ShopSmith Order filling Shortcoming.. Again!

[dusty]

I want them to stick around too. I have a lot invested in their tools. I just hate to see a company's quality and customer service suffer, especially when it is one of the best parts about the company.

I just feel that when times are bad, its more of a time to step up, not step down. At least for your customer's sake. They are counting on you.

Everyone is hurting right now. Using it as an excuse for less and less service just bothers me. This is a time when you can make yourself stand out from the crowd in a good way. Don't follow the majority using the economy as an excuse. Things won't get better until companies stop making excuses, pull their britches up and tighten their belts.

It seems to me that you must be reading documentation somewhere other than here on the forum! I don't recall Shopsmith telling any of us that the economy is the reason for their back orders. I believe that we have assumed that to be at least part of the problem but I don't think Shopsmith has made that excuse.

[billmayo]

I now see why the services like Bill Mayo offers are so popular. I'm sure he can repair/rebuild a headstock for you, and have it back to you a lot faster, than Shopsmith themselves can nowadays. Thank you Bill for being there when we need you.

I myself have been thinking about buying a used headstock or two when they come up on ebay, etc. at a decent price, so I can just pull the part I need from them to keep my main Shopsmith running, and not have to wait sometimes months for the part to arrive from Shopsmith.

Thanks for the reference. I have been stock piling new and used Shopsmith parts since 1992 when the local Shopsmith retail store closed. If you are unable to obtain an item or part from Shopsmith, please let me know as I may be able to find it in all my clutter, overstacked shelves, stuffed drawers and piled high floor.

[woodburner]

Ahh Dusty,

In fact they have told me just that the last couple of orders I phoned in to them. They told that "the items I am ordering may be on back order due to the downturn in manufacturing, due mostly in part because of the economy."

They said the same thing when I called about some service parts I needed (drive belts and and a bent carriage lock). They told me that these items are made to order and they may be waiting for certain parts before they can assemble what I need, again because of the slowing economy causing a back log in orders waiting to be filled. She was referring to other manufacturers having to lay-off employees, which in turn slows down the whole process of manufacturing.

I guess if they started getting more parts made overseas they wouldn't have as big a problem with back orders like they have now. But we don't want that for our Shopsmiths do we?

She also apologized for any waiting on the phone I had to do because the company isn't as well staffed as it used to be, due to lay-offs caused by the economy.

Should I go on?

[dusty]

Ahh Dusty,

In fact they have told me just that the last couple of orders I phoned in to them. They told that "the items I am ordering may be on back order due to the downturn in manufacturing, due mostly in part because of the economy."

They said the same thing when I called about some service parts I needed (drive belts and and a bent carriage lock). They told me that these items are made to order and they may be waiting for certain parts before they can assemble what I need, again because of the slowing economy causing a back log in orders waiting to be filled. She was referring to other manufacturers having to lay-off employees, which in turn slows down the whole process of manufacturing.

I guess if they started getting more parts made overseas they wouldn't have as big a problem with back orders like they have now. But we don't want that for our Shopsmiths do we?

She also apologized for any waiting on the phone I had to do because the company isn't as well staffed as it used to be, due to lay-offs caused by the economy.

Should I go on?

OKAY. I guess I just have to consider myself extremely lucky as I have had either seven or eight orders filled in the last four months and have experienced only one back order condition and it has now been filled.

I do feel compelled to say, however, that when a manufacturer states that something cannot be produced due to them needing parts that are held up because their supplier is producing at a reduced rate after having experienced layoffs (triggered by the economic conditions) - this is NOT an EXCUSE. It is a logical explanation and it is REALITY.

[JPG]

Ahh Dusty,

. . .

I guess if they started getting more parts made overseas they wouldn't have as big a problem with back orders like they have now. But we don't want that for our Shopsmiths do we?

. . .
Should I go on?

Ah! BUT the pipe line is SOOOO much longer! Think TIME!;)

[dicksterp]

[quote="JPG40504"]Ah! BUT the pipe line is SOOOO much longer! Think TIME!]


That's right. Think weeks for delivery instead of days. Items come from overseas via slow boat (container ship).

[Ed in Tampa]

...
I don't think it is wise for Shopsmith to remain silent on a subject that concerns us all if we can no longer rely on them to supply replacement parts in a timely manner. How many of these parts are no longer available? How many of you are willing to let your Shopsmith sit idle for months while waiting on a simple replacement part?...

Woodburner
Just what do you expect them to say???

Everything is coming up roses and there really isn't a problem.

Or

We are almost broke and don't know if there will be a tomorrow.

Or

Something somewhere in between.

What do you want them to say?

And if they said say something how would you know if it was factual or not?

Frankly lip service doesn't do a lot for me but actions does. While Shopsmith service isn't at the same stellar level it once was, it is a heck of a lot better than what is being called service by many other companies. In fact a few companies when called have their phones disconnected.

