Full Version: acrylics from tropar
From: Bill (ALBILLBERT) [#1]
9 Mar 2006
To: ALL
Has anyone had any problems with acrylic awards from tropar.. we just purchased 60+ and sadly i forget the product number.. but these are ones in there catlog that mentions gift boxes not included... omg.. just about one in every three had cover paper torn nicked.. or cover paper warn so thin from i am guessing the buffing process.. ..and about 8 to 10 were damaged. with nicks or scratches.. that I could not use them
I did call them and they will replace them. . its just the agravition.. of having to reorder more to replace bad workmanship.. and. the fact i had to take extra time. to completly check all of them. before starting an important job..
EDITED: 9 Mar 2006 by DGL
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#2]
9 Mar 2006
To: Bill (ALBILLBERT) [#1] Unread
It's a shame, you have to play the part of their QC dept. The fact that a company will replace damaged goods isn't much consolation.
They may be playing the numbers game. Some people will care and others won't. They'll hope most won't.
From: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#3]
9 Mar 2006
To: Bill (ALBILLBERT) [#1] Unread
Bert,
I've been buying acrylics from Tropar (almost exclusively), and have only had a quality issue once. Fortunately, it wasn't for a rush job. Just as fortunate is the fact that the nearest warehouse to me is 1-day shipping.
I take that back...I've had one other quality problem from them, but it was on plaque plates. If memory serves, the screening on the plate (immediately adjacent to the engraving) scorched badly. I ended up running the plates twice at extremely low power. When I called my sales rep, she offered to replace them or give me a credit. I took the credit, and told her that I couldn't buy that plate anymore...I get it from Continental Trophies now.
Aside from these instances, Tropar has been rock-solid for me.
Cody
From: Pete (AWARDMASTERS) [#4]
10 Mar 2006
To: Bill (ALBILLBERT) [#1] Unread
From: Bill (ALBILLBERT2000) [#5]
10 Mar 2006
To: Cody (BOBTNAILER) [#3] 10 Mar 2006
From: JHayes55 [#6]
10 Mar 2006
To: Bill (ALBILLBERT) [#1] Unread
We use a lot of Tropar acrylics and plaques - rarely (not to the extent you have had problems) we find a bad one - which they have always been good to replace. Just about every supplier we have used has at times sent a product that was not up to standard - the issue is how well they resolve it.
While on the subject of Tropar - I had the best rep you could ever ask for. He did a good job of showing, explaining and promoting their product. Beyond that he was always willing to listen, offer ideas and go above the call of duty to service our account. I have heard the same thing from other customers of his as well. Last Friday they sent him a registered letter telling him that this services were no longer needed as of Monday. We received a fax telling us Monday that a new man was hired and he would be in training for several weeks before calling on us. My old rep called (he worked 8 years for them after leaving the engraving industry) Monday and thanked us for our business & friendship - he had nothing bad to say about the company and was at a bit of a loss as to why he was laid off. All I can say is I think they made a poor decision - they laid off a class act.
We plan to give the new guy a chance but Trophar went down several notches in my book.
Interestingly, as we walked the show floor in LV - we went to the Tropar booth - we walked around but not a single rep approached us. One gentleman in a suit just stood their with his arm crossed - later found out he was one of the big dogs. Guess he was a little to important to talk with his customers - wonder if he could get fired? I have been known to fire people for good cause and I have also been known to fire suppliers.
Supplier need to give that some thought.
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#7]
10 Mar 2006
To: JHayes55 [#6] 10 Mar 2006
Tropar has reps? I've never seen one. The reps I have seen in person in my shop in the last five years can be counted on one hand.
Roy Brewer - Engraving Concepts
Kevin McCarthy - PDU
Terry Viles - Prism Sales - Epilog, Vision
Glenn Kloskin - The Source
Mike Mennem - Gravograph/New Hermes
From: JHayes55 [#8]
10 Mar 2006
To: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#7] 10 Mar 2006
From: UCONN Dave & Lynn too (DANDL48) [#9]
10 Mar 2006
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#2] 10 Mar 2006
You are all so right. I complained to a company about the backs of their awards being marked up and that is exactly what they said, that most people don't complain. They are sending replacements, but if I needed the bad one's I'd be S.O.L.
Dave
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#10]
10 Mar 2006
To: UCONN Dave & Lynn too (DANDL48) [#9] 10 Mar 2006
Dave,
So it takes you about 3-4 shipments to eventually get the number of good ones that you actually need? (devil)
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#11]
10 Mar 2006
To: UCONN Dave & Lynn too (DANDL48) [#9] 10 Mar 2006
Dave,
Years ago, I bought a bunch of gold-plated money clips from Simba Cal.
Even though the clips were individually packaged (poly bags), upon opening the bags, the clips were severly scuffed, as though they had been shoveled from a bin.
When I complained, and said I couldn't use them for my application, I was met with resistance.
The attitude was, "Well, what did you expect at that price? You get what you pay for."
Needless to say, I didn't pay for anything. I insisted on a refund and took my money to a company, who offered basically the same clip, minus the unsightly scuffs.
Payed a little more, but was able to sell the money clips as a relatively high-end item, as opposed to the Simba clip, that was virtually unsaleable.
Maybe things have changed since, but after an experience like that, I'll never know.
I think that's the idea suppliers need to keep in mind.
EDITED: 10 Mar 2006 by DGL
From: Paul (JACKPETTY) [#12]
10 Mar 2006
To: ALL
Count me as one to have no problems with Tropar. I buy the great majority of my plaques and acrylic as well as clocks from Tropar and love dealing with my 'rep' Kathy Woods. Everyone in their organization I've met or spoken to has treated me like I'm part of their family.
To me, it's a matter of numbers. The more you buy, the better chance something will go wrong. It's what a company does to rectify the problem that makes them 'worthy' to me.