- Joined
- May 9, 2001
- Messages
- 316
I got this email from Keith at K & M Match Cases, https://www.kmmatchcase.com/. He gave me the OK to post it here.
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12/18/20120
Dear valued customer;
First of all we want to say thank you for ordering our matchcases and for the many kind and encouraging words we receive from you, our customers.
Regrettably we are temporarily out of all production due to computer issues that I suspect weve been fighting all year. Unexplainable glitches have been happening for several months now but to date neither we (computer illiterates), local experts, nor the factory tech guy have been able to pin down a cause. Two weeks ago the system completely erased all the program and system information on our main disks and our backup disks. All program information was re-entered from printouts, a programmer was hired to assist with reprogramming, and attempts made to run, all to no avail. To date we dont have a clue why. After talking to the factory computer expert on 12/10 we Fed Exed the machines brain in for whatever repairs are needed.
12/18/12 UPDATE:
The computer brain is back but some problems remain. It now appears that we also have servo motor or servo motor control issues that will prevent our resuming production until we can figure out exactly whats going on with them. We will be on it as early as possible tomorrow morning in the hope that we can find a quick solution.
A BIT ABOUT US:
For those who dont already know, we are a Mom and Pop business in the truest sense of the word. Marge and I are the company period. The small town we live in has about 75 full time residents, quite a few of whom are elderly widows, so the labor force is extremely limited and at present we still do it all. Responding to phone calls and emails eats way too much time to the point that we usually dont get any real work done until after noon, and then work til all hours of the night trying to stay ahead. This is not a complaint its just the reality of small business and a story common to many too small to hire a full time crew, too big for the owners to do it all. Hopefully this updated information will adequately inform and reassure you that your order has not been lost or forgotten.
Please believe that we appreciate the patience you have already shown in awaiting the products you ordered and paid for we would be inquiring too if we were in your position. Undoubtedly many of our matchcases are intended for Christmas gifts and youre as disappointed as we are at our inability to fill your orders quickly.
A BIT ABOUT CNC MACHINES:
For those of you who dont understand CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) language, the simple explanation is that the tools in CNC machines are driven by servo motors that are precisely controlled by computer programs at least when its all working properly. Unless youve actually seen CNC machines producing goods firsthand its hard to even imagine the speed and precision with which they are capable of turning raw materials into finished products. Its safe to say that the overwhelming majority of stuff we buy today has at least some degree of CNC or other computer-connected manufacturing, packaging, shipping, etc., involved in the chain from raw materials to end user. An upside is that manufacturers can now build more stuff faster and cheaper than ever before. A downside is that the more dependent we become on CNC type manufacturing the further we remove ourselves from the basic skills our ancestors of only a few generations ago utilized to build their own goods.
If forced to by necessity we are in the small percentage of businesses that could return to our original tooling and manufacturing methods of twenty years ago, but it really isnt practical or cost-effective, especially considering that our improved cases selling for $16.00 today were selling in the $18.00 to $20.00 range twenty years ago.
So much for the combined manufacturing/economics lesson.
THE END - - - AT LAST!
Given that some of you may not have the option to wait or may choose to cancel your order please know that we will not be offended should you request a refund. Please call Keith or Marge at 208-826-3447 or toll free at 877-562-9537 and a refund check will be in the mail by the next day. If you do choose to wait until were back up and running please feel free to inquire in a week or two just to make sure you havent fallen through the cracks, which seem to reproduce faster than we can plug em.
Ill close by saying that if youve read our history online you know that this kind of crisis is nothing new to us. By the grace of God were still here and still trying to put out the best tool of its kind that were aware of, and by the same grace our business continues to grow in spite of the setbacks.
A few years ago we went through a similar malfunction in which the computer had to be returned to the factory at about this exact time of the year, but we had it back in a few days. Hopefully thatll be the result this time, because when youve only got one machine for a specific job and it crashes youre out of production until its up and running again.
It is our hope that this letter will accomplish at least four things: (1) bring you up to speed on the reasons for our dilemma, (many more of which arent listed here!), (2) ease your mind about the causes of the shipping delays, (3) inform you that you do have recourse simply by calling one of the numbers listed above and requesting a refund, (4) save us precious time by answering questions you would otherwise call or email us about, and (5) extend to you our most sincere apologies for any inconvenience this has caused you. We value our customers trust above anything else about this business and deeply regret any cause for suspicion of a breach of that trust. As far as we know our local business and online reputations are squeaky clean and we want to keep them that way.
Merry Christmas, God bless, and Thank You from Keith and Marge Lunders.
A quick 12/19 PS: Weve located a machine locally that we believe to be exactly like ours that well be looking at today with the intention of adopting. If all goes well we should be back up and running within a few days at most. Again we thank you for your patience and understanding of our current dilemma just rest assured that were doing all we know to do about the problem.
PPS (12/20/12)
HOORAY! WE WERE OFFERED THE CHANCE TO BUY ANOTHER CNC IDENTICAL TO OURS AND BROUGHT THE NECESSARY PARTS TO REPAIR OURS HOME SO SHOULD BE UP AND RUNNING TODAY!
I ALSO WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY IN NOTIFYING YOU OF OUR SITUATION VIA THIS LETTER. WHATS HAPPENING IS WHEN I CLICK ON REPLY TO SEND THIS OUT IT ENTERS OUR WEB SITE ADDRESS INSTEAD OF YOUR EMAIL AND COMES BACK TO US. UNTIL A COMPUTER GEEK TELLS ME HOW TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM ITS PAINFULLY SLOW GETTING THIS INFO OUT.
