Ironflight

Ironflight

VAF Moderator / Line Boy
Mentor
Every once in awhile, someone posts of a frustrating experience with Van's - shipping delayed, service charges on a cheap part, can't get a Bill of Sale on any day but Thursday - but all in all, I think the company does a dang good job for being a cottage industry and servicing a bunch of "type A" customers.

Take, for instance, this letter I got today....a fine example of a company that wants to make sure that their accounts balance to the penny...

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Yes, those are coins TAPED to the letter.....

Of course, we have to ask....was this frugal? Here is the postage stamp on the envelope......

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I wonder if Van knows how wild the account payables department is with the company money?! :rolleyes:

Van....as far as I am concerned, don't change a thing!
 
Thats funny

You have to wonder if Heather had a grin on her face as she put all that in the envelope..:)


And i agree..Van's is the best. This is my second homebuilt and there is no comparison!

Frank
 
Paul, that is a good one!

So, last week, I get a bill from the local avionics shop (always a terrifying thing in itself). The bill was for something like a buck and a half. I had taken my 430W in for a free upgrade in the software a couple months ago. Seems the local gestapo (airport commission) doesn't like these free things an avionics shop might want to do, as it cuts into their tax take. I called the shop to inquire as to whether or not I needed to pay it (told him I don't mind, just want to be sure). The sheepish answer was "yes, would you please pay it, as our accounting systems puke if we don't pay the tax (on free work)"

Ah, the tyranny of computerized accounting systems...or any computerized system for that matter...
 
Different ways of looking at it..

Geico266 said:
I would have fired her. Spend $.59 to return $.54? Not on my dime.
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And I would give her a raise for treating a customer like someone special. That is an example of one of the small things that helps to make some companies wildly successful and some not.

I agree with what Paul said - Van's should not change a thing. I won't pretend to know how to better run a kit plane company than the world's leader.
 
When I went to Van's to pick up my wing kit, it took a while to load and secure it to my trailer.

A vendor was waiting for the space in the warehouse entrance I was parked in and asked if I could move my rig. Being a cooperative sort, I pulled it into the parking lot where I finished tying down the load.

As I was about to drive out, an employee approached, asked me to hold up a minute and asked what size shirt I wore. She returned a couple minutes later with a tee shirt for me and explained that she thought it was rude for the vendor to ask me to move and hoped I would accept the shirt as an apology.

I agree with Alex. Even if it cost $5 to return the $.54, it represents integrity--something you don't often see these days. Reminds me the story of Lincoln walking some distance to return a penny. Remarkable acts get remembered.
 
I work with a guy who ended up with a $2 and change paycheck. He thought it was funny and would not cash it. The bean counters sent him another one. Finally, the head bean counter came down with another check, required him to endorse it and cashed it on the spot. The $2 and change was whacking out their books.
 
RE:Van's.........

Paul and all you RV folks

Van's has in every instance exceeded my expectations in every way. Especially the tech folks and their ever patient manner when dealing with ME!:eek:

Come to think of it every vendor I have used for my RV7A have given me great quality, timely, and friendly service...........

That 59 cents to send 54 cents might just progress to someone spending big dollars on a RV10..........lets see an RV8, RV6......why not an RV10 to round out the Paul/Louise stable.........:D

Frank @ 1L8 ...RV7A... Painting:eek:
 
Apparently if Larry (Geico266) was running the company, he would have zeroed your acct. and billed you a nickle. :D
 
lol

man that caught me off guard. i had only scrolled down to the sincerely part of the letter. i expected to see a check for less than the postage and some comment but mailing change to avoid paying for a check. brilliant just awesome and yes frugal.
leon
 
Uncommon Values

When I got that letter I was amused and it reaffirmed my respect for Van's and the uncommonly honest way that company does business. Make no mistake, with two airplane projects and dozens upon dozens of smaller purchases over the years, there have been some errors made......by both Van and me but the issues have always been resolved in a refreshing almost folksy way. When you increase the demographics by providing a more affordable product or service (ask any airline pilot about "first class" and "third world") it is a virtual certainty that critics will make their presence known but true success is measured by the legions of fans who are forever grateful for making the dream of personal flight accessable to almost anyone with the means, desire, and will to handcraft a flying carpet barely 100 years after the development of powered flight. I don't know about you, but over 5000 years of recorded history, I consider that milestone to be a truly astonishing event. I'm truly grateful the man and the vision behind Van's Aircraft and my personal dreams of flight happened to dovetail at the same point in history. $4.64 won't buy much but the goodwill that small sum generated is priceless.

​
 
fstringham7a said:
That 59 cents to send 54 cents might just progress to someone spending big dollars on a RV10..........lets see an RV8, RV6......why not an RV10 to round out the Paul/Louise stable.........:D
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Well, we're pretty much thinking that a -3 Tail Kit will be the next purchase - and I can assure you that the $0.54 will be the first money spent!

Paul
 
I'll be back...

Repeat business in the US is 64% of sales. 80% of people who stop buying a product is a negative experience with an employee. Van's obviously has this figured out very well.

When I bought by RV4 empennage 18 years ago, Van signed the receipt, Paid in full.

Integrity starts with I...

