Frustration!

[Vasco DG]

OK, so for several months I've had Larry the God Botherer's Stelvio in my shed waiting for an 'A' kit. So a couple of weeks ago it arrived and today I got around to pulling it onto the bench.

Installing an 'A' kit on a Stelvio should be a snip!

Left side goes great but then I pull the RH cambox and open the wretched replacement box and what do I find? Rather than a fully assembled cambox ready to just drop on I find an assortment of parts thrown haphazardly into the box!

Now you need a couple of special tools to assemble the roller camboxes, luckily I have them, (Probably the only shop in Oz that does! ) but that counts for nothing when FOUR OF THE VITAL PARTS ARE MISSING!!!!!

Needless to say they aren't in stock in Sydney, (Why would they be? The camboxes are supposed to be assembled!) Chance of getting the parts ex-Italy before Christmas? Buckly's or None!

Anyway irate phone calls ensue. I'm met with the standard 'Meh!' Suck it up! Response. Grrrrrr!

Then I remember that I have my Mate Peter's 'D' kit in the shop! A quick call to Queensland and he's cool if I use his DX cambox as he won't be back down until March!

Problem solved! Apart of course that I won't get a cent for the time spent building the cambox and there is no ETA for the parts from Wogland!

I sometimes wonder why I f*cking bother!

Pete

[Demar]

I sometimes wonder why I f*cking bother!

Pete

I think you bother because we need an 8V Wizard. They are few and far between.

[Vasco DG]

Bollocks! I've knocked off early and gone to drink beer!

[lucky phil]

OK, so for several months I've had Larry the God Botherer's Stelvio in my shed waiting for an 'A' kit. So a couple of weeks ago it arrived and today I got around to pulling it onto the bench.

Installing an 'A' kit on a Stelvio should be a snip!

Left side goes great but then I pull the RH cambox and open the wretched replacement box and what do I find? Rather than a fully assembled cambox ready to just drop on I find an assortment of parts thrown haphazardly into the box!

Now you need a couple of special tools to assemble the roller camboxes, luckily I have them, (Probably the only shop in Oz that does! ) but that counts for nothing when FOUR OF THE VITAL PARTS ARE MISSING!!!!!

Needless to say they aren't in stock in Sydney, (Why would they be? The camboxes are supposed to be assembled!) Chance of getting the parts ex-Italy before Christmas? Buckly's or None!

Anyway irate phone calls ensue. I'm met with the standard 'Meh!' Suck it up! Response. Grrrrrr!

Then I remember that I have my Mate Peter's 'D' kit in the shop! A quick call to Queensland and he's cool if I use his DX cambox as he won't be back down until March!

Problem solved! Apart of course that I won't get a cent for the time spent building the cambox and there is no ETA for the parts from Wogland!

I sometimes wonder why I f*cking bother!

Pete

Pete, although I'll probably annoy you its your own fault on 2 counts.

Rule #1, dont pull it apart if you dont have the replacement part in your hand (and I mean in your hand, not the box) unless of course its totally rooted and not going anywhere. How many times have I seen guys pull an aeroplane to bits that could still be flying before they had the replacement part in their hand and then it turned out to be the wrong bit when it did arrive. Always risky.

Rule #2 the above is doubly true if its an Italian motorcycle. The Italians are renouned for stunts like this and have been for years. How would you like to open a shipping container from Italy and find 20% of what you ordered not supplied but a bunch of stuff not even from the same manufacturer to the value of whats missing that you cant use or need supplied? Why?...because they were nill stock on what you wanted but couldn't be bothered with all that refund stuff so just made up the value with other stuff they had around. 

Sorry Pete....self inflicted:)

Ciao

[Vasco DG]

Maybe. Still shits me. How hard can it be?  All the previous kits I've done, (A lot now!) have generally been good apart from small bits, like shims, missing. This is the first time I've had this shit.

Pete

[brenwin]

What a total screw up ! Bad enough being half way round the world but when it's once again shabby,crappy customer service (to a guzzi rep to boot) it's totally unacceptable and to be bloody unapologetic deserves retribution .
When this happens to the finest wizard on our board I get really pissed off .
It's time for a well organized petition delivered to the ivory tower from pretty well all of us who have suffered the indignity of being treated badly by Piaggio and their minions . Time to yell "we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore" from the roof tops !
Better yet lets push a Trojan Horse through those iron gates that are so arrogantly monitored in Mandello and raise proper hell with swords drawn  Seriously , it's time to do something drastic ! I wish I was within driving distance . Hang in there Pete .

Steve

[Larry]

Bollocks! I've knocked off early and gone to drink beer!

Hey you can't do that,  you're spossed to be working on my bike.

Just kidding mate

Larry

[Waterbottle]

Bollocks! I've knocked off early and gone to drink beer!

Haha, how many of us wish we could do that 

[molly]

I'd bet my gee gee money that some poor bloke in Lincolnshire , or Tulsa , got a box with the other half of your kit Pete .

  Dusty

Funny you should say that we are knee deep in the things.

Pip pip old boy.

[lucian]

I bet Dusty's right on this one . When my c kit arrived it wasn't a c kit at all . It was a friekin aprilia rear seat pad. I knew it was f'd up before I even opened the box as it only weighed about 1 lb. Glad I hadn't ripped the top end off before opening the box. Moral of the story, NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING THESE DAYS!  Competence seems to be a thing of the past unfortunately.