KL
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
12/18/20120
Dear valued customer;
First of all we want to say thank you for ordering our matchcases and for the many kind and encouraging words we receive from you, our customers.
Regrettably we are temporarily out of all production due to computer issues that I suspect weve been fighting all year. Unexplainable glitches have been happening for several months now but to date neither we (computer illiterates), local experts, nor the factory tech guy have been able to pin down a cause. Two weeks ago the system completely erased all the program and system information on our main disks and our backup disks. All program information was re-entered from printouts, a programmer was hired to assist with reprogramming, and attempts made to run, all to no avail. To date we dont have a clue why. After talking to the factory computer expert on 12/10 we Fed Exed the machines brain in for whatever repairs are needed.
12/18/12 UPDATE:
The computer brain is back but some problems remain. It now appears that we also have servo motor or servo motor control issues that will prevent our resuming production until we can figure out exactly whats going on with them. We will be on it as early as possible tomorrow morning in the hope that we can find a quick solution.
A BIT ABOUT US:
For those who dont already know, we are a Mom and Pop business in the truest sense of the word. Marge and I are the company period. The small town we live in has about 75 full time residents, quite a few of whom are elderly widows, so the labor force is extremely limited and at present we still do it all. Responding to phone calls and emails eats way too much time to the point that we usually dont get any real work done until after noon, and then work til all hours of the night trying to stay ahead. This is not a complaint its just the reality of small business and a story common to many too small to hire a full time crew, too big for the owners to do it all. Hopefully this updated information will adequately inform and reassure you that your order has not been lost or forgotten.
Please believe that we appreciate the patience you have already shown in awaiting the products you ordered and paid for we would be inquiring too if we were in your position. Undoubtedly many of our matchcases are intended for Christmas gifts and youre as disappointed as we are at our inability to fill your orders quickly.
A BIT ABOUT CNC MACHINES:
For those of you who dont understand CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) language, the simple explanation is that the tools in CNC machines are driven by servo motors that are precisely controlled by computer programs at least when its all working properly. Unless youve actually seen CNC machines producing goods firsthand its hard to even imagine the speed and precision with which they are capable of turning raw materials into finished products. Its safe to say that the overwhelming majority of stuff we buy today has at least some degree of CNC or other computer-connected manufacturing, packaging, shipping, etc., involved in the chain from raw materials to end user. An upside is that manufacturers can now build more stuff faster and cheaper than ever before. A downside is that the more dependent we become on CNC type manufacturing the further we remove ourselves from the basic skills our ancestors of only a few generations ago utilized to build their own goods.
If forced to by necessity we are in the small percentage of businesses that could return to our original tooling and manufacturing methods of twenty years ago, but it really isnt practical or cost-effective, especially considering that our improved cases selling for $16.00 today were selling in the $18.00 to $20.00 range twenty years ago.
So much for the combined manufacturing/economics lesson.
THE END - - - AT LAST!
Given that some of you may not have the option to wait or may choose to cancel your order please know that we will not be offended should you request a refund. Please call Keith or Marge at 208-826-3447 or toll free at 877-562-9537 and a refund check will be in the mail by the next day. If you do choose to wait until were back up and running please feel free to inquire in a week or two just to make sure you havent fallen through the cracks, which seem to reproduce faster than we can plug em.
Ill close by saying that if youve read our history online you know that this kind of crisis is nothing new to us. By the grace of God were still here and still trying to put out the best tool of its kind that were aware of, and by the same grace our business continues to grow in spite of the setbacks.
A few years ago we went through a similar malfunction in which the computer had to be returned to the factory at about this exact time of the year, but we had it back in a few days. Hopefully thatll be the result this time, because when youve only got one machine for a specific job and it crashes youre out of production until its up and running again.
It is our hope that this letter will accomplish at least four things: (1) bring you up to speed on the reasons for our dilemma, (many more of which arent listed here!), (2) ease your mind about the causes of the shipping delays, (3) inform you that you do have recourse simply by calling one of the numbers listed above and requesting a refund, (4) save us precious time by answering questions you would otherwise call or email us about, and (5) extend to you our most sincere apologies for any inconvenience this has caused you. We value our customers trust above anything else about this business and deeply regret any cause for suspicion of a breach of that trust. As far as we know our local business and online reputations are squeaky clean and we want to keep them that way.
Merry Christmas, God bless, and Thank You from Keith and Marge Lunders.
A quick 12/19 PS: Weve located a machine locally that we believe to be exactly like ours that well be looking at today with the intention of adopting. If all goes well we should be back up and running within a few days at most. Again we thank you for your patience and understanding of our current dilemma just rest assured that were doing all we know to do about the problem.
PPS (12/20/12)
HOORAY! WE WERE OFFERED THE CHANCE TO BUY ANOTHER CNC IDENTICAL TO OURS AND BROUGHT THE NECESSARY PARTS TO REPAIR OURS HOME SO SHOULD BE UP AND RUNNING TODAY!
I ALSO WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY IN NOTIFYING YOU OF OUR SITUATION VIA THIS LETTER. WHATS HAPPENING IS WHEN I CLICK ON REPLY TO SEND THIS OUT IT ENTERS OUR WEB SITE ADDRESS INSTEAD OF YOUR EMAIL AND COMES BACK TO US. UNTIL A COMPUTER GEEK TELLS ME HOW TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM ITS PAINFULLY SLOW GETTING THIS INFO OUT.
KL
Seriously, K&M are great people to deal with. Very happy with my case. Glad to hear they are back on track.
. I'm still waiting on mine =/
