Poor Supply Service

[Ron Torrella]

On Mon, 27 Feb 1995, Jeff Stickney wrote:

> APSCO and I had a "falling out" over a bass string order that took
> inordinately long to get out in, oh, 1986?  They (Schad jr.) and I ended
> up suggesting, respectively, that I'd be happier doing business
> elsewhere, and I'm happy to say I've avoided doing business with them
> ever since.  Granted, I don't do high volume rebuilding, so have always
> been able to get what I needed elsewhere, but it seems to me we have
> other suppliers these days with the variety and quality of parts needed.
> Maybe a
> healthy boycott of APSCO might send them the message that service counts!

Bass strings from APSCO?  Why not just order them straight from Mapes --
where APSCO gets them in the first place (my understanding).  If you'd
like Mapes's address and phone, I'll be happy to supply it.
Unfortunately, APSCO realizes that they hold a pretty good share of the
market (basically everyone east of the Mississippi and quite a few to the
west) especially now that they've added Tuner's Supply's inventory to
their own.  I, too, have had fallings-out with Schad and his old man.
Rather than to write them off, whenever I send in an order, whether by
fax or phone -- *never* by mail! -- I call several days later to see
what's been done with the order.  If they haven't done anything with it,
I do my best to make them (meaning Schad and H.O.M. -- *never* harrass
the phone attendants!  It's not their fault!) feel uncomfortable.
If they tell me that they'll take care of it that day, I'll call the next
morning, bright and early, to see if they did waht they said they would.
I keep up the phone calls (once or twice they just wouldn't come to the
phone) until I finally get the word that the order has been shipped.  Of
course, then I start trying to pin them down to *when* the order was
shipped so I can estimate its time of arrival.  If it doesn't arrive
within the usual time, I know they lied and the next time I order I tell
them that the last time they said they shipped something on a particular
day but the stamp on the package said otherwise.  I try hard in all of
this to not be rude -- that's counterproductive.  Being firm with them
tends to get their attention (and respect?).

With the added ability to pay by credit card, there's no more concern
about a check getting lost in the mail (or in the small trash pile that
accumulates behind the passenger seat in my car!).

On my most recent order, I had them ship "blue label" (second day air).
Looking at the packing slip, it doesn't appear that they charged me
anything for the sped up service....could it be they made a mistake?
And, yes, the package arrived two days after I ordered the stuff.

It's nice to have Schaff close-by when I need something extra-fast, but
their prices tend to be a tad higher.  Pianotek, I think, was started
because Marinelli was frustrated with APSCO's inability (unwillingness)
to stock some of those fancy gadgets.

I get the sense that if a successful boycott of APSCO were to be pulled
off, there'd be no more APSCO.  I think they'd just sell off that part of
their business.  Any investors out there???

Ron Torrella               "Ideal conversation must be an exchange of thought,
School of Music           and not, as many of those who worry most about their
University of Illinois    shortcomings believe, an eloquent exhibition of wit
                    or oratory." -- Emily Post, Etiquette