I have a couple of companies I love to hear on the phone. Not because I enjoy talking to them, but because they have company-wide agreements to let a large automation vendor repair all of their automation and servo parts. For the equipment we carry, this is a lot like taking a Mercedes to a Chevy dealer and then wondering why it doesn’t work afterwards (actually, I think most Chevrolet dealers would just turn you around, unlike this major automation vendor).

So why do I like these companies so much? Because they have 4 drives that have been “repaired” on the shelf. They have a drive fail, and none of the 4 “repaired” drives work. They then call us for emergency exchange units, that are typically flown out on charters (I have piloted a couple of these deliveries myself) for the highest prices we charge. We then will have the discussion about how the “Large automation vendor” can’t actually get the parts to repair these units, as the OEM doesn’t sell to ANYONE, and how it would be much better if they would go for factory repairs. They agree they will start sending out stuff to us for repair. However, then the company-wide repair agreement comes into play and they can’t send the stuff out.

So, in a month’s time, we do it again. and again. and again.

I may buy a new airplane….