Hi everyone! I'm new too Festool's and while seemingly as in love with them as the rest of you (still new and learning) i do feel pulled to write about what for me is a significant, if somewhat tangential issue with Festool / Tooltechnic quality and accountability.
Regardless of how we come to awareness of Festools, once we get bit, the progression of Festool obsession is predictable. This year i got some money back (from loosing allot in business) and decided to invest in some quality tools that would help invigorate my attitude and experience at work. I'm a Hardwood flooring contractor, so i started with the Rotex and the CT 22 and I'm thrilled with them. At the suggestion of a old friend who has his own business as well, i decided to go for the MFT 3 ~TS 55 combo as well, "no success like excess" - Yates or Blake perhaps. . .
I'm writing here to comment on the poor packaging of the MFT 3 and to a lesser extent the guide rails. I have talked with a few National on line distributors and a few Festool reps, and am sorry to hear that they seem to blame the distributors for a ongoing packaging problem.
My MFT 3 arrived looking like it had detoured through a riot, not a quiet one either. The box was torn in multiple places, the top and bottom were marred (the box, not the table) and there we many dents and crush marks. If i had been home, i would have likely refused the shipment. But here it was and boy, i was excited and happy, regardless of the condition of the carton. Perhaps it was double boxed i thought, the vacuum cleaner had been. . . I was hoping for the best.
As i carefully broke the tape seal and folded up the flaps i was greeted by crushed Styrofoam and the sight of two dents in the top pair of folding legs that faced out toward me. I was saddened and a bit angry at UPS. I has asked them to leave it in the back yard, not on my front stoop in plain view with the Rail and TS 55 but where the shipment was delivered became irrelevant as i continued to find more damage as i got the table set up and the started looking for the table presets, or stops. Nope ! no stops, not ONE. I don't know how two or four stops disappeared, but somehow they were absent. The side rails of the table were also dented and scratched and yet i wanted to see my new toy and set it up! I mean, I'm a kid still at pushing 50 and this is like the best Christmas morning a guy could ask for (by himself at least).
So i read the directions and puzzled through the somewhat less than clear and to my aging eyes, tiny diagrams showing where there should be stops, and how to put the whole system together. as i did so, i realized that the guide rail was also damaged! two of the possible four corners were "dinged" or slightly bent and out of alignment with the body of the rail. How UPS managed to dent the rail, in a cardboard box, between the folded legs of the table made me realize that the rail had almost no padding or protection, and that one good bump could cause the rail to impact the inside of the table and bend the rail. All for the lack of a few layers of cardboard.
I am disappointed on a number of fronts. first of all that there is not double boxing of the table. Especially as i understand at one time their was, but with the addition of the Styrofoam corners, Festool decided to do away with the double boxing. Second of all that there is no perimeter reinforcement of the single wall box except for the corners. Evey possible edge of this box was banged up so it' clear that it's needed. I have had conversations with a few national distributors and they all reported multiple claims on Tables and that to add insult to injury, my complaint to Tooltechnic was forwarded without my permission to a distributor and used to blame the distributor for the lack of proper packaging on the tool that they are manufacturing. There is a bit of the worst of corporate culture here that i imagine that we don't want to acknowledge here, that Festool is in the end, no different from Goldman Sacks or Chevron, they will do what the can to maximize profits and take it out of the pocket of the distributor and the customer who has to wait for another shipment.
Now you could say, buy local and pay the 10% tax and let someone else deal with this. But that simply hides the issue. The tables and rails need better packaging and it is the manufacturers responsibility to provide it. In closing my some comments to Festool and then one of my distributor/ "dealers".
To Festool / Tooltechnic
"Another problem along with the damaged table (bent legs and dented and scratched side rails) is that the saw guide rail had dinged corners that were obviously caused by banging around in the box. The rail that came in the ts55 was packaged much better and arrived in pristine condition, what I pay for, and expect, with Festool.
I am also missing the table preset stops. either they were not included or became loose and fell out of the torn and damaged box. Since it is mentioned in the instructions that this often happens, might i suggest covering the stops with tape to secure them while shipping? Also i found the table among the most versatile, sophisticated and well thought out pieces of equipment that Festool offers, the user manual really could be much, much better. the diagrams are small, the paper rather cheap (not a nice touch) and the quality of editing and "readability" not quite up to snuff. Perhaps there is another user developed manual I'm not aware of ?
Seemingly small things like paper quality, and quality of writing and diagrams reflect on a company. . . Especially when your striving to remain at the top of your field, like i am, with the help of your tools. While i know that top of the line paper is an exorbitant cost for manuals, a small increase in quality and production (writing etc) would reflect well on the company and further incline me to continue too consider purchasing Festools.
After reviewing UPS's shipping claim forms etc, it seems that from their perspective Festool's choice to go to single wall box shipping for the MFT/3 may not be in anyones interest. I don't know who made that call, but i imagine they are already regretting it. I'm old enough to realize neither my perspective or experience are unique.
