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....and why do people respond to some but not others? Is it because they are afraid? Are there creditors lurking in the background doing a fair amount of leaning? Legal proceedings?

It may be the way in which the enquiry is couched. Having seen a few of the missives to one supplier, it is not difficult to wonder whether you should have any dealings with them. Others require a considerable amount to time/work to provide an adequate response, which usually generates another lengthy query!

 

However, that doesn't justify ignoring someone. An automated email reply or use of an answer phone at least gives the customer an indication that his enquiry has been received and gives an opportunity for the supplier to reply in his own time. 

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True, but that wasn't the proposal, which was for a call forwarding system. This doesn't cost pennies.

 

I used to have a "call forwarding" from land line to mobile all it cost extra was the relatively small cost of a phone call - but then my business number was a free (to me) 0845 number - but I still switched my mobile phone off most of the time as it is a big distraction if you are driving or in a meeting.

 

The whole point is that you do not need anything fancy. A customer calls and you have a recorded message politely and apologetically asking for a return number and most important - you CALL the person back ASAP

 

Sometimes this is even better as you have time to look the customer up know their order or what additional information they/you may need to make an effective call back.

 

Even as a hobby business (really no such thing) every customer is precious and deserves to be given respect and attention.

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After some very persistant phone calling by a dogged, and very kind fellow RM Web-er, Mr Dunn has refunded my payment, some 14 months later.

 

The business is not being sold, it's just not very well run.  It's all great stuff if you can get it.

 

Buy it at shows while you still can.  Pay for it when you have got it in your sticky mitt.   I advise against web, phone and mail order.

 

 

Many thanks where they are due.

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....The business is not being sold, it's just not very well run.  It's all great stuff if you can get it.

What other suppliers could be similarly described.

 

Buy it at shows while you still can.  Pay for it when you have got it in your sticky mitt.   I advise against web, phone and mail order......

247 Developments used to have similar problems....

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The sales stand was at Expo. I wanted some non corridor seating, but the moulding machine had apparently been extremely temperamental and there was n seating available as all that had been produced had been put in kits. :-(

 

I asked about the troubles with Slaters - there is an application to a court pending, subject to all the I's being dotted and T's crossed, when it's hoped that Slaters will realise Coopercraft means business, so there may well be very good reasons in the background that cause the service for web based customers to be below what one would like. I would suggest an element of consideration at the moment.

 

Phil

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I heard from elsewhere that the moulding machine in question worked in a way that some of the moulds were not suited to, having been designed for a different kind of machine. Although some moulds had been modified it wasn't entirely successful.

 

Progress with the former Blacksmith range seems rather slow too. I would have thought most of them could have been put straight back into production.

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I asked about the troubles with Slaters - there is an application to a court pending, subject to all the I's being dotted and T's crossed, when it's hoped that Slaters will realise Coopercraft means business, so there may well be very good reasons in the background that cause the service for web based customers to be below what one would like. I would suggest an element of consideration at the moment.

 

Phil

 

Or keep an open mind and consider Slater's position. Two sides to every story. I have never come across customers being treated so poorly by Slater's and they always answer the telephone. 

 

Mike Wiltshire

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When Tony Brown had Coopercraft, he often had some fun and games trying to get the Coopercraft tools to run properly, and although I understand those tools can be run only on a particular type of machine bolster, it is not clear why they should not still run ok. Running the Kirk Gresley coach moulds could also be problematic.

 

Regarding the dispute between Coopercraft and Slaters, I remain in the dark. I thought there was a mutual agreement between the two parties that Coopercraft would manufacture and retail the 4mm Slaters items, and Slaters would manufacture and retail the 7mm Coopercraft items (the parties taking on ownership of the respective sets of tools).

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Regarding the dispute between Coopercraft and Slaters, I remain in the dark. I thought there was a mutual agreement between the two parties that Coopercraft would manufacture and retail the 4mm Slaters items, and Slaters would manufacture and retail the 7mm Coopercraft items (the parties taking on ownership of the respective sets of tools).

