Contact with the factory
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 5:03 pm
Hi All !
I'm hearing several builders are having trouble contacting
the factory.....
I'm hearing several builders are having trouble contacting
the factory.....
Wayne;
Thanks for putting the facts up front. I hope we can now get past this
bunch of "Murphy bashing" and get on with our mission here---the
building and flying of these great kit planes!
Perhaps some of the guys need a reality check to put things into a real
world perspective! As I see it, the kit plane business is not strong
enough to pay all the bills and Darryl has diversified a bit just to
keep the doors open and still support us with our needs---parts and
technical support. More power to him. He could have just walked away
from us, as other companies have done to their customers, (remember the
BD-5)!!!
So please stop the bitching, - instead count your blessings!
Keeping the doors open the last 2 years has likely cost Darryl a LOT of
his OWN money... He could have just walked away, as many others have
done!
Darryl is trying to carry on! The few guys left at the shop are heroes
too. They are soldiering on through the mess, with little hope of
raises for years to come...or job security! I'm sure they wonder if it's
worth it - when somebody calls, and spends the first 5 minutes of the
call complaining about poor service... and then asks for help!!!!!
Darryl has been working in the shop himself, running machines, checking
the quality & packing, moving furniture... Indeed long days, and
weekends too, just to keep the parts moving out the door.
I know some of the shop guys read this email list, but would never
comment... I'm sure these digs hurt them! Nice to see the rare kind
word about the help some have received. I know Jeff really tries his
best, working with a zero growth budget.
Some of these complainers might be surprised at the change in reception
they get, if they publicly thanked those guys for their efforts, or just
stopped complaining and let them help.
As for myself, I ran into a conflict between the manual and the actual
fit of the headliner while installing the 6 sky-lights---they did not
match up! I contacted the factory, got a reply in a few days, sent a
few photos, they checked out the problem. A week later they called me,
apologized for the inconvenience, offered a solution, & sent me new
parts
a few days later---at no cost to me! I call that good customer
relations.
My hat is off to Darryl, Jeff and Nancy for all the good help they have
given me! Also Wayne and Bob thanks for the frequent good advice that I
have gotten from you along the way.
Dick Wampach SR-108
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com [mailto:mike.davis@dcsol.com] On Behalf Of
james.smith@dcsol.com
Sent: Friday, November 28, 2008 8:57 PM
To: rebel-builders@dcsol.com
Subject: RE: [rebel-builders] Contact with the factory
Wayne, you are correct, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last
night.
On a serious note, the fact that Murphy still exists after 23 years is a
credit to Darryl and MAM. That being said, deplorable customer service
and the abandonment of a sales and marketing function by the company (I
am referring to pre-Patterson Aero Sales at this point) is not the way
to see a company through trying economic times. Luckily, the people on
this list have access to the techinical support that you can provide as
well as the sage advice of many others. And let us not forget the
enthusiastic efforts of Bob P trying to make a difference.
PS - in my day job, I'm a CPA/Accountant so I'm pretty well versed in
the financial challenges of running privately owned small businesses in
a both a good and not-so-good economy.
James Smith
Rebel 424R
On 11/28/2008 4:19 PM, snowyrvr@mtaonline.net wrote to rebel-builders:
Wayne, there's a difference in complaining and stating facts. Another
fact is that if you're in business, you act like it, whether you have 23
yrs in or 50. Otherwise you don't stay in business. :)
-----Original Message-----
From: mike.davis@dcsol.com On Behalf Of Wayne G. O'Shea
Sent: Friday, November 28, 2008 1:48 PM
Subject: Re: [rebel-builders] Contact with the factory
Is it fair to assume that none of the "complainers" have attempted to
Run a manufacturing facility in the last 4 or 5 years in North America.
