Mark, you should've just let this one slip by...
People know that not everyone is going to be satisfied with a company; you can't please everybody. I didn't bother posting my story because I figured, if someone REALLY cared, they can PM me. I wasn't about to divulge the entire story online.
But seeing how you are quick to do so, let me share some of the emails we have exchanged that'll shed some light on this event. (PS. I have pictures of the scratch. I even have a witness at work [I had it sent to my company] who saw me open the box and saw the scratch out of the box.)
Below are some of the email correspondents.
Some highlights include
1. “I have entered the details of this transaction into a probability matrix on my server and it has come up with every conceivable future outcome. Through statistical analysis I have determined that in no scenario is Killer
Notebooks a good fit for your situation.” - *chuckles* read my reaction below in the email.
2. Offering to sell me a used Dell machine… Classy.
3. Trying to blame me for his cut finger.
4. Making promises to deliver but failing to do so; and then again getting upset and claiming I am demanding… The laptop was a month overdue.... Hello?
5. Not being able to deliver a manual with the laptop (not even a digital one online.)
6. Shipping a product that he felt was junk. (“At this point I
had to think long and hard if I wanted to put the K|N name on that
particular chassis, and I don't. The chassis and what comes with it does not
make the grade, I feel it is junk.”)
7. And yes, I did need it to do research (I used it Fri night at the LA library).
8. By the way, take a look at XoticPC.com – amazingly I got my laptop in the time promised and I didn’t need to return it because it wasn’t junk. Oh happy day!
(See my review of XoticPC.com here:
http
/forumz.tomshardware.com/mobile/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=48450&highlight=
And please note how Mark was so quick to discredit them so quickly, just as he’s done with Xtermenotebooks.com here:
http
/forumz.tomshardware.com/mobile/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=48443&highlight= )
********************
MARK:
Once again, sorry for your troubles and wasting your time.
The label is all set with insurance, tracking etc.
This point I just want to take the loss, discontinue the line, put the
system on Ebay for $1,499 (scratch and all) and be done with it.
Sticking with chassis from a supplier I can count on to get them to me, and
that are something that I myself would want are what I need to offer. Which
is why I am sticking with my initial reaction to discontinue 2 products in
my product offering. Lesson learned.
********************
IRONHELL:
Mark,
Yes, you did go above and beyond on designing the logo we agree on the
cost of your time and efforts (however, the payment was nullified by your
not able to get the machine ready to ship in the timely order you
advertised.) And no, the machine was "not ready to go" and wasn't for a few
weeks (due to your supplier's goof-up as you claim in one of your emails).
I am sorry to hear about your finger. However, that was doing
something you advertised - customizing the chassis correct?
As for the getting the order by Friday.... you TOLD me that you are
able to get it to me by Thursday (that is... weeks after the first original
shipby date you quoted me) and I took you to be a man of your words.
You advertise getting your products to your customers within 10 days
correct?
As for the branding job itself, it looks nothing like what they were
shown on your webpage. The scratch aside, none of the pictures you showed
on your site had particles and bubbles in it. I was expecting the same type
of pristine workmanship on my laptop and was disappointed that wasn't the
case.
While the laptop has to represent your company (the quality, the
workmanship, the design, etc.) the idea of branding it has to represent my
company. This is why I have to be super picky. If you thought it was junk
by your standards, did you think I wouldn't also think it's junk?
As for rushing it... I am only going by the expectation you have set
forth on your webpage and the deadlines you have communicated to me.
Finally, I read about your offering manuals on Tomshardware forum
somewhere that says the units from K|N comes with manuals. That's the only
reason I was looking for one - again, I took it to be something you
advertise and will deliver.
You said you are going to post the manual online (not printed) and all
the drivers - great, that's fine by me. I didn't bitch about demanding you
to mail me a hardcopy.
I wish we were able to communicate better on the deadline and how you
needed more time and even more money since I expect something of the highest
quality. Within reason I would've been happy to pay you more for your best
work (without scratches, without cutting your finger off, without the
bubbles, without rushing, adding laminate, etc.) The thing is, you kept
agreeing/promising to do all these things without discussing extra cost and
effort.
