Charles Hazelaar on tue 9 jan 07
I drove over from Cape Canaveral to get supplies. I figured I would call
the order in from my cell phone.
Problem: No one was answering the phone during business hours. I tried the
800 number as well as the local. The recording advised me about Christmas
business hours -- hum?
Solution: I called back and started putting in three digit numbers in to the
"if you know your party's extension" system. Three didn't work, so I tried
using two numbers and finally a single digit.
If your call and they don't answer, use 1 as your parties extension you
end up with the telephone orders office.
The receptionist, Lee Ann, is gone. That, I was told, was the broken link
in the communication system. I didn't feel any big corporate presence, but
while waiting, (my order mistakenly didn't get filled in advancae)
I heard a number of apologias from the phone order area. I don't know --
funky I can deal with -- im not
that organized, but price and shipping is a bigger issue.
Charles Hazelaar
Cape Canaveral, FL
321 432 0089
John Rodgers on tue 9 jan 07
Back last fall, after Axner had joined up with Laguna, I had some
dealings Axner/Laguna and there were some communications difficulties
including some shipping issues. I was told that they were trying to
integrate all things Axner into all things Laguna - accounting,
computers, communications, procedures, etc, etc. and there were problems
but they were working on them to smooth things out. Apologies were
extended to me for the chaos and confusion and an expression of hope
that I would continue to do business with them. I can accept that.
However, I think there will be quite a long period before things run as
smooth as when Howard had his hand on the wheel. But Axner/Laguna will
get there.
As far as Laguna itself goes, without any Axner considerations, I have
always gotten really good service from Laguna when I had need to call
them direct. Last year I ordered large quantities of dry bagged B-mix
for making of slip for slip casting. This was an out of the ordinary
request/order and the B-mix as slip had to be specially made up, because
of the different needs for slip casting vs wheel throwing. The
plasticity is different. Slip needs to be really short, while throwing
clay needs to be really plastic. There were also special shipping
considerations as well. - every 50 lb bag of dry slip mix had to be in
it's own box. Each box had to be shipped separately - the boxes could
not be palletized. That was a pretty good trick but Laguna got it done.
The reason for going that route was that it turned out that shipping in
individual boxes through UPS was cheaper and faster that shipping
several pallet loads via truck to my particular location. Of course the
UPS guys hated me.........!
On other Laguna considerations, for most things that are Laguna, I order
from the various Laguna distributors, but the dry bagged B-mix slip
clay was a specialty item.
BTW, cone 5 B-mix slip is good stoneware. Get the density and flow rate
properly adjusted and it is sweet to work with. And ever so close to
porcelain.
Regards,
John Rodgers
Chelsea, AL
Charles Hazelaar wrote:
> I drove over from Cape Canaveral to get supplies. I figured I would call
> the order in from my cell phone.
>
> Problem: No one was answering the phone during business hours. I tried the
> 800 number as well as the local. The recording advised me about Christmas
> business hours -- hum?
>
> Solution: I called back and started putting in three digit numbers in to the
> "if you know your party's extension" system. Three didn't work, so I tried
> using two numbers and finally a single digit.
>
> If your call and they don't answer, use 1 as your parties extension you
> end up with the telephone orders office.
>
> The receptionist, Lee Ann, is gone. That, I was told, was the broken link
> in the communication system. I didn't feel any big corporate presence, but
> while waiting, (my order mistakenly didn't get filled in advancae)
> I heard a number of apologias from the phone order area. I don't know --
> funky I can deal with -- im not
> that organized, but price and shipping is a bigger issue.
>
> Charles Hazelaar
> Cape Canaveral, FL
> 321 432 0089
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
>
>
>
| |
|