 

That is what I understood as well, but the fact that Paul is now resorting to taking the matter through the courts would seem to suggest otherwise.

 

Let's keep our fingers crossed that this all gets resolved in a way that none of the ranges disappear for good.

 

Phil

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I thought there was a mutual agreement between the two parties that Coopercraft would manufacture and retail the 4mm Slaters items, and Slaters would manufacture and retail the 7mm Coopercraft items (the parties taking on ownership of the respective sets of tools).

 

More likely to be financial rather than mutual agreement.

 

Mike Wiltshire

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Or keep an open mind and consider Slater's position. Two sides to every story. I have never come across customers being treated so poorly by Slater's and they always answer the telephone. 

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

True, but if Paul had been the person to act against Slaters, you would think that Slaters would take him to court, but it's the other way round, he's taking them to court. So which version do you believe? On the balance of probabilities, I know which one I'd believe.

 

Concerning your last comment, do Slaters always answer their your phone? In my experience, No. Additionally, do you always answer your 'phone, especially when you're out shopping, taking a number 1 etc? If not, why expect suppliers to?

 

Phil

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I have no idea of the rights or wrongs of the dispute in question, but must regret the money spent on m'learned friends, when our hobby has no history of making people rich in the first place, and in these difficult times it is a shame to see money in the hobby being lost.

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Always found Slaters to answer the phone first time. A nice polite easy to understand switch board which gets you exactly to where you want to be. Always happy for you to call in as well.

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I'm not sure about the details, but the old coopercraft had far less 7 mm kits, than Slaters had 4mm kits, I would expect there would be a cash adjustment. Hopefully there wold be a detailed written agreement of payments to be made and goods to be exchanged.

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I heard from elsewhere that the moulding machine in question worked in a way that some of the moulds were not suited to, having been designed for a different kind of machine. Although some moulds had been modified it wasn't entirely successful.

 

Progress with the former Blacksmith range seems rather slow too. I would have thought most of them could have been put straight back into production.

When I questioned Paul at ExpoEM it is alleged that he has a lot of etches already to go, but no castings. The castings appear to be an on going saga, one that has an end date, in that once I retire there will not be the available readies for several hundred quids worth of coach kits. The clock has just under 2 years to count down.

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When I questioned Paul at ExpoEM it is alleged that he has a lot of etches already to go, but no castings. The castings appear to be an on going saga, one that has an end date, in that once I retire there will not be the available readies for several hundred quids worth of coach kits. The clock has just under 2 years to count down.

There seem to be too many ongoing sagas. I wonder what the common denominator is? Has Paul bitten off more than he can chew?

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I have no idea of the rights or wrongs of the dispute in question, but must regret the money spent on m'learned friends, when our hobby has no history of making people rich in the first place, and in these difficult times it is a shame to see money in the hobby being lost.

 

I didn't enquire in detail, but Paul mentioned dotting the I's and crossing the T's in such a way that I suspect he's doing the work himself, rather than use members of the legal profession.

 

Mentioning aforesaid people, a friend (who is a member of those august ranks) once asked me "what's the difference between a lawyer and ?"

 

Apparently, the answer is that one in a million stands a chance of becoming a human being!  :no:

 

Phil

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I didn't enquire in detail, but Paul mentioned dotting the I's and crossing the T's in such a way that I suspect he's doing the work himself, rather than use members of the legal profession.....

I do hope the County Court has rather better luck in reaching him than many of his (would-be) customers.

 

Being a litigant-in-person isn't easy. Many District Judges find their cases take rather longer when one party is a L.I.P., and longer again if both are.

 

The same has happened in family / matrimonial law - and a substantial jump in LIPs - since legal aid was withdrawn for virtually all matrimonial cases (except those involving domestic violence).

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