Hi Jim & Donna & others :)

     I know for a fact that it is now HP's practice ( I don't know if they
use that dirty word "policy" for it or not... hehe) to refer the smaller
less active accounts to channel partners (I learned this last year from
Cerius Technology as they were my preferred channel partner at the time...)

    If you have a good Channel partner it is fine... if you have a bad
one.... well... "forget you might as well buy AS/400" is a phrase that
comes to mind??

Unfortunately, HP doesn't seem to put the effort into selecting who can be
a channel partner as they do into the 3k and it's parts... I know that
Charles Finley's companies were great to work with over the years... but I
only found his company because the channel partner that I was referred to
back then (circa 1993 .. Portland Area) was horrible and so I went out and
found another vendor thru ORERUG.

So, like Car Dealerships.... some are good and others.... well.. my Mother
always told me not to use that language around Ladies :) hehehe :)  Shop
around!


Art "Maybe HP could be a Channel Partner? hehehe " Bahrs

<<<<< PLUG ALERT >>>>>
Personally, Charles Finley & Cerius both gave me quick prompt, and accurate
bids on everything I ever asked about and ... were usually able to handle
specialty situations like "Educational accounts"

<<<<< End of Plug >>>



Donna Garverick ponders thusly:

>> My private opinion is that HP support directly large companies  with
HP3K
>> but do not want to make more for the others.
>> Like you in the mail-list I think that it is a good system but I am
>> disapointed by this policy !.
>
>i'm wondering what the collective opinion is on this statement.
>this is an issue i'd like to bring to hp's attention at hpworld *if*
>it's warranted.  hp is (imo) very positioning themselves to market
>the 3000 to high volume users (e.g, southwest airlines) - and that's
>good.  but i'm afraid it may come at a price - that being diminished
>service to 'smaller' companies.  what do you think?      - d

I agree with the statement.  It is not "my private opinion", but
something I was told directly by our local HP sales rep over a year
ago when we wanted to purchase two 918 systems.  I was shunted off
to a Channel Partner who also was not eager to sell me anything.
The "price" has already been paid, just ask the HP3K shops when
was the last time any sales person from HP stepped foot inside
the door.  For me, I last saw an HP sales rep at our site back in
the early 90's (like 1991).  It is very, very tough to do planning
without assistance from your hardware vendor of choice.

Jim Phillips                            Manager of Information Systems
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]      Therm-O-Link, Inc.
Phone: (330) 527-2124                   P. O. Box 285
  Fax: (330) 527-2123                   Garrettsville, Ohio  44231