So again I ask what you want Shopsmith to say? Before you answer consider the cost of keeping parts in stock. Consider inventory control, accounting, paying for the part before it is sold, tangible taxes and all the other things that come into play. Then figure how many of each part should they keep in stock. Consider also most suppliers have mimimum numbers that must be ordered. Also consider that even the suppliers may have cut inventory and they may be facing the same situation so for them to produce the switch SS needs they might have to order a couple thousand internal contacts but SS only wants 100 switches.

The economy is slow, people aren't buying, manufacturing isn't manufacturing and everything is taking a hit. Whether SS mentions the economy or not any one has to know the present state of things has to be effecting everyone and every company.

Please tell us what you expect Shopsmith to say I would like to know your thinking on this.

[woodburner]

Geez,

I was just answering Dusty's post that he hasn't gotten any documentation that its the economy that has slowed things down at Shopsmith.

I was just passing along what I was told by the customer service and ordering departments when I called them.

As for the economy being used as an excuse, I was referring to the whole mess as it stands, not one particular company.

Yes, Dusty, you are one of the lucky ones if all your orders come in that quick. I'm sure you have read the several postings by others with the same problems waiting months for an order to arrive. I'm not the only who has been put through this.

And Ed, I expect them to say "Unfortunately, we can no longer supply the parts you need, but here is a source you can go to to get the parts that will work with your Shopsmith." I will rather have them say that instead of the same repeating of "It's on back-order" when they know they no longer have a supplier for that part. Leaving customers hanging without solutions is not good customer service.

You guys are sure in a hurry to fire off a gun at someone when you get the chance. I'm tired of this. Talk about this among yourselves if you want.

[calver]

I was told by ShopSmith that their source of some parts is to wait till a shopsmith Mark V is returned by a customer and then they strip it /canabolize it for the parts to send to customers for back order items.

Rob Peter to Pay Paul so to speak.


Dave C.

[Ed in Tampa]

Geez,

I was just answering Dusty's post that he hasn't gotten any documentation that its the economy that has slowed things down at Shopsmith.

I was just passing along what I was told by the customer service and ordering departments when I called them.

As for the economy being used as an excuse, I was referring to the whole mess as it stands, not one particular company.

Yes, Dusty, you are one of the lucky ones if all your orders come in that quick. I'm sure you have read the several postings by others with the same problems waiting months for an order to arrive. I'm not the only who has been put through this.

And Ed, I expect them to say "Unfortunately, we can no longer supply the parts you need, but here is a source you can go to to get the parts that will work with your Shopsmith." I will rather have them say that instead of the same repeating of "It's on back-order" when they know they no longer have a supplier for that part. Leaving customers hanging without solutions is not good customer service.

You guys are sure in a hurry to fire off a gun at someone when you get the chance. I'm tired of this. Talk about this among yourselves if you want.

Woodburner

First off do you know for a fact they don't have a supplier? If you do where did you come up with that information? Is the information correct?

Let us say for a moment it is correct, if you were a company trying to stay afloat in probably the most challenging economic times it ever experienced would you:

1. Try to meet customer needs even if it required the customer to wait some period of time for backordered parts to come in or while you scrambled to find a new supplier?

Or

2. You send Customers down the road to a competitor that may or may not have the part, may or may not treat them fairly, may or may not try to steal them away from you?

Or

3. Or would you say hey we don't have that part any longer perhaps you can try here or there.

My fisrst thought is, if Shopsmith is aware the part is available some where else why don't they just go buy some and resale them at a normal profit. But for the sake of discussion let us say they know where you can get them. Consider this.

If you did option 2 or 3 how long do you think you would remain in business? What do you think you customers would think?

If you heard option 2 or 3 would you seriously consider ordering another major purchase from SS?

These people are in business same as Delta, Ryobi and Craftsman and others. What does Sears do if they don't have your part? They say we don't stock that part any longer. Notice the period, because that is about all they say. They don't supply a list of places you might find the part. Call Delta and tell them you need a part that they don't have in stock, what do they say? They say it isn't in stock and it backordered you can wait for it or not. They don't give you a list of places to try to find the part.

Shopsmith gives exceptional service but even they have had to scale back a little. Perhaps we are all more than a little spoiled with the exceptional serivce we have gotten in the past from SS and now that economy and their financial situation is forcing them to back up a little we now judge them harsher than we do their competitors.

I have ordered parts from Dewalt, Delta/Proter Cable (before they were Black and Decker) and from Sears and I'm here to say that the service from Shopsmith on their worst day is far superior to most of these on their best day.

Woodburner I'm not trying to be mean, I don't want to pick a fight and I'm not a so gung ho with Shopsmith I see everything through rose colored glasses. However I have noticed in this post and other posts you seem to want Shopsmith to commit some sort of financial suicide and when they don't you take a rather negative position with them. It is like the old story we all carry two buckets one bucket is filled with water and the other gasoline. When we come to a small fire we have a choice, throw the water or the gas. In this case you ordered the switch, it is backordered, you have the choice of waiting or getting onto the internet and seeking out a new supplier. To expect SS to supply you a list and to complain about it when they don't is very similar to throwing gas on a bad situation.

My opinion and I hope you will forgive me if I offended you.