foodstick

Yeah, its hard to believe a company would have a policy of Sorry, I won't take your money today, because someone might want to give me some tomorrow !

islandflyer

For the record, the original poster talked to me,and I am indeed the owner of PAU.
Now, let us set things straight:
1- PAU took over the BME Aircraft designs over seven years ago, and I have made customer service a priority; our customers do appreciate it.
2- The so called ISC design (I never heard of it until today) was never produced by BME Aircraft, or PAU. As Bob Pastorello mentioned, and as I explained to the original poster (who promptly insulted me on the phone), we keep a few parts in stock to support our customers, and our customers only. If you have purchased an ISC Pitts (from Indy R/C in this case according to the caller), you are not our customer; therefore, we will not sell you a cowl that our customers might need later. THAT is real customer service.
3- We are in the business of designing and producing planes, and we are not in the business of selling parts; we sell parts to support our customers; we do this very well, which has earned us a very loyal group of customers.
4- Finally, this rant is highly misdirected: it really should be directed at the people who sold the plane in the first place and are not around today to provide the customer service you are complaining of not receiving.

In the mean while, we will continue to serve the best interest of our loyal customers....

Live Wire

#4
Like Duck hunting in a fish bowl

karl hibbs

My Feedback: (6)

I am thinking that if you sold him a cowl you might have a new customer that would come back for a new plane. and he is going to tell his buddy's that you are one hell of a guy for taking care of him . what are you going to do after sell your last cowl to one of your real customers . This could get you on the list.

jefflangton

My Feedback: (23)

Pau....should be pew. What a joke!!! Acting like he knows what cs is. You have no idea!!! You should take a crash course from Aeroworks on that. Idiot. Good luck with you're little group of "loyal customers ", because you sure dont know how to make new ones.

on_your_six

My Feedback: (11)

OK Here is the solution.... Find someone here on RCU that has "their" plane and have them order it for you... pay them and have them forward it to you when they get it.

I just don't see the logic in not wanting to sell parts a retailer has sitting on the shelf. A customer is a customer... a bird in the hand.... etc, etc.

Glad I read your response IslandFlyer.... it just means that you have to replenish your stock... you pick up the phone and call your supplier. Your response does not make any sense whatsoever.

willig10

Island flyer:
You need to rethink your business practices. Bottom line is this:

You are in a business where customer service is everything.

It should not matter where or when a guy bought an airplane from you or anyojne else. and really it is non of your business.

If you have a cowl in stock just sell the damn thing.

Getting hard headed because of a perceived insult is pretty lame.

And the most important thing you are forgetting is this: The customer is always right even when he is wrong.

Now for my personal opinion. Word gets around pretty fast in this hobby. As such Lets see how long you stay in business with your so called customer service.

My 2 pennies worth

Glenn Williams

OldRookie

My Feedback: (13)

I'm glad that I took the time to read this thread.
After reading islandflyers post, I have eliminated PAU as a company that I want to do business with.
There are a lot of people putting out planes for us RC pilots, and now I have one less company that I have to spend time considering for future purchases.

Greg

kork

My Feedback: (65)

Jeff, kork here You picked up the top flite p-51 for Roy last summer and we showd up at your shop to get it I have a brand new super stinker cowl, well 2 really but one currently flys . You can make a mold of the one or give me time and I may hand it over. Or you could make it real easy and sell me the oracle. Think about it.
Jason 612-802-5500 how bout a trade for a 30% extra

Looks like we can fly Saturday 70 degrees finaly

GerKonig

If I would be a customer of PAU I would be very happy with the owner's answer. It shows that they care about their customers. If they are low on a part, why sell it to someone that is scratch building a kit (or reparing somebody else's kit). You keep the stock for your customers. That is good customer service. If he would have sold the cowling, he would have made a fast buck, granted, but the inventory would be lower if a real customer needs the part. They are not in the business of selling parts for other kits.

Different people see thing differently. Of course insulting people is hardly a way to talk someone to sell you one of his spare parts (low in inventory)... But that's just me.

There has to be a kit out there that is about the same size, and there are a couple of fiber glass providers that might help. RC Guys also have a Pitts...

Gerry

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

Unfortunatly, this is the nature of many ARF re-sellers these days, and a big reason I don't speend $600+ on ARF planes. None to very little post sale customer support. Your's as stated and many other fly by night ARF resellers seam to have the same business model. Buy a batch of them cheap from China with limited spares and when the spares are gone,, o-well the cusomer is just out of luck.

Question 1, how long have you been in the Hobby to never have heard of ISC??
Question 2, How long do you expect to be in the hobby when you come online and tell folks unless the buy a $600 kit, you don't want thier business?

good luck

F4u5

My Feedback: (81)

I thought of that

JQ

F4u5

My Feedback: (81)

I think islandflyer made it clear...it is about $$. Scale nailed it. Buy a whole boatload cheap from China, sell them as fast as you can, at a profit, and move on to the next target.