Many facilities have the lights dim... if barely on at all. I know that
our injected plastic plant's gross sales have dropped from around 10
million a year...to less than 3 in the last 3 years... times aren't
good. At 23+ years in...I'm surprised Darryl even bothers to get out of
bed in the morning to drive into the factory before noon... I know by
now I wouldn't be... and don't as matter of fact! ;o)
Wayne
----- Original Message -----
From: "Craig Walls"
Kudos to you Bob, for attempting to keep all of these happenings looking
normal. I appreciate the way you promote Murphy products (you've always
done this) and help builders like me.
As far as customer service, Jeff is the only bright spot at MAM.
During our visit last July it was embarrassingly obvious that no one
else there was even vaguely interested in the fact that we had bought
one of their products or had traveled a long way to see the factory. I
practically had to force myself on Darrell to get him to acknowledge my
presence. That is not customer service. That is customer no-service!
Anyone willing to admit it can see the slow change and progress toward
eventual close down. As a builder with a long way to go I only hope I
can get anything I need from them before this happens.
Craig
-----Original Message-----
On Behalf Of james.smith@dcsol.com
Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2008 3:48 PM
I'm sorry Bob but from my experience they have been short staffed for
over two years. Voice mail is not customer service. Pricing parts is a
no-brainer in today's computer age. "THAT is the EXPLANATION. Perhaps
there is no justification for not being perfect, or even average ...."
You hit it on the head here Bob, they're not even average - THEY SUCK,
and what I'm really getting tired of is that the only place you can get
any information on the Company or "response" from the factory is right
here on this builders list - not from them of course but from fellow
builders and I'm guessing that Mike Davis isn't receiving financial
support from Murphy so that we can communicate in this manner.
Oh yeah, I'm not having a bad day either. But on this US Holiday -
Thanksgiving, one of the things I'm thankful for is that I've figured
out how to finish the rebuild of my Rebel without needing anything from
the factory due to the talent of my Dad - Simon, and brother - Matt.
James Smith
Rebel 424R
On 11/27/2008 11:00 AM, bobp@prosumers.ca wrote to rebel-builders:
I'm sorry - that wasn't worded well !
The phones are STILL BEING ANSWERED, since VOICE MAIL
Is STILL WORKING, and EMAILS are STILL BEING RECEIVED !
In fact, continuity of receiving communications IS being preserved. The
delay will be in ANSWERING!
I would hope that a reasonable person, knowing that they are
short-staffed, and that those few staff are working hard to get moved
and operating again, would be a bit patient and understanding if they
didn't get an INSTANT RESPONSE to their query!
It might be a week or so...
OF COURSE they WANT to look after customers, and have many things to
work on - perhaps too many! Move desks & computers, paint walls, run
wiring, move printers, keep manufacturing parts, prepare quotes for
parts, order materials, get shipping prices, ship parts orders, ship
complete aircraft kits, try to find new, experienced CAD operators, look
for new CNC operators, try to figure out what parts a customer needs to
repair his crashed aircraft - from one picture of the wreck, then price
all those parts, and send him the quote. (No - I'm not making any of
that up!)
THAT is the EXPLANATION. Perhaps there is no justification for not
being perfect, or even average... One can only explain the
circumstances, and hope for understanding. It's like that old saying:
"When you are up to your A** in alligators, it's hard to remember that
your original target was to drain the swamp"!! I suppose if you had a
few hundred grand deposit paid on a new Eclipse jet right now, you might
have a reason for such anxiety...
Please don't shoot the messenger!!
(Sorry - I'm having a bad day! ;-)
On Thursday 27 November 2008 17:52, Bob Patterson wrote:
Hi All! I'm hearing several builders are having trouble contacting the
factory... I guess there should have been something on the web
site...they are moving all the offices from the 2nd floor to the main
floor, and all the computers & phones are disconnected!!
Should be all set up again within a week or so ... they are building new
offices, painting, etc... They are still getting the odd call & email
out, but it's awkward. Sorry!! Please bear with them - it's all part
of streamlining operations to keep costs down, and keep your parts
available.
Still better to be a bit slower than not at all! ;-)
bobp@prosumers.ca
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