Re: OT: Vendors Using NANOG for a Sales Channel

2007-10-27 Thread Martin Hannigan

On 10/26/07, Scott Weeks [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

[ snip ]

 --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 From: David Ulevitch [EMAIL PROTECTED]

 Often times when I get these (and it's pretty often) I just take their
 email address and add it to my list of people we send out RFQs to.

[..and.. ]

 You obviously haven't had the experiences that some have had with sales folks 
 that use this method.  Some are like the little Chihuahua that won't quit 
 trying to hump your leg.  No matter how many times you tell them you're not 
 going to do it they keep trying.



The AUP that we ( the NANOG MLC) presented to the community at NANOG
41, which seemed to have wide support,  contained a new provision to
deal with this problem.

Hopefully, the steering committee will step up to the plate and approve soon.

-M


RE: OT: Vendors Using NANOG for a Sales Channel

2007-10-27 Thread Sherry Ollins

Just for the purpose of clarification - it was not the NANOG list that our
salesperson was using.  However, because the gentleman who brought it to our
attention cc'd NANOG - we apologized here as well.

Again -- very sorry for the distraction this created.

Kind regards,

Sherry Ollins
Director of Sales  Purchasing
Choice Resale LLC

310.804.3266  Voice
310.943.0427  Fax

[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.choiceresale.com

AOL IM:  SherryCHOICE


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of
Martin Hannigan
Sent: Saturday, October 27, 2007 4:03 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cc: nanog@merit.edu
Subject: Re: OT: Vendors Using NANOG for a Sales Channel



On 10/26/07, Scott Weeks [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

[ snip ]

 --- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 From: David Ulevitch [EMAIL PROTECTED]

 Often times when I get these (and it's pretty often) I just take their
 email address and add it to my list of people we send out RFQs to.

[..and.. ]

 You obviously haven't had the experiences that some have had with sales
folks that use this method.  Some are like the little Chihuahua that won't
quit trying to hump your leg.  No matter how many times you tell them
you're not going to do it they keep trying.



The AUP that we ( the NANOG MLC) presented to the community at NANOG
41, which seemed to have wide support,  contained a new provision to
deal with this problem.

Hopefully, the steering committee will step up to the plate and approve
soon.

-M



OT: Vendors Using NANOG for a Sales Channel

2007-10-26 Thread Scott Weeks



--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
From: David Ulevitch [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Often times when I get these (and it's pretty often) I just take their 
email address and add it to my list of people we send out RFQs to.  The 
worst thing that happens is that they come back with a good price, good 
service and boom, I've found a new vendor.
--


I would suggest that no one should buy from vendors who get email addresses 
from NANOG or other technical mailing lists.  It will only encourage them to do 
it more and ruin the value of the mailing list in question.  

You obviously haven't had the experiences that some have had with sales folks 
that use this method.  Some are like the little Chihuahua that won't quit 
trying to hump your leg.  No matter how many times you tell them you're not 
going to do it they keep trying.

However, the company in this case did redeem themselves and I respect a company 
like that.

scott


Re: OT: Vendors Using NANOG for a Sales Channel

2007-10-26 Thread Bill Nash

On Fri, 26 Oct 2007, Scott Weeks wrote:

 I would suggest that no one should buy from vendors who get email 
 addresses from NANOG or other technical mailing lists.  It will only 
 encourage them to do it more and ruin the value of the mailing list in 
 question.
 
 You obviously haven't had the experiences that some have had with sales 
 folks that use this method.  Some are like the little Chihuahua that 
 won't quit trying to hump your leg.  No matter how many times you tell 
 them you're not going to do it they keep trying.
 
 However, the company in this case did redeem themselves and I respect a 
 company like that.

Which is to say, they were one of the few that apologised. The recurring 
theme is that it's always a rogue salesperson who didn't know better, or 
some overzealous marketing person. I'd agree with Scott on this point, 
that you shouldn't buy from vendors who do this, but ultimately, it's not 
going to change the way they behave. Over the course of my entire career, 
I've never been a fan of salespeople, because they do what they're 
supposed to do: whatever they can to make money. In our particular field, 
it cuts both ways, because they're either hassling you to buy something, 
or your own salespeople are selling something you can't support or don't 
even offer.

It's the kind of thing that probably won't change until someone whips out 
one of the spam laws and sues a couple people over it, or engages in 
executive carpet bombing. Either way, it's always going to be a temporary 
reprieve until it gets out of hand again. It'd be churlish of NANOG, as an 
organization, to organize blacklists and boycotts, and probably even 
shooting itself in the foot because some vendors may actually be offering 
something worthwhile, but is there any other real solution?

How often do people take the time to ask any given salescritter how they 
came by contact info?

- billn


Re: OT: Vendors Using NANOG for a Sales Channel

2007-10-26 Thread John Kinsella

On Fri, Oct 26, 2007 at 01:33:38PM -0700, Bill Nash wrote:
 How often do people take the time to ask any given salescritter how they 
 came by contact info?

I've done it, but if you've forced your way through my various filters
and manage to get me on the phone and I ask you that, it's pretty much
kiss of death unless you have a very good answer.

John


Re: OT: Vendors Using NANOG for a Sales Channel

2007-10-26 Thread Tim Yocum

All,

This thread has run its course. Let's move on, please, as it is not
and never has been on topic. Thanks!

- Tim


Re: OT: Vendors Using NANOG for a Sales Channel

2007-10-26 Thread Dave Pooser

 How often do people take the time to ask any given salescritter how they
 came by contact info?

I use tagged addresses (as you can see), and if a vendor contacts me at an
address I use solely for mailing lists the conversation is going to be
short, unpleasant and unprofitable-- but I can't remember the last time that
happened. My real address gets hit all the time by cold calls, but that goes
with the territory.
-- 
Dave Pooser, ACSA
Manager of Information Services
Alford Media  http://www.alfordmedia.com