[Elecraft] To improve customer service (for the Classic gear)

[Don Wilhelm]

Doug,

Thanks for the nice words about my service.  When I was doing repairs 
for the classic gear, I did not have a staff (like they do in 
Watsonville) to send emails when the rig arrives, etc.  I would email 
customers when I started work on it, ask any questions about what the 
customer wanted when the RSA form was incomplete. and let the customer 
know if there were significant delays.
Then when I finish with it, I would send the report to the office and 
the sales staff would contact the customer about payment.
It is tough to keep up with emails, repairs and everything else when 
there is a backlog of repairs.  So working with a staff of one (me) it 
is difficult to keep up with customer communications in addition to 
providing prompt repair service.

I was not a contract person, but a part time employee of Elecraft.

I am certain Dave WFGU (who took over for me, and is also a part-time 
employee) is having similar problems.  In additions, he also works for 
his Fire Department which has him at the station full time for stretches 
between 2 and 4 days at a time, and he may not know that his XYL got a 
repair package in during those days.  I know he is currently on vacation 
and away from home - so any repair parcels are being held for him at the 
post office or UPS.

Sorry that we cannot provide the same level of communications that are 
available out of Watsonville, but we do the best we can.  I had an 
advantage over Dave because I was not working a full time job when I was 
doing that legacy repair work.

Some patience and understanding is required, and your tracking numbers 
can be relied on - I never found them to be wrong.

Do not send an advance check with your RSA repair.  If a check is 
discovered, it must be sent to Watsonville, and will not be cashed until 
the repair is concluded.

Also, do not send your classic gear to Watsonville, send it as indicated 
in the RSA instructions.  If you do send it to Watsonville, expect an 
extra week delay because it must then be shipped to Michigan.
The newer (non-thru-hole gear) IS serviced at Watsonville, but NOT the 
classic gear.

73,
Don W3FPR

On 5/23/2019 1:56 PM, Doug Hensley wrote:
> Don, I think that is because the early stuff is farmed out to contract people who may not have an email routine going yet.  The K1 & K2's were usually handled by Don Wilhelm who just retired.  You might contact Elecraft support and ask them who they sent the rig to, when, where, etc.
> 
> Don had done all my K1 & K2 work and was just marvelous.  Hopefully Elecraft keep that kind of talent at hand.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Doug W5JV
> 
>>>>>>
> 
> Message: 20
> Date: Thu, 23 May 2019 17:17:57 +0000
> From: Don Schroder <donanddeena at hotmail.com>
> To: Elecraft Reflector <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: [Elecraft] To improve customer service
> Message-ID:
>          <BYAPR02MB58793D242E5910BEE56677F8AA010 at BYAPR02MB5879.namprd02.prod.outlook.com>
> 
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
> 
> A good morning to all!
> 
> I am sitting in my recliner, drinking a cup of java, and doing what I seem to do best, thinking,
> 
> I?m thinking; when I sent my computer into the Company for repairs (under warranty), the Company did something I had never experienced before. They ?GAVE ME A WEEKLY UPDATE? every Friday by email or phone call, to tell me the status of my computer! Every week, I knew what was happening to my computer, (1) had they received it? (2) Were they working on it? (3) What have they found? (4 ) What problems have they encountered?  (5) Is it fixed? (6) Have they sent it back to me?
> 
> On April 8th, I sent my K2 transceiver kit to Elecraft, to look at an issue I was having.
> 
> On April 10th, (2 days later) Elecraft received my K2. I know this NOT because I was notified, but because I researched the tracking number.
> 
> On May 7th, (29 days later), Elecraft cashed my deposit check that was sent with the K2. I know this NOT because I was notified, but because I researched my banking statements.
> 
> On May 23rd, (today, 45 days later) I am beginning to think I may never see my K2 again!
> 
> I?m thinking; wouldn?t it be nice if all Companies kept their customers ?informed? of a products status when sent in for repairs, like the computer Company did?
> 
> I?m thinking; this would be a GREAT improvement to customer service!
> 
> Don, KE0PVQ
> Let the lava flow begin
> 
> Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 10
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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