Hmm, he (islandflyer) has never heard of ISC or Indy RC...that tells me a lot about who I am dealing with on the other end of the phone. I have been doing this for 28 years...who is Indy RC/ISC...that's a good one. Know your history!

Well, the only thing misgiven about my "rant" as it were called, is I was wrong in that it is a BME, and not an ISC (same but different). But, hey, it came from BME, not PAU. Never mind that PAU advertises on their site "formerly BME Aircraft" See for yourself: http://www.flypau.com/html/challenger/challenger.html When I mentioned that on the phone, the whizzo on the other end wisely replied, "we are not associated with BME".....OK, gotcha there islandflyer, uh....whatever.

Well, islandflyer, I'll let you know now that you also lost about $180 bucks in sales to me as I also planned to order 3 30X12 laminated wood props from you for my 3W150 on that very same phone call. But, um, eveidently I am not a "loyal cutomer"...lol.

As for insulting islandflyer, that is a flasehood/stretch. Now, I did question your policy with surprise and a bit of dumbfoundedness in my voice. But I did not insult you, unless you consider me telling you on the phone, after I heard your policy, that you guys are freaking stupid; and then I hung up. But let's face it, that did not cost me the sale, because by then you had already declined to sell me a cowl no less then 3 times at that point. Yes, I think your policy is stupid. But you put it into whatever context you need to in order to make your conscience rest easy, even if you have to take it as a personal attack, as you are unable to see thru your ridiculous sales policy! I sleep well either way.

As I see it, so much for assisting modelers in the hobby...profit margin baby....you people need to be called out.

FYI, I actually picked this plane up at a swap. Brand new, never flown, with a brand new G-62 on the nose for $250, so it's not like I am losing out here. Normally I do not touch ARF's, but I couldn't pass this deal up. Unfortunately, the guy did not have the cowl, but I can make one fit. Fiberglass Specialties got my money instead of PAU, that's all. And, really, I am better with that...doing American business![8D]JQ

F4u5

My Feedback: (81)

Hey JAson, I ordered a cowl, but thanks. Plan to take the Zero out Saturday....FINALLY! If you are interested in the Oracle, I will keep it in mind. After I have some fun with it, it will likely sell dirt cheap, as I got it dirt cheap.[&:]

JQ

init4fun

Thank You sir for posting this . At first , I was at a loss to understand why the original poster couldn't get the part he wanted/needed . I thought maybe there could have been a misunderstanding of maybe while he was actually asking to buy the part , but the company rep thought he was looking for it under a warranty type situation , and thus the refusal to support the request . But NO , come to find out , the reason is because you run your business with the same ineptness as that of the fools presently running (ruining) our country . REALLY ??? You actually refused to sell a potential customer something cause he wasn't spending gigabux on his first purchase with you ? REALLY ??? ...... I hope you take the next little while to enjoy running your little empire , cause with your business model you'll be back to asking "ya want fries with that" within a few years at best . You can reat assured that just about everyone who reads your "reason" for refusing to sell something will be shopping elsewhere , myself included .

Good bye and good riddance to PAU , yet another company led by folks with obviously no clue .......

karl hibbs

My Feedback: (6)

The List

1. PAU

F4u5

My Feedback: (81)

1. PAU
2. Easytiger
3. Hobby King

modracer07

My Feedback: (63)

I tried to buy a canopy from these guy's for a BME Oracle I bought used, sent several emails and never did get a responce. Now I understand......

RCKen

My Feedback: (9)

I always read things like this with amazement. While I don't own a business in the hobby industry, I do own a business (Computer Services) and it all boils down to customer service being customer service. We've always got a lot of parts for older computers around in our shop. When people come in my shop hunting parts if I have it (not new inventory) I usually give the part to the people no charge. Now many would think that this is crazy as I should be at least selling the parts, even if they are used they are still worth a little bit of money. And that is very true. But some have already touched on this above in the thread. I am investing for future customers. I could make a few bucks now, but I can give it to them and all I ask is that they remember us when it comes time for IT work in the future. I can not tell you how many times this has paid off with the people coming to us later on to get work done, that they PAY for. In fact, on of my biggest clients started off this way. He was looking for a connector and I gave it to him no charge. Later when his business was looking for a new Network Administrator he remembered what I did and called me. Now he is on a monthly maintenance contract to the tune of a little over $3K a month!!!!!! I would say that paid of indeed!!!! [8D]

Tseres

[quote]ORIGINAL: Bob Pastorello



After pressing them on the idiocy of the policy, they explained, politely, that the reason they sold parts only to those who had purchased from them was really because of ''limited runs'' of spare parts for things. In fact, they explained that when the inital run of a kit was done, many spares of usual replacement parts were made, but that due to their production costs, it would be financially unreasonable to run repeats of spares.<



This is exactly why you didn't get the cowl OP. It is nice to see that someone understands how these small companies operate. What the OP don't realize is how small a company he was trying to deal with. It's not Tower Hobbies. They may have on Cowl on the shelf for their customers and if he sells it to you and can't get another till the next time he has them built which may be 2 or 3 years from now. How is he supposed to help his customer that actually bought a plane from him who will inevitably call for one the day after you bought the only one he has. Your Pitts is not a high volume seller. It may never be produced again.

