Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!clyde!att!rutgers!mailrus!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!sequent!mntgfx!bruceh
From: bruceh@mntgfx.mentor.com (Bruce Holm)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: A company out to make their customers happy! (Borland)
Summary: Sorry, can't disagree more!
Message-ID: <1988Dec2.154306.211@mntgfx.mentor.com>
Date: 2 Dec 88 23:43:02 GMT
References: <8812010651.AA28730@ucbvax.Berkeley.EDU>
Organization: Mentor Graphics Corporation, Beaverton Oregon
Lines: 70

gutow@BOGART.STANFORD.EDU ("JONATHON GUTOW") writes:
> 
> Borland is the only computer (make that simply 'only') company I've 
> ever dealt with that actually remembers who keeps them in business.

    You must not have dealt with very many computer companies then...
    Borland rates on just about the bottom of my list!  Read on...

> They don't try to charge the customer outrageous prices and they
> write good software.  They're also nice to you when you have questions!

    This is not true!  I bought "Reflex for the Mac" mailorder a while back
    not long after they bought out Interlace.  It cost about $65 and was a
    fairly powerful relational database.  I was impressed with the power
    of the product but felt that the manual stank!  Here, Borland had
    taken months to reproduce the manual that Interlace had made and
    came out with a lousy manual.  But I didn't complain too loudly since
    the price was right.
    
    Then the Mac starts making inroads into the Business community.  What
    does good 'ole (sarcastically) Borland do?  They come out with a much
    needed and long awaited upgrade to Reflex called Reflex Plus.  I
    thought, finally, they will come out with a new manual and an even
    better product.  But get this, they TRIPLED (DOUBLING wasn't good 
    enough) the retail price from $99 to $279!!!
    
    To top it off, for those who already had Reflex, the upgrade cost
    $100!!  That's more than the original mail-order price I paid!!!
    
    I would say fine, if the product had improved dramatically, but after
    talking to those that got the upgrade, they found it to be bigger,
    slower, and very little extra features.
    
    How is that for "outrageous pricing" and "remembering who kept them
    in business"!!??
    
    I am sorry, but I can't agree.

> 
> I just wanted to state my opinions.  Is there a Borland address I can
> reach on the networks?  I'd like to send my compliments directly to them.

    You are certainly entitled to your opinions.  I am glad that your 
    experience was good, but please don't be hasty in praising a company
    based on one experience.  There are others who have not had good 
    experiences.

> ARE ALL YOU OTHER COMPANIES (APPLE INCLUDED) LISTENING.  YOU CAN TAKE A
> LESSON IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND RELATIONS FROM YOUR GOOD NEIGHBOR.

    NO, NO, please don't listen to Borland!!!   I can see it now...

    Word 4.0 for $1175.00
    Pagemaker 4.0 for $1750.00
    LightSpeed Pascal 3.0 for $350
    .
    .
    .
    No thanks!

    As for their Customer Service, I won't speak for that since I don't deal
    with Borland anymore.  They can blow away for all I care!....

    --Bruce

-- 
** These are my opinions, & not necessarily those of Mentor Graphics Corporation **
Bruce Holm, Design/Analysis Div. | USENET: bruceh@pdx.MENTOR.COM   
Mentor Graphics Corp.            |   UUCP: ...!{sequent,tessi,apollo}!mntgfx!bruceh       
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