The fact that it is all due to the choice to move to a single wall box is my first clear indication that there are basic wisdom / quality problems at the company. I hope in the future that they escape my notice, or at least do not affect my production schedule so directly.
And to my "Dealer"
"I am saddened to hear that Festool / Tooltechnic does not stand behind their distributors in claims with their shipper, when the problem is due to their choices in package design, likely driven buy efforts to lower costs and extract profits at the expense of everyone else involved.
It's as if Tooltechnic has never read UPS's guide to shipping! I'm sad to see that Tooltechnic seems to feel the need to copy the likes of bankers and oil executives in their unwillingness to accept responsibility for the consequences of their executive decisions. Then it falls on other people to shift the responsibility for that decision. No fun for anyone.
After 28 years in business i know that I am often frustrated with a business partner who changes the ground rules in the middle of a transaction. While it's clear that changes need to be made, perhaps by distributors, as well, the primary responsibility lies with the manufacturer. It is not in their interests to make their products more difficult to ship or expensive for their dealers. It is in their interest to design a package that will get the tool to the end user without claims that cost everyone time, money, and patience (always in short supply).
No one is going to flinch at another $10 if it saves the hassle of a claim. It's even the kind of thing they could mention in the catalog. Fix the problem once and for all. Apple & Dell can package a computer, Festool should figure out how to package a table as well as they package everything else. Although it's clear that the rail packaging could improve also. . . Just one more fold of cardboard would likely do the trick in that case. The table needs perimeter and crush protection. . .
While i have no idea if you inspect every tool you receive from Tooltechnic, i wonder if some damage occurs in shipping to you, that is not discovered until it reaches the customer. I can't see you opening and inspecting every tool you get, yet in the case of the MFT it's obviously (after talking to other) a chronic problem that plagues all Festool dealers.
This was not a case of routine damage, as you will see, that table was mistreated severely before it got to my door. While the corner protection did it's job, there is no protection for the rails or the legs and that is not your fault, or responsibility, to repackage a product for delivery. It is not all about the choice of shipper either, a poorly designed packaging system will continue to fail regardless of who handles it, the issue is Festools packaging design is not sufficient for the realities of the world. The manufacturer needs to follow through with their much vaunted "continuing development" of excellence in packaging !
UPS really screwed up with their handling. It is the responsibility of the shipper to extend reasonable care for a package clearly marked fragile. Yet it is also the responsibility of all of us to recognize and respond to chronic problems with proactive solutions.
If how and when Festool does improve their packaging is yet to be seen.
Hope you enjoyed reading as much as i did writing, i hope you stopped long ago if you didn't. We can just "take what we need" here and leave the rest. Hopefully i have not offended anyone, or touched any sore toes.
Ward
Regardless of how we come to awareness of Festools, once we get bit, the progression of Festool obsession is predictable. This year i got some money back (from loosing allot in business) and decided to invest in some quality tools that would help invigorate my attitude and experience at work. I'm a Hardwood flooring contractor, so i started with the Rotex and the CT 22 and I'm thrilled with them. At the suggestion of a old friend who has his own business as well, i decided to go for the MFT 3 ~TS 55 combo as well, "no success like excess" - Yates or Blake perhaps. . .
I'm writing here to comment on the poor packaging of the MFT 3 and to a lesser extent the guide rails. I have talked with a few National on line distributors and a few Festool reps, and am sorry to hear that they seem to blame the distributors for a ongoing packaging problem.
My MFT 3 arrived looking like it had detoured through a riot, not a quiet one either. The box was torn in multiple places, the top and bottom were marred (the box, not the table) and there we many dents and crush marks. If i had been home, i would have likely refused the shipment. But here it was and boy, i was excited and happy, regardless of the condition of the carton. Perhaps it was double boxed i thought, the vacuum cleaner had been. . . I was hoping for the best.
As i carefully broke the tape seal and folded up the flaps i was greeted by crushed Styrofoam and the sight of two dents in the top pair of folding legs that faced out toward me. I was saddened and a bit angry at UPS. I has asked them to leave it in the back yard, not on my front stoop in plain view with the Rail and TS 55 but where the shipment was delivered became irrelevant as i continued to find more damage as i got the table set up and the started looking for the table presets, or stops. Nope ! no stops, not ONE. I don't know how two or four stops disappeared, but somehow they were absent. The side rails of the table were also dented and scratched and yet i wanted to see my new toy and set it up! I mean, I'm a kid still at pushing 50 and this is like the best Christmas morning a guy could ask for (by himself at least).
So i read the directions and puzzled through the somewhat less than clear and to my aging eyes, tiny diagrams showing where there should be stops, and how to put the whole system together. as i did so, i realized that the guide rail was also damaged! two of the possible four corners were "dinged" or slightly bent and out of alignment with the body of the rail. How UPS managed to dent the rail, in a cardboard box, between the folded legs of the table made me realize that the rail had almost no padding or protection, and that one good bump could cause the rail to impact the inside of the table and bend the rail. All for the lack of a few layers of cardboard.
I am disappointed on a number of fronts. first of all that there is not double boxing of the table. Especially as i understand at one time their was, but with the addition of the Styrofoam corners, Festool decided to do away with the double boxing. Second of all that there is no perimeter reinforcement of the single wall box except for the corners. Evey possible edge of this box was banged up so it' clear that it's needed. I have had conversations with a few national distributors and they all reported multiple claims on Tables and that to add insult to injury, my complaint to Tooltechnic was forwarded without my permission to a distributor and used to blame the distributor for the lack of proper packaging on the tool that they are manufacturing. There is a bit of the worst of corporate culture here that i imagine that we don't want to acknowledge here, that Festool is in the end, no different from Goldman Sacks or Chevron, they will do what the can to maximize profits and take it out of the pocket of the distributor and the customer who has to wait for another shipment.
Now you could say, buy local and pay the 10% tax and let someone else deal with this. But that simply hides the issue. The tables and rails need better packaging and it is the manufacturers responsibility to provide it. In closing my some comments to Festool and then one of my distributor/ "dealers".
To Festool / Tooltechnic
"Another problem along with the damaged table (bent legs and dented and scratched side rails) is that the saw guide rail had dinged corners that were obviously caused by banging around in the box. The rail that came in the ts55 was packaged much better and arrived in pristine condition, what I pay for, and expect, with Festool.
I am also missing the table preset stops. either they were not included or became loose and fell out of the torn and damaged box. Since it is mentioned in the instructions that this often happens, might i suggest covering the stops with tape to secure them while shipping? Also i found the table among the most versatile, sophisticated and well thought out pieces of equipment that Festool offers, the user manual really could be much, much better. the diagrams are small, the paper rather cheap (not a nice touch) and the quality of editing and "readability" not quite up to snuff. Perhaps there is another user developed manual I'm not aware of ?
Seemingly small things like paper quality, and quality of writing and diagrams reflect on a company. . . Especially when your striving to remain at the top of your field, like i am, with the help of your tools. While i know that top of the line paper is an exorbitant cost for manuals, a small increase in quality and production (writing etc) would reflect well on the company and further incline me to continue too consider purchasing Festools.
After reviewing UPS's shipping claim forms etc, it seems that from their perspective Festool's choice to go to single wall box shipping for the MFT/3 may not be in anyones interest. I don't know who made that call, but i imagine they are already regretting it. I'm old enough to realize neither my perspective or experience are unique.
The fact that it is all due to the choice to move to a single wall box is my first clear indication that there are basic wisdom / quality problems at the company. I hope in the future that they escape my notice, or at least do not affect my production schedule so directly.
And to my "Dealer"
"I am saddened to hear that Festool / Tooltechnic does not stand behind their distributors in claims with their shipper, when the problem is due to their choices in package design, likely driven buy efforts to lower costs and extract profits at the expense of everyone else involved.
It's as if Tooltechnic has never read UPS's guide to shipping! I'm sad to see that Tooltechnic seems to feel the need to copy the likes of bankers and oil executives in their unwillingness to accept responsibility for the consequences of their executive decisions. Then it falls on other people to shift the responsibility for that decision. No fun for anyone.
After 28 years in business i know that I am often frustrated with a business partner who changes the ground rules in the middle of a transaction. While it's clear that changes need to be made, perhaps by distributors, as well, the primary responsibility lies with the manufacturer. It is not in their interests to make their products more difficult to ship or expensive for their dealers. It is in their interest to design a package that will get the tool to the end user without claims that cost everyone time, money, and patience (always in short supply).
No one is going to flinch at another $10 if it saves the hassle of a claim. It's even the kind of thing they could mention in the catalog. Fix the problem once and for all. Apple & Dell can package a computer, Festool should figure out how to package a table as well as they package everything else. Although it's clear that the rail packaging could improve also. . . Just one more fold of cardboard would likely do the trick in that case. The table needs perimeter and crush protection. . .
While i have no idea if you inspect every tool you receive from Tooltechnic, i wonder if some damage occurs in shipping to you, that is not discovered until it reaches the customer. I can't see you opening and inspecting every tool you get, yet in the case of the MFT it's obviously (after talking to other) a chronic problem that plagues all Festool dealers.
This was not a case of routine damage, as you will see, that table was mistreated severely before it got to my door. While the corner protection did it's job, there is no protection for the rails or the legs and that is not your fault, or responsibility, to repackage a product for delivery. It is not all about the choice of shipper either, a poorly designed packaging system will continue to fail regardless of who handles it, the issue is Festools packaging design is not sufficient for the realities of the world. The manufacturer needs to follow through with their much vaunted "continuing development" of excellence in packaging !
UPS really screwed up with their handling. It is the responsibility of the shipper to extend reasonable care for a package clearly marked fragile. Yet it is also the responsibility of all of us to recognize and respond to chronic problems with proactive solutions.
If how and when Festool does improve their packaging is yet to be seen.
Hope you enjoyed reading as much as i did writing, i hope you stopped long ago if you didn't. We can just "take what we need" here and leave the rest. Hopefully i have not offended anyone, or touched any sore toes.
Ward
