Re:SERVICE FOR ABD 373/377's
Matt Williamson (mkwilliamson@ucsd.edu)
Thu, 4 Mar 1999 14:32:34 -0800
For what it is worth here is my 2 cents...
I operate a small facility that only does protein sequencing. We are
currently running the ABI 494 procise (notice I wrote ABI and not PE/ABI)
and before that we had the 470. We have never had a service contract and
have saved thousands of dollars, I am sure.
In my mind, one of the hallmarks of ABI was their service team (because
occasionally I have needed service), and it had a great part in our
decision to purchase the 494. The other consideration was the reliability
of the instruments. My expectations with the 494 have been met. Obviously
I cannot comment on any other instruments.
Last month I had a problem with the machine and the phone support people
worked easily more than an hour with me to trouble shoot and diagnose the
problem. Then the local service engineer sold me a part out of his
supplies because the part I needed was back-ordered in Foster City. To me
this is an example of excellent service.
As for the chemical issue, I've always bought the ABI chemicals just
because I did not want to have them be a question - but I agree that this
is something that PE/ABI should address - publicly in this forum.
When PE was buying ABI several of us joked that this was the end of a great
company and I am sorry to hear that for some it seems to be true.
A suggestion to ABI - Get your sales people who sold these instruments to
go back out in the field and make sure that the purchasers are happy and do
whatever it takes to make them happy. Otherwise they won't call the next
time they need to make a purcahse.
Matt Williamson
UC San Diego
Biology Dept Protein Sequencer Facility
>Thanks, everyone, for the feedback.
>
>Most people seemed to think that the problem really is too few service
>technicians. If ABD has a hard time hiring or keeping the quality of
>technician they need, maybe users might be trained to do more. Does
>anyone out there service their own (small labs, not multi,multi users)?
>It would seem reasonable to have it under warrantee for a year and then
>when the user has that experience under his/her belt, we could choose
>training as an alternative to service contracts.
>
>Linda
>--
>
>Linda Wood Ballard
>Genomics Core Facility
>Huntsman Cancer Institute
>4A 430A School of Medicine
>University of Utah
>Salt Lake City, UT 84132
>
>(801) 581-3875
>FAX (801) 585-2978