Regardless, I am grateful that you are willing to do what you think is
the "right thing". It seems that there are some
resentment/bitterness/misunderstanding on both ends of the business deal so
it is indeed time to move on. I will drop off the laptop at FedEx.
I assume the slip you sent me comes with tracking and insurance so we
can be sure the laptop gets back to you.
Cheers,
Raymond Fong
Director
Affinity Enterprises
www.AffinityEnterprises.com
Raymond@AffinityEnterprises.com
********************
Ray, the 14.1" market isn't something I want to pursue.
I designed you a logo, and printed it out.
That cost me time and money.
The system was ready to ship.
You didn't want the logo designed, you were not charged.
You didn't want the skin printed, you were not charged, but received it
anyway.
You then wanted a different logo skin printed you had designed.
It was.
You HAD TO HAVE THE SYSTEM by FRIDAY according to an message I got 3 hours
before it would have to ship.
You got 2 day shipping AT NO CHARGE.
In the process of rushing your skin, to cut it to the proper size before
application, the top 1/4 of my finger tip was cut off.
YOUR SYSTEM STILL WAS TAKEN TO THE ACTUAL FEDEX DISTIBUTION CENTER BECAUSE
ALL PACKAGES HAD BEEN PICKED UP ALREADY SO YOU COULD HAVE IT BEFORE I EVEN
WENT TO THE HOSPITAL.
Upon receiving your system you called and told me there was a scratch. I
didn't ask for a picture or argue at all about it. I said I would have it
shipped back at my expense to remove it and give you a new skin because you
were unhappy with the job done. 100% customer satisfaction is the goal.
You then called and said you wanted additional laminate's put over the top
of the skin to bring the height to the top of the channel the skin resides
in.
You then called back and said there was no printed manual. At this point I
had to think long and hard if I wanted to put the K|N name on that
particular chassis, and I don't. The chassis and what comes with it does not
make the grade, I feel it is junk.
My target market is gamers, and people that want custom work and want it
done right. To do custom work right, it can't be rushed. I want to do the
right thing and that is giving you your money back so you can deal with
someone who is going to specialize in that type of system.
********************
Mark,
Both of us are businessman so we can learn to read between the lines.
If you mean to say "I am tired of providing customers service to you, please
return the product and I will give you your money back" then fair enough.
If this "probability matrix" truly exists, perhaps it would've been
wise for us to have visited it BEFORE this whole debacle. Good for your
business and good for the usage of my time.
This email is ironic in that, within the span of just a few hours, you
went from saying "I want to do this right" to "bug off" (Do you seriously
expect me to just accept the laptop with that scratch on the cover? And
with all those bubbles and particles trapped between the laminate and the
sticker?)
Regardless, thank you for the return label, I will be returning it
promptly and will look forward to a refund so I may take my business
elsewhere.
And thank you for informing me of a second-hand Dell (who "sold out to
China"...), but I am not interested. I have already found another vendor
that also does custom work.
Good luck with your future endeavors.
Cheers,
Raymond Fong
Director
Affinity Enterprises
www.AffinityEnterprises.com
Raymond@AffinityEnterprises.com
********************
Raymond,
I have entered the details of this transaction into a probability matrix on
my server and it has come up with every conceivable future outcome. Through
statistical analysis I have determined that in no scenario is Killer
Notebooks a good fit for your situation.
I have officially discontinued the Kodachi as a product we will be offering.
I believe the company is better suited in the high end gaming market, and
that is where we will be focusing our efforts.
I do know someone who bought an Executioner from me and has a DELL 12.1" XPS
system that they are selling for $1,700, which may be better suited for you.
It is decked out with 2 GB RAM, 120 GB HD, Intel 3945 wireless, BlueTooth,
Core 2 Duo T7200 2.0 GHz. I think it is a really good deal.
http/www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsnb_m1210?c=us
<http
/www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/xpsnb_m1210?c=us&c
s=19&l=en&s=dhs> &cs=19&l=en&s=dhs
You can use this label to send the system back and I will refund your money.
If you are interested in the DELL XPS, I can get you the persons contact
information.