Re: Fwd: Re: Audi of America finally wrote me back!-kinda long

[William Murin <murinw@cs.uwp.edu>]

Scott:

I'll see your credit card rep and raise you the 2 days I spent this week 
dealing with phone companies over a problem of why we could not send long 
distance faxes.  Had to deal with Ameritech, AT&T and finally some 
billing service that apparently does our long distance billing.  

the problem was ultimately attributed to our long distance billing 
comany's "new computer system that inadvertently flagged our account with 
a disconnect notice."  Got a meek apology but no offer of any kind of 
restitution for lost business opportunities.

Let me disagree with one point you made--the problem does not start with 
high schools not turning out good students.  It starts long before that 
in the home.  Talk to a high school teacher some time and have them tell 
you what happens when Johnny & Jane are threatened with a "D" or "F".  
Mom and Dad are all over the teacher and principal and school board 
threatening all kinds of legal action.

By the time the kiddies get to high school most of their character, work 
habits, etc. have long been established.  As the Economists are so fond 
of saying:  you can affect behavior only at the margins.

Companies, in their never ending focus on fattening profit margins, shift 
a lot of the "cost" of service to us.  Instead of paying "operators" and 
customer service reps we get automated answering systems.  I mught have 
pushed buttons more then 30 times in my quest to get our Fax problem fixed.
If you are calling about . . . press 1, etc."

Whew!!!

Pogo was right: "we have met the enemy and it is us."

Required Audi content:  I need a new one!!

Bill Murin
87 4kq

PS:  We know how good the q system is in rain, snow, ice, sleet, mud, 
etc.  what about wind chill?  WC will probably get to about -45 this 
weekend.  Anyone out there recommend a good wind chill tire?