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# RE: Election Equipment & Setup

- To: <support@gesn.com>
- Subject: RE: Election Equipment & Setup
- From: "Jeff Hintz" <jhglobal@earthlink.net>
- Date: Tue, 26 Mar 2002 21:47:10 -0600
- Cc: "Steve Moreland" <stevem@gesn.com>, <bob@gesn.com>, "Mike Rasmussen" <mrasmussen@gesn.com>, "Barry Herron" <barry@gesn.com>, "Green, Pat" <GreenP@diebold.com>
- Importance: Normal
- In-reply-to: <01bb01c1d51b$fdd39620$96f1fea9@gesn.com>

> Rob,
> Here is a copy of your acknowledgment along with my e-mail with the requests for Shelby County, TN.
> Within the request below, I specified that a 8 Port Digi box, with 4 ports be set up for Central Count, - this was not done.
> Within the request below, I specified a microphone, - which is not included.
> Within the request below, I specified a QMS 4032 Printer, configured and tested, - this was not done.
> Within the request below, I specified GEMS 1.17.22, - installed was GEMS 1.17.17.
> I think that this e-mail explains exactly what I needed, yet several items were not done. If the object of the support people is to be able to handle everything from top to bottom, then we might as well just have all Servers and components sent directly to the Customer, and all be configured there. This would save the cost and time of having the Server & components shipped & setup in the McKinney office.
> Jeff
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Robert McDonald [mailto:rmcdonald@gesn.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2002 7:19 PM
> To: jhglobal@earthlink.net
> Cc: billr@gesn.com; stevem@gesn.com; barry@gesn.com; jeffh@gesn.com
> Subject: RE: Shelby County, TN - Computer & Hardware Upgrade
> BRAVO,
> This is by far the best and only response the mckinney office has gotten on a detailed spec of what is needed. Although a march 18th get there time is steep, but hey, small steps. And why would we quote them a QMS printer, we shoudln't even be selling or supporting these machines,,5si's or 5000 is what need to be sold. No need to upgrade the monitor but I will need the digi card and box sent to mckinney so I can install it and test it to the specs that Jeff has so graciously given us below. But seriously though, I am very impressed with this email, this is the kind of email we need to be more efficient and competent to our end users :) . Jeff, I would really appreciate you sending this email to the support list and sales list as a template or guideline as to how request should be made.
> Thanks,
> Robert McDonald

> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Jeff Hintz [mailto:jhglobal@earthlink.net]
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 05, 2002 6:46 PM
> > To: Bill Ricke
> > Cc: Steve Moreland; Robert McDonald; Barry Herron
> > Subject: Shelby County, TN - Computer & Hardware Upgrade
> > Hi Bill,
> > Here is the list of hardware along with the computer system that we discussed earlier today:
> > - Medium Computer Server with Windows NT Server 4.0
> > - R/W Internal CD
> > - Sound Card with Speakers and Microphone for VIBS
> > - 8 Port Digi box - 4 Ports Configured and Tested for Central Count
> > - Internal Network Card - Configured and Tested and 1 Network cable 6' long
> > - 16 Port Network Hub - Configured and Tested
> > - 4 PCMCIA Network Cards for AVTS R6 Units and 4 Network cables 20' long
> > - QMS 4032 Printer - Configured and Tested with 6' cable
> > - GEMS 1.17.22 full install
> > - Adobe Acrobat, Ghostview, GEMS 1.17 Users Guide, AVTS R6 Users Guide, AVTS R6 Hardware Guide
> > I am trying to shoot for the week of March 18th for final setup, testing, and training. It is extremely important that we have the above setup and tested before the system is shipped, so my time there can be more focused on training with just some additional setup and testing if necessary.
> > I will need the 3 User's Guides put on the system in electronic format, and also 1 copy of each printed out and put into a binder to be shipped with the system.
> > The current system that they have, already has a 8 Port Digi box, so I guess we could use that one if necessary. However, it will save me time if I do not have to do any setup and testing on site. We can always ship the old equipment back to be used with other accounts.
> > They currently have a 20'' monitor with their old system. We can use this monitor, unless we think that it is necessary to replace the old with new.
> > We need to order the QMS 4032 printer to replace the Minolta Pageworks 20, that they currently have. Apparently this was promised to them on the first contract. The Minolta Pageworks 20 was just on loan to them at the time.
> > If we need to discuss anything else, or if anyone has questions, please let me know. I will be back into the Omaha office on Thursday.
> > Thanks,
> > Jeff
> > P.S. - We need to get some type of a computer check list made up, to save us the time and effort we use each time we have a new customer or an upgraded customer. This method of saying we need a Server Upgrade, a Medium, or Large Server, just does not include all of the items for the people that order and setup the systems.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-support@gesn.com [mailto:owner-support@gesn.com]On Behalf Of Robert McDonald
> Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2002 5:15 PM
> To: support@gesn.com
> Cc: Steve Moreland; bob@gesn.com; Mike Rasmussen; Barry Herron; Green, Pat
> Subject: Re: Election Equipment & Setup
> 1.) "I can understand that sometimes we are not able to plan in advance"
> You know we can't plan in advance; What does that supposed to mean??? we can plan in advance EVERYTIME we make a sale. How can we even make a decent sale if we can't plan in advance, the whole basis on a air tight operations is the planning in advance from the beginning. Give me a break. If we get the sales people involved from the beginning like they are supposed to be we would know the topology of the County and be able to recreate the situation to a T in the McKinney office. On the other hand if we have people in the field who don't understand the technology and O/S on at least a basic level then we will never be able to create a perfect situation. Right now because McKinney is not involved or informed from the point when the RFP gets printed to the time the server hits my door we are NOT capable of satisfying every request everyone needs to make.
> 2.) " I had to finish setting up the Server "
> By finish, what exactly do you mean. Once the O/S is installed and the services are installed the setup is complete,,now the settings have to be tailored to the CO's specific needs,,of which I need to know from the time the sale is proposed.
> 3.) "I can understand that sometimes we are not able to plan in advance, for the ordering of computers & other components. However, we need to establish some sort of Document, that is filled out with a new Customer or when Demonstrations are done, as far in advance as possible, so we can do more planning in advance, and get the Quality Assurance & testing that is necessary for the setup of the Server and other components. This is the second time that this has happened to me, where the Server was not setup completely, and it also happened to Greg Forsythe last week in Indiana."
> This so called Document you speak of,,is this not the combination of a finished RFP and a work-order which we already have in place??? And if so, it is clear that communication is the problem. The McKinney office has to be aggressively proactive just to get any information that originates from the beginning of the sale, then the puzzle work begins. Greg is a salesman, and should not EVER be put in a technical situation. I know we are spread thin at this company but if we insist on putting not-technical people in a support position then we have no choice but to expect problems.
> 4.) "If we know what is needed for a customer, then the Server and all other components need to be ordered, shipped to McKinney, configured and tested before it is sent to the customer site"
> I agree completely, right now we have salesman who are creating these work orders who do not understand the technical infrastructure that needs to be in place. Therefore, we have orders being made that don't meet the counties needs. Example, Maryland, we set them up for a PortServer II interface, when in fact (we found out later) they needed to be setup for modem interface and they are not going to be using the Port Server II.
> 5.) "Also, if the printer would have been setup and tested, we would have found out that the duplexer was not the correct one."
> "QMS 4032 Printer - Configured and Tested with 6' cable. We need to order the QMS 4032 printer to replace the Minolta Pageworks 20, that they currently have. Apparently this was promised to them on the first contract. The Minolta Pageworks 20 was just on loan to them at the time."(Jeff's March 5th email of requests).
> I see nothing in this request about a duplexer needing to be sent let alone tested with this QMS printer. Bill has informed me that the duplexer he ordered is the same part number that it has been since we started buying them, also the part was intended for the QMS 4032. Therefore what we have is improper onsite installation.
> 6.) "It becomes very frustrating as a support person, to have to go through the same routine over and over"
> I couldn't agree with you more!!!!!
> 7.) "The objective of the support person, when going out to a customer site, is to focus on Training, not to have to debug and setup a Server and other components, when we have people in the McKinney office who are supposed to do this."
> The object of the support person to be able to handle any situation from top down.
> If we in the McKinney office do not get a call from each person in the field that has a specific request how are we supposed to know when and how to tailor this install to the county's specific need, that is why there is a default install. And this default install allows our competent support people to make changes to tailor the setup of the counties. Now if we need to make an out of the box system for our "support" people, and our support people have problems setting it up properly how can they even troubleshoot the problems that might occur in the future. Pointing fingers to the origin of the machine will get nothing done, if people in the field aren't capable of making the right setting and decisions about the server's situation then a personal call to the McKinney office prior to making the sale explaining what specific parameters need to be set, needs to be made.
> It's clearly apparent we need periodical training for our support people.
> This is not a topic to discuss in email, those who have a problem with the way a system is setup may give me a call at ANYTIME at home, work or on my cell and I will be more than happy to handle your situation.
> Thanks,
> Robert McDonald
> Home 972-633-0926
> Work 972-542-6000 x156
> Cell 214-403-4736

> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Jeff Hintz
> > To: Support Team
> > Cc: Steve Moreland ; Pat Green ; Bob Urosevich ; Barry Herron
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 26, 2002 1:54 PM
> > Subject: Election Equipment & Setup
> > I am currently here in Memphis, TN. This is the second trip that I have made here due to lack of planning. I was here last week to do the Server Setup, AVTS & GEMS training. I was only able to do the AVTS & GEMS training, due to the fact that we did not receive the Server. We finally did receive the Server last Friday, and Rob McDonald was able to come in on Saturday and set it up, then shipped it to Memphis. However, due to a FedEx screw up, it did not get here until this morning at 8:00 a.m. I accomplished the Server setup and testing today, but encountered a few problems along the way. I had to finish setting up the Server in order for Central Count & the AVTS to work. I had to install the printer drivers for the QMS 4032 for it to work. The duplexor for the printer is not the correct one, so I need to get the correct one ordered, then shipped here, and hopefully I can get someone with some mechanical know how, to install it. Otherwise I will need to make another trip out here to do this.
> > I can understand that sometimes we are not able to plan in advance, for the ordering of computers & other components. However, we need to establish some sort of Document, that is filled out with a new Customer or when Demonstrations are done, as far in advance as possible, so we can do more planning in advance, and get the Quality Assurance & testing that is necessary for the setup of the Server and other components. This is the second time that this has happened to me, where the Server was not setup completely, and it also happened to Greg Forsythe last week in Indiana.
> > If we know what is needed for a customer, then the Server and all other components need to be ordered, shipped to McKinney, configured and tested before it is sent to the customer site. I sent out an e-mail back on March 5th, asking for a Server with other components be set up, however, it was not setup according to the e-mail I sent. Also, if the printer would have been setup and tested, we would have found out that the duplexor was not the correct one.
> > It becomes very frustrating as a support person, to have to go through the same routine over and over. The objective of the support person, when going out to a customer site, is to focus on Training, not to have to debug and setup a Server and other components, when we have people in the McKinney office who are supposed to do this.
> > Thanks,
> > Jeff Hintz
> > Diebold Election Systems
> > 405 N. 115th Street
> > Omaha, NE 68154
> > (402) 697-7171 office
> > (402) 697-7166 fax
> > (402) 871-3346 cell

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