Builders,
A few quick reminders on communications:
Phone Calls to 904-529-0006: Below is a long story with a detailed explanation, but here are the basic facts:
-You can call any time you like day or night.
-We do not have call waiting, and if I am on the line, the phone company defaults to a “message full” saying. If you ever get a message full response, the absolute best thing to do is send us an email with the subject line “Phone Call” Just use email as the answering machine, it actually works better for me.
-There are many times during the day where I will not be in the shop, it will be too loud, or I will be engaged in a task like welding that isn’t conducive to starting and stopping, and I will let the machine get the call. Your question is important, but I don’t always get back to people in 24 hours. I am aware that almost every business in the world returns phone calls the same hour, but if I am just honest and say this isn’t my strong suit, hopefully it will avoid some stress.
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Email to WilliamTCA@aol.com : Send us an email any time you like. Some notes on email:
-I know that most businesses answer email in a few minutes, or have an automated system that tell you the mail got through, but no one is in the office. I am different, perhaps the last person that still treats email as electronically delivered mail, not an instant message. If you ask a good question, I often take a few days to write a good answer.
-When sending any email, please put your name in the subject line and your phone number, and how late in the evening it is ok to call you back, and your shipping address. These small details make thing go much smoother.
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Orders by Paypal, or by mail:
-I do not always send out electronic notices nor email with the receipt of an order. Again, I know that 98% of business do, but I do not. If you have a question about an order you placed, feel free to send an email, but know that It may take 72 hours to get back to you to say “I called the machine shop, and the parts will be in on the 14th”
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Cell phones, text messages twitter, etc. I am the last American who does not carry a cell phone 24/7. I have never sent a single text message in my life, and I don’t even know what twitter is. I have no interest in things like “Link’ed in” or any other on line group. I have a FB page, but I am closing it shortly. (If I need to hear paranoid opinions from uninformed people who don’t read books I could just go back to watching TV news.)
-If you tried to have a conversation with someone this week, but they kept compulsively looking at their smart phone, be assured for all my other faults, I don’t do that to anyone.
-If you had to drive around anyone on a public highway this week and it turned out that they were not having a stroke, they were just text messaging, be assured that I will never text and drive.
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VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE:
I am politely asking that not one more builder call The Wesemans and ask any question about my email, parts, schedule etc. Dan and Rachel are very good about business communications: They have very rapid response times on email, and the both cover calls with cell phones, and they are very good about answering any question about their own products including Crank servicing, Billet cranks, 5th bearings, rear alternators, installation components for Cleanexes, and everything to do with Panthers. Dan has always been very good about answering general operational questions on Corvairs, and his advice is outstanding.
However, If a builder is frustrated by my comparatively slow responses, it is not fair to the Wesemans to call or email them and ask any question about products from my catalog, ask them to forward a message or if they will pick up or ship any part from us. I have said this a number of times before, but I am saying plainly here so everyone understands this. Dan and Rachel are too polite to bring this up, and it isn’t their duty to do so. I value their friendship and do not want them to spend their time answering calls nor email from my customers. Out of good manners they probably would continue to do so, but I am specifically asking them to refer builders to this set of notes. I am serious about correcting this issue, and I am willing to refund the money of any builder who keeps doing this. Simply put, I value their friendship more than anyone’s business, so I ask that we not test this.
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A longer story on communications:
Back from the road, notes on Communications
A story about cell phones:
Turtles and Cell Phones, 6/24/13.
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