How to have a great product...and go broke as a business

Back several years ago I bought a brand new Gateway computer.  I saw it advertised on the Super Bowl, and I called their sales department. They did a great job selling it over the phone.  I said I need it customized for my small business.  “Oh, yeah," said the sales person, "we can install all that stuff.”  So I ordered the computer and I was excited!  The young man said, “Mr. Drury, it’ll be there on February 14,” and I said, “Well, that’s Valentine’s Day; I’ll remember that.”  February 14 came; no computer; no phone call.  Now, I’m having to call Gateway and punch in all those numbers and codes, and I’m getting all that, "push one for this, and push two for this." (frustration) I finally got live person in customer service.  Now, I will compliment them that he kind of recovered my good will a little bit.  He apologized.  He said, “We’re backordered on the DVD burner,” and he said, “I’m gonna ship it 2^nd-day Federal Express at no extra charge.”  He said, “It’ll be there February 28.”  February 28 came; no computer; no phone call.  How am I starting to feel about Gateway?  Finally the computer came in the middle of March.  It was a standard, off-the-shelf unit; no customized features installed.  They had to send out a technician to install the different customized pieces in it.  Let me tell you a funny thing.  Once I got it set up and I used it for several months, I loved the technology.  It was a great computer!  The screen, loved it! But  I will never buy a Gateway again.  Did you hear that?  You can have one of the best products in this town, and you are losing customers in droves, because it is a hassle to deal with you.  Your phone system, your shipping system, nobody follows up, you don’t keep your promises.  You can have a fabulous product and go bankrupt. It's how the customer feels in the process of the business transaction - the service factor -  that has killed your business.