This is the house that crap built

Y'know thinking on this, and I know it's been said in other quarters, that this is where building crap has gotten us. Remember how people talk about old devices just working? I, myself, have a Kirby, best estimated manufacturing date is between 1950-1967. This thing is a killer. I will likely never ever buy a vacuum that is not a Kirby again. (I owned another Kirby when I lived in AZ.)

What's that? You say they do that to sell more vacuums? So when the Dust Devil breaks, you'll buy another? Yes, but I didn't, did I? (We killed 2-3 vacuums before finding the Kirby at Salvation Army)

Something is clearly wrong. Can it really cost that much more to make the machines work right the first time? I mean, sure, increased production costs, but putting that up against having to deal with the calls? The returns, the lost business?

I dunno, I guess someone with an MBA did a study and I'm totally wrong.

OTOH...maybe it's time for someone to do another study.

10:47:04 AM     Discuss: []


Bad American Work Ethic Lesson #572

Ok, I can't let that story go without at least one more comment.

"Loni knew it was over. He'd be reprimanded. He'd be fired.

"That's very impressive. Keep up the good work." And so he did. "

The person in question had basically been shunting off people, knew he was doing wrong (at least as far as his conscience was concerned), and of course, was complimented for it, by a management looking at the wrong deliverable. (At least as far as teh customer would be concerned)

8:01:46 AM     Discuss: []


We don't support that..."

Yeah, I know, everyone in the computer industry is pointing to this, but I'll go ahead and point to it anyways.

The funny thing is that, in the article the writer says : "We don't really work for the company we say we work for... though you'd never know it just to talk to us. To the customer on the other end of the line the distinction, while important, is invisible."

Which is, of course, patent bullshit. Most people, after talking to one of these support call lines, realize pretty quickly that the person they're talking to has very little actual connection to the real company. Or at least I should say, the people with some clue who call looking for help.

This is why companies like us exist, mind you. We may be overloaded, and busier than hell, but at least we know our shit. :)

7:46:55 AM     Discuss: []