pgitta

My Feedback: (3)

It seems these days, that we've become accustomed to expect the worst from the companies that support our hobby. At least, in my experience, it has often been the case. Delayed shipments, wrong parts, unreturned phone calls and emails, etc., have been common complaints from many here.

Pehaps it's unfortunate that because all of that, one is so delighted at the contrast when you're treated right, and people you never met care enough to go the extra mile for someone they'll never know either.

That was my recent experience with the service center in Champaign, IL. They're the people who service your Futaba equipment among many other things when things go bad.

A few weeks ago, I got my Futaba 7CAP transmitter out of winter hibernation and powered it up. For the first day it just screamed about the voltage being too low even though the battery was fully charged, and the second day it expired completely.
I sent it in for warranty work (about three weeks to spare) and after a little debate about the white powdery substance on the circuit board, and them thinking I got something inside it and fried it (see below) , the manager, Dave, said he'd go ahead and repair it as a customer service.

That repair took about 4 days from door to door.

When I went to test everything, I found I had no range whatsoever, and at first was a little peeved, but then realized it was my own stupid fault for not sending the crystal and receiver along which forced them to use their own.

So I put it back in the mail last Monday with a note saying I would understand if I had to be charged for the tuning since I didn't send them everything the last time, that if at all possible to get it turned around that week, I could really use it this weekend.

Well, Friday I still hadn't heard anything and called, and that was when I was told they shipped it on Wednesday SECOND DAY AIR so that, that's right, it would get to me before the weekend.

Oh, and there was no charge.

So I'd just like to say "thanks" to the guys in Champaign. They didn't have to do what they did for me, but they did it anyway...

...and I just think that's pretty cool.


*** note on the white powder:
I hate that they may still think I caused the original failure, but later on I realized what they saw. I work as a tech myself, and have access to circuit board cleaner which I often use to clean in nooks and crannies that can't be reached with a rag. It's plastic safe, and non-conductive, so to clean out the dust that had built up around the sticks from flying before I shipped it, I hosed down the face of the TX with it and the excess ran down inside the Tx, got on the boards, and softened up the risidual flux on the back of the PCBs making it look like a spill. Well, it sort of was, but not was caused the problem, and it was done long after she was dead anyway.

It's funny, my being embarrassed about a little dust almost cost me my warranty!;