L LoTN

Rocklin, California: After operating as an online tech community for more than a decade, Lord of the Net has decided to take a stand against large computer companies that feel it is no longer necessary to deliver outstanding service to their customers.'When I first began to use the Internet as a means for buying computer parts and accessories, companies were smaller than they are now,' said Lord of the Net's founder and President, 'and I always knew that I could find someone to talk to if I had a question or purchased a part that didn't function properly. As these companies grew, I started to feel less like a valued customer and more like a number on a balance sheet.'Internet-based companies often become strained as their sales volume grows; the need to keep a variety of products in stock increases purchasing costs and cuts into customer service budgets. Some companies resort to impersonal and ineffective methods of support, such as overseas call centers that may have limited product knowledge. Lord of the Net wants to do better than that.