Axminster and lack of common spares and stupid lead times.

[tomatwark]

I have had a Axminster TH410 Thicknesser for several years

The out feed roller has final given up its rubber coating.

I am not complaining about the machine as it has done a lot of work, I have been trying to get a feed roller from Axi since November when it started to go and have rung them several times, to be told they are on order.

I have just come off the phone to them, I am now told I should have ordered one as the parts have come in and all been sent out.

At no time did anyone tell me this.

The best bit is they are not getting them in again for 3 to 4 months.

Axminster perhaps need to learn there is such a thing as airfreight and everything does not need to got in shipping container form China.

This is supposed to be a TRADE machine which means it is for some business use, I am supposed to tell my customers I can't do their jobs because they can't get their supply chain right, when this is a part that will wear out and should be on the shelves.

I will never buy a own brand machine from them again, if they cannot carry spares.

Rant over I guess I now need to buy a new machine and sell the other for spares, it won't be from Axminster.

 

[n0legs]

That's not good, how about getting the original recovered?

 

[tomatwark]

The last time I had this done for a company I worked for it was about £200 so on a machine that is only a £1000 new it is not worth it, also it is 5 years old so does not really owe me any thing, the rollers from Axminster are about £30 from memory.

It really was a rant about the fact Axminster import all these machines but can't keep a decent stock of spares.

 

[sunnybob]

Have you asked axminster for a quote for air freight? O.K. they should have told you to put your name on one, but they wont volounteer air freight unless you ask.
I have had a lot of dealings with them recently and I couldnt ask for a more friendly eager to help company. They shipped a new bandsaw all the way to Cyprus for me at a very reasonable rate when other companies wouldnt entertain the idea and then spent a lot of email time helping me with set up issues.

 

[tomatwark]

Axminster have been very good in the past with me as well, but I guess they are now getting to big with all the shops they are opening and perhaps taking their eye off the ball with stock control of parts, a rubber outfeed roller is a part that will wear on any planer and there for should be kept in sensible quantities and stock checked.

A company like Axminster will have systems in place to do this.

I just need to decide how much to spend on a new machine now as we only use it for section under 24mm and over 180mm wide as the foursider does the rest of the work now, which was why I would rather of repaired it.

I was going to upgrade it in the end anyway but could of done with it going on for a bit longer yet, but I need to spend enough that will give me a machine which meets the regs but I can justify sitting idle for a lot of the time.

 

[sawdust1]

Had the same thing with their 15inch thicknesser when the drive chain broke, they kept no spares for the machine.
Repaired it with a chain link joiner 2 years ago and its still ok.

 

[tomatwark]

Update on this.

I got a call this afternoon from Axminster to say they found a roller and it has been dispatched tonight.

So thank you Axminster for sorting this.

 

[Inoffthered]

Axminster have been very good in the past with me as well, but I guess they are now getting to big with all the shops they are opening and perhaps taking their eye off the ball with stock control of parts, a rubber outfeed roller is a part that will wear on any planer and there for should be kept in sensible quantities and stock checked.

A company like Axminster will have systems in place to do this.

Well clearly they don't have systems for this, because if they did the OP would have been able to get the part he wanted and / or been told he should place an order for one.

Axminster is living on the goodwill generated in the past but the time is rapidly approaching when a lot more of their customers will have a "kings new clothes" moment and realise that in reality they are becoming a bit of a shambles.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

My experience of Axminster (more than a decade) has been exemplary and I've spent thousands with them over the years in fact I would go further and say that they're at their best when things go wrong. I don't believe it's reasonable to tar the entire operation with a negative brush over an isolated experience even though in your case the service was clearly poor. I don't mean to be deliberately contrary, just to give a balancing viewpoint that's all.

 

[sunnybob]

As I've said, Axminster have been as good as anyone could ask for with my order, which was not at any time an easy purchase.
I think I can claim to have helped the guy get his roller, because I mentioned it only two days ago to axminster in another email regarding my set up. Now if that was a follow up from my remarks and they tracked him down from that, there isnt anybody here who can snark at that for service.
But they are huge. I have been to head office in axminster, and I was gobsmacked by the size of their warehouse, it must be big enough for a couple of football pitches AND a 9 hole pitch and putt. Any company that big cant be 100% perfect all the time.

I've proved that you have to moan AT the company, not ABOUT the company to get results.

 

[John15]

My nearest store is in High Wycombe and I've called there many times. What puzzles me is that when I visit there are usually 3 or 4 customers and 2 sales staff in this huge store. Maybe a lot of stuff is bought online.

