"Weems, Joyce" wrote:

> I'm sorry to hear our vendors feel uncomfortable with us! You just
> have to realize that life has it's complainers and those of us who are
> perfect in every way :>) have to put on our duck feathers and hit the
> delete key often! Please join in with all the info you have to offer.
>
> In this vein, I want to  compliment and issue a public thank you to
> our Sakura rep - Sharon (Claus) Weyman.  We were experiencing major
> stain problems. I called for demos from Sakura and Leica. Sharon got
> hers here first and left it with us until the Leica came! (Leica did
> not have a demo available and had to order a new instrument from
> Australia.) This was far and above what was called for. We ended up
> choosing the Leica instrument, but Sharon is still my friend and has
> earned more respect than I can say because of her help to us - THE
> PEOPLE!

As a vendor, and also a former lab rat, I want to thank everyone for their
support on this thread.  The recent past has been a little "vendor unfriendly"
lately, and these comments are good to hear.

I also want to comment on Joyce's message in regard to some postings in the past
about the "high prices" that vendors charge for their products.  The situation
that Joyce so generously mentions goes to the "value of service" provided by
company representatives.  In my days as a laboratory supervisor, I always
factored in the "Cash" value of the personal service provided, into the cost of
a specific piece of equipment.  If I took the "Cash Value" of having a - local
representative / customer service representative / technical applications
representative - at my beck & call, and deducted it from the quoted price of the
equipment, then the instrument did not seem to be "over priced" at all.
--
Ford M. Royer, MT(ASCP)
Analytical Instruments, Ltd
 (Refurbished Histology, Cytology, & General Lab Equipment)
9921 13th Ave. N.
Minneapolis, MN 55441-5004
800-565-1895 phone
612-929-1895 fax
web site: http://www.aibltd.com