[TowerTalk] Hammers vs. Mosley

[K7GCO@aol.com]

    In regard to Hammer Vs Mosley, bad customer relations IS definitely a TT 
subject of the highest order.  Anyone who spends $5000 for anything deserves 
a working and finished product--he didn't get it from what I read.  I've 
purchased more things and toys than most and would suggest to those who are 
sick of hearing this stuff, your attitude will change when you get shafted on 
a bad product enough times and end up trying to resolve it.  It will cost you 
a couple hundred hours of time and other distractions and a big chuck of 
money--and the shafters know it.

  I have dealt with so many mfgs about defective equipment and ways of 
getting things resolved, that it was a big factor in my getting into full 
time Quality Assurance Engineering at Boeing.  It's actually far more 
profitable to mfg "finished" high quality products and to purchase them.  
I've arranged for Special Ovens in Hell for Junk Dealers.  Some mfgs never 
learn this and end up paying for it as do many customers.  "Mosley Design 
Incompetence of Unfinished Products" can really do you in, in many ways.  For 
those who don't like defective products reports--"There is a delete key.  
Just a little flick 'll do ya.  Don't like it.  Don't read it.  Guy Oliner."  
 
 The main thing I noticed in the Mosley problem was the beams design was not 
finalized when it was sold and apparently for some time after.  It wasted 
$5000 and many times that in time and frustration.  Had he purchased a M2 
beam with great customer relations from what I read in TT and many other 
sources, Hammer would be on the air enjoying a high sun spot cycle having a 
ball with a well designed beam in which no modifications are needed?  I've 
purchased an older poorly designed linear at a good price I thought one time 
and it took 10 major fixes due to design deficiencies I found and 3 years 
time to get them all fixed--finally.  One lead to another and another-on and 
on.         
 
 I read in a "Keeping Customers Book" an example of potential sales loss over 
a period of time of just one dissatisfied grocery customer can have.  Low 
paid sales clerks who have most all the customer contact of big companies can 
literally cost the company large sums of money totally unknown to management. 
 Smart companies are now training the low level employees to eliminate this 
problem.  However, Hammers has been dealing with Engineers who are trying to 
cover up a bad and incomplete design and hope he goes away.  This crap goes 
on all the time.
 
 Carl Sewell wrote a book on How To Make Life time Customers.  He's a 
Cadillac & Lexis Car Dealer in Dallas who advanced and polished the concept 
of "Customer Relations" to such a high degree that his business went from $50 
Million to $250 Million a year.  This is an unprecedented and never heard of 
before increase in a very competitive business.  His success points out the 
sales potential when you take care of your customers properly or better than 
the rest who frequently do it at a bare bones level.  Sewell felt he got took 
a time or two but on his daily trip to the bank in a Brink's Armored Car, he 
had more important things to worry about--like Armored Car Robbers.  Mosley 
ought to read this book and perhaps one on Basic Antenna Design 101.
 
 With a Porsche I found out another thing to watch out for big time.  "The 
more expensive your toys or necessities the longer the line of leaches and 
incompetents that line up to screw you out of all your money."  I had an 
accident I didn't create that should have cost about $3000 to fix.  By the 
time the problem was finally resolved some 10 years later even with lawyers, 
it was very costly indeed.  After being given the first estimate I didn't 
realize what the Porsche Service Gal tried to tell me.  She said "Do you 
really want to fix up this car?  Now I know!  The shady Body and other Repair 
Guys know what it will cost you to go the lawyer route and do their thing 
accordingly.  Even the dealers rip their customers off and this is why good 
private Porsche Mechanics get large amounts of the Porsche repair business.  
The reason I mention this is getting a lawyer suggested below is seldom a 
solution, he's often a bigger problem than you are trying to fix but 
sometimes a necessity.    
 
 In fraud cases that could be proved and you go to the police--good luck.  
They have so many cases to investigate that their lower limit of loss is 
around $500,000 I'm told depending where you live.  
 
 Tom Peters said:
                  Having satisfied customers is no longer sufficient.  You 
must have absolutely delighted customers to just survive the next decade.
 
 It took me many years to finally figure out a way not to get ripped 
off--don't buy anything.  Now on the other hand I do need a new rig, antenna, 
camera or gun from time to time.  Buy from those who have treated you right 
in the past, check the design very carefully, get the specs, talk to the 
engineer who designed it, talk to present owners, barrow one if you can or 
buy on a return basis, compare it to existing models (The TA-33 was not a 
great Legacy) and check out Customer Relations.  You will save a lot of money 
and grief. 
 
No lives were lost above.  The cover ups and gag orders of the settlement of 
Firestone (and now others) tire deaths going on the over the last 20 years 
unfortunately didn't get any exposure--until now.  It finally did.  As was 
suggested, if you are tired of reading of customer problems, tell it to those 
who lost loved ones.  Remember "Boycotts Trump--WD4K".  Proper exposure 
alerts potential customers from bad investments.  K7GCO
 
 In a message dated 12/13/00 8:54:15 PM Pacific Standard Time, w0hh@msn.com 
writes:
 << Gentlemen,
  The fact remains that Mr. Hammer says he is out $5K and the company has his
  antenna that he paid for. If it were my antenna, I would be on their
  doorstep with the sheriff. I would also sue their butts so quick the
  wouldn't know what hit them! A well known antenna company tried this crap
  with me about 3 years ago. I ended up getting everything I wanted and lots
  more. I believe Mr. Hammer is due a full refund based on his account of the
  situation.
  Tom W0HH
 
 Tom you were lucky to apparently get effective legal action you came out 
ahead of.  K7GCO
   >>
  >>

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