Faxes get the same treatment as email nowadays: Noise, unless it's got a corporate header. They DO get to it, usually through staffers noting the point of the fax, and whatnot.
They do the same for emails, but a lot of legislators are moving to web-based mail forms. For instance:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/ - The House "Write your Representative" mail link, although some rep's still have their own home-grown mail form too. The above will work with any US Rep, however.
Senate's not as organized. Check out the senator's webpage off http://www.senate.gov and look for a "Contact" area. 7 of 10 times, it'll point to a web-based mail form.
These methods are actually the most efficient ones to use currently; they get databased and counted immediately, linked with your name and address (required to prove constituency, otherwise the Iraqi would be spoofing Congress to pass a pro-Saddam law or something). This is pretty much the preferred method of contact for constituents; PACs, corporations, scholastic entities, etc. (anyone that represents a group) has a little more clout when going the fax route.
Sorry for the blahblah, but my company specializes in government relations software, hence why I know what works best for the DC yokels.
"Be kind, courteous and respectful of the tech support person with whom you are dealing."
Just to give an example where this is really evident due to industry...
I work as T1/2 tech support for a two-industry software company. We have two teams for technical support, each dedicated to one of the two divisions.
On the one (my) side, the clients are surprisingly easy to get along with. A lot of times, it's the same client calling again and again over the months; some actually need the help that much, but others do it for clarification and verification of new rules government commissions have lain down, etc. 95% of the time, it's a very friendly, first name basis; or if it's not first name, it's a very easy call socially, as they're polite and thorough in explaining the problem, patient while you fix/investigate, and appreciative of the help and work. Our surveys on performance constantly return positive compliments on the quality of the support we give, which is due in good measure to the quality of the clients we have.
The other side is, unfortunately, a turnaround. More often than not, they get clients that are irate due to lack of understanding or interest, and the frustration builds on the TechSup side in attempting to, in good nature, repair a problem for them that they may themselves have caused. Training in that department becomes a struggle to tell the client what they NEED to know while they banter about their time and only listen to what they think they WANT to know.
It's a matter of Type A or Type B in this case; one side of clients takes the problems personally and vindictively, the other side sees them as hurtles they can always come to us to help them overcome. One side sees Support as the problem; the other side recognizes them as part of the solution.
... to be sold on the "used" list, the books had to have been bought, right? Which means the author already got their share of the sale. If this is after-market purchasing, it falls under classic copyright laws, which give the owner the right to sell such material for whatever price they deem.
I can see their point of "prominently placing" the link to used books next to newer releases, but maybe it's just me: I never buy used books.:) Unless it's a school text, does anyone? Something my father got me into, I guess, only because I saw the state of his books post-read... nicotine stains, bits of crumbs in the bindings... eaugh....
First time posting, release the hounds!
Slashdot Mirror
http://www.geekpac.org
:) FYI.
They got a CNN write-up earlier this year/last last year. This is pretty much what you're calling for.
Faxes get the same treatment as email nowadays: Noise, unless it's got a corporate header. They DO get to it, usually through staffers noting the point of the fax, and whatnot.
They do the same for emails, but a lot of legislators are moving to web-based mail forms. For instance:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/ - The House "Write your Representative" mail link, although some rep's still have their own home-grown mail form too. The above will work with any US Rep, however.
Senate's not as organized. Check out the senator's webpage off http://www.senate.gov and look for a "Contact" area. 7 of 10 times, it'll point to a web-based mail form.
These methods are actually the most efficient ones to use currently; they get databased and counted immediately, linked with your name and address (required to prove constituency, otherwise the Iraqi would be spoofing Congress to pass a pro-Saddam law or something). This is pretty much the preferred method of contact for constituents; PACs, corporations, scholastic entities, etc. (anyone that represents a group) has a little more clout when going the fax route.
Sorry for the blahblah, but my company specializes in government relations software, hence why I know what works best for the DC yokels.
"Be kind, courteous and respectful of the tech support person with whom you are dealing."
Just to give an example where this is really evident due to industry...
I work as T1/2 tech support for a two-industry software company. We have two teams for technical support, each dedicated to one of the two divisions.
On the one (my) side, the clients are surprisingly easy to get along with. A lot of times, it's the same client calling again and again over the months; some actually need the help that much, but others do it for clarification and verification of new rules government commissions have lain down, etc. 95% of the time, it's a very friendly, first name basis; or if it's not first name, it's a very easy call socially, as they're polite and thorough in explaining the problem, patient while you fix/investigate, and appreciative of the help and work. Our surveys on performance constantly return positive compliments on the quality of the support we give, which is due in good measure to the quality of the clients we have.
The other side is, unfortunately, a turnaround. More often than not, they get clients that are irate due to lack of understanding or interest, and the frustration builds on the TechSup side in attempting to, in good nature, repair a problem for them that they may themselves have caused. Training in that department becomes a struggle to tell the client what they NEED to know while they banter about their time and only listen to what they think they WANT to know.
It's a matter of Type A or Type B in this case; one side of clients takes the problems personally and vindictively, the other side sees them as hurtles they can always come to us to help them overcome. One side sees Support as the problem; the other side recognizes them as part of the solution.
... to be sold on the "used" list, the books had to have been bought, right? Which means the author already got their share of the sale. If this is after-market purchasing, it falls under classic copyright laws, which give the owner the right to sell such material for whatever price they deem. I can see their point of "prominently placing" the link to used books next to newer releases, but maybe it's just me: I never buy used books. :) Unless it's a school text, does anyone? Something my father got me into, I guess, only because I saw the state of his books post-read... nicotine stains, bits of crumbs in the bindings... eaugh. ...
First time posting, release the hounds!