Siemens USA Website - Just Venting

[dpc]

I didn't think it was possible, but the Siemens website (US Version) has become even more unusable. An never ending series of pop-up pages with marketing fluff leading to more useless pages.

I was trying to find a manual or brochure for an older voltage regulator control, but it doesn't appear that they have any data on discontinued products. Or at least I got tired of poking at non-functional links and endless series of pop-ups.

I have no idea what they are thinking or why they thing this is a good way for a website to work. I wish ABB would just buy them out and put me out of my misery.
Aaargh!!

There - I feel better now.

 

[Skogsgurra]

Siemens is a large bank with a small electric department. That may explain why things are how they are. I like that little electric department. But, sadly, it has very little to say in this company.

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...

 

[dpc]

I'm sure you're right about that. In the US, Siemens is dragging around a lot of baggage from past acquisitions, such as Allis-Chalmers. It's frustrating, because they have some good products but they don't seem to have much idea about how to sell and support them.

 

[jraef]

Everyone knows, right up to the top, and it is being addressed. But rather than the bank / electrical dept. analogy, I liken it to us being a very big ship with a very small rudder. Changes take a lot of time and patience.

As happened with a lot of manufacturers after Y2K, the tough times forced a lot of cutbacks in all departments. They (we) were just recently able to devote the resources and staff to making the website experience cleaner and leaner, but the word is that it will take 2 more years to implement. Part of the reason for all the pop-ups is because of individual business units that had budget money for the changes are executing their own and using redirect pages. But you are right, it's frustrating, even for those of us on the inside. I have begun to see the changes though, I know it's getting incrementally better believe it or not.

A lot of legacy products dropped off the radar in Y2K as well unfortunately. They had to make a lot of "Sophie's Choice" decisions and legacy products were frequently sacrificed. It may still be supported however, just not web-enabled because of the above issues.

Dave, please feel free to shoot me an email of what you are looking for, I'll see if I can find out anything for you using my intranet resources.

Jeff

Now I need to add "Official Siemens Apologist" to my already lengthy job description...

JRaef.com
"Engineers like to solve problems. If there are no problems handily available, they will create their own problems." Scott Adams
For the best use of Eng-Tips, please click here -> faq731-376

 

[ScottyUK]

This a an echo of the thread a year or two back where I was cursing the very existence of the Siemens Europe website. My suppliers send me paper copies of the major catalogues now, otherwise they either have to use my out-of-date part numbers from whatever catalogue I have to hand or lose the business. I really like the European Siemens motor control gear but navigating the user-hostile website irritates me immensely.

The other thing which infuriates me about several websites, not just Siemens, is that parts which have been recently superseded simply disappear as though they had never existed, even though they have previously been on the web when they were current parts. It makes supporting existing equipment harder than it needs to be.

Grrrr!



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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[lz5pl]

In my view European web-site of Siemens PTD is very good in it's relay protection part. Siprotec download site is regularly updated, including new device drivers. But it is almost impossible to find any Operating Manual for some HV product. If you have for example schematic of motor drive mechanism of some CB there is no way to understand how exactly operates auxiliary switch -S10 or alike.
It seems that in big companies each division has it's own customer support policy.

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It may be like this in theory and practice, but in real life it is completely different.
The favourite sentence of my army sergeant

 

[ScottyUK]

lz5pl,

My comment was primarily aimed at the Siemens Automation & Drives website. I don't use the T&D website very often.


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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

 

[jpankask]

dpc, thank you for expressing what many others are feeling. I hope jraef is right and it gets better but 2 more years is a long time.

 

[dpc]

Jeff,

I'm certainly not directing my rants at you - I'm sure you're as frustrated as anyone.

I think the problem is that the website is run by the Marketing group and they have no clue that purchasing decisions by engineers are often made in large part on the availability of information and support, not the glitz of the marketing or even the marginal superiority of the product.

BTW, I located the Instruction Manual I was looking for - but not on the Siemens website.

 

[jraef]

No, not Marketing per se, but maybe even worse; and outside vendor. What has changed is that the redesign is being done in-house now so that corrections and changes are easier to implement.

 

[margaret695]

GRRRR!!!

Just venting! Tried this morning to find technical and info, part number, etc., on bus duct plugs for an existing ITE XL Universal bus duct. Couldn't find any technical info online. Then called the "local" number in an attempt to speak to a technical representative. Spoke to a woman who appeared to be totally clueless.... who turned out not to be "local." She wanted the description and part number for the stuff I was requesting info about. I gave it to her several times. And she still had no clue what department to pass me to! The phone conversation was basically like a Monty Python skit! And the parrott was definitely dead!

From my point of view... ITE XL Universal bus duct/busway... should have been enough info.

Did get a call from the local Siemens rep shortly afterwards and got a portion of the information that I require.... but am very very annoyed at how painful the precedure is.

Margaret

 

[tommy75]

You think thats fun, try getting a "QUOTE" for a medium voltage VFD!! Not going to happen without talking to 69 different people whom all seem to be in the wrong department after taking all the information you need to give them. Almost as if you are actually placing an order!!

 

[dpc]

I'm feeling the love.....

 

[BJC]

There are no people working at Siemens. There are a few robots and computers. What people there are are like the Robot in the Heinkins ads.

 

[ghostbuster7]

I was just as frustrated last week trying to extract some power transformer tech info from the ABB website.The (marketing)glossy info was of ZERO help.

 

[itsmoked]

Oh... um... BJC Jraef is going to disagree with you... As he is 'people'.

Keith Cress
Flamin Systems, Inc.-

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[dpc]

The robot dispenses beer - that would be a major plus.

 

[jraef]

I would resent BJC's remark, but I am programmed not to harm or hate humans...

Back to my unofficial Siemens' Apologist role, I think it's important to realize that Siemens in the US is made up of a lot of companies that Siemens AG (Germany) bought and rolled together. But one thing that Siemens does NOT do is immediately walk in and sack an entire organization that they buy. They very slowly integrate them into the fold.

So with the Robicon (MV Drives) purchase, they had a very successful and knowledgeable sales force in existence through rep agencies. To their credit, Siemens has NOT canceled the rep agreements and rolled the sales responsibility into other existing divisions, they retained the entire Robicon sales and engineering forces that still remained (many had already left before hand because of troubles with Robicon's ex-parent) and created a new Large Drives division around them. What Siemens also didwas to acknowledge the Robicon people's abilities to know and handle the complex world of large drives, so they actually handed over responsibility for the pre-existing German MV drives to that group as well, then moved people familiar with that product line into that division. That is recent enough however that the word has not reached every nook and cranny of Siemens as of yet.

What that means, margaret695, is that if you call a local Siemens Energy & Automation field office (who is responsible for Low Voltage drives) and ask about Medium Voltage VFDs, you may get shuffled around a bit as we all try to learn this new organization plan, but eventually you will get the best people for the task.

tommy75,
As to ITE bus duct, assuming you called someone at SE&A here in the US, all I can say is, I'm embarrassed. However if you called Siemens USA, the umbrella corp in New York, they might flounder a bit. Siemens USA is the US parent not only of Siemens Energy & Automation (SE&A), but also Siemens Medical, Siemens Engineering, Siemens Transportation, Siemens Power Generation etc. etc. etc. Remember, you are speaking of a company that did $96+ billion in sales last year. There are a lot of parts to Siemens, one person cannot know every single product line.

And by the way, ABB ($22 billion sales 2006) buying Siemens? Pfffft...

 

[Skogsgurra]

I wouldn't pfffft at that thought, Jeff.

That was exactly what happened when ASEA bought BBC. ASEA was a much smaller company than BBC was. But with a lot more "go". The (ase)ABB(c) that came out of that business developed in the right way until a certain non-technical guy with some business training took over and made a Titanic out of that fine company.

As much as I like Siemens in many ways, I also see their problems. One of the more serious problems is the inability to see, understand and react when things, be it technology or policies, don't work. It seems to be a central European weakness and I have lived with it for fifty years. Yes, that is true. I did my first apprentice with Siemens, Stockholm in 1957.

The problems come and go like waves. Right now, I think that we are on a performance crest, or on the downslope of it.

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

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100 % recycled posting: Electrons, ideas, finger-tips have been used over and over again...

 

[slavag]

Gunnar.
What was fine company? ASEA, BBC or ABB?
And w/o joks, were is perfect power generation part of ABB??? But Ludovika, Vasteras, Baden, Turgi are still provide high level of products.