Replies

1. 
   EdHarrow | Sep 18, 2003 05:41pm | #1

    First, a story –

    Years ago I purchased a pair of “Bean Boots” from LL Bean in Freeport.  Because of life’s little events, I’ve come to be quite hard on the soles of my footwear, and these boots were no exception.  Eventually I got to the point that I knew I’d be needing them very shortly and the holes in the bottom weren’t getting smaller, so I called Bean, told them I was mailing them up, and that I would pick them up personally as I passed through on my way to the Allagash River in two weeks.

    Three days after I mailed my boots, I got a check from LL Bean.  No explanation, but I realized that it was a refund of the postage.  Two days later my boots arrived, FedEx, overnight.  No charge.  I could neither believe, nor understand it, so I called for an explanation.  “We found some failed stitches,” I was told…   

    There are companies that stand behind their products, and I am always pleased to announce that fact.  It now pleases me, greatly, to post this:

    Note: I had to edit some of the text as it came through with some strange characters.  In the event that I edited incorrectly, my apologies to the writer.

    From: edited

   Date: Wed, 17 Sep 2003 14:22:26 -0500

    Ed

    Milwaukee appreciates you taking the effort to contact us with your feelings on service from a 3/8” Milwaukee Pistol Grip Hole-Shooter Drill.

    First, with all the tool choices available to you, we appreciate your loyalty as a customer that allowed us this opportunity.  We value your using our tools.  Second, recognizing the importance of customer loyalty versus a strict interpretation of a warranty; we are putting a copy of our current catalog and industry net price list in the mail to you today from which we would be happy to send merchandise equal in value to the cost of repairing your drill.  E-mail us back with your selection[s] at your earliest convenience.

    As the old adage goes, hindsight being twenty - twenty.  We wish that we had the spindle from your drill to give to our Metallurgical Engineer for evaluation; was it “defective” or was it the hazard of application?

    If you have questions or would like to discuss this matter more fully, do not hesitate to call me.  I can be reached through 1.800.729.3878 [1.800 SAWDUST], using prompt #3 and then dialing extension nnnn or my direct dial phone number is 1.262.783.nnnn.

    We want you to continue to equip your shop and keep coming back for...

   MILWAUKEE portable electric power tools.

    Edited

   Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation

   a company within the Atlas Copco Group

    As before, to provide privacy to this party from Milwaukee tool, I’ve edited out his name and contact information.  I would certainly encourage this party to comment, however. 

    In a time when more and more companies are abandoning our shores for the world of cheaper labor, lower quality and, theoretically, more profits, it is nice to see a business that realizes they can do well by charging a fair price and providing superior support.

    Thank you Milwaukee, we appreciate, sincerely, the extra effort you have made in this case.

1. 
   Robin | Sep 18, 2003 07:09pm | #2

   Congratulations on both of your "acquisitions" - not to be a spoil sport here BUT at what point does it become our responsibility as "consumers" to replace the things we "consume".  I would expect that if EVERYONE who purchased LL Bean footwear returned it for replacement after "many" years of use, they would have to modify their lifetime guarantee.  The reason they can offer that guarantee is that their quality is so good that most people feel like they got what they paid for and when the product finallly does fail, they feel good about purchasing another. In the case of your drill, I suspect part of the reason you got the replacement is due to the fact that they may be aware of this discussion.  Replacing it is more than worth the good will generated by the final resolution.  Being a "newbie" to woodworking, I guess I would think 17 years for a drill that you probably gave $60-80 for when you purchased it was probably a pretty good deal although I do agree that they should continue to keep parts available.  In the medical/dental instrument store here at UT, we carry Welch Allyn oto/ophthalmoscope sets.  They too repair/replace almost everything we send back - in the case of students/residents even when they drop it and break a lens.  However, just recently they have stopped having parts for the older model rechargeable handles (which they stopped making 20 years ago) when they stop working.  Haven't had a single physician get overly upset at the prospect of purchasing a new handle at $145-$200 each.  And doc's can get pretty irate at almost anything, however, because WA has such a good reputation and produces great quality products, the fact that something finally has to be replaced doesn't seem like such a bad deal.It's football time in Tennessee!  Go Vols!!!!

1. 
   Leonardo | Sep 18, 2003 11:07pm | #4

   I once had an LL Bean tent that after more than ten years of use just wore out.  When I brought it back to Freeport I was told they no longer had that model.  They explained, very nicely, that it was up to me to decide if I was satisfied with the product.  If I was not they would have given me a brand new tent of equal value.  The point is they let me to decide.  Although I walked out of there without a tent, I have spent a lot of money there over the years.

   Len 

2. 
   EdHarrow | Sep 19, 2003 01:22am | #5

   Bob, perhaps I wasn't as clear as I should have been.  I sent the boots to Bean to get resoled, just as I would take a pair of shoes to the cobbler to get resoled.  Soles wear out.  Soles on the shoes I wear probably wear out faster than those on your shoes, so I'm on a first name basis with our local cobbler LOL.  He doesn't put new bottoms on Bean boots.  As far as I know, only Bean does.  I forget what the fee was to have new bottoms put on, less than 1/2 the cost of new ones IIRC. 

   Bean did the job for free as they found failed stitches.  I didn't tell them about the failure, I wouldn't have thought a thing about it - stitches fail.   Buttons pop off, seams split, switches fail, oil needs to be changed (4 X a year). 

   The point, at this point, is that here are two companies that are willing to stand behind their product.  Fortune magazine wrote that a happy customer tells 1.5 others of their positive experience, and 20 others of a bad experience.  I have always tried to give credit where credit is due.  If you know of Myers-Briggs, I test as an INFP, that probably explains a few things.  ;-)  

1. 
   Robin | Sep 19, 2003 05:29pm | #9

   Hi Ed - you're right - I misunderstood.  I have a sister-in-law who has worked for Bean and it's apparently as great a place to work at as it is to shop it - been to the Maine store - it's awesome!  I'll be looking at a new router soon and based on your experience I will definitely look at Milwaukee.

   Rob - BTW- it's Rob - short for Robin - and I'm a gurl!It's football time in Tennessee!  Go Vols!!!!

2. 
   TXJon | Sep 18, 2003 09:28pm | #3

   For what it's worth, I own no Milwaukee tools.  After reading this, though, I will certainly consider them in the future. 

   Actually, I sort of have my eye on that new great big router....

1. 
   RANGERP75R | Sep 19, 2003 07:30am | #7

   TX

      "I sort of have my eye on that new great big router".

      If you are referring to the 3 1/2 HP, comparing it to a hoss it's a Clydesdale. It also has Milwaukee's patented on-board height adjuster that is saves money on lifters when table mounted.

      And the really good news is, those ugly D handles are not as ugly as they appear in the picture. ha..ha.. The angle they took them at makes them look akward. They actually are slanted and quite comfortable if you use the router hand-held. The router is a perfect table mount.

   sarge..jt

3. 
   ToolDoc | Sep 19, 2003 06:33am | #6

   ED: IM happy that all has turned out for the best with you & milwaukee tools..now you too can be a HD club Member,,LOL...

                                               ToolDocProud Member of the Delta & Klein Tradesman Club & Milwaukee HD Club & Knots Bad Boys & Girls Club..

4. 
   desertrat | Sep 19, 2003 05:27pm | #8

   I have several Milwaukee tools and as my older ones go by the wayside, I plan on replacing them with Milwaukee.  I couldn't be happier with my new ones.