Hello Mr. Sloane,
I'm forwarding this message to you because you seem to be the
only HumanWare representative who has been replying to our
questions. If it is true, that people can no longer purchase
maintenance contracts for their MPower transplants, then perhaps
someone from HumanWare should address their concerns. It seems
to me that it would be a very small concession for HumanWare to
say something about this subject. If the alligation is not true,
then it's time to reassure MPower transplant users of the
reliability of HumanWare's products and of the company's
allegiance to it's clients. However, if this is true, and MPower
transplant owners will no longer be allowed to purchase
maintenance contracts, then someone should tell us that and
explain the reason for this change in policy.
I had both my BrailleNotes transplanted to an MPower because
HumanWare warned that Keysoft 7.2 would be the last upgrade for
the classic, and that eventually, as parts were no longer
available, the possibility existed that they would no longer be
serviced. That warning propelled me to re-finance my home to
have the transplants done. Suddenly, and without a warning,
HumanWare seems to have made a change in a service policy for
it's transplant. My BrailleNote transplants are in excellent
condition, and I use them daily, but I personally don't want to
envision a time when the MPower won't be upgraded or serviced
because HumanWare has changed it's policy and is busy marketing
some version of a CCTV.
Any reassurance from the new owners of HumanWare that there is
a future for the BrailleNote transplants would be greatly
appreciated. Many of us, who own transplants, are on fixed
incomes and either must go into debt to purchase even the less
costly VoiceNote MPower or must contact a government
rehabilitation agency to procure the funding for the more pricy
products. As we are reluctant to continually go into debt to
purchase products which improve our quality of life, our
government's rehabilitation agencies are even more reluctant and
usually won't provide funding for a new product simply because
the one we own now is obsolete.
a conversation by several list members and Kim at HumanWare
California let me know that with $2,200 and my perfectly good
BrailleNote I can get a new model which is not a transplant.
Reading the list over the past few months, it seems that the
Braille cells on the transplants are much better than those on
the new model, so why would anyone want to spend more than two
thousand dollars for a device which is inferior to what they
already have? Since the company has set up divisions in places
other than Christ Church, new Zealand, which country and which
president will be responsible for the manufacturing and
distributing of the MPower? Will the primary responsibility be
the United States, New Zealand, or Canada? Or has it like many
other things, been moved to China?
Sincerely,
Sammie Clay
---- Original Message ------
From: Earlene Hughes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: RE: [Braillenote] What is happening to Humanware?
Date sent: Thu, 06 Dec 2007 11:33:47 -0700
Ann and all,
I don't know where the status of future BraillleNote transplants
stands. I would caution you though, to wait until we can all
find out more about what Humanware's plans are for it's
customers.
I don't think the outlook will be very optomistic.
That is why I have decided to switch to Freedom Scientific.
No vendor is perfect and not every piece of technology is
perfect. But, I do think Freedom Scientific is committed to
their total customer base, not just their low vision product
customer base.
We have been slowly watching the decline of the blindness
products from Humanware.
My observation is that they are going to put more emphasis on
their low vision market, because that is where the biggest market
is going to be in the future.
The fact that customers are not receiving renewal information for
their existing service contracts, only further substantiates my
point.
-- Earlene
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [Braillenote] What is happening to Humanware?
From: "Ann K. Parsons" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Date: Thu, December 06, 2007 8:01 am
To: Earlene Hughes <[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Morning all,
Let's make sure we understand what's going on here. According to
your
message below, any person who transplants their BrailleNote from
now
on can't get a service contract on the work done? Does this mean
that
if I choose to go for a transplant, since I am still running a
classic, that I couldn't get a service contract, so that any
money I
spent on the project would go for naught? Earlene, I've been
seriously thinking of getting a low cost loan in order to
purchase the
transplant so that I would have an MPower. Is this no longer an
option?
Before I'd plunk down my money for a PacMate, I'd take a good
long
look at the Braille Sense. Don't close off your options. If the
Icon
had a Braille Display, I might go for it, but it doesn't. Before
I'd make a radical decision, I'd want to hear from Humanware
staff on
this one. I'd want to know what the policy really is, who
initiated
it, and most importantly why we, their customers weren't told
about
this.
This is a major change in policy, and humanware had better
understand
that if Earlene Hughes, well known representative of American
Council
of the Blind and its affiliate BITS and a major player in the
blindness field is unhappy, they've made a major mistake here, a
major, political mistake that they should never have made. It
will
cost them. It may cost them dearly! <smiling sardonically> Yeh,
how
to lose friends and influence people, is that the new Humanware
policy? I'd suggest that somebody from the main office get on
this
list PDQ and explain this monumental gaff!
Ann P.
Earlene Hughes writes:
Hello all,
I don't often have time to post to this list, and, perhaps this
subject has already been visited here. If so, please accept my
appology.
I want to share with you, what I found out from a Humanware
Customer Service representative, just in case others do not know
about a recent policy change which applies to BrailleNote Empower
units that were transplanted with the older braille cells.
Today is the day when my service contract should be renewed for
another year. I called Humanware and was connected to Customer
Service. I confirmed my name, unit's serial number, and address
with the Representative. Then, to my surprise, she said that she
had to put me on hold for a minute. I couldn't imagine why, -- I
knew my credit card would be good, and I had not even given it to
her yet! So, I waited patiently for about 5 minutes until she
returned. What she told me caught me completely by surprise.
She told me that I cannot renew my service contract for the
BrailleNote Empower that I have because under the recently
changed policy, Humanware is no longer making service contracts
available to those customers who have the older braille cells.
Then, she proceeded to tell me that I can get a credit of $2,200
if I want to purchase a new unit that has the newer braille
cells.
I responded that I had updated my brailleNote to a transplanted
unit in 2006, and have always kept my service contract up to date
since my original purchase back in 2003.
To the best of my knowledge, I have not received a letter
telling me that no service contracts for my unit would be issued
in the future.
Needless to say, I am very disappointed. This certainly is not
the way good customers should be treated.
What is happening to Humanware? Humanware owes its customers an
explanation. We have invested considerable amounts of money
purchasing and updating our hardware and software.
I have never had my credit card in hand, only to be told that I
could not complete the transaction that I was expecting to be
able to make.
The 500 dollars that I would have spent renewing my service
contract, will now be spent on purchasing a new Pacmate. Will I
be making another mistake, I hope not. But in the considerable
amount of time I have been doing business with Freedom
Scientific, formerly Henter Joyce, I have never had a customer
experience like I had this evening. I'm willing to take that
chance. Humanware, you just lost another customer. You can be
sure that I will not be recommending BrailleNote purchases to my
clients, or especially, to my friends.
To those of you on this list, thank you for listening.
I have enjoyed reading the many comments that have been posted
here.
Best Wishes to all,
-- Earlene Hughes
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--
Ann K. Parsons
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
WEB SITE: http://www.portaltutoring.info
Skype: Putertutor
"All that is gold does not glitter.
Not all those who wander are lost." JRRT
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