It happens sooner or later

Everyone- I've been involved in about 20 forums, Based on a whole range of different subjects. This one, although one of the best run and the most professional that I've experienced. It has run into a problem that almost all do...Ranting and raving. We all have run into companies that we dislike do to various reasons. When people happen to ask about pros and cons on specific companies, there is no need to Verbaly abuse the companies name or product. If you have a legitimate problem with the product and data to back it up, state the data not "the company has screwed us over"...well what were the situations leading up to becoming "screwed"? Correct me if I'm wrong on this one, but this forum is here to give aid and guidance to new and old in the industry, not as an outet for peoples frustrations. Well I've said my piece, you can dislike me if ya want, but I felt it had to be said. -Ben

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| Everyone- | I've been involved in about 20 forums, Based on a whole range of different subjects. This one, although one of the best run and the most professional that I've experienced. It has run into a problem that almost all do...Ranting and raving. We all have run into companies that we dislike do to various reasons. When people happen to ask about pros and cons on specific companies, there is no need to Verbaly abuse the companies name or product. If you have a legitimate problem with the product and data to back it up, state the data not "the company has screwed us over"...well what were the situations leading up to becoming "screwed"? Correct me if I'm wrong on this one, but this forum is here to give aid and guidance to new and old in the industry, not as an outet for peoples frustrations. | Well I've said my piece, you can dislike me if ya want, but I felt it had to be said. | -Ben I don't give much weight to anonymous, strongly-worded opinions anyway. When a negative comment is truly justified, it should come with a return e-mail address and a full name.

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This really should not constitute verbal abuse; it is simply what has happened. Alphametals lied to me. They said hey, we're going to give you a great deal on all those frames you're not using for the MPM printer, just send them on in. Well, UPS charges a lot of money when you ship 44 frames from NY to CA. Then, Alphametals says it can't do anything with the frames. It's been over a month now and they still haven't sent them back. I guess I'm just a jerk for not liking what happened here. We did have to buy another frame from Jim's company because the first two are such a terrible design. I had to modify them before I could use them. Well, I guess I just expect too much. I mean, it's very likely that my customers will understand why their boards don't work-they wouldn't mind sending $XXXX products out to a shop before they use it-right? So why can't I just accept this crappy service? This is not a legitimate problem. OK, so now Jim's company decides to keep sending invoices for stuff we don't even have and I get to spend my time trying to get it taken care of but they are too incompetent to know what's going on. Fortunately, I am doing the one thing I can-buy from someone else every chance I get. If you guys feel that I am just off my rocker, then that is an opinion you may hold. My previous post was for Jim, who is a decent enough guy working for a company on my S list.

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| Everyone- Ben: You are 100% right. Too often we seem to drift into the pitfall of knocking a product or company and the end result might just be that we did not know how to use the equipment or material. As for myself, I have found that when I have made a mistake it is because I did not prepare myself and permitted something to happen without getting good information and understanding the equipment or product. Normally it was not the equipment fault, but my poor performance. As for the SMTnet Forum it is really a good place to read about problems and solutions. That's the reason we all seem to come back often. Enjoy knocking you as well (just joking) rather get onto Steve and Justin! Wayne

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Scott: We all understand your situation and I would think have been there ourselves, but just not too sure how posting it on the forum can be of any help in solving the situation. If you are venting then maybe it worked, but there has to be a more direct way to approach the company and resolve the problem. Just my thoughts..............

Wayne

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>> Enjoy knocking you as well (just joking) rather get onto Steve and Justin! >> Wayne HEY!! Wud I do? Jes 'cause I tried to scam a few Fosters and a shooter or two of Rumpleminz (nectar of the gods by the way, right next to Jaegermeister) don't make me the red-headed step-child, does it? (GRIN) Anyways, I can kinda' sympathize with Scott's frustration. Sometimes for whatever reason, you wind-up getting the short end of the stick when you've bought something, or payed for a service that didn't live up to what was told to you. The way I've handled things like that in the past, is to usually kick myself in the butt for getting sucked in, but depending on how serious the problem was, I have been known to be upset enough to do just like Scott did...badmouth and trash who ever it was who took advantage of my ignorance and sold me something just to make their commission. Now I'm not saying that what I or Scott did is right, but it is understandable from a human nature point of view. Sure, any problem can be fixed given enough time or money, but most of us are under the gun to make absolutely sure that whatever decisions we make, whether it's to recommend capital equipment, or something process related, to work as advertised (or as promised). There's not a whole lot of us that can afford the kind of time to work through issues that weren't expected when something doesn't go the way it was promised to you it would, but we have to take the time anyway...we have no other choice. I think a lot of frustration comes from just that. You live and learn. I think I've mellowed out quite a bit from the way I used to be, I had to...I didn't like being pissed-off all the time, and I didn't want to keel over from a heart attack before I turned 45. The first manager I ever worked for in this business did...Mike Briskey, it actually was a stroke...and he was a little older than 45. But he was one of those kind of people that was always wound-up, and he would get very, very angry at anybody that didn't live up to what he was expecting of them. So I guess the whole point of this journal is, r-e-l-a-x...don't let yourself get so spooled-up Scott. Believe me, I hear you, but I just hate to see you as stressed as it seems you may be. I know it's hard, especially when you really want to do a good job. You're may be a little like me, I've got a type-A personality, and I'm a perfectionist to boot, so it's a ongoing battle for me. I'm learning how to let go of things a lot more than I ever used to, and it's worth it...I can sleep at night now. Take Care Scott!! -Steve Gregory-

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