I think your taking the problems you are having with your Swap Meet plane and trying to pass it on to someone else. I think you are totally off base.

ozzie454

Well Islandflyer I think you pissed off the wrong guy[:@]

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Well sorry to say this but if PAU has the stated policy, it's there's to determine. There is a lot to be said for the idea that folks who bought models from them 'oughta have a parts source if needed especially if the parts are in short supply.

While there are always folks who have issues with a company for one reason or another, this little rant on RCU about a Giant Scale model company doesn't really amount to much damage for PAU. Check out the feedback over on that RCU prohibited here website called F G, LOTS of people have really nice things to say about the models, the company and the CS.

F4u5

My Feedback: (81)

Some people miss the point. Did you even read what has been transpiring. So, to refuse to sell me a cowl ($50-ish), cost him $180 prop order; that's a $230 order he would have had that day? That is good business? I suppose...not.

I have no trouble with my "swap meet (Toledo) plane. I can fly it without a cowl, but why when they are out there. I can scab anything onto it. The funny thing is, I have had at least 4 people look, love and 3 want to buy this very plane from me; even with no cowl. So, maybe I could have pointed them to PAU to get one...but would I do that now...no (less this thread is exposed). Botom line is I will not help out someone who shuns modelers.

Understand that in this community, suppliers and modelers should be supporting each other as best they can. The reality is, most of these planes (challenger pitts and other's) will crash and get totaled. In my 28 years of flying, I can only remember buying 1 replacement cowl for a damaged one.....but that is beacuse I totally rebuilt the wreck (Fallandy Starduster Too from RCM plans). Most of the people flying tehse ARF's are NOT going to rebuild a wreck. Between the cost, skills, time, and availability of instant gratification, that is why people buy ARF's (fact not a bash). In reality, you wreck an ARF, you will replace it with an ARF, not rebuild it in most all cases. Seldom do you simply damage a cowl and need a replacement. PAU will ikely end up with a surplus of cowls and have some sort of fire sale on them when the kits are depleted. All to avoid helping out a modeler out for $ now.

Did I mention the $180 order PAU lost from me? If I liked the prop, I would likely buy more. I just don't get it.

But, luckily, this is America and everyone is entitled to their opinion, no matter how wrong they may be (that's a joke!)

JQ

islandflyer

modracer07: I do not remember getting you email. We always answer messages but with all the spams we receive, some legitimate messages sometimes get misfiled by spam filters. This is one unfortunate consequence of public email boxes. On the other hand, telephone calls and messages are always answered and followed up on.

F4u5: it is precisely NOT about money. If it were, we would sell these parts instead of keeping them on the shelves for our customers who own the PAU or (BME Aircraft airplane).
You told me that your had a plane from Indy RC - I am assuming that your vast RC experience allowed you to know what plane you actually have (I did not know the ISC Pitts Challenger, but knew Indy RC, and was in fact one of theirs customers). Later on the phone, you mentioned BME ENGINES (not Aircraft), and indeed, PAU was never associated with BME Engines.
Why the person who started BME Aircraft (Max Chen) was not associated with BME Engines, and why he named it that way was never made clear to us, thus PAU was created in order to put an end to the confusion which is persisting over seven years later!

To the contrary of some statements in some posts above, we do not" Buy a whole boatload cheap from China, sell them as fast as you can, at a profit, and move on to the next target". We painstakingly design our giant scale planes, go through extensive (and costly) testing of prototypes, and finally offer them for purchase; that purchase is backed by a lasting customer service. Then we have to deal with the possibility that our models get copied and plagiarized by some short lived companies who " Buy a whole boatload cheap from China, sell them as fast as you can, at a profit, and move on to the next target".

As far as stretching the truth about insults on the phone, maybe F***ING stupid is not an insult in your vocabulary....................it is in mine. I wish I had a written transcript of the conversation: it would come off a little differently from some your posts....

F4u5

My Feedback: (81)

Island...odd that in your post reply to modracer....you state "i do not remember....." So typical of a company that refuses service and when called out on it simply says "I don't recall...." Century Jet comes to mind there. I have heard this umpteen times in my life.....

Islandflyer, I do not deny calling you freaking stupid...what more do you want from me. How can I not arrive at that point after you were curt and rude on the phone when I pressed you for a cowl...admit it. Indy RC (ISC)/BME/PAU challenger = same plane, but different. You are simply that person who is policy over personalism.....

What more can I say. People know me, they know who I am and what I am about. My character speaks for itself. That is why i just sent a $60 set of plans to a guy in NY, I didn't even know, for the simple $9.25 shipping cost. He wanted the plans, couldn't find them, I had them for years, will not build it, so boom; help a modeler out. I will let my character speak for itself from those who know me. Not you!

You lost a $180 prop order due to your arrogance. Works for you, works for me. I got a cowl, I will fly the plane, I will not promote your prodcuts to anyone. Works for me.


JQ