Hello to all:
I have a customer (a used car dealer of course) that has a Protoge' we have been maintaining for them for a few years now. Mostly what has been happening is that station ports are failing, so we just move the phones to new ports. Problem is that we have never actually offered (or been able to) program the system for them.

By the way, it's an MTX KSU with software version R72.6F4.F37 and the KSU chassis also has "K72UF4.F37" on the label. We have tried function 69 + F2 + unplug at the affected stations, but that had no effect.

In the most recent instance, about half of their ten stations have lost their button programming and since we can't program it and have run out of vacant ports to use, we are at a point where we are telling them that they need to consider a new system.

It's not likely that they will be willing to spend the money so I was hoping for an easy out to help them. Are the horror stories true with this system with regard to programming (laptop) software compatibility, etc? If we get reasonable support from one of you who know the system better, can we try programming through phones or HyperTerminal instead?

We are trying to save the customer any more hassle and since there's not much more we can do right now, all we can do is come in with a sales pitch for a new system. Sure, we would love to sell them one, but they are too cheap to spend any money and if they do, they will shop to kingdom come with no loyalty to us whatsoever. It would be nice to keep the customer and (eventually) sell them a new system, so any ideas you all may have would be helpful. Thanks!

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Ed
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How come there's always enough time to go back and fix it a second time?

[This message has been edited by ev607797 (edited May 19, 2005).]

Its not so bad on my bench. With the right software you should be able to program it no problem. simple comm connection with a null modem cable be sure to use the top port on the ccb as the lower 1 is for smdr .f4 f37 is what you need any of the f4 series should work don't let the unrecognized message software version scare you. If you cant dig up a copy of the f4 software email me and I'll hook you up. But since its a used car dealer I got this used ksu only talked on by this little old lady on sunday its cheap. LOL

You have mail.... I can help you... PS. To program buttons on the phone you do not need a laptop...

Walter

My first experience with this system was really bad. Very easy to wipe the whole thing out. After you get the hang of it its an OK system at best. It seems price is what drives this customer, so you get what you pay for. I think that telling the customer that its failing and not worth repairing is in order. Replace the system with something you can support even used and that would benefit both of you. Your repeated service calls must be cheap or I'm sure they would call someone else. What happened to the installer?

Thanks, Gkar:

I think the customer inherited the system from another business because the KSU is huge and much larger than they need. They also have plenty of spare phones. I don't know what happened to the original installer but from the looks of the installation, it was probably a fly-by-night.

Honestly, they only have us out every few months and we just change ports. I guess they figure it's cheaper to pay a few hundred dollars per year for service calls than to change it out. They are beginning to realize that this can't go on forever because ports are becoming scarce and since we don't know much about the system, we really aren't interested in getting cards repaired or replaced.

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Ed
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How come there's always enough time to go back and fix it a second time?