Smokey
HR2
 
AlexPeterson said:
And I would give her a raise for treating a customer like someone special.
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beattiema said:
Apparently if Larry (Geico266) was running the company, he would have zeroed your acct. and billed you a nickle. :D
Click to expand...

Rick6a said:
I'm truly grateful the man and the vision behind Van's Aircraft and my personal dreams of flight happened to dovetail at the same point in history. $4.64 won't buy much but the goodwill that small sum generated is priceless.
Click to expand...

Okay, maybe I'm wrong on this one. Van's has great employees. They would have spend the $.59 to return any amount.

Well done Vans.:D
 
Not the only good thing VANS did this month....

I had an issue with the fold location for the leading edge on my Left upper flap skin which in manufacturing had been folded behind the rivet line (should have been in front).

Had i put my head to it I might have noticed before i dimpled the skin, and subsequently I could have refolded the skin to sort the problem out.

Too late - I dimpled before noticing.

Contacted VANS with some photos of the issue.

Cut a long story short....they folded three new skins in late July and freighted them to me in Australia - NO CHARGE. (Two for me - I am building two 7's - and one for another builder with the same problem)

Yep that's right - in the middle of the crazy OSH period Scott from VANS sorted this out and sent them direct to my door.

That's one very good reason why I am now a totally loyal customer ....you don't get better service than that......and VANS will win in the end because one day not too far way I reckon I will order a 10.

If a potential builder asks me what plane they should build VANS will get their custom.

HAPPY.
 
What a deal

This is one of the best I have ever seen. 54 cents plus 59 cents for some of the best advertising I have EVER seen.

Not only is it great customer service, but when you take into consideration, processing a check cost more than the postage. You have to replace checks and they have a cost. She saved more than she spent to the entire group of folks that have to touch a check out there. Not to mention she is probably howling and the folks at Vans are just waiting for the sound bites to come back to them.

Don't think it is good advertising. Look at this post for a start. Not to mention that it will be used to convince someone to build a RV instead of a different kit when a prospective builder ask somebody about a RV that read this post and they tell them how the company is to deal with.

In my book, she just bought some of the least expensive, most effective advertising out there.

Also, attitudes generally come from the top down. This might be clue to the top dogs at Vans and how they really are. I like it.

Give that young lady a big raise. She deserves it.
 
Geico266 said:
Okay, maybe I'm wrong on this one. Van's has great employees. They would have spend the $.59 to return any amount.

Well done Vans.:D
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Thanks for the change of heart! I can now claim once again..................that my name is also Larry......... on this forum... :D

L.Adamson
 
My account had a credit of just 4 cents.

I had 4 pennies taped to the letter!

I'd never seen anything like it.
Pretty cool.

Mark
 
Class act

VANS is a class act in my opinion. One of those rare kind of people and things in this world.

Kerry Stevens
 
I live only about 80 miles south of Van's. I fly to Aurora often to buy things I need to maintain my RV-6. I have never had a negative experience with the staff at Van's. They are a class act.
 
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After reading various replies, and the "cents" amounts refunded.....................it's obvious that Van's office staff is just being efficient in the accounts department....... regarding computers spitting out monthly credits. Less paper, paper work, and overseeing by office personal. Good for them! :)

L.Adamson
 
I'm sold!

I'm like everyone else that has at one time or another a small gripe about something Vans did or didn't do. Now that I'm getting closer to the end of this project I am starting to understand why they do business the way they do. I will never complain again about parts supplied in the kit that seem cheap to some or not as high quality as I can buy elsewhere. If you add up all the fuel valves, tires, brake parts and a hundred other things I probably would not have been able to afford to build his thing. Yes, I will probably swap a few things out for another brand of component but it's my choice to pick and choose the upgrades knowing what Van's supplies is safe and adequate for the job. They also do us a great service in selling all the hardware items we might need later at less than other sources. I just bought a couple of rod ends that were either left out of the kit or more likely I lost them and they were less than $6.00 each. They cost $13.50 from Aircraft Spruce. When you take into account how well all these many parts fit together so well and how wonderfully these plane fly I think they do an outstanding job. I can only hope my customers think as much of me and the work I do as I feel about Vans.
 
Webb said:
This is one of the best I have ever seen. 54 cents plus 59 cents for some of the best advertising I have EVER seen.

Not only is it great customer service, but when you take into consideration, processing a check cost more than the postage. You have to replace checks and they have a cost. She saved more than she spent to the entire group of folks that have to touch a check out there. Not to mention she is probably howling and the folks at Vans are just waiting for the sound bites to come back to them.

Don't think it is good advertising? Look at this post for a start. Not to mention that it will be used to convince someone to build a RV instead of a different kit when a prospective builder ask somebody about a RV that read this post and they tell them how the company is to deal with.

In my book, she just bought some of the least expensive, most effective advertising out there.

Also, attitudes generally come from the top down. This might be clue to the top dogs at Vans and how they really are. I like it.

Give that young lady a big raise. She deserves it.
Click to expand...

Reminds me of Mad Magazine. They had but one subscriber on the Island of Haiti, and when the guy decided not to renew his subscription, the entire magazine staff flew to Haiti to try to get the guy to renew. He did!
 
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