cheeser@dasys1.UUCP (09/23/87)
For your information, when a dealer BECOMES an Apple dealer, certain rules are laid out by Apple that the Dealer must follow. However, as with any ideal system, this rarely ever works in parctice. Apple dealers are supposed to support all Apple products, regardless of age, type or point-of-purchase. If they are unable to help you, they have tremendous resources to fall back upon, name Apple's Dealer Tech Support Centres. There are three of these, one for the west coast, one for the east and one for the midwest. These cnters can be reached by phone or via Apple Link ( a network used by Apple for thier dealers and developers). The folk at the cenres are VERY knowledgeable and can handle (and do) some truely incredible requests. To the tune of tens of thousands of requests from dealers each month at each centre. Surveys of dealers show that, on the average, only one call need be made to reach the centre, and they, on the average, respond on or before the 5th ring. Apple Link queries are handled within 24 hours. To be honest, the system falls apart around christmas, since the volume of calls around that time quintuple, but otherwise, it works amazingly well. So, why do so many people have so many problems with dealers? Beats me. If the dealer doesn't know the answer, he knows where to ask. Apple alos ;publishes, both in print mailings and electronically via Apple Link, dozens of newsletters and reports, etc. for any and all dealers. The plain and simple and sad trueth is, many dealers just don't BOTHER. If you can't get help from your dealer, and let me state, MOST DEALERS BEND OVER BACKWARDS TO HELP, but when all else fails, call Apple. Apple really does care. they will do whatever they can, and they cxan do alot, to help. Apple has centres in Charlotte, NC., Chicago, Il. and, of course, Cuppertino, CA. From an ex-dealer and friend of several Apple employees. cheeser -- =============================================================================== Jonathan Bing, Master (cheeser) ...ihnp4!hoptoad!dasys1!cheeser Time flys like an Arrow, Fruit Flies like Bananas! ===============================================================================