Come visit us at Festool events in your area - July/Aug 2011

Fidel:

There's a demo day here Friday but you're welcome to come demo stuff here any time.

Tom
 
Wish I could be there!  But this time your guys wish came true I was not there!!!
 
fidelfs said:
I just called Woodcraft north at 60FM 1960 West and they dont' know that either.  They have a jigsaw demo July 30, but that is it.
[eek] ??? [huh] [embarassed] [sad] [crying] [mad]

It does seems a little odd that it's on Festool's website for two Houston events and nobody local knows anything about it.

I'm really disappointed.
 
I spoke with the local Woodcraft manager today.  He said the "in-store" Festool events for our area are handled by a third party marketing company and there is only one representative for all of Texas.  The rep was at a Woodcraft store in San Antonio yesterday so all the other events listed for July 22nd at Woodcraft in Texas did not happen.  (Austin, Addison, Fort Worth, Houston NW, Houston SW)

I told him I had planned to attend since I recently bought a number of new Festools and was looking for tips and tricks to improve my productivity.

He confided that the marketing rep was not going to able to do that anyway as he is not nearly as knowledgeable as the trainers Festool sends to the stores for employee product knowledge seminars.

Oh, well.
 
deepcreek said:
I spoke with the local Woodcraft manager today.  He said the "in-store" Festool events for our area are handled by a third party marketing company and there is only one representative for all of Texas.  The rep was at a Woodcraft store in San Antonio yesterday so all the other events listed for July 22nd at Woodcraft in Texas did not happen.  (Austin, Addison, Fort Worth, Houston NW, Houston SW)

I told him I had planned to attend since I recently bought a number of new Festools and was looking for tips and tricks to improve my productivity.

He confided that the marketing rep was not going to able to do that anyway as he is not nearly as knowledgeable as the trainers Festool sends to the stores for employee product knowledge seminars.

Oh, well.

This is incorrect there was a Festool rep demo'ing products at the Woodcraft in Addison.  I was able to try out the CXS and the RO 90.

Edit:  Just to clarify I am referring to Friday the 22nd not today. :)
 
deepcreek said:
I spoke with the local Woodcraft manager today.  He said the "in-store" Festool events for our area are handled by a third party marketing company and there is only one representative for all of Texas.  The rep was at a Woodcraft store in San Antonio yesterday so all the other events listed for July 22nd at Woodcraft in Texas did not happen.  (Austin, Addison, Fort Worth, Houston NW, Houston SW)

I told him I had planned to attend since I recently bought a number of new Festools and was looking for tips and tricks to improve my productivity.

He confided that the marketing rep was not going to able to do that anyway as he is not nearly as knowledgeable as the trainers Festool sends to the stores for employee product knowledge seminars.

Oh, well.

Who knows where that person got his misinformation about Festool demonstrations.

First of all, Steve Bace is the original "Trainer" for Festool USA. He was already established in Henderson, NV with his own training facility when Festool USA hired him. Until early 2010 Steve only trained Festool reps and dealer employees.

Once the new HQ for Festool USA was ready in Lebanon, IN Brian Sedgeley, who had been a field factory rep after a career in cabinet and boat building, was selected as the trainer in Lebanon, IN.

Needless to say, Steve and Brian are outstanding trainer of factory reps, demonstrators, dealer personnel and end users. The only Festool end user class I have not attended was Intro to Festool. Both Steve and Brian have been the trainers in all those classes. I have participated in many Festool demo days at a lot of dealers all over the USA. During those times I have met a whole lot of Festool reps and seen them in action.

My opinion is that any of those Festool reps could step in and serve as a trainer.

So I am offended that a spokesperson for a Festool dealer would defame the business and professional reputation of anyone Festool USA assigned to do demonstrations of tools. Trust me every Festool rep I have met had useful tips to teach me. I have not only owned Festools since 2006, I have made a lot of money using those Festools. I respect the input from Festool employees. Unfortunately I cannot be sure the basis of information from every employee at many Festool dealers. The owner and his employees discussing Festools at Eagle Tool in Los Angeles and at In-Touch Tools of Palm Desert tell it like it is and if they have no personal experience in some area they say so immediately. Life would be so much better if every employee of every dealer made it clear when they do not have the answer or experience.
 
