Just read it is closing on Friday!!!!
Walter

Sorry to hear that the Technote Forum is closing tomorrow (Friday), but I can understand why they couldn't compete with this superb Forum. Competition can be healthy, but the fittest (and Synth Zone is the one!) will always survive! I sincerely hope this Synth Zone Forum will never suffer the same fate!!! To me, a day without Synth Zone's Technics Forum is like the proverbial day without sunshine!

Ted

Hi Walter,
Just read that myself last night. Bit sad really but no great supries as the usage seemed to be getting less & less. The thing is that many of the things that made the Techplus Web Club such a great site, have been dropped!!! What ever happened to the Knowledge Base.? That was a wonderful site, where you could just quote a subject and all techplus magazine articles on the subject were displayed without having to know year, issue or whatever.When this site was discontinued we were promised a bigger & better site at the end of the year!!! Ha !
Bigger & better advertising yes, but service?? ( now that I'm firmly in "Rant Mode" I may as well continue )The Techote site now is devoted to Sales, Sales Sales, and not too efficiently at that. For example, this months Magazine has a Midi File workshop in which music notation software is mentioned and one is told that it is obtainable from Technote. OK I thought
I'll see how much that is.Well it may be available, but if you go to the website it's a well kept secret folks. Whats New section? nope.Software section? nope!! This is not the first example of this sort of thing I have noticed ( it happened with SD cards too, but don't get me started on their prices for these )and it's disapointing. The point is that the main purpose of the Webclub ie: instant comunication is being totaly ignored, and the first line of comunication seems to have reverted to "snail mail". Doesn't sound like forward thinking to me!!!
Well thank goodness I found the Synthzone site, where there's lots of forward thinking and helpful advice and Bill even tells you jokes .Thanks for your company people.
Regards
Eddie

I think it's a prime example of 'Shooting themselves in Both feet'
I've just had a look at the forum and again, no explanation for the action being taken - I think we've been along this road before.....
Long Live SynthZone
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Willum

[This message has been edited by Bill Norrie (edited 06-20-2003).]

Just another example of not providing what the customer wants.

Graham UK

I echo your comments Ted... I spend more time on S-Z than any other site... Admittedly, a good portion is spent on the Gen Arr Forum site, but not a day goes by without a visit here ....
Keep up the great work, Nigel and BeBop...
t.

Hi All,

For what its worth, this is a copy of my e-mail to Technote this morning.

Gentlemen:

The attitude, services, and competence of Technote are falling rapidly.

It saddens me to see your support forum close. It is yet another example of YOUR actions alienating your friends and customer base. My opinion of course, and evidently not shared by you.

Over the years I have bought thousands of pounds worth of software and accessories from you. I have recommended your products to fellow keyboardists on your forum as well as the SynthZone and Yahoo Technics forums. So I have not only been a good customer, I have been a strong advocate of your products - working in the background of course, but nevertheless there for you. As the saying goes, there is no better advertising than word of mouth advertising.

I guess the closure of your support forum is a business decision as was the case when you opened Technote sales offices in my home state of California and in Florida. But I am lost for any logical reason to close what is in reality the last vestige of SERVICE to your customers. The Technote forum was my first introduction to support forums on the net after I purchased my KN. I was so pleased to be able to listen and talk to other KN owners about my keyboard. I learned so much, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE YOU HAD A SEARCHABLE DATA BASE. It was immensely helpful to be able to search for, and get answers to my specific queries without having to scan the whole data base of daily entries.

YOU discontinud the Webclub, the free disks, and the searchable data base. I used that as well to obtain answers to my questions. As you are well aware, manufacturer's manuals leave an awful lot to be desired. It is great to have a service I can access to get answers.

My inital attitude toward Technote was very positive and supportive because you were "meeting my needs" as one of your loyal customers. The only thing you offer me now is SALES. I know you are a business and businesses exist to make money. As a former businessman, I am acutely aware of that. But SERVICES at no cost to the customer are an integral part of any business. You discontinued the Webclub, then modified the support forum such that it was only a shell of its former self, and now you are discontinuing it altogether. The only SERVICE you offer now is an answer to my question if I telephone or e-mail you. What a shame!

Your actions are alienating me now and that is hard to do because I am by nature a loyal person when I am treated properly. Your business may suffer from your actions, or perhaps not. Only the future will tell. One thing for certain, however, and that is that I have gradually lost services that were very valuable to me as a keyboardist as you continually pared down those you originally provided for us, and that alienates me - a loyal customer.

Up to this point I have come straight to you for my keyboard software and accessories. I may or may not purchase items from you in the future, but you can bet I will shop around now before I buy anything from you.

Yours Sincerely,

Charles "Chuck" Piper

Hi Chuck.
Very well said, I agree. It's like locking the shop door and boarding up the window and still expecting the customer to bring you the business.I have just renewed my subs to the techplus mag. which I think is excellent but it still only meets a very small part of the overall needs of the customer and then you have to think,if they don't get the sales figures they need, how long will that last. I for one will now have no reason to visit the site again. A potential customer lost.!!!!!!

I've been happy with their magazines and their products. I'm sure I'll buy more from them down the road.

The Technote Forum closing is certainly not the end of the world, but they did it the same way they did before when the changed the Forum.....without a word to us. I don't like the way they make these sudden changes without a word of notice.I don't understand why they can't post a message if they planned to close the forum. Just a few words would have been nice. I see the Forum is now gone with no access to it anymore.

Marilyn

Hi Chuck, Very well put and your comments echo my sentiments. I just wonder if you got a reply? - I very much doubt it

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Willum