justice done folks.

:-)
 

Offline Brian Hoskins

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #40 on: December 10, 2004, 10:50:36 PM »
Be very very careful where you go with this.  Going on my own personal experience alone I would agree that Analogic certainly ripped me off and no doubt they ripped others off as well.  But what you're talking about doing is taking an Amiga dealer to court when there aren't many left!

I hear what you're saying and I agree as well, but I don't think I'd be interested in stirring up yet more bad feeling in a community that's got enough of it's own problems to be dealing with regardless.  Personally I'm just never going to deal with them again, and leave it at that.

Brian
 

Offline odin

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #41 on: December 10, 2004, 11:44:17 PM »
Quote

BrianJHoskins wrote:
But what you're talking about doing is taking an Amiga dealer to court when there aren't many left!

Er....your point being? Better a bunch of {bleep}ty dealers than no dealers?

Offline HyperspeedTopic starter

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #42 on: December 14, 2004, 01:32:44 AM »
Well Analogic don't appear to be advertising or contributing to the
Amiga Community any more. They seem to be making their money from the
PC market so if I sue them I'll get money to spend at some Amiga.org
advertiser.

:-D

I'm serious about this and if the outcome is just their name being put
on the OFT shltlist then that's good enough for me. I don't want even
PC users having to go through such trauma as what they put me through.
It was like banging your head against a wall.

So does anyone want to private-msg me on Amiga.org to get a dossier
put forward to the Office of Fair Trading/Trading Standards?

How about a joint Small Claim action (£20 with no solicitor fees).

:-)
 

Offline yogisumo

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #43 on: May 05, 2005, 02:54:44 AM »
Quote

Hyperspeed wrote:
Well Analogic don't appear to be advertising or contributing to the
Amiga Community any more. They seem to be making their money from the
PC market so if I sue them I'll get money to spend at some Amiga.org
advertiser.


Ok.  That would be the reason that they haven't responded to 3 different emails in the last month.  Guess I'll just cross them off the list.  OTOH, I recently(in the last few months) bought a GVP 060 board from Softhut and could not get it working in my A4000T or A4000D and they replaced it with a Quikpak 060 board that works flawlessly.  Score one for Softhut.  It's always a bit sad to see an Amiga dealer go away for whatever reason but it doesn't hurt quite as much when they're just bad....

Thanks for the thread

 

Offline HyperspeedTopic starter

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Re: Analogic Computers - The Stinker
« Reply #44 on: July 11, 2005, 12:21:06 AM »
Anyone had any trouble with Amiga dealers lately? How healthy is the
brand new market for Amiga stuff?

Last time I bought new Amiga software it came on a CDR (Scanquix
5.4)...

Any knowledge on the whereabouts and dealings of Anal-Logic?