RE: IBM Hardware service rant

[pnelson@xxxxxxxxxx]

Three times in the past year if have had customers fail to pay attention 
to the letters they've gotten from IBM regarding their contract renewals. 
In two cases, the BP providing the ERP software was at fault. In the 
other, it was due to the former IT manager thinking that because the box 
was running fine, he didn't need to do anything. In every case, the client 
is looking at BIG 5 figure numbers to renew the software contracts.

This just re-enforces my belief about ERP software BP's. Whenever I'm 
asked, or I get called in on one of these situations, I tell the client 
that the very first thing they should do regarding their relationship with 
IBM is to call IBM and get a divorce from their BP in terms of IBM support 
agreements. They usually ask me to carry the ball in dealing with IBM.

Talking with the entitlement schmoes is right up there with having a root 
canal, so I usually give them about thirty seconds before I ask for a duty 
manager. At least they usually speak English as a first language.  :-((