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Predicting basketball games and buying used test equipment
I always look forward this time of year. Winter is finally drawing to a close and we’re enjoying warmer days and more sunshine. Grass is starting to turn green. Oh, and “March Madness” is upon us! For those of you who might not know what that means….it is the college basketball national championship tournament. Or in other words, something I and probably some of you spend too much time filling out our bracket and trying to predict who is going to make it to the Final Four. If you are anything like me, you rarely win, but we sure have fun making our predictions, trying to figure out who is going to pull the upset, and following the games.
When it comes to making my picks, I like to think there is some valid reasoning and thought behind it. Granted, the results don’t always reflect that, but I try. For instance, I look at how well a team is playing late in the year. Another factor is where the game is being played and who might have a home court advantage. Which teams have a dependable inside game, and those that rely heavily on shooting three point shots. Even then, upsets are going to happen. That’s what makes it fun to follow, yet hard to predict.
In some ways “March Madness” is like sourcing used test equipment. You do your research, identify systems that are a good fit, and then negotiate a price that is attractive and fair. Surprises sometimes happen, but we do our best to foresee and avoid them. One of the traits I look for in a team is a squad that plays smart and fundamentally sound. They’re less likely to turn the ball over and beat themselves, and can sometimes upset a more talented team because of it. That does not mean I’m taking Harvard (alma mater of Knicks phenom Jeremy Lin) to go all the way this year, but in a close match-up, I would tend to lean towards a team like that.
At TEAM A.T.E. we focus on the fundamentals. We stress the common sense principles of business success: integrity, customer dedication, problem solving, innovation, and open, straight forward communication with our customers. We may not be flashy and we aren’t always going to be able to provide the perfect solution. But you can be assured that we will work to understand your requirement and then provide options that might make sound economic sense for you. We want to build customer relationships, not simply make a sale. Like a good team, we practice these principles every day, and hopefully that helps set us apart from our competition.
Lastly, I wanted to say “thanks” to those of you who attended the recent APEX board test show in San Diego and took the time to stop by our booth. It was great to see so many of you again, as well as meeting some of you for the first time. Hopefully we’ll have the opportunity to see some more of you at the Semicon China show next week in Shanghai. You can find us at:
TEAM A.T.E. Booth #4505
Hall E4
Shanghai New International Expo Centre (SNIEC)
March 20-22
While “March Madness” might not be big news is Asia, I know basketball sure is. It is truly a global sport now, with athletes from all over the world playing for U.S. colleges and in the NBA.
As you make your predictions I wish you good luck. And when it comes time to pick a used equipment source please keep us in mind. If you are looking for a good, fundamentally sound team to pick, try TEAM A.T.E. We appreciate the opportunity to earn your business, and ask that if you have not worked with us before, you give us the chance to do so.
-Greg Wendell, Account Manager
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