John

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

As I've said, Axminster have been as good as anyone could ask for with my order, which was not at any time an easy purchase.
I think I can claim to have helped the guy get his roller, because I mentioned it only two days ago to axminster in another email regarding my set up. Now if that was a follow up from my remarks and they tracked him down from that, there isnt anybody here who can snark at that for service.
But they are huge. I have been to head office in axminster, and I was gobsmacked by the size of their warehouse, it must be big enough for a couple of football pitches AND a 9 hole pitch and putt. Any company that big cant be 100% perfect all the time.

I've proved that you have to moan AT the company, not ABOUT the company to get results.

I entirely agree with that, and pretty much all decent companies will always make an open plea to their customers to bring problems to them directly. Having said that, the OP did that in his case so I guess there'll always be one that slips through the cracks.

I have to say that for sheer service I've never beaten Record Power. One of their primary value propositions is their 5 year warranty and part of their commitment to honouring that is a massive stock of spares as well as dedicated folk on the technical support phone. I've had motors go on a DX machine and an older bandsaw and after a quick diagnostic call where I had already eliminated the switch/trivialities they shipped me new motors same day. Lighting fast response and no quibbles. I guess due to their sheer size Axy simply cannot on any practical level carry spares for the entire range.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

My nearest store is in High Wycombe and I've called there many times. What puzzles me is that when I visit there are usually 3 or 4 customers and 2 sales staff in this huge store. Maybe a lot of stuff is bought online.

John

Until Basingstoke opened I also went to HW and like you found staff outnumbering customers. I buy more online so I guess most other people do. Have to say I'm going to miss the catalogue though....soft, strong and thoroughly absorbent!

 

[tomatwark]

As I've said, Axminster have been as good as anyone could ask for with my order, which was not at any time an easy purchase.
I think I can claim to have helped the guy get his roller, because I mentioned it only two days ago to axminster in another email regarding my set up. Now if that was a follow up from my remarks and they tracked him down from that, there isnt anybody here who can snark at that for service.
But they are huge. I have been to head office in axminster, and I was gobsmacked by the size of their warehouse, it must be big enough for a couple of football pitches AND a 9 hole pitch and putt. Any company that big cant be 100% perfect all the time.

I've proved that you have to moan AT the company, not ABOUT the company to get results.

It may also be that I spend a lot of money with them over a course of the year and have been a customer since the early days when they first printed the catalogue.

The service is always good, the issue I have is that if they are getting machines made in China for them with a lead time of months from order, they should make sure they have a stock of parts that will wear and need to be replaced.

 

[sunnybob]

I've visited axminster at axminster for more years than I can remember (certainly back when that was their only shop), and there always used to be a queue for service. But now thats changed and it has to be internet shopping thats caused it.

Now, i drop into basingstoke on my way from heathrow back to family in somerset. Its really nice to wander around an empty shop. Full marks to them for opening more and letting us all browse.

But I dont have any kind of "special" relationship with them. Untill 8 weeks ago they wouldnt have known me from adam.

Completely opposite from my experience with yandles in somerset, where I was treated to the most appalling off hand "are you mad?" treatment I've ever had in my life when I asked them to ship a bandsaw to cyprus. They've lost my custom forever. Axminster has gained a customer that will come back again and again.

 

[stuartpaul]

As I've said, Axminster have been as good as anyone could ask for with my order, which was not at any time an easy purchase.
I think I can claim to have helped the guy get his roller, because I mentioned it only two days ago to axminster in another email regarding my set up. Now if that was a follow up from my remarks and they tracked him down from that, there isnt anybody here who can snark at that for service.
But they are huge. I have been to head office in axminster, and I was gobsmacked by the size of their warehouse, it must be big enough for a couple of football pitches AND a 9 hole pitch and putt. Any company that big cant be 100% perfect all the time.

I've proved that you have to moan AT the company, not ABOUT the company to get results.

It may also be that I spend a lot of money with them over a course of the year and have been a customer since the early days when they first printed the catalogue.

The service is always good, the issue I have is that if they are getting machines made in China for them with a lead time of months from order, they should make sure they have a stock of parts that will wear and need to be replaced.

I had an issue with a morticer a while ago and whilst way out of warranty they were incredibly helpful.

As I'm so close I can go directly to them and have a chat which was quite illuminating. They don't sell thousands of machines so they basically buy a machine for spares rather than have a huge stock of spares that can sit on a shelf for years. Only if a problem with a particular unit crops up will they consider a 'special' spare set up.

If your unit isn't a current model you might be lucky and there's a few bits still left but otherwise it can be a bit hit and miss.