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[TowerTalk] set the record straight

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: [TowerTalk] set the record straight
From: Michael Tope" <W4EF@dellroy.com (Michael Tope)
Date: Tue, 23 Jan 2001 05:02:36 -0800
Hi Dan,

Yes, of course, but I would hate to see the Tri-Ex product get a bad rap because
of poor business practices of their dealer, Mr. Kornreich. Also, I thought it 
important
to note that at least in one case, First Call was able meet a customer 
commitment. 
This suggests that Mr. Kornreich's shameless behavior is probably driven by 
his desperate reaction to a deteriorating business situation rather than a 
premeditated 
desire to commit fraud.  

Perhaps I should have prefaced my statement about my inclination to purchase a 
Tri-Ex 
tower with qualification that I would not buy it from First Call Communications 
unless 
they mended their shady ways and produced a demonstrated track record of 
meeting 
customer commitments. 

73 de Mike, W4EF............................

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "d" <wa2ndp@combase.com>
To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Cc: <K4XT@aol.com>; <wgcooper@airmail.net>; <w4pku@aol.com>
Sent: Monday, January 22, 2001 6:29 AM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] set the record straight


> Mike,    It is NOT the quality or worksmanship of
> the tower that we are all concerned with. The main
> concern is the questionable business practices of
> First Call Communications (Joel)! Can't you see the
> pattern of excuses and stories he has told to people
> that have replied on the reflector as well as countless
> other hams that don't even know about the reflector?
> DAN,  WA2NDP
> On 22 Jan 01, at 0:22, Michael Tope wrote:
> 
> FWIW, a friend of mine in Thousand Oaks, Ca bought a Tri-Ex crank-up from
> First Call. Despite long delays, lots of phone calls to Tri-Ex and First Call 
> (my
> friend jokes that First Calls motto should be "your First Call won't be your 
> last),
> his tower was finally delivered from Tri-Ex's facility in Visalia last fall. 
> From what 
> I can see, it was worth the wait. It is a very nice tower. The galvanize 
> finish, 
> unlike Rohn, is very clean, and the tower looks to be built like the 
> proverbial 
> brick outhouse. 
> 
> >From what I could gather from my friends situation, this was a case of demand
> outpacing supply and a salesman's reluctance to turn away perspective buyers
> (perhaps a case of misguided optimism about the manufacturers capabilities). 
> Hopefully, the switch to Will-Burt will remedy some of the supply problems 
> with 
> what appears to be a very nice product. I would personally consider buying one
> once it is demonstrated that the new manufacturer is able to deliver the 
> product. 
> 
> 73 de Mike, W4EF..........................
> 
> P.S. I have no financial or business interest in Tri-Ex, First Call, or Will 
> Burt
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "d" <wa2ndp@combase.com>
> To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Cc: <K4XT@aol.com>; <wgcooper@airmail.net>; <w4pku@aol.com>
> Sent: Sunday, January 21, 2001 3:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] set the record straight
> 
> 
> > Joel,   If you want to set the record straight then
> > please explain to me why my tower was NOT shipped
> > during the third (3rd) WEEK OF OCTOBER 2000? That's
> > when it was completed. 
> > Also, why haven't you refunded the $9,000+ to
> > Bill, K4XT?   DAN,  WA2NDP
> > On 21 Jan 01, at 10:19, Joel wrote:
> > 
> > I have been witness to a lot  of  negative remarks being posted
> > regarding First Call Communications over the last few days.   I believe
> > it is time to set the record straight for many  comments are very much
> > "off the wall" or a year or two behind times. As we also noticed over
> > the last twelve months it was Bruce at U S Tower who  got attacked, than
> > Gerald at Texas Towers and now I guess its back to First Call.
> > 
> > Before I get into certain postings it would be nice to have everyone
> > know that a few people who  made comments on T/T  never ordered  nor
> > spoke to us about a tower but just joined in for the fun of  it.  . I
> > guess its more of a "search and destroy" mission for them as they were
> > probably tired of hearing about 3 in 1 oil over and over again and have
> > nothing else to do.  Another person making a not  so nice comment
> > purchased  a NON TOWER item  in September of 1999 and here he is 17
> > months later attacking First Call and the tower delivery problem.  Why
> > is this person attacking First Call? Was he robbed or screwed or lost
> > money? Not at all,  I guess just having a little fun trying to get  rid
> > of the few remaining  dealers that are left that can really discuss your
> > tower needs and installation.
> > 
> > I think we have to remember at this point that just in the last 22
> > months First Call sold over 1,000 towers  in the U.S.  However what
> > we're seeing on T/T are just a few  people who had problems getting
> > their tower from the Visalia factory with promise after promise broken.
> > There are close to 1,000 other tower  owners who got from First Call
> > just what they paid for but  yes, many had to wait longer than expected
> > for delivery.
> > 
> > Now lets get down to the tower delivery  problem with a little
> > background on Tri Ex over the last year or so.
> > 
> > In January of 2000 First Call was offered the Tri-Ex line by the
