Minor QA problems: Should I care?

[leftync]

Once again, it's disappointing to see the "blame the victim" sentiment creeping in here. Yes, Larrivee did what it was bound to. But it's a long way from customer satisfaction. Gitnoob researched the instrument, waited patiently for the right price, and thought he was getting an elite instrument from a top manufacturer. He did his part, he ponied up the money. The problems were on the manufacturing and retailing ends. He can have his money restored, but he's not getting the product or experience he was willing to trade that money for.
I'd expect no less than a refund from a reputable company like Larrivee, but I might have expected more from the outstanding company I believe it to be. And I say this as someone who loves Larrivee guitars, and has owned three. In each case, I never seriously considered anything other than a Larrivee; I think I qualify as an admirer of the company and its product. I certainly don't think Larrivee did anything wrong here--at least not in customer service; something clearly messed up in production--I think more could have been done to satisfy the customer. The best solution isn't always the most cost-effective. It's the one that leaves the customer happy.
The fellow who sold me my used Larrivee told me he was in contact with Jean during the mfg process, and got his personal guarantee of satisfaction. On that guitar, as with most, JCL kept up his end. My experience with Larrivee has been fine. I wish 'noob could be as satisfied.

[jeremy3220]

Once again, it's disappointing to see the "blame the victim" sentiment creeping in here.

That hasn't happened. We've only explained as you did that Larrivee did nothing wrong but with less flowery posts.

[Danny]

That hasn't happened. We've only explained as you did that Larrivee did nothing wrong but with less flowery posts.

Yup.

[leftync]

Nope. Read.

[Stephen Basil]

I can't help but wade in and say, for what it's worth, that gitnoob was treated properly by his dealer.  He was offered a refund/replacement for the defective guitar and that is good customer service. 

Seeking Larrivee to provide him with some formal statement of apology for a lapse in their QC is quite frankly bizarre!

[leftync]

That's not what I get at all. He wanted a particular guitar, and what he got was substandard. I think he hoped Larrivee would work on the guitar and make it right. When I read some of the comments here, I'm reminded of past threads in which posters act as surrogates for Larrivee, rather than customers like Gitnoob, who did nothing but try and buy a good guitar at a good price.

[Brodie001]

Seriously, I agree with leftync.  gitnoob has expressed several times over that the end result was a reasonable one, and that he still likes Larrivee.  He just also acknowledged that there could have been a better outcome - that he could have kept the sweet deal he thought he was getting - and that he would have been happier if that was the case.  He doesn't seem to be saying that Larrivee did him wrong, just that they could have done him better.  I don't see a problem with that.

[Danny]

 

[Colo Springs E]

I can see the various angles on this.  Like others have said, he got his money back, what more can you ask?  Well, you can ask to be "delighted" as a customer--won't always happen, but it's kind of nice when it does, especially if there was a problem with a service/product provided.

Ex: Stayed at a Sheraton in Phoenix about a month ago (I travel there on business 3-4 times annually).  Anyway, a/c wasn't working in my room... BIG problem when you're in PHX!  What's reasonable?  Move me to another room of course.  What did they do?  First, apologized profusely for the inconvenience, gave me a $20 credit toward a meal in their restaurant, and best of all, moved me to the 7th floor, the "special" level where you have to have key code access, get free breakfast and free happy hour nightly, certain other perks (all for no extra charge to me, though those rooms are a good bit more expensive).  THAT was going a little more above and beyond, and made me feel really good about the Sheraton.  Had they simply moved me to another room, they would've have been taking care of a customer's issue.  What they did instead was provide stellar customer service.

I don't know what might have been "above and beyond" for Larrivee to do... Maybe someone could have asked him what would make this situation "right" and see if they could work from there.

[Walkerman]

That's not what I get at all. He wanted a particular guitar, and what he got was substandard. I think he hoped Larrivee would work on the guitar and make it right. When I read some of the comments here, I'm reminded of past threads in which posters act as surrogates for Larrivee, rather than customers like Gitnoob, who did nothing but try and buy a good guitar at a good price.

He spoke with Jean, and Jean told him
1. He didn't know how it happened and
2. It could not be repaired.
3. There were no more of those guitars left
He got his money back.

What did you want Larrivee and the dealer to do?  No one is saying "blame the victim"  and who the heck says he is a victim?  He is NOT a victim.  He is simply a person who purchased an item.  The item wasn't satisfactory to him, so he returned it and got his money back.  Show me how this makes him a "victim."

[tadol]

Bottom line - gitnoob did nothing wrong, tried for the ideal solution for him, didn't happen, but no loss. No one can blame him for trying - his expectations were reasonable, but aimed in the wrong place.

Larrivee did nothing wrong - this is not a perfect guitar that developed problems and needs to come in under factory warranty, it is brand new and has some issues. They rarely work directly with customers. Thats why they have dealers.

The dealer had every opportunity to order a new guitar and ship it to their customer - no one has asked why they didn't. It is the retail dealers responsibility to work with the retail customer.  Instead, some seem to feel it is Jeans responsibility to send a new guitar out direct to the customer, and is somehow indicative of a inferior quality of customer service from the Larrivee factory that they didn't.

