how to communicate with Catto propellers

witek · #1 04-10-2014, 02:04 PM

Hello,

Maybe someone can help.
At the beginning of Jan 2014 I placed an order in Catto for 2-Bladed Glass/Carbon Composite Propeller for my RV-7A.

I got a confirmation of my order and an invoice and also information by e-mail that 2 weeks before the delivery I will be informed and have to pay the invoice.

Over last 3 weeks I've sent several e-mails do Catto asking about the status of my order but I have not received any answer so far.

What is your experience? How long you have to wait for your propellers ordered at Catto?
Do you know any different method how to get information from this company?

Thanks,
Witold

rhill · #2 04-10-2014, 02:18 PM

We just had a big Air show here in the US over the last two weeks. Have you sent a deposit? Catto is a small shop,at times its tough to make Props and return phone calls at the same time. email Nicole again,I'm sure she will get back to you soon.
RHill

akarmy · #3 04-10-2014, 02:20 PM

I ordered mine the end of January and was recently told that it's about 1 more month to delivery. I have used email successfully to communicate with them and talked to them on the telephone. It does take about a week to get an email response. The build the props in batches so that has some effect on the timing of how long to get your prop as well. Based upon your order, I think you should be hearing something soon, but maybe a call to them might get you an updated build date.

Kind of frustrating to have such a successful product, such a challenge to get.

RVbySDI · #4 04-10-2014, 02:31 PM

I have a long story that I will not go into here dealing with getting a prop from Catto. Given that experience I can say that you just need to be aware that you will have to stay proactive in communicating with Catto until you actually take delivery. To answer your question concerning what is the best way to communicate with Catto; well, there is only one way I have ever been successful in communicating with Craig or his daughter, who is now running the business end of things. That is picking up the telephone and talking with Craig or his daughter in person. Even then be prepared to have deadlines come and go with no delivery. Be patient but stay proactive. Keep talking with him via telephone when at all possible. I might also add the best time of day I have been successful in talking with Craig directly is when I call around 4:00 pm PST or later. Don't expect to talk with someone there during the most productive parts of the work day. They will be busy manufacturing props at those times. I see that you are in Europe so coordinating times when you can talk via telephone may be difficult. Regardless, I have found that is the most productive way I could have any successful communications. Good luck.

Mike S · #5 04-10-2014, 03:16 PM

They recently moved to a new location------I wonder if some of the delay you are experiencing is due to that??

Hang in there.......

ArVeeNiner · #6 04-10-2014, 07:25 PM

I had some problems communicating with Catto via email last year. I found that they had been answering my emails but the emails kept getting directed to my spam folder before I saw them. It's worth a look.

Mark Dickens · #7 04-11-2014, 04:40 AM

I have experienced everything described in these posts. Bottom line is that if they are large enough to have multiple CNC machines, they are large enough to invest a little in the administrative side of things...Nicole is very nice, but she is in school and does this part time...she's not anywhere near the shop and can't answer many questions. It IS very frustrating. I got a call two days ago from her announcing that my prop had shipped and she gave me a FedEx tracking number that wouldn't track. I can only assume that the prop will make it all worth it, but if I ran my business this way, I'd be out of business. Can't wait to see the prop though.

Sid Lambert · #8 04-11-2014, 07:06 AM

My emails from them went in to the spam box as well.

Mark, she sent me a tracking number on Monday but the box wasn't picked up till Thursday of that week. I think they maybe do a weekly FedEx pickup?

Mark Dickens · #9 04-11-2014, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sid Lambert

Mark, she sent me a tracking number on Monday but the box wasn't picked up till Thursday of that week. I think they maybe do a weekly FedEx pickup?

Who knows? She certainly doesn't seem to know...

RVbySDI · #10 04-11-2014, 09:59 AM

I think Craig Catto is a brilliant aerodynamic engineer. Whether he has an official degree in that capacity or not, I don't know, but regardless of that the man knows his stuff when designing and building airfoils. Having said that however, I think he needs to recognize his business also needs other experts in other fields that are necessary for any business to continually succeed in the long term. One of those is in the area of customer support. That is a critical aspect of every sales business that cannot be overlooked or put on hold. His product does literally sell itself because of the exacting high quality he puts into building each prop. Now if he could just develop the same level of expertise in managing the customer support side of selling props he will no doubt dominate the fixed pitch prop market.