Thank you Tooltechnic Australia .. so old stock is good enough for the Aussies?

[size=13pt]Aloysius

Well what can be said further? Well some more!  [eek] Sure there have been recent improvements in the amount of dealer based Festool demo days, but  our 'Festool All Inclusive'  still does not equal that offered in the UK and the US. Further, unlike the UK we have retail price maintenance and unlike the US our DE/tool discounts are occasional  unequal 'specials'.

As for Tasmania, [my birth state] - it's only one overnight ferry away from Festool Aust HQ or 50 mins flying time from Tullermarine Airport.  If Festool US was in NYork and you were in Washington DC would there be a problem!? I think not! [blink] [eek]

[member=13058]Kev[/member]  [member=40772]Holmz[/member] [member=9481]aloysius[/member] [member=42735]DB10[/member] [member=59890]Grakat[/member]

 
That wait time is insane!!!

Get on the phone to Blair and ask him why Tasmanian customers are being so badly neglected.
 
Moaning git! Just be happy the western world shared the secret of fire with you! [eek] [wink]

In all seriousness though, in 2016, with global shipping and logistics networks, it's contemptuous to expect you guys to accept being at the bottom of the pile, buying up all the outdated tech and having to like it. I would say vote with your feet, but I think the reality is, Festool is a little arrogant as a company and simply wouldn't care.
 
Kev said:
That wait time is insane!!!

Get on the phone to Blair and ask him why Tasmanian customers are being so badly neglected.
Click to expand...

All 8 Tasmanian customers?

When I can get on the phone to Germany, and I got the insanely priced red tools generally cheaper or at the same price as the green ones and quicker, then it indicates some significant overhead in supporting such a small customer base as Au or NZ. How do you compete with Bunnings with they have 3000 customers to FT's 10,  and Mafell's 0.006?
And when one could order the gear direct from Germany cheaper and get it quicker, then for everything but old batteries and sand papers consumables it makes it hard to justify supporting them.

Warranty would be one reason to buy through the chain.
 
For me it runs a little deeper.  I've been a customer since the Festo "Blue" days of about 1995, initially purchasing an SR5 vac & HL850 planer.  Both are excellent tools & both still running.

Since Festo was introduced to Australia shortly after I've bought a fair bit more too.  Having a "local bloke" to offer sales, advice and an often on-the-spot repair service was (& still is) fantastic.  Having dealt with him for some 30 years now I'm not about to change just because Festo Oz is stupid enough to give him the flick!  They did the same to another of my long-term suppliers, probably Festo/ol's longest serving Tas. retailer!

I'm of an age when personal relatonships counts for everything in business, and material items for little.  Just because a maker has a "better mousetrap" doesn't mean that I'll be buying!

Some Festo products are both unique & outstanding:  the Domino (so I'm told - I don't have one nor intend to), the HL850 planer, RO150 sander (others do one, but not as well),  and.... that's about it really.  I can't think of any other tool that Festo/ol makes that isn't made as well by an alternative supplier.  Maybe their electrically commutated sanders are better than the Mirka equivalents, but it's not a tool I envisage needing anyway.  I generally like Festo Vacs (I have 2) and sanders (I have 7), but I also regularly use 7 made by competitors too.

Worse yet, some of their tools are now pretty poorly designed or made, despite being premium priced.  In fact my last 3 purchases have been extremely disappointing:  Rotex 90, Kapex & Trion.  I also haven't had a good run from my cordless drills either:  C12 & TDD 14.  Not bad, but not good either.  Yes, I know their more modern ones should be better, but even when new the Festo cordless tech. was a couple of years behind the others, which still appears to be the case (most other mnfr's have 6.0, 6.2 & even 9.0 ah battery options now, and where was the cordless SDS & grinder when I needed them).  You tend to "waste your money" only once in life.

The thing is, I don't mind paying over the odds for a superior experience:  Buying from someone I know & trust, or for superior features or tech., superior service, ergonomics, operational lifespan, availability of friendly & timely service and repair.

But when a supplier takes away all that was good, rich &/or rewarding from the customer experience, then what am I left with?  In my case just a slightly sour taste in the mouth, and a nagging feeling that I've been taken advantage of...
 
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