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Non-Tech : Datek Brokerage $9.95 a trade -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Robert Bethge who wrote (10241)	11/12/1998 1:46:00 PM
From: peter michaelson	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16892

Robert: I and others have experienced lots of forced buy-ins of shorts without notification in recent weeks. That is a serious problem that costs customers serious money. Calls to customer support appear fruitless. I am a responsible, experienced businessperson. Give us a responsible response, please. TIA, peter michaelson

To: Robert Bethge who wrote (10241)	11/12/1998 2:03:00 PM
From: Gorak Shep	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16892

Robert, how about explaining why it takes two weeks to post credit interest from the month before. Other brokerages post it by the first of the month. Seems very sloppy and unprofessional the way you do it. Any chance of this being improved?

To: Robert Bethge who wrote (10241)	11/12/1998 2:25:00 PM
From: Bill Rood	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 16892

Mr Bethge could you fill us in on checking, options etc. It seems that when Datek employees post they tend to evade ninety percent of the questions on this thread. Numerous times on this thread it has been posted that the morning and afternoon problems will be fixed in a matter of weeks. Now it's eight more weeks. You point out today about the volume you are handling yet it has been posted here that you have excess capacity. If you have excess capacity why can't you handle the volume. Would you agree in that calling your servers sill fast was a silly comment? In closing if you find the open of the market complicated may I suggest you contact one of your colleagues at another brokerage to let you in on the secret of succesfully filling orders the first 30 min of the day. Contrary to popular belief orders are being filled somewhere at the opening bell, just not Datek. Your invitation to call support at Datek is a joke. How many times do you want your customers to hear nothings wrong its NASDAQ, your browser, sunspots, your isp, the list goes on. Also why come here and post theres problems at the open but tell WSJ no problems customers are full of s%$#, everythings running great.

To: Robert Bethge who wrote (10241)	11/12/1998 7:50:00 PM
From: EK	Respond to of 16892

Mr. Bethge, I appreciate your response. Your timing however, is very very far off. I do not feel that I am demanding . When I call your customer service folks about the problems that we have been highlighting here and those same customer service people respond with-- "what delays?" --then pray tell what should I do? Your express servers are a dream. When you are cooking on all cylinders I doubt that there are any other brokers who can match your service at your price. When you stumble and you deny that you have faltered, then your servers are a nightmare and your prices become expensive indeed -- more than $1,000 per trade in some instances. Please realize that your firm's silence and denial of the problems we encountered did more damage to your credibility than anything you might have said. And if you are concerned with the liabilities you might incur by 'fessing up to the problems, then I suggest you re think that strategy. In my opinion you incur more liability with silence and denial then with timely and adequate disclosure. I still find your excuse about volume spikes unsatisfactory. What specifically are you planning to do to fix the execution problems in the morning and end of day and what is your time table. We need to know so we can profitably plan our business.

To: Robert Bethge who wrote (10241)	11/12/1998 9:22:00 PM
From: SeasideHeights	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16892

YOU WROTE: <<Over the past eight trading days we have seen an unprecedented surge in volume, breaking transaction records nearly every one of those days. Yesterday alone we delivered more than 43,000 executions...more than double our daily average from last quarter (Q3-98). During this time, some of you have noticed delays at peak times, namely the open and the close.>> WHY DON'T YOU GET THE PROPER UPGRADES IN PLACE BEFORE TAKING ON NEW CUSTOMERS IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE LOAD? EXISTING CUSTOMERS ARE SECOND RATE? INTERESTING.

To: Robert Bethge who wrote (10241)	11/13/1998 1:27:00 AM
From: GR	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16892

Dear robert, I have been screwed,and tatooted by your company in every conceivable manner recently.I am out 4000.00. I have submitted 2 emails,which only today have been found.I have been hung up or put on hold (nice music?)and been given the run around every way possible.If you really mean all the stuff you said reimburse my loses,since i was in no way responsible for them .Email me and i'll discuss iy with you.I will let the thread know what happens.GR

To: Robert Bethge who wrote (10241)	11/13/1998 4:59:00 PM
From: Fred Puppet	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 16892

==> Here Are The Answers To All Your Questions <== Since we can't get Datek to answer specific questions here on SI, I decided to try my best to answer the most common questions by quoting from the Customer Agreement. When market orders receive no execution for 15 minutes, who's responsible for this lack of execution? "You understand that entering an order with Datek Online, including market orders, either electronically or otherwise, does not guarantee execution of the order, and you agree that Datek Online shall not be responsible for any order that is not executed." If Datek is negligent and causes Datek's web servers to be unavailable, thereby causing customers to suffer a financial loss, is Datek liable for damages? "Under no circumstances, including negligence, shall we or anyone involved in creating, producing, delivering or managing Datek Online's services be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages that result from the use of or inability to use the service" Must Datek inform customers prior to a forced short buy-in or sale margined long positions? "Datek Online has the right to sell any or all securities and other property in your account; buy any or all securities and other property which may be short in your account; cancel any or all open orders; and close any or all outstanding contracts. Datek Online may exercise any or all of the above rights without further demand for additional collateral, or notice of sale or purchase, or other notice or advertisement."

To: Robert Bethge who wrote (10241)	11/15/1998 1:12:00 AM
From: Mad2	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 16892

Bob, What happened to Streamer? Nice idea, are you going to fix and reintroduce it? If so when do you anticipate this? Good idea to fix the server not available problem. Its very frustrating. When are you going to add options?