> > President of Tri-Ex.   Tri Ex suggested that we work with their
> > sub-contractor one mile away from the original Tri-Ex site in Visalia
> > which we did.. Over the next few months with advertising and
> > telemarketing  and with people that wanted a strong tower at a good
> > price the factory was loaded up with orders.   Promised delivery times
> > (as told to First Call) went from two to four weeks than six to eight
> > six than 10 plus.  QST, CQ and other magazines we advertised in were 5
> > weeks behind the real up- dated delivery time.  Tri Ex tower sales at
> > First Call  grew and grew but  the Visalia factory  making the towers
> > tried to expand to keep up but did not have the experience of handling
> > such growth faulted terribly and all their people were let go.  Will
> > Burt in the mean time was making crank up towers and had  everything
> > including fixures,jigs and tooling moved to Ohio   They are  presently
> > up and running in a  building dedicated to making only CRANK UP LATTICE
> > TOWERS.  Production is in progress and  Will Burton is very much on
> > their  way to catching up to fill all past orders plus establishing  a
> > real inventory both for amateur radio and tower trailers. The tower
> > specifications did  not change and this to the customer means your Tri
> > Ex  is the strongest telescoping tower on the market today.
> > 
> > First Call with 16 years  of experience in crank up towers had done its
> > best to work with each customer and there were many. First Call and
> > staff related to each customer  truthful  information it had or was told
> > about the delivery of their tower FROM THE FACTORY.. It came to a point
> > however that people at the Visalia facory did not tell the truth  not
> > only about delivery but what was actually shipped out. This was a
> > horrible time for everybody but we did the best we could and worked very
> > closely with each customer and every customer  to make them whole.  I
> > completely understand the anger some people have but consider  where the
> > problem started from.  WE ARE NOT THE MANUFACTURER
> > 
> > What a few people are posting are  terrible things said about First
> > Call.   Lets face it, nobody likes  long delays in getting a tower
> > delivered.   OK, I agree but we do not make towers in the back yard,
> > we're  3000 miles from the factory and all these insults  and lies
> > repeated on Towertalk are not fair to us or to Tri Ex customers.  First
> > Call never made up the delivery schedule, this was done at the factory.
> > Most of you know  where the problem is so  go after the manufacturer or
> > whats left of them and give them "a piece of your mind"  as some
> > customers have.  From reading the postings it appears the previous
> > Visalia Tri Ex tower manufacturer  is "home free" and ALL BLAME for
> > EVERYTHING  is with its  dealer, First Call.   If this was true, we
> > wouldn't be selling towers since 1985.  Please, lets cut out the insults
> > and tell us (not on a Towertalk posting but direct) how we can help
> > you.  Give us your suggestion(s)  to making things better especially in
> > your particular case.  (Please send your  e mail to
> > firstcall@cyburban.com)  We will do what we can and respond directly
> > off  Towertalk as I don't want to open up a continuous dialog for the
> > purpose of entertaining people.
> > 
> > Will Burt is starting to deliver Tri Ex towers now and all orders will
> > be filled as they come rolling off  production.  No one will lose money
> > as it is a matter of transition and  Will Burt getting up to speed.   We
> > ask you, the tower customer to bear with us and  understand how
> > difficult this change over and last few months were with the previous
> > company in Visalia.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > AGAIN, we at First Call Communications have been utterly frustrated,
> > took the brunt of everything  for the last couple of months but the
> > solution is very much in hand.  New and updated technology has been
> > added to each tower coming out of Will Burt and we invite everyone
> > interested to give us a call to discuss this topic and the delivery
> > schedules. .  Our  website (firstcallcom.net) is being updated to
> > reflect what Will burt will be bringing you in the way of Tri-Ex and
> > Tri-Ex tower trailers.
> > 
> > We hope our posting means something especially for those people who are
> > upset and frustrated.  We  hope to prove to you our  devotation and
> > loyalty  as we start the year 2000.
> > 
> > As they say, "time will tell".
> > 
> > '73
> > 
> > Joel Kornreich
> > First Call Communications,Inc.
> > January 20,2000
> > 
> > P.S.....We're answering each posting seperately but wanted to comment
> > about one January 19  e- mail  in particular. The person that posted the
> > e mail stated that  "First Call did the same thing when they
> > represented  U S Tower some time ago"
> > Well, this person is 100% correct for we sold more towers than U S Tower
> > could keep up with and deliveries for a period exceded 14-16 weeks.
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > --
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> > 
> > 
> > 
> > --
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> > 
> > 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> --
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> Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com
> 
> 


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