mallory@tunatx.dec.com (Isn't it wonderful how some people can wear just any ole thaing?) (04/28/88)
After seeing some other posted complaints about monogram posted
to a DEC internal MAC users conference, I'll add my thoughts about
their business ethics etc...
I've been through the same as the rest of you, including the phone
calls to the west coast (at my expense) the extra $5 to receive the
V4.0 upgrade next day air, and several discussions with several
people at monogram (some of whom i've been informed have been fired
for lying to customers!) They are saying it's on engineering hold
and they can't afford to contacting their 500,000 customers. "We
only have 25 employees", they say. My heart bleeds for them. At ~$
149.00 a pop 500,000 copies is a cool 7.5 MILLION. And they can't
afford to send a simple 1 page letter to their customers who have
paid their money for software they haven't received. Give me a
break.
I tell you, I really let their "sales" manager Dave Williams "have
it" on the phone.
About the 800 number. They are using a "service" to collect and
bill orders. If you try to buy the upgrade now, they'll tell you
you can't buy it (I've not tried this but Dave W. assured me this
was true).
Their support S**ks. Their solution - get a compuserve account.
I don't have one (YET) but plan on getting one in the near future,
just to blast them in PUBLIC in front of all their users.
I'm really stuck on the product, perhaps because it does what I
need it to... if there is something better that allows a migratio
path ( I REALLY don't want to type in 2 years worth of data AGAIN!)
Is there a translation program to convert monograms databases to
managing your moneys? I"ll switch in a minute if there is...
Kevin Mallory
VAX SPM Development
MALLORY%TUNATX.DEC@DECWRL.ARPA
========================================================================
The opinions represented here are my own and do not represent the
opinions of my employer, Digital Equipment Corporationegv@aicchi.UUCP (Vann) (04/30/88)
> > After seeing some other posted complaints about monogram posted > to a DEC internal MAC users conference, I'll add my thoughts about > their business ethics etc... > > I've been through the same as the rest of you, including the phone > calls to the west coast (at my expense) the extra $5 to receive the > V4.0 upgrade next day air, and several discussions with several > people at monogram (some of whom i've been informed have been fired > for lying to customers!) They are saying it's on engineering hold > and they can't afford to contacting their 500,000 customers. "We > only have 25 employees", they say. My heart bleeds for them. At ~$ > 149.00 a pop 500,000 copies is a cool 7.5 MILLION. And they can't > afford to send a simple 1 page letter to their customers who have > paid their money for software they haven't received. Give me a > break. > > I tell you, I really let their "sales" manager Dave Williams "have > it" on the phone. > > About the 800 number. They are using a "service" to collect and > bill orders. If you try to buy the upgrade now, they'll tell you > you can't buy it (I've not tried this but Dave W. assured me this > was true). > > Their support S**ks. Their solution - get a compuserve account. > I don't have one (YET) but plan on getting one in the near future, > just to blast them in PUBLIC in front of all their users. > > I'm really stuck on the product, perhaps because it does what I > need it to... if there is something better that allows a migratio > path ( I REALLY don't want to type in 2 years worth of data AGAIN!) > > Is there a translation program to convert monograms databases to > managing your moneys? I"ll switch in a minute if there is... > > > Kevin Mallory > VAX SPM Development > MALLORY%TUNATX.DEC@DECWRL.ARPA > > ======================================================================== > The opinions represented here are my own and do not represent the > opinions of my employer, Digital Equipment Corporation I on the other hand have the program and love it. In all honesty, I did have to write them a note and 'remind' them to send me an upgrade form. But they shipped my order and the backup disk in record time. Yes, they are using a 'service' organization to take their orders and I did have to track down someone in the home office to get satisfaction, but the new product is well worth the aggravation. I personally bought and own both Dollars and Sense 4.0, MacMoney and Managing Your Money. I ran the three side by side for the first three months of this year. Both my wife and I liked D&S 4.0 best. Each of the others had some features that made them exciting but none SEEMED as solid or as well designed as the new D&S 4.0 to ME. I guess the bottom line is that the current torrent of new users in the Mac arena is causing a great deal of strain on the smaller companies, whose primary employee list is heavily weighted in favor of programmers, and not sales persons. It took me nearly 12 phone calls to get my upgrade of PageMaker 3.0 from Aldus, and I BELEIVE they are a much larger organization. They too are having a service SHIP their product and that seems to have been fraught with problems. So keep your chin up, there are some legitimate gripes, but seldom is your case or mine NECESSARILY the NORM for a given company. You and I (in the case of Aldus) happened to catch them in an 'off' moment. Hopefully the folks at Monogram will get back to you and explain the situation. If they are sharp they will offer you some sort of compensation (perhaps, a free copy of their utility application FORECAST). Who knows, maybe they'll just refund your check!? Good Luck. -- Eric Geoffrey Vann Analysts International (Chicago Branch) (312) 882-4673 ..!ihnp4!aicchi!egv ******************************************************************************* * * * "It is the reply that starts the argument..." * * * * Anonymous * * * *******************************************************************************