On a listserv today, I replied to a wholesale account exec at a reseller that had just plugged his service to the list. In the reply, I said "that's one way to pimp your product" then went on to explain that he missed the point of the original email -- and in fact doesn't quite get the goal of the membership of that list/group.

Well, the AE got offended and pinged me offlist. I always say "pimping your stuff". Let's face it: in telecom most everyone is pitching and selling and pushing a commodity. Not much original stuff (except maybe fiber guys). Telecom people especially at Reseller CLEC's and IXC's are just pimping it out. Charging a little less than the company they buy from; adding a middle man; but what value? It's a straight price sale. (A rant on resellers coming in another post).

In many cases (not this one), the AE's move around so much that their business contact information should come with an expiration date. (You go to conferences to get the new business cards and find out where so-and-so is working now. What do they do with all that company logo-ed clothing?)

Do you think this industry is pimping it out? For the most part, I do. Exceptions in a later post.