Well... there is at least one south Florida resident who will go to one of these events.  I would really like to see the Domino in action, and although I got a Bosch jigsaw, I would like to see what advantages Festools' holds over Bosch.
 
That is why I made the comment about Houston being in Mars.   That has happend to me so many times, people don't knowing what is going on in their own store.

It is not Festool fault, it is people in Houston.  

I travel to many cities, and houston is the only place like that.

The manager should know what is going on in woodcraft, but no, they dont care.  Pay me and that is enough.
Unless you deal with people fron other cities, houston  people wont get it.  It is sad, but true.
I think I have posted my experience when buying thebLR32 system, I had to drive to Austin wherre i got a fine treatment from Tool-Home.  Something that I wont get in Housto

It is not your fault Festool is Houston.
 
One would think that with attitudes like that, the store would sell less, which would call for a change in management.  If the owner doesn't care, then all is lost...
 
I'm not sure why Woodcraft is getting the blame.  So far as I know, it's not their fault a Festool rep did not show up as advertised.  I'm glad somebody made it to Addison.  Sorry for passing on any misinformation.

FWIW - My local guy knows his stuff about Festool and actually helped me out with some questions I had that day.  I've bought from both stores in town and know both managers.  They've always been super helpful and have a broad woodworking knowledge.

I expected the representatives hosting these events to be Festool employees who are bona fide experts with every product.  Is this the case or would it have been a salesman with a third party marketing company?

 
My apologies for anyone who went to an event and there was not a Festool rep present. I have been informed that there was a personnel issue that caused the absence.
 
fidelfs said:
...
It is not Festool fault, it is people in Houston.  

I travel to many cities, and houston is the only place like that.
...

It is my opinion that Dallas is the same way.  I have checked out the local Woodcraft and Rocker as well as Wood World, all 3 Festool dealers near me.  I have not yet found an employee in any of the 3 who was knowledgeable about the Festool line.  I have chalked it up to lack of interest. 

There was a Festool rep at the Addison, TX demo day as I have said.  I am terrible with names so I have forgotten his name unfortunately.  He was incredibly helpful and courteous but didn't strike me as having quite as much knowledge of the product line as other's have described demo'ers having.
 
Okay, got to ask... where/what stores do any of you find knowledgeable sales people anymore?  Really do you find anyone any more that knows anything about what they carry, sell etc.?

The wages for sales people is so low that all you get in most stores is someone waiting for a job at a company that will offer healthcare and pay them enough to feed their family and not have to live in a car!

The Walmart business model is killing us...  cheap inferior goods, made with the equivalent of slave labor made outside of America and the profits go to the Walmart family that has not given back even .0001% of their wealth to help anyone. Anyone remember the Craigery libraries? I grew up getting books from one every week.

Walmart regularly tells their employees to go on welfare and get food stamps while they work at Walmart at that is what the government is for.

Okay stepping off the soap box....

I just got to say that if you don't use Festool tools... you will never be able to sell them to anyone else. They are great but they are complex, in the way that you need to know the whole system to really get the good out of them.

My local Woodcraft dealer is the best I have found.  That said I don't think their blood runs Green.....LOL

Cheers,
Steve
 
fidelfs said:
I just called Woodcraft north at 60FM 1960 West and they dont' know that either.  They have a jigsaw demo July 30, but that is it.

I don't want to restart the Houston bashing but I just spoke with the Manager at the Woodcraft in Northwest Houston and the jigsaw demo scheduled for today has been cancelled.  Apparently, both local stores are sold out of the Trions and of course the Carvex is still not available.  It was to be an "in store" demo performed by Woodcraft employees.
 
Maybe they should have just used a disclaimer in the ad, like July 30th Festool Demo of Trion or RO 90 or OF 1400 or some kind of sandpaper, all depending on stock.  Heck, we'll show you something!  [big grin]
 
That's funny but true.  They said, "Come on in and we'll demonstrate anything you want!"
 
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