[kennyg17]

Very discouraging experience trying to spread the PlayBook gospel. [I've had mine for 2 months and love it to death !]

Showed my BB PB to a good friend who has mostly iPad-worshipping friends. I've talked it up enough that he has an open mind about tablets. He works for a division of a state-government group here in the mid-West; has several thousand in his group for which no final decision is yet made on tablets for the whole division. After a lot of talking (too much), he convinces a RIM salesman to send him a demo PB (the salesman was giving this guy the third-degree and was totally missing the point: a successful BBPB experience for my friend could open some government sales doors).

What does he get?! He gets a demo model, previously used, with a 2.0xxx version that only shows the Browser and set up icons and nothing more. Why would they do that?! So I have had to send him some CB threads here to down grade to 1.8 so he can have a fully functional, nonbuggy system to show to his co-workers/mid-management types...who are leaning toward the evil Apple but could be swayed...if HE reports on a good RIM experience with the PB.... which so far he hasn't had.

Waterloo can install Thorsen but he needs to be aware of bunglers like this in the sales department who mishandle calls and opportunities. Otherwise the great product that most of us love here at CB will remain in a tiny niche market and constantly combat a terrible public perception.

Can someone tell me, or suggest, how I get word to mid-mangement at RIM (as a loyal BB person) that they need to ADDRESS the front-end sales staff weaknesses and approach pronto before further opportunities are blown? Its a good formula to distribute PBs to app developers and treat actual purchasers (not to mention for those for large government groups) with such under whelming professional attention.

I want to be talking about PB OS5 down the road; and my friend's experience worries me as to how difficult that road may be.

[TheStoof]

Contact Kevin at Crackberry. He may be able to help pass the message along, but I don't know Kevin, and I am only a forum user, so I'd only ask him politely .

[amro]

contact a director of government relations. there are several. i know one, but his territory isn't north america.

[kill_9]

Waterloo can install Thorsen but he needs to be aware of bunglers like this in the sales department who mishandle calls and opportunities. Otherwise the great product that most of us love here at CB will remain in a tiny niche market and constantly combat a terrible public perception.

Can someone tell me, or suggest, how I get word to mid-mangement at RIM (as a loyal BB person) that they need to ADDRESS the front-end sales staff weaknesses and approach pronto before further opportunities are blown?

You could try [email protected]. Worst case it bounces back to you as undelivered.

[TheStoof]

Actually...

@asaunders on Twitter.

[shn'g]

yeah you should pass this along for sure! It's true that they can't believe everyone's story but they should be even going to these people who can show they are legit and businesses and begging them to use the playbook and show them hands on the features and how other companies have been using them!.... it's stupid missed opportunitys

[auditman]

I like what the OP is doing but you know we can't save RIM.
RIM needs to save itself by doing the right thing for itself, for the current customers, for devs and for future customers.

[BB_Bmore]

Your best bet is to send it to @asaunders. Via twitter as previously mentioned.

[Blacklatino]

Very discouraging experience trying to spread the PlayBook gospel. [I've had mine for 2 months and love it to death !]

Showed my BB PB to a good friend who has mostly iPad-worshipping friends. I've talked it up enough that he has an open mind about tablets. He works for a division of a state-government group here in the mid-West; has several thousand in his group for which no final decision is yet made on tablets for the whole division. After a lot of talking (too much), he convinces a RIM salesman to send him a demo PB (the salesman was giving this guy the third-degree and was totally missing the point: a successful BBPB experience for my friend could open some government sales doors).

What does he get?! He gets a demo model, previously used, with a 2.0xxx version that only shows the Browser and set up icons and nothing more. Why would they do that?! So I have had to send him some CB threads here to down grade to 1.8 so he can have a fully functional, nonbuggy system to show to his co-workers/mid-management types...who are leaning toward the evil Apple but could be swayed...if HE reports on a good RIM experience with the PB.... which so far he hasn't had.

Waterloo can install Thorsen but he needs to be aware of bunglers like this in the sales department who mishandle calls and opportunities. Otherwise the great product that most of us love here at CB will remain in a tiny niche market and constantly combat a terrible public perception.

Can someone tell me, or suggest, how I get word to mid-mangement at RIM (as a loyal BB person) that they need to ADDRESS the front-end sales staff weaknesses and approach pronto before further opportunities are blown? Its a good formula to distribute PBs to app developers and treat actual purchasers (not to mention for those for large government groups) with such under whelming professional attention.

I want to be talking about PB OS5 down the road; and my friend's experience worries me as to how difficulty that road may be.

IMO, that has probably been some of the problem for RIM (at some time for all devices) in the past and it seems currently. Let's hope that it gets better.

[kennyg17]

I appreciate the contact info for spreading the word. I don't have a twitter account--how about sending to A Saunders at his conventional email address ... not sure how to send it to him at twitter ...
Amro, could you please pass this along to the non-N American sales rep you know on the chance it moves up the ladder this way. This is a division of gov't for one of the larger states in the US; for such opportunities to be mishandled in that arena is troubling.
I agree that only RIM can save itself - but all the serious and funny posts at CB on all BB topics are hardly worth reading or posting if I can't (or anyone else with such stories) rouse myself to make the effort to get the message back up the food chain. Thanks all ...

[engin]

I alos have a senior manager at work (CEO of division of a FTSE 100 company who are looking at tablets for UK police forces) asking me to get him a Playbook after I demo'ed mine to him.

I have trried several people at RIM but so far am not even getting my e-mails answered.

I'm damned if I'm going to give up but I should not be fighting RIM staff in order to try and put some business their way.

[CrackBerry Kevin]

I'll pass the forum thread along via my "channels".