[comp.sys.mac] Ordering from Apple/APDA

marmar@mtk.UUCP (Mark Martino) (06/23/89)

I just sent back an order to APDA for the third time.  I had our
purchasing agent call them twice.  I had to talk to them three times.
I needed the software six weeks ago and it still isn't even officially
ordered yet.  I really tried to do the right things, but Apple/APDA just
keeps thinking of things to trip me up.

Normally I wouldn't be so sensitive, but in my current working
environment I'm the only Mac island in a sea of IBM PC clones.  I can't
promote the Mac on price and I can't get anyone here to think of Macs as
anything but expensive toys unsuited to "real" engineering even though we
know better.  I thought I could at least show them how easy it is to work with
Apple.  Well that just fell through again.

Why is it so difficult to order items from Apple and APDA?  It's not
enough that Apple keeps its prices high.  They have to add insult to
injury by making you jump through hoop after hoop.  I had more grief
ordering a thousand dollars worth of software from Apple who I thought I
understood, than I did ordering expensive emulators and test hardware
from places I'd never dealt with before.

I've been a Mac fan since the product hit the streets.  I have one at
home.  I worked in two Mac software shops until now, but I never had to
order equipment from Apple directly.  I wouldn't be so disappointed, but
the tech support I got from Apple so far has been so good that I thought
the whole organization worked that well.  Silly me.