Manufacturers on the list? [RE-wrenches]

Tue Feb 27 19:39:07 PST 2001

Michael,

I agree with your opinion that 1 rep per manufacturer
should be sufficient and also like the caveat that
they should have the expertise of a wrench.

Jerry Caldwell

--- "Michael Welch, Home Power"
<michael.welch at homepower.com> wrote:
> OK, here we go. Time for another lively discussion
> about list internalities. I would have preferred to
> wait on this until we got our referrals question out
> of the way, but I feel pressure to deal with this.
> 
> I had a discussion with Pagan MacKay the dealer
> communications person from Xantrex. She would like
> to be on this list to respond to you dealers when
> something comes up; to paraphrase her, "so that they
> know that Xantrex is listening."
> 
> I informed her that would not be appropriate because
> she does not qualify as a wrench, and reminded her
> that Ezra was added to the list as the Xantrex
> representative because he has done a significant
> amount of wrenching. (Same criteria for John Berdner
> of SMA & others. They only qualify for this list
> based on past experience, not a current job.) 
> 
> However, she was fairly adamant that she be added,
> so I agreed to pose the question to you all. In my
> own opinion, she or any other non-wrench manu rep
> does not belong on this list. This is one reason why
> we have the archives, so folks that are not wrenches
> can benefit from the list without active
> participation. But this is your list, and I operate
> this list for you. If you want me to do things
> differently, please feel like you have the right to
> ask.
> 
> Onward. I would rather have guidelines for ALL cases
> relative to ALL manufacturers. I want things to be
> fair to all, and do not really want to make an
> exception just for Xantrex & just because they are
> so often a topic here.
> 
> I regularly have requests from people that are not
> pro wrenches (including manufacturer reps.) that
> want to be added to the list. I turn down 2-5
> requests per week. That may be news to you all, that
> there are that many out there that do not meet
> qualifications. 
> 
> The first thing I do is ask them if they are a pro
> installer. If they are, I usually add them.
> 
> If they say no, I offer them the ability to read the
> archives and gain insight in that way, because they
> should not be able to post. 
> 
> If they press me with some further reason to be
> added, I determine whether in the course of their
> job, they must have a full working knowledge of the
> installation of RE systems. If so, I add them with
> the caveat that they will be the single
> representative from their company on this list.
> 
> This was the mechanism used to OK Ezra from Xantrex.
> Of course, there are sometimes exceptions for
> specific circumstances, but in most cases the person
> has been qualified as a wrench or has had to have a
> wrenches knowledge in order to do system design and
> tech support for their customers.
> 
> But now, we have someone, otherwise not qualified,
> who wishes to be added purely so they can respond on
> behalf of their company.
> 
> 1. Pagan points out that there are often things that
> pop up that need to be dealt with when Ezra is not
> around and that it is not Ezra's job to respond to
> dealer issues. I asked her if Xantrex had to choose
> between her and Ezra, which would it be? She would
> not give me a one or the other answer, but said Ezra
> should be there because he is more technically
> proficient than her, but that she should be on in
> order to respond to your (Xantrex dealers) needs.
> 
> 2. She pointed out that someone needed to be able to
> respond when, as she said recently happened, there
> are posts with inaccurate info. She said she would
> handle it by getting the email, querying the Xantrex
> technical department, then responding to the list.
> 
> 3. She claimed it was too difficult for her to be
> limited to the archives, specially when she is
> somewhere that does not have access to the web.
> 
> 4. I offered to Pagan the ability to send her info
> through me if Ezra was not around, as long as the
> info fit the list technically. She did not like that
> idea as she felt that she should be able to respond
> right away. In retrospect, that seems strange as any
> technical feedback she wants to make would have to
> come routed through Xantrex technicians anyway,
> which is going to create its own delays.
> 
> 5. Pagan told me that before Trace she went to job
> sites and assisted on installations. She said she
> could put together a simple DC system and knew a
> little about wiring, but IMHO this is nowhere close
> to a qualification as a pro Wrench.
> 
> 6. In the meantime, I offered to post things for her
> until Ezra is available or you wrenches approve her
> request. She quickly sent me two postings. One
> posting was an official release from a Xantrex vice
> president and devoid of any info pertinent to the
> list, and the other she wanted posted in direct
> response to several emails, only one of which was
> appropriate for the list, and another appropriate
> only for a direct reply to the writer.
> 
> So, Wrenches, what about it? Do you want:
> a. manufacturers to have open access to this list
> (if so, how many for each co.), or
> b. Pagan only to have access to this list, or
> c. do you want to leave manus off the list, or
> d. do you want to give me new criteria for
> subscriber membership, or
> e. do you want me to continue doing it the way I
> have been, or
> f. what else?????? 
>    
> Michael Welch
>    
> ------------------------
> "Society is like a stew. If you don't keep it
> stirred up, you get a lot of scum on top."
> 
> 			Edward Abbey
>          
> Michael Welch, michael.welch at homepower.com
> www.homepower.com
>       Associate Editor, Home Power magazine
>       Office Coordinator, Redwood Alliance
>       (Not HP mag's #s) 707-822-7884 fax:
> 707-822-3481
>       
> 
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> 
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> 
>
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- - - - - - -
To send a message:
 RE-wrenches at topica.com

The archive of previous messages: 
 http://www.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/

List rules & etiquette:
 http://www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquete.htm

To unsubscribe send a message to: 
 RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

To check out the other RE-Wrench participants:
 www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/index.html

Hosted by Home Power magazine: 
 www.homepower.com

For info contact list moderator by email:
 michael.welch at homepower.com

____________________________________________________________
T O P I C A  -- Learn More. Surf Less. 
Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Topics You Choose.
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag01