[Histonet] Re: goodbye - vendor perspective

[Geoff McAuliffe]

Dear list:

    David Henriks wrote a very nice-sounding reply to the vendor issue 
we are all concerned about. I say nice-sounding because while it may be 
the ideal situation, it is not always a real world situation. Joe's 
troubles bear this out.
    Several years ago someone posted a querry on this listserver (or the 
Microscopy listserver, I am not sure which) about purchasing an 
expensive piece of equipment. I suggested he invite vendors to bring a 
demo to his lab to see if their equipment fit his needs. I also 
suggested that any vendor who would not supply a demo not be considered 
in his purchase plans. I got a very nasty off list reply from .......... 
David Henriks of South Bay Technologies.
    Actions speak louder than words.

Geoff

David Henriks wrote:

> I missed the earliest part of the thread here, but from what I see it 
> seems that someone criticized a vendor on the Histonet and then was 
> reprimanded by his boss for doing so after the vendor complained.  
> Now, everyone wants to ban vendors from the Histonet.  I am a vendor 
> and I belong to many listservers.  End users seem to have a very 
> skewed view of what a vendor is and what motivates us.  My main 
> business is not histology, although we do offer some products for the 
> industry.  Yes, companies are in business to make money.  No 
> question.  To say that patient care is not even on their radar screen 
> is ridiculous.  If the customer's need is to improve patient care, 
> then that is what a vendor is striving for.  Vendors make money by 
> supplying what customers want.  If you want tools for better patient 
> care, then that is what we provide.  If your needs change, then our 
> products change.  We respond to your needs.  If, as you say, patient 
> care is not even on the vendor radar screen, then that probably means 
> that customers have not made that a high priority in what they say 
> they need.  Vendors do not make money by producing ineffective 
> products that customers don't want.  The best way to ensure that 
> customers get what they need and vendors produce products to meet 
> those needs is to have an open forum where these issues can be freely 
> discussed.  That requires interchange between end users and vendors.
> Yes, there should be limitations - vendors should not overtly market 
> their products on the Histonet.  They should respond to postings with 
> viable solutions - even if they involve their own products.  Vendors 
> should not use this as a forum to denigrate their competition.  By the 
> same token, end users should not use this as a forum to air their 
> grievances about a product or a manufacturer.  A single negative 
> comment about a vendor or his product could have a devastating effect 
> on their business.  Perhaps your complaints are justified, but there 
> are better ways to go about having your concerns heard.  Any credible 
> vendor would love to hear from you if you are having a problem with 
> one of their products.  Unfortunately, most customers do not contact 
> the company.  Sometimes when they do contact a company they reach the 
> wrong person and do not get a satisfactory response.  I can understand 
> the frustration.  However, sharing your frustration in such a public 
> forum is not right.  Just as it would not be right for you to 
> criticize one of your colleagues on the Histonet.
> There are always the few that think vendors are their enemies and 
> think that they are solely motivated by greed.  The reality is that 
> vendors and end users are in this together.  The people that figure 
> that out early on are generally the most successful and the one who 
> actually drive the development of new products, new techniques and 
> make significant strides in their field.  To ban vendors from your 
> site would be regrettable and counterproductive.
>
> The listserver should be used for a free exchange of ideas and not as 
> a venue for criticism.  Praise in public, criticize in private.
>
> Can't we all just get along?
>
> Best regards-
>
> David
>


-- 
--
**********************************************
Geoff McAuliffe, Ph.D.
Neuroscience and Cell Biology
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854
voice: (732)-235-4583; fax: -4029 
mcauliff <@t> umdnj.edu
**********************************************