Expectations in other areas are not fair - My wife used to travel for business, and would have to book hotel rooms more often in a month than I've bought guitars in my life. She got moved into better rooms from time to time based on their availability, and after a hotel room is used, it becomes a new "product" the next day. They will sell that room a couple thousand times, so taking a loss ( or giving it away ) a few dozen times really is nothing to them - A guitar factory sells a guitar once, and that sale is a fair bit less than it will be sold to the consumer for, but they maintain a responsibility for that sale for potentially "a lifetime". It was the responsibility of the dealer to "do something" to provide the stellar service at time of sale - not the factory.

Its a shame it didn't work out - I have a feeling that he will end up with a great guitar, and this whole thing will be forgotten soon enough ( perhaps not soon enough for some ).

Tad

[leftync]

JCL did not say it could not be repaired. He said it would be hard to fix. Hardly the same thing. And it should have never left the factory or reached the customer. And if you read the posts, you'll see how responsibility is shifted.

Look, I admire Larrivee too. That doesn't mean a puff of white smoke went up the day he built his first guitar. Even CFM I  wasn't infallible. Seeing Larrivee realistically won't turn your guitars into pillars or salt, or make you disloyal. In this case, we have a customer patiently waiting for satisfaction, and getting the minimum response required. Don't tell me you wouldn't be disappointed if you started out with money in your hand, willing to trade it for a great guitar, research it, get a great price, and after a period of time and frustration, end up in the same place. Most of us have had great luck with Larrivee, and our instruments have met or exceeded expectations (and, in my case, my playing ability!).
Look, this is guitar stuff, not great tragedy. But all the inconvenience here was borne by the guy who met all his obligations. He's not attacking anyone, just sharing his story and his frustrations.
Tad, I share your home and expectation that Git will end up with a great guitar, and soon.

[Walkerman]

"...you'll see how responsibility is shifted...."

Nope.  The situation was rectified as best as could be REASONABLY expected.  He bought a guitar, wasn't satisfied, and got his money back.   End of story.

[leftync]

I don't think you understand the comment. Read the postings, as I suggested. That way, you'll actually be responding on point.

[Danny]

JCL did not say it could not be repaired. He said it would be hard to fix. Hardly the same thing. And it should have never left the factory or reached the customer. And if you read the posts, you'll see how responsibility is shifted.

Look, I admire Larrivee too. That doesn't mean a puff of white smoke went up the day he built his first guitar. Even CFM I  wasn't infallible. Seeing Larrivee realistically won't turn your guitars into pillars or salt, or make you disloyal. In this case, we have a customer patiently waiting for satisfaction, and getting the minimum response required. Don't tell me you wouldn't be disappointed if you started out with money in your hand, willing to trade it for a great guitar, research it, get a great price, and after a period of time and frustration, end up in the same place. Most of us have had great luck with Larrivee, and our instruments have met or exceeded expectations (and, in my case, my playing ability!).
Look, this is guitar stuff, not great tragedy. But all the inconvenience here was borne by the guy who met all his obligations. He's not attacking anyone, just sharing his story and his frustrations.
Tad, I share your home and expectation that Git will end up with a great guitar, and soon.

I think we actually agree more than is seen in these posts. But you do have a view that is "yours". And I have mine, just as others do. We all don't have to be 100% thinking the same thoughts to say we hope that gitnoob ends up with what he wants in a guitar.
                               Have a great day everyone. Enjoy some playing

[flatlander]

"...you'll see how responsibility is shifted...."

   End of story.

except solid reputations are built on as few of these incidents of poor quality as possible.

[Colo Springs E]

Expectations in other areas are not fair - My wife used to travel for business, and would have to book hotel rooms more often in a month than I've bought guitars in my life. She got moved into better rooms from time to time based on their availability, and after a hotel room is used, it becomes a new "product" the next day. They will sell that room a couple thousand times, so taking a loss ( or giving it away ) a few dozen times really is nothing to them - A guitar factory sells a guitar once, and that sale is a fair bit less than it will be sold to the consumer for, but they maintain a responsibility for that sale for potentially "a lifetime". It was the responsibility of the dealer to "do something" to provide the stellar service at time of sale - not the factory.

Merely giving an example.  I can give examples involving guitars/dealers if you like?

[tadol]

Really not necessary, but if you have a good story about someone getting a big discount on a close-out guitar from a dealer, and then finding a problem that immediately gets resolved by the president of the company that manufactured it dropping everything to bypass the dealer and personally shipping that person a brand new guitar just to make them happy, it could be interesting - especially if they say it's their policy -

Personally, it seems clear some think that Jean should jump in and personally deal with every issue, problem, or complaint. I think that dealers need to earn their profit, and not just post generic pics of guitars on the internet and ship out unopened boxes when someone gives them money, and assume that their responsibility ends there -

But even more - I think we done beat this horse way too long. I want more about the joy of people playing their new guitar - I want gitnoob to post about the great guitar he got to replace this - please? 

Tad

[jbrummer]

Amen my brother.

[gitnoob]

Hey, gang.  

I understand the brand loyalty.   There's a shared identity -- not just with the brand, but with other owners.   I'm with you, my brothers and sisters.  

The L-09 was going to be an upgrade to my old L-05.   I'm just going to keep my L-05 -- at least for now.   And then there's the Larrivee parlor I picked up last week.   But I guess I neglected to tell you about my new true love.



I don't think an L-09 will be back on my radar for a while.