LN Customer Service

[Tom Banes]

I think the email thread below says all that needs to be said. Note the time stamps.

Tom, > > >Thank you for the email and for the nice compliments regarding our tools. >Sorry to hear about the handle on your brand new plane, it certainly doesn't >sound like something that should have passed inspection. > > >If you could please email your address to me, I'll simply send you a new >handle, no charge of course. I can get that out right away. > > >Again, I apologize for the troubles. > > >Jennifer > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Tom Banes >Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2005 5:00 PM >To: [e-mail] >Subject: LN 4 1/2 Plane Question > > > >I've been the happy owner of a couple of LN planes (a scrub plane and a >rabbet plane) for some time, so when WoodCrafter put your 4 1/2 smoother on >sale I went to SWMBO and explained how critical it was that I have one. She >acquiesced, under protest, and that'll cost me a few pairs of lady's shoes. > > >It arrived late last week, but I was out of town on business and didn't get >it unpacked until yesterday - it was BEAUTIFUL. I popped the iron off, >spent about 1/2 hour honing it to a really nasty edge (that's one step up >from scary sharp), adjusted everything and put it on the plane shelf, ready >for this weekend. > > >When I put it on the shelf, I kinda went "Huh". On the back of the tote, >just about where the web of your hand would fit, was an angled mark. Taking >it down and looking carefully it became apparent that the tote wood had an >imperfection that had been filled with some kind of filler before >finishing. I have posted pictures at >

REMOVED

> >Two points - > > >1. The imperfection is glaringly obvious once you look at the right angle. >2. I have no way of telling how deep the imperfection goes and whether this >critical area of the tote will, at some point in the future, split or give >way entirely. > > >As I said above, I've been a happy and satisfied LN customer and user, but >right now am not real happy with this latest purchase. > > >How do you suggest I proceed? > > >Regards.

[David]

Do you think that you wouldn't have gotten a satisfactory response from LN if you had just called customer service and said, "my new plane has a split handle"? :)

Dave

[Tom Banes]

In my business life I've never seen any reason not to use a reasonable tone, letting folks know you've appeciated them in the past and would like to do so in the future does no harm, if true, and sets the tone for the conversation. As for calling, I prefer email - I don't think as fast as I talk sometimes.

Regards.

[David]

I didn't suggest that you NOT use a reasonable tone. My point was that you created an entire story when a simple sentence should have sufficed. If I was on the receiving end I would have gotten impatient to see what your complaint was. I wouldn't have needed all the extra detail to make a simple decision to send you a replacement.

Dave

Dave

[Tom Banes]

On Thu, 21 Jul 2005 17:47:41 -0700, David wrote: My point was that

Story telling is a dying art. I choose to perputuate it.

Different strokes.

[David]

succint reply. I like it. :)

Dave

[Upscale]

It appears that making an effort to spell properly is also a dying art. Too bad the new art of using a spell checker hasn't caught on either.

Glad you agree.

[Duane Bozarth]

I have a spelling checker. It came with my PC. It plane lee marks four my revue Miss steaks aye can knot see. Eye ran this poem threw it. Your sure real glad two no. Its very polished in its weigh, My checker tolled me sew. A checker is a blessing. It freeze yew lodes of thyme. It helps me right awl stiles two reed, And aides me when aye rime. Each frays come posed up on my screen Eye trussed too bee a joule. The checker pours o'er every word To cheque sum spelling rule. Bee fore a veiling checkers Hour spelling mite decline, And if we're laks oar have a laps, We wood bee maid too wine. Butt now bee cause my spelling Is checked with such grate flare, There are know faults with in my cite, Of nun eye am a wear. Now spelling does not phase me, It does knot bring a tier. My pay purrs awl due glad den With wrapped words fare as hear. To rite with care is quite a feet Of witch won should be proud, And wee mussed dew the best wee can, Sew flaws are knot aloud. Sow ewe can sea why aye dew prays Such soft wear four pea seas, And why eye brake in two averse Buy righting want too please. [source unknown]

[David]

Thanks for that laugh, Duane. I was about to praise your literary talent until I saw the disclaimer. :)

Dave

[joedog90045]

Might be better for LN QA to know what the real/detailed facts are?

[David]

They'll see for themselves if they ask for the damaged part back. If you were a mfgr. wouldn't you rather see the defective component than just take a report from the customer? QA is gonna want "hands on" to determine if any changes need to be made in the mfgr'ing process. The mfgr that doesn't want the part back probably doesn't care a whole lot about QA.

Dave

[mac davis]

Tom.. I also prefer email, for a couple of other reasons:

The recipient can read at their leisure and not have to take notes on the phone...

they can forward it to the appropriate department, saving you the hassle of repeating your problem to another person...

you have a record of what you said and of any replies that they sent back..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

[Tom Banes]

In re your last sentence:

The message stream is a great help when litigating. Email NEVER dies or mis-remembers.

Tom

[Tom Banes]

That was a Budweiser induced OOOPS. I should have spell checked it (or used a smaller word).

Humble, contrite, indeed abject, apologies for having, in some way, discommoded you and others.

[gregg]

Or, perhaps, is aware that a 'bad batch' slipped by the QA process. I experienced this similar situation a few weeks ago with a Senco FP41XP nailer. Purchased months ago but didn't open or use until recently. Out of the box (and still under warranty) there were air leaks. I phoned Senco Customer (Dis) Service and was told the O rings that were leaking were not covered under the warranty. I brought the unit in to my local dealer and explained the problem, fully expecting to pony up nearly $100. to repair the unused gun. Without hesitation, the nailer was exchanged. The dealer was aware of the fact that there was a bad batch that recently made its way into the retail channel. A good example of why I will always make the attempt to purchase locally before giving my business to a faceless online retailer. Also a good example of why I'll think twice and twice again before purchasing anything sold under the Senco brand.

gregg

[joedog90045]

Yes I would generally agree with those comments however, the OP sent a reasonable and detailed description of the problem. This gets honesty points if I work there.

doesn't sound like the problem. My point was he provided some detail that they my have made some determination and save the customer the hassle of returning. My opinion on your original question is yes he would have gotten just as good of customer service response

[Duane Bozarth]

....

I worked on it some from the time I first saw it, but had nothing to do w/ the original creation...it was posted by a support person w/ a small software outfit I use.

I do like the somewhat gentle reminder that spell checkers aren't always the panacea they're often made out to be...

[David]

I thnik porper seplilng is vrey ipmotrnat. I uasluly use a sepll cehkcer to aovid ebmsasarnirg msylef.

Dvae

[Duane Bozarth]

...

:)

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Not true. He may already have 47 of them returned and getting one more is not going to help. He may already know there was a problem in production, it was corrected, but a few slipped through.

In 99% of the cases, I know what a problem was caused by and from the description. It usually has long been corrected because we've made 20,000 more since then with no complaints. If it was a machine malfunction and corrected, the part is of no value. If it was carelessness on the part of the packer, I may want it to show him or others what NOT to do. That is a tiny minority of what I see but can vary in different industries.

You listen to the customer, you assure him he will be credited or the part replaced, you thank him for bringing the problem to your attention.