[jcctx]

Pete~ If I were closer I would be glad to help~~~~~drink the beer!!!!

[Chuck in Indiana]

Competence seems to be a thing of the past unfortunately.

Well, I'm glad to see it happening elsewhere in the world.  I've been thinking that 'Mericans are getting to be dumber than everybody else..

[ohiorider]

Well, I'm glad to see it happening elsewhere in the world.  I've been thinking that 'Mericans are getting to be dumber than everybody else..

Well ........... that too! 

[canuguzzi]

What a total screw up ! Bad enough being half way round the world but when it's once again shabby,crappy customer service (to a guzzi rep to boot) it's totally unacceptable and to be bloody unapologetic deserves retribution .
When this happens to the finest wizard on our board I get really pissed off .
It's time for a well organized petition delivered to the ivory tower from pretty well all of us who have suffered the indignity of being treated badly by Piaggio and their minions . Time to yell "we're mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore" from the roof tops !
Better yet lets push a Trojan Horse through those iron gates that are so arrogantly monitored in Mandello and raise proper hell with swords drawn  Seriously , it's time to do something drastic ! I wish I was within driving distance . Hang in there Pete .

Steve

Individual letters might get more attention that one letter with a petition.

Send them to the CEO, one copy to the PR/Marketing dept and another to the Chairman of the BOD at Piaggio.

Space the letters out so that for at least a month, one or more letters get delivered every day. That way it seems like far more people are involved than the actual number.

About half way through the month someone says "fix this sht". By the end of the month names are put to results or the fix.

[lucky phil]

Seems to be a lot of righteous indignation here over a fairly typical Italian stuff up. Geez get over it.
Ciao

[ITSec]

Bollocks! I've knocked off early and gone to drink beer!

I've decided, in the spirit of Jimmy Buffet, to knock off early and go for a beer every day - based on Aussie time!

[Vasco DG]

Seems to be a lot of righteous indignation here over a fairly typical Italian stuff up. Geez get over it.
Ciao

Doesn't stop it being bloody irritating Phil!

Pete

[brenwin]

Individual letters might get more attention that one letter with a petition.

Send them to the CEO, one copy to the PR/Marketing dept and another to the Chairman of the BOD at Piaggio.

Space the letters out so that for at least a month, one or more letters get delivered every day. That way it seems like far more people are involved than the actual number.

About half way through the month someone says "fix this sht". By the end of the month names are put to results or the fix.

Not a bad idea . If they got enough of them it might make a difference . Maybe copy the New York office at the same time .

Thanks ,  Steve

[canuguzzi]

Not a bad idea . If they got enough of them it might make a difference . Maybe copy the New York office at the same time .

Thanks ,  Steve

Been there. What happens with petitions is that they are dealt with as a single issue, then it disappears. Someone is tasked to look into it and they pick the stated specific as the thing to look at. That someone prods a little and reports all is good, Pete might get a good shipment plus my replacement side stand for good measure at no extra charge.

When the letters trickle in consistently, talk starts. At first the lowest minion available gets the task. Said minion looks a little, straightens out a few shipments and say all is good. Then letters keep coming in, things escalate. Then someone in PR/marketing adds some gasoline. Another minion, this one a lower ranking manager type gets the job. Said minion manager gets POed.

POed manager pees on minion because now they have to do something. Not realizing more letters are on the way, minion manager applies the least effort possible to fix the immediate complaints. A few letters go back to originators saying thanks and that the company's primary mission is the satisfaction of customers. Meanwhile some more letters arrive.

Minion manager having peed on the minion gets a turn. Now it is buckets and rare air breathers are upset. When will this stop? Its a few weeks into the campaign. Major minion manager gets the job with instructions that should this not get fixed, their 6 week holiday for the year will be in Greece without a company credit card and no return flight.

Major minion manager is POed. Said manager gathers minion manager and minion together and tells them that if the problem doesn't go away, they are going away before major minion manager goes away.

Things start happening.

[Waltr]

 This 4 parts that we missing probably went to someone that needed those four parts, then some schmuck came along and said lest just box this up and send it. Happens with accessories too.  I am beginning to believe that Piaggio has a problem holding people accountable.  I can't believe I am saying this but Guzzi can learn a lot from Germany in this.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Major minion manager is POed. Said manager gathers minion manager and minion together and tells them that if the problem doesn't go away, they are going away before major minion manager goes away.

Things start happening. Everyone goes out for an extended 4 grappa lunch. Nothing changes.

FIFY

[earemike]

It wasn't that long ago Pete was saying nice things about the supply of parts (compared to years gone by).

Be nice if they checked what they sent before freighting half way round the world...

[Vasco DG]

Generally supply is pretty good. It's just when they screw up they screw up properly!

The importer wasted $10 sending me one bolt that was in stock rather than waiting until the other parts arrived. Stupid!

Pete

[Penderic]

I thought of looking for a pic of a mixed drink that is called "Frustration". 

No luck yet.

Found one drink called ....

"Sex with an Alligator"

The Sex With an Alligator

What’s in it:

1/5 oