Who Replaced Phil Beckley?

[Cheese]

Have you met your local FT rep. If not I suggest you do and tell him your a long time member of the FOG.  Tough they all give good service I think you'll see some extra attention after he finds out.

Hey [member=10147]jobsworth[/member] there was a time when I knew who my local Festool rep was. Danny was always demoing at either Woodcraft or at 7 Corners Hardware on a 3-4 months schedule, so I'd run in to him 6-8 times a year. What a great guy, friendly, knowledgeable and willing to demo what ever any one was interested in.  His demos lasted until everyone watching him was exhausted.  [big grin]  Seriously, he'd start at 10:00 and just be winding down around 5:00.

At one Woodcraft demo, he "accidentally" knocked the newly released Syslite off of the demo table a dozen times. At some point someone asked him if it still worked, at which point, he simply turned the Syslite on. After a collective choir of gasping quieted down, the entire Syslite inventory at Woodcraft was purchased by the attendees, including myself.  Not bad business for Woodcraft or for Danny on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

And then 7 Corners Hardware went away [sad]...and then Danny went away [sad]...and then the demos at Woodcraft went away...  [crying]

I've seen the new local Festool rep only once in the last 5 years and that was at the Festool Roadshow in 2018.

 

[sancho57]

Wow that sucks. I would check Anderson Plywoods site and they would list the Festool demo days. But I agree about Woodcraft. I met Allan K at my local woodcraft in Calif. He would regularly put on demos ad Id go there just to ax questions about tools and techiques for different projects I was doing at the time.

Last time I called the local woodcraft and axed when they are hosting a demo day they didnt know. I thought it was just the guy who answered the phone wasnt up to speed.

I think Ill give festool service a call and ax them if they could put me in touch with my local rep. I do need to chat with him about a local dealer.

 

[six-point socket II]

Hi!

Really interesting to follow this thread!

I don't think that I've ever encountered Festool employees demo'ing tools beside the Roadshow. Of course some dealers have demo areas/ and will demo a tool or simply let you try it - but I don't think I ever met a Festool representative at any store/ during regular hours so far. Will keep an eye out.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Stone Message]

Hi!

Really interesting to follow this thread!

I don't think that I've ever encountered Festool employees demo'ing tools beside the Roadshow. Of course some dealers have demo areas/ and will demo a tool or simply let you try it - but I don't think I ever met a Festool representative at any store/ during regular hours so far. Will keep an eye out.

Kind regards,
Oliver

Phil Beckley used to do it driving 200 miles each way in a day with the demo in between.

Peter

 

[sancho57]

Hi!

Really interesting to follow this thread!

I don't think that I've ever encountered Festool employees demo'ing tools beside the Roadshow. Of course some dealers have demo areas/ and will demo a tool or simply let you try it - but I don't think I ever met a Festool representative at any store/ during regular hours so far. Will keep an eye out.

Kind regards,
Oliver

Dont know if they are the same where you live, but when I lived in the UK the reps didnt really go to the stores other then to help the store employees understand the tools. The reps there went to professional shops and job sites to answer questions , help and demo new tools.

I found FT USA does things a bit different then they did in the UK. Though I did call FT UK up ad got the phone number for my rep bc I needed help and he came out to my shop and helped me.

I dont know if thats the norm or not.

 

[six-point socket II]

I should have said that I'm in Germany, obviously. So I never had the pleasure of meeting Phil in person.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[peter halle]

Festool operates differently around the world.  Phil is a fabulous guy and represented Festool so well.  He has moved on.

In the US and users will mainly interact with their brick and mortar dealers or their internet dealers.  Festool does have RSM's that are out in the wild to support their dealer network and then help out with end users like us.  Festool manufactures tools and sells tools to dealers so that they can in turn sell to us.  Anybody who has been in a sales position could tell you that they operate under corporate parameters and goals.  And meeting goals leads to longevity.  All of the RSM's have been thru training and can assist with the majority of questions / issues.

But the Technical Trainers and the Application Specialists can offer even more assistance.  You can pick up the phone and ask a question without doing the "trading emails dance."  You probably will not get to a trainer, but the Specialists know their stuff and will probably be able to help you out.

Peter

 

[six-point socket II]

Festool Germany released a Festool Live Training video for the TKS 80 today.


Just for clarification: I learned that there are 11 application engineers/ representatives who demo tools and train/teach on site or at shops, from the video.

So I simply hadn't had the pleasure of meeting one yet beside at the roadshow.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[FestitaMakool]

Festool Germany released a Festool Live Training video for the TKS 80 today.


Just for clarification: I learned that there are 11 application engineers/ representatives who demo tools and train/teach on site or at shops, from the video.

So I simply hadn't had the pleasure of meeting one yet beside at the roadshow.

Kind regards,
Oliver

- Festool in English language on a world wide YouTube video!.. Wow!
That’s maybe even more exciting than the TKS 80  [blink]
Maybe they watched Hooked On Wood?

 

[six-point socket II]

Sorry, the video is in German language - and I have no idea why it didn't embed. Sorry!

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[FestitaMakool]

English?: (May be preferred settings in Gooogle-Tube?) [smile]
=share

 

[six-point socket II]

[thumbs up]

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Stone Message]

I am delighted that Frank has done a video in English. Many years ago we talked about doing something together but I think that he is perfectly capable of getting his message across. He is a really lovely guy and if ever you get a chance to meet him go for it.

Here is one of my special moments with Frank from 2017:


Peter

 

[FestitaMakool]

I agree Peter, it’s a delight! It’s also the best video I’ve seen from Festool. Good learning, humor and in an non formality manner - Very unlike German/Festool in a good way.
As of changing to English language there’s a bit of the Brit way of doing and speaking as well  [wink]

So Festool should be frank and let Frank be “Frank” with Julian  [big grin]

Never mind that they or whoever might be not finding the word during recording, I think most will understand perfectly anyhow. I enjoyed it.

The “New Brit Workshop” will need rehearsal though  [big grin]
- Frank has also nicked my shirt, and stitched Festool on it!

 

[Peter Durand]

English?: (May be preferred settings in Gooogle-Tube?) [smile]
=share

Really cool saw. I propose that Festool run a contest to see who guesses the retail price in North America. The winner would of course get a saw

My guess is $4995.00

Cheers,
Peter

 

[peter halle]

English?: (May be preferred settings in Gooogle-Tube?) [smile]
=share

Really cool saw. I propose that Festool run a contest to see who guesses the retail price in North America. The winner would of course get a saw

My guess is $4995.00

Cheers,
Peter

It has been announced that Festool doesn't have immediate (or even permanent) plans to bring this saw to North America.  Sawstop was purchased by the parent company(TTS) of Festool a few years ago.  Who knows what kind of arrangements were written into the purchase agreement, but putting that aside, A Festool tables here would be a direct competitor to products offered by a company under the same ownership umbrella.  And Sawstop has already a great share of the market.  So it would be probably counterproductive to the entire profit as the money flows to entities upstream.

Peter

 

[Peter Durand]

English?: (May be preferred settings in Gooogle-Tube?) [smile]
=share

Really cool saw. I propose that Festool run a contest to see who guesses the retail price in North America. The winner would of course get a saw

My guess is $4995.00

Cheers,
Peter

It has been announced that Festool doesn't have immediate (or even permanent) plans to bring this saw to North America.  Sawstop was purchased by the parent company(TTS) of Festool a few years ago.  Who knows what kind of arrangements were written into the purchase agreement, but putting that aside, A Festool tables here would be a direct competitor to products offered by a company under the same ownership umbrella.  And Sawstop has already a great share of the market.  So it would be probably counterproductive to the entire profit as the money flows to entities upstream.

Peter

Peter, it was meant to be a bit of humor. The SawStop Jobsite Pro sells for about $1800.00CAD here.

Cheers,
Peter