You're absolutely correct and seem like a reasonable guy.

As someone who has been on both sides of this equation (as many here have, I'm sure) I can see both sides. I do feel sympathy for the poor schlubs left out to twist in the wind by ignorant managers and executives. That sort of situation is what causes turnover, which just exacerbates the issue.

Not good for anyone, really, and it's a damning testament to human shortsightedness, stubbornness and inefficiency-- especially in midmanagement.

That's why I try to get irate customers to understand that starting off angry isn't going to help. Sure, support personnel should be trained to deal with this but really, why should they have to take abuse for a problem they didn't create, are there to fix, and may be hindered in doing so by crappy systems and uncaring management?

All I'm saying is that it makes the most sense to direct energies at the entities that are better able to address a problem. A support jock can't physically materialize parts. All he can do is order them, and that assumes he has access to a system that supports it (some people would be amazed at how poorly some of these systems are implemented) and that those parts are made available. I've worked for companies whose PDM and ERP systems were so wacked you never knew WHAT would be sent to the field. I can't go into Nokia's specific shortcomings, but to assume the support jocks have everything they need at their disposal is a pipedream.

All in all, the situation sucks, Nokia desperately needs to improve, and the people trying to do the right thing are the wrong ones to scream at.

/soapbox