Inform Cisco of your disappointment regarding the new CCIE plaque

This is the email i had sent some months ago to Abby Douglas (adouglas AT cisco.com), Certification Program Manager (Customer Advocacy), regarding the new CCIE plaque.

If you're also disappointed by the new CCIE plaque (like Arden Packeer is), you should probably do the same.


Dear Abby,

I'm writing this email because i feel very disappointed by the new CCIE plaque.
I received mine 1 week ago and i must say i didn't expect it to be so cheap.

It seems like a simple plastic frame with a printed paper inside it. Something that i could possibly buy on the nearby gift shop for less than $10. I don't know based on what criteria you have chosen this new design, but it's the worst ever. It doesn't even resemble a plaque.

Let me remind you what's written on the CCIE page (http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/ccie/certified_ccies/index.html):

"CCIE Plaque and Certificate
As an official CCIE, you will receive an engraved plaque and certificate, shipped to the address listed in your profile within 10-12 weeks. Please make sure your contact information is up-to-date."

The words "engraved plaque" point to something else, something better than a "plastic frame with a printed paper inside it".

I remember the first plaque, the one with the medallion and the wooden frame and i envy it.
I tried to contact Brandvia in order to buy one, but they said that they're not allowed to do so because Cisco changed its logo and they are no longer authorized to make the old style plaque.

Even the previous plaque, the crystal inscribed one, was better than the last one. It's like every year or so, you're making the CCIE plaque worse. It's a shame that the plaque for one of the best certifications out there (if that's what you want CCIE to be) seems so cheap. Even Juniper is said to create a much better looking "lead-crystal desk thing engraved with the logo and your name/number/date".

Please have a second though and try to redesign it. If the cost is the reason (which seems strange if we think of the recent price increase of the CCIE Lab), you can create a better-looking plaque and sell it as an extra.

Otherwise you'd better correct the CCIE page and replace "engraved plaque" with something more appropriate. You don't want to lie to your candidates.


Best Regards
XXX
CCIE #19858


PS: You should probably do not expect an answer; I never got one...


Update : 4 Jul 2008

I found out the following in the certification tracking tool:
"Plaques - Cost is $100 USD (shipping not included). Only available for CCIE certifications. Please allow 4 weeks for processing and 10 business days for shipping via FedEx."

$100 for this plaque? They must be kidding!!!!