Full Version: what did I do wrong?
From: LARRY (CENTURYBADGE) [#1]
12 Sep 2006
To: ALL
Hello,
About a year ago we make an award made up of a large cup and lid on a marble base attached to a larger wood base. It looked beautiful and all seemed fine. My customer came in yesterday with the award in pieces and screaming that it fell apart when he took it out of the showcase for the annual game. When it left our shop last year all seamed to be tight and in good shape. Is it our fault that all came loose or is it because the team passed in around after last years game like the Stanly cup. It was dropped and a scratch is on the cup and needs to be replaced. I know we will have to straighten out the problem or loose the account but did we not do something right when making the award. Other than making sure we screwed everything together should we have done something else.
Thanks for your input.
Larry
EDITED: 13 Sep 2006 by DGL
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#2]
12 Sep 2006
To: LARRY (CENTURYBADGE) [#1] 13 Sep 2006
Larry,
I don't think you can be held accountable for damage that occured to the trophy, after you delivered it in good condition.
From what you've said, somebody admitted that the trophy was dropped.
Depends how good of an account this is and how badly you want to keep them.
If you do make the repairs, at your expense, I'd let the people know you are doing so, only as a public relations move and not to expect a repeat performance, next time this award, or others, are abused.
EDITED: 12 Sep 2006 by DGL
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#3]
12 Sep 2006
To: LARRY (CENTURYBADGE) [#1] 13 Sep 2006
Wood can dry out and shrink in low humidity, that may have been a problem. Using Loctite on the threads may work on all but the bottom nut, that will need to be available for tightening. On that maybe a good lockwasher will help.
With all of that said, if they do not tighten it if it loosens it is just poor maintenance that caused it to come apart.
From: RALLYGUY (RALLYGUY1) [#4]
12 Sep 2006
To: LARRY (CENTURYBADGE) [#1] 13 Sep 2006
hi Larry,
I can't tell you how many customers have complimented us on trophies that are tight and not falling apart.......
We were working a hockey event selling t-shirts and dog tags last season. The host had already had someone else in charge of the trophies order them from the internet, so at that point we really didn't have any opportunity to quote for that particular event.....When the trophies arrived several of them were loose, falling apart and or broken from shipment, poor packaging, and sloppy assembly. We brought several parts in for them the next day to help them replace some broken pieces, helped them re-assemble the ones that were falling apart, and earned their business from there on out.
Another scenario....We work with an association that is out east....They have been ordering trophies from us the last 3-4 years. I taked to one of the guys that runs the events.....and asked him why he liked our stuff....when shipping and everything added so much to the cost. His reply was that many of the trophies that they had recieved in the past were falling apart by the time they got them home....and that ours were always nice and tight....never loose.
It made all the difference to him in the world. At that point, price wasn't the factor anymore....it was how he felt about handing something out that reflected well on his organization.
Take your customer seriously. Learn from it, and find a way to make sure you assemble your trophies in a way that they won't fall apart. No one else bothers to take the time....set yourself apart and it will probably help you grow sales.
I would fix the problem....the cost is probably insignificant to you other than the frusteration of feeling like your fixing their mistake. It may earn you some loyalty if you do it....but I guarantee that if you don't, that your name will come up several times.....and it won't be in a positive light.
Hope this helps.....
From: gt350ed [#5]
12 Sep 2006
To: LARRY (CENTURYBADGE) [#1] 13 Sep 2006
Not knowing HOW you constructed the award makes it difficult to pass judgement on whether you might not have done something right.
I think the key is to have as little "play" in the various elements as possible. This means as few parts in the linkage as possible. Beyond this, make sure everything is as tight as possible.
Even so, the migration of the wood base relating to climate changes may still result in some loosening.
Another possibility that we have run into is that when we have many elements making up the rod, sometimes two elements may only be hanging together by a thread (pun intended). When this is allowed to happen, invariably the trophy "pops" apart at the most inopportune time.
Good luck. B-)
From: Colin (MATROPHY) [#6]
14 Sep 2006
To: gt350ed [#5] 14 Sep 2006