Excellent presales service.

[Peter Hamilton-Scott]

I went to a local Festool dealer this afternoon in Horsham not far from where I live. I went there to discuss the MFT3, CMS + router attachment. I had a few technical questions about setting it up. The salesman phoned Festool to discuss what they have in their roadshow van. They confirmed they don't usually bring the CMS but as I was interested in seeing one they agreed to make room in the van to bring down a full demonstratiion unit. He then told me that if I want they can bring one to my house and I can look at it there. I've had good relations with dealers over the past few years but I think this particular shop and Festool have really excelled in what they are prepared to do. I'm going to the dealer's demo day in a couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to seeing the Festool van.

As I left the shop I took another look at the T15+3 drill and one of the Rotex machines. I put both back on the display but for some reason I bumped something and both crashed to the floor and bounced rather sickeningly. I apologised to the dealer who said not to worry as it gives the tools a valuable shock test.

The impression that I get about Festool's products is not so much the quality you are buying into but also the culture of buying something more special than just the tools themselves.

 

[GreenGA]

Ya know, we gotta do something about these common UK/US town/city names.  :  I started reading your post and saw "local Festool dealer and Horsham", and I thought wow,  I'll be out that way in a couple of weeks.  Then I read about the CMS & router attachment, then the demo van and I really started to get all worked up.    Then..., I allowed my eyes to wonder over to your profile; Location: Crawley, West Sussex, UK.  :-[

I should-a known...  I live in New Jersey and the Horsham that immedaitely came to mind was the one across the river, just north and west of Philadelphia, PA.

Oh well, NAINA continues to reign supreme.

I went to a local Festool dealer this afternoon in Horsham not far from where I live. I went there to discuss the MFT3, CMS + router attachment. I had a few technical questions about setting it up. The salesman phoned Festool to discuss what they have in their roadshow van. They confirmed they don't usually bring the CMS but as I was interested in seeing one they agreed to make room in the van to bring down a full demonstratiion unit. He then told me that if I want they can bring one to my house and I can look at it there. I've had good relations with dealers over the past few years but I think this particular shop and Festool have really excelled in what they are prepared to do. I'm going to the dealer's demo day in a couple of weeks. I'm looking forward to seeing the Festool van.

 

[score0matic]

The impression that I get about Festool's products is not so much the quality you are buying into but also the culture of buying something more special than just the tools themselves.

Funny that sounds like TIMMY C'S tagline
http://www.festooljunkie.com


Craig

 

[Peter Hamilton-Scott]

The impression that I get about Festool's products is not so much the quality you are buying into but also the culture of buying something more special than just the tools themselves.

Funny that sounds like TIMMY C'S tagline
http://www.festooljunkie.com


Craig

So I'm not the first person to notice that it really is so. Think of mine then as confirmation. Thanks for the link to the website. I enjoyed reading it.

 

[Peter Hamilton-Scott]

Ya know, we gotta do something about these common UK/US town/city names.  :   I started reading your post and saw "local Festool dealer and Horsham", and I thought wow,  I'll...

Sorry 'bart that me 'ol sparrer. Way back in US history a lot of the US place names came over with the early settlers who landed on your shores. The difference in this case is the -ham suffix. In the UK, Horsham has no spoken emphasis or separation on either syllable. Having spent two months at MIT back in the mid-80s I lived in a house near Framing-ham. So are you a Hor-sham speaker? I'm a Festool. Are you a Fes-tool?

One thing about the south-east UK is that there are quite a few dealers within a 25 mile radius. That does not translate into easy to get to as anyone who lives in or around the London region will attest. I'm pretty darned sure that Festool are quite picky when it comes to choosing dealers. I've been to two near my home and there are quite a few dotted all over London. I'm sure the presales experience in each shop will be more or less consistent.

The salesman who told me about the roadshow coming to his store said they will also have free bacon sandwiches and coffee. If there's one manipulative sales trick that sucks me in everytime it's a bacon sandwich.

 

[Peterm]

I've been to two near my home and there are quite a few dotted all over London. I'm sure the presales experience in each shop will be more or less consistent.

I beg to differ! Sounds like you have a very good dealer there Peter - I'm in West London and have two small Festool dealers within easy striking distance, and the only time they raise anything close to enthusiasm is when they check the price list to make sure they've included all the recent increases! I was looking for a Deltex recently and while neither dealer had one in stock, only one of them offered to order me one - telling me it takes about a week for the order to come through! Compare this with, say, ordering one from another dealer and having it delivered next day with free shipping...

