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

Thu May 23 20:37:02 EDT 2019

I can't imagine trying to fill Don's shoes. Can't be done, plain and 
simple. But I will strive to achieve the  level of service Don has provided 
for years.

I can only help to mentor a number of future hams as Don for me. I've told 
him, but will say it publicly that I can't thank him enough for his support 
and mentorship. Not only is he a legend in this community but an 
inspirational individual.

Again, for all out there looking for Classic Line support, please be 
patient with all of us as we pull all of this together and we will achieve 
the Elecraft level of support you are all used to receiving.

73,
Dave, W8FGU

On May 23, 2019 18:02:08 Bill Johnson <k9yeq at live.com> wrote:

Show quoted text

73,
Dave, W8FGU
On May 23, 2019 18:02:08 Bill Johnson <k9yeq at live.com> wrote:

> Dave, thank you for stepping up.  Not an easy task. Thank God, you are in 
> transition for Don.  Tough shoes, but you have steady feet.
>
> 72 & 73,
> Bill
> K9YEQ
> FT'er for K2, KX1, KX3, KXPA100,  KAT500, W2, etc.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net <elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net> 
> On Behalf Of Dave Van Wallaghen
> Sent: Thursday, May 23, 2019 6:47 PM
> To: donwilh at embarqmail.com; Doug Hensley <w5jv at hotmail.com>; Don Schroder 
> <donanddeena at hotmail.com>
> Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] To improve customer service (for the Classic gear)
>
> Don,
>
> I profusely apologize for the delay and lack of communication. As Don, 
> W3FPR pointed out, Don was and I am a part time employee. For a whole host 
> of reasons, that I won't go into at this time, the transition has been 
> somewhat slow but I am making progress.
>
> The amount of backlog has been overwhelming to an extent. But with Don's 
> help we have managed to whittle much of it down.
>
> I am not making excuses for the lack of communication and will improve my 
> response as I work through this transition. Poor Don is supposed to be 
> retired and still provides excellent support in my absence or heavy workload.
>
> As he noted, my wife and I are on vacation well off of the grid. I do have 
> some wifi here (sitting at the Tiki bar as I write this) but I am pretty 
> much off the grid until next week.
>
> I do totally love the Elecraft customer service paradigm and will continue 
> to strive for that plateau. But it will take me a little time as I still 
> work a fulltime profession as well as this part time venture plus family 
> blah blah blah.
>
> If I remember right, your rig was number 2 or 3 on my priority list and I 
> will get right on it as soon as I return. I appreciate your patience in the 
> interim and will be in touch soon.
>
>
> 73,
> Dave, W8FGU
> On May 23, 2019 13:03:13 Don Wilhelm <donwilh at embarqmail.com> wrote:
>
>> 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.o
>>> utlook.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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