Zervice of the Future

Sub-Zero's new "Service of the Future" program re-configures the management and control of its outside service vendors.  Instead of choosing between various service companies to service a particular customer, now huge geographic areas will be covered by a single SZ approved service vendor.  

• Servicers, one assumes, will be better equipped and trained for SZ products.  At least they will be more experienced.
• SZ will have banged out a more predictable and economical contract.
• Is the contract a suicide pact, in which calls go to the contract service provider ONLY even in high demand periods, emergencies, or remote locations.  It's a risk of this type system.
• SZ distributors have released customer ownership and contact information to regional service providers, and it has been reported to us that some consumers were annoyed by the resulting junk mailings and concerned about privacy issues. 

Our overall take:  Like 2-step appliance distribution, it could provide a secure contracted framework for chosen service companies to invest in equipment, training and materials:

• possibly resulting in improved service levels when service arrives but possibly delaying the service itself.
• possibly resulting in service personnel focused on retaining Wolf/SZ customers through successive buying cycles.
  

Is "Service of the Future" the service of the future?
UPDATE Mar 2:  Have we found the flaw in the strategy?   
If regional service vendors BOTH:

• are receiving data from SZ of all Wolf and Sub-Zero appliance installations in their territory as has been reported
• AND are the exclusive service vendor in their territory
   

Combine these and what do you get?   A quick but rough back of envelope calculation of SZ's and Wolf's product failure rates.  Yikes!  

Instead of controlling this highly sensitive info in Madison, it's all over the bloody place.