These two dealers are very good tool shops, and I like to support local businesses as there are benefits for everyone, but sometimes they do make it difficult...

Cheers, Pete

 

[Peter Hamilton-Scott]

I've been to two near my home and there are quite a few dotted all over London. I'm sure the presales experience in each shop will be more or less consistent.

I beg to differ! Sounds like you have a very good dealer there Peter - I'm in West London and have two small Festool dealers within easy striking distance, and the only time they raise anything close to enthusiasm is when they check the price list to make sure they've included all the recent increases! I was looking for a Deltex recently and while neither dealer had one in stock, only one of them offered to order me one - telling me it takes about a week for the order to come through! Compare this with, say, ordering one from another dealer and having it delivered next day with free shipping...

These two dealers are very good tool shops, and I like to support local businesses as there are benefits for everyone, but sometimes they do make it difficult...

Cheers, Pete

Sorry to hear that Pete. My two local dealers are excellent shops that have a range of maufacturer's tools on display. I noticed that both have more or less pride of place in the shop for the Festool stand but I don't know if that's a marketing-cum-contractual requirement or whether it's because Festool are the best and deserve the best display position. I agree with what you write about supporting local businesses and I do the same whenever I can. I like going to shops where I admit I'm not their only customer but they treat you as if you are their only customer. Those are the ones that make the difference. To be sure, if I was to visit either to buy say, Dewalt equipment (I've done that numerous times already) they take time to explain the features of the tool. Now that they know I have the Domino, TS55 and OF1400 they are more attentive and interested to know about my experiences with them. Yesterday, we had a good natter about the TS55 and how superb it is. I never had that kind of rapport with my other tool purchases. That's what I think separates the Festool domain from other tool domains. I'm just a home-hobbyist user and I'm not Thomas Chippendale either but I try my best with the limited options available to me. Remember, I have to do all my work outside in the garden as there's no room for a decent size shed to make a workshop.

If my experience was to go to a business that saw me as a bottom line profit contributor alone then I'd rather go to another shop that has the same profit motivation but sees the transaction as a two-way contract. Cash rules on the high street and I can take it where it best serves me. In time Festool will get more and more business from me. While I have two first-class dealers close by, they and Festool can be happy in the knowledge I am very happy with them. I never had that experience to such an extent before I took up the black and green banner. Small things that add value like that are not always measurable.

 

[joiner1970]

I've been to two near my home and there are quite a few dotted all over London. I'm sure the presales experience in each shop will be more or less consistent.

I beg to differ! Sounds like you have a very good dealer there Peter - I'm in West London and have two small Festool dealers within easy striking distance, and the only time they raise anything close to enthusiasm is when they check the price list to make sure they've included all the recent increases! I was looking for a Deltex recently and while neither dealer had one in stock, only one of them offered to order me one - telling me it takes about a week for the order to come through! Compare this with, say, ordering one from another dealer and having it delivered next day with free shipping...

These two dealers are very good tool shops, and I like to support local businesses as there are benefits for everyone, but sometimes they do make it difficult...

Cheers, Pete

What dealers do you use Pete ? If you dont want to name them just PM me the names just wondered if they are the ones I use.

 

[Peterm]

My nearest dealer is Intertool Shepherd's Bush (5 minutes away from me) and the other is Grizzards in Fulham (25 minutes away). Just to be clear, these are excellent tool shops that are well stocked with a variety of brands and with courteous staff, but I've never had the 'bend over backwards' or even 'make a 'phone call on your behalf' approach that Peter HS describes above - wish I had!

Of course I understand that someone coming in for a box of abrasives or one of the cheaper sanders may not get the same attention as a previous 'big-ticket' customer who's thinking about a buying items like an MFT and CMS, but even allowing for that, I've been in regularly enough to be 'known' by both dealers as a local tradesman with the need for a regular supply of tools, accessories and consumables - so a bit of extra attention would be nice once in a while!

And of course, the offer of a bacon sandwich and a cup of coffee and they'd have me as a customer forever - I'm a cheap date

Cheers, Pete

 

[Peter Hamilton-Scott]

What dealers do you use Pete ? If you dont want to name them just PM me the names just wondered if they are the ones I use.

The one that's just outside Redhill in Salfords: Salfords Festool dealer

The one in Horsham: Horsham Festool dealer

The Salfords shop is I think the busier of the two as I see more customers coming and going when I've been there. I've only been to the Horsham shop on a Saturday morning so that could probably explain why it's quieter. Both are tool heaven.

As for the bacon sandwich then I too am a cheap date. If there was such a thing as a bacon sandwich slapper then that would be me.