A message to Dapol

[MinZaPint]

I have been extremely disappointed at Dapols lack of communication with their customers and have sent them the following, am I being too hopeful in expecting a reply?

A message to Dapol
I am an avid fan of your N gauge products, Big 4 steam era (GWR SR) is my particular area of interest, at the moment you have several items I am looking forward to, Schools (Maunsell livery if poss) WC BoB, Maunsell coaches and reissue of M7's and 45xx. I feel you have totally lost control of your communications with your customers, your company website is out of date, you have updated some items but not changed the last update info which shows as 12 months old! Do not try to do to much but make sure that what you do is up to date. Your Facebook page is not getting any response from you, I would suggest you issue a monthly newsletter on your own website giving an update on your current projects so that your customers know where they stand. You recently offered a link on RMWeb which it would appear they have had to take down due to lack of response from yourselves. You can not please all the people so do not offer what you cannot give. In my working life KIS (Keep it simple) was drilled into me, Monthly updates on a newsletter would I am sure please us all and make life easier for you.
Just my hopeful twopenneth

David

[Roy L S]

Sadly I have to agree that the quality of communication these days is poor and certainly there is nothing like the level of interaction we once enjoyed when (Now "DJM") Dave was involved.

The reason given for RMW Web topic being "locked" was said to be to enable responses to the various questions to be collated. Thus far nothing further has been heard, so I do begin to wonder.

It is such a shame, and I think you are right to suggest keeping it simple, however is in this day and age there is an expectation for communications to be frequent (and accurate!).

Regards

Roy

[Newportnobby]

The reason given for RMW Web topic being "locked" was said to be to enable responses to the various questions to be collated. Thus far nothing further has been heard, so I do begin to wonder.

It's my belief the 'Ask Dapol' thread was locked entirely down to the lack of responses from Dapol.
Collated, my 

David - I wish you luck in getting a response out of Dapol - I really do.
But I hope you are not holding your breath.

Sadly, this situation seems to be pervading other companies. I have been waiting 4 months for a reply from Heathcote, and mailed Metcalfe 6 days ago with a question to which I have no response (both times using the 'contact' section of their websites).

As a retired Sales Manager, quite frankly I'm appalled at the way these people treat their customers

[Tank]

I was about to suggest contacting them on Facebook, but they stopped replying to members on there on the 14th May.

[Woolleysh33p]

 

I recently enquired about a weathered 9F and recieved an email back after only 30 mins!

However I sent another a few days ago and still no reply?

Although this is bad, I can't moan at dapol as I was given a 100% free A3 when I returned a faulty loco to their stand at TINGS on Sunday last year. 

All I can suggest is you tell one at the stand and hope for a discount but remember be kind - you may not want to but there's a chance for a cheap loco?

I hope your email gets answered but now I think I'm in the same boat! 

[carlwooduk]

Joel the MD, used to personally update the facebook site and reply.
I posted about Semaphore Signal failures (see below ) on 25th May and no reply to date.
Looks like no updates from him since 14th May.

N Gauge Signal Failures.

On my exhibition Layout " Vale of Oxbury" the GWR Home signals get admiring comments, even more when working. The layout is fully detailed and signals bedded in to the trackside, Previously I had 2 signals fail , which I put down to bad luck and replaced them, this weekend at Railex another 2 failed which makes it 4/5. What happens is the motor sticks and runs and runs and runs. Its heart breaking to have to rip all the scenery out to replace them , let alone the cost. Thoughts anyone about them? Joel and the Dapol team be interested to see your comments.

[Calnefoxile]

You can take it up with Dapol directly on Saturday at the NGS AGM http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=18544.0

Regards

Neal

[talisman56]

N Gauge Signal Failures.

On my exhibition Layout " Vale of Oxbury" the GWR Home signals get admiring comments, even more when working. The layout is fully detailed and signals bedded in to the trackside, Previously I had 2 signals fail , which I put down to bad luck and replaced them, this weekend at Railex another 2 failed which makes it 4/5. What happens is the motor sticks and runs and runs and runs. Its heart breaking to have to rip all the scenery out to replace them , let alone the cost. Thoughts anyone about them? Joel and the Dapol team be interested to see your comments.

Happens with the signals on the 'orribly oversized scale too. Our club OO guys put a load of Dapol semaphores onto the club OO layout and within a couple of hours all of them were u/s...

[EtchedPixels]

I was just about to buy a lot of these for Tormouth,  any chance of some pictures of the issues please?  Or a more detailed explanation please !

For simple GWR semaphores I much prefer the Tomix ones anyway as they can be switched either direction so DCC control rather better. The home is very GWR like, the distant you have to file a V in the arm and move the stripe as Japan inherited UK practice but before the V was added!

Alan

[Bartercode]

Totally off topic, but where do you get Tomix signals from, please?

[EtchedPixels]

I got mine from Osborn's, although there were a bit cheaper than the current price.

They are beautiful pieces of engineering

[Jack]

Are these the ones?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tomix-5545-Mechanical-Semaphore-Entry-Signal-N-scale-/121293301665?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item1c3da4e7a1

[EtchedPixels]

Yes

Power them like other Kato and other Tomix stuff. That is <= 12v for the lights and 12v DC directional control for the signal head.

Alan

[Tank]

Funnily enough, Dapol have caught up with their replies on the Facebook page.  It seems Joel was away a lot, and he'll get more colleagues to help out on the page.

[EtchedPixels]

Joys of being a small company.