Re: Lectures and written communications

[Rick Tarara <rtarara@SAINTMARYS.EDU>]

The real point here is that many, many 'service' departments now use such
FORM LETTERS in their responses--either snail or email.  They seem to have a
cache of such letters to make it seem _somewhat_ like they are replying
personally, and I think a few places will actually write the first paragraph
specifically to your enquiry, but after that, you get the form.  When you
find a company that WILL personally respond to you, stay with them (until
they go bankrupt from wasting so much time and effort on customer service!).

Rick

**********************************************
Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

FREE PHYSICS INSTRUCTIONAL SOFTWARE
www.saintmarys.edu/~rtarara/software.html
PC and MAC software
NEW! SIMLAB2001--AIR TABLE now available.
XP compatible upgrades and CD-ROM available
******************************************************
----- Original Message -----
From: "Brian Whatcott" <inet@INTELLISYS.NET>
To: <PHYS-L@lists.nau.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2002 7:11 AM
Subject: Re: Lectures and written communications


> At 22:53 5/21/02 -0700, you wrote:
> > ... I wrote a
> > short note to the Olympus Camera  and the response that
> > I just received from one of their college graduate employees.
> >
> > Any comments???
> >
> > Herb Gottlieb from New York City
> >
> > -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > I wrote
> >
> >  In the rear cover of my Olympus Stylus camera, Serial  #5291063
> >  there is a red-glass covered opening through which it is possible to
> > see  the type and speed of film that is inserted in the camera.  The red
> > glass  fell out of the camera and was lost.
> >
> > 1. Can camera be operated without the red glass cover?
> > 2. Is a replacement red glass cover available?
> > 3. If not, is it OK to operate the camera with black tape covering
> >   the opening?
  ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Let's see what a knowledgable consumer could deduce from this problem.
>
> 1) When orthochromatic roll film was in its heyday, and film speeds were
slow,
> it was possible to use a ruby safelight judiciously for film development
> purposes.
>
> Those days are long passed.
> With 1000 ASA panchromatic film available off the shelf - a competent
consumer
> still camera must be able to stand exposure to bright sunlight without
> adverse effect.
>
> I conclude that the red color of the film counter window is traditional,
> rather than optical
> in effect. There is an evident purpose for such a window however.
>    A consumer camera should have modest protection against dust
infiltration.
> 2) I know of no camera maker who supplies repair parts to consumers: it is
> the invariable rule
> that products of this kind are turned in for repair.
>
> 3) A film counter window should not be detachable. If it is lost, there is
> suggestive
> evidence of a manufacturing weakness.
>
> In summary, returning the camera for service noting that it proved to be
of
> unmerchantable
> quality due to the defect mentioned, might offer an avenue to minimize
> cost.
>    A maker might well want to waive charges even without a reminder of
this
> kind - in the service
> of customer satisfaction.