The credentials of some of the instructors teaching those short courses (2 or 3 days) for Shimadzu Scientific Instruments in the Customer Training and Education Center (CTEC) in Columbia, Maryland (USA) may not be entirely truthful! We are aware of at least one instance in which the advertised credentials of an instructor just didn't check out!

Before registering or making a course deposit, you should submit the following questions to Shimadzu by fax (410-290-9140) and request formal answers in writing so that you will have them for future reference if needed:

1) What is the course instructor's background?

2) What is the course instructor's current level of expertise?

3) Have the course instructor's credentials been definitively verified? When? By whom?

4) Have false or misleading profiles ever been published, advertised or disseminated inadvertantly (or otherwise) for any past or present course instructors? Be specific.

5) How many times has the course instructor taught a particular short course in the past?

6) What kind of continuing education has the instructor received during the last year?

7) How many times have any short courses been cancelled in the past? Why?

8) Are there any better short courses available elsewhere? Where? By whom?

9) Request copies of ALL course evaluations over the last two years (please don't settle for the select ones that Shimadzu offers as examples!)

10) Request a discount.... $580 seems like a lot of money for a 2 day course (Inquire whether complete satisfaction is guaranteed or your money back!)

11) Call the Columbia Inn (410-730-3900) and ask how many hotel reservations they have taken for prospective Shimadzu trainees attending customer training classes at Shimadzu's North American headquarters in Columbia, Maryland.

12) Call the Shuttle Service (1-800-603-9777) and ask how many Shimadzu trainees they have transported from BWI (Baltimore-Washington International) airport to the Columbia Inn Hotel.


Finally, you might give some thought to what Mr. Terry Adams (Mid-Atlantic Regional Manager) wrote internally with regards to CTEC: "are classes being taught that are superior to the training in the field? Sometimes I wonder if I am increasing or decreasing my efficiency by having a customer go to training? Some come out and say 'if I have a problem, I'll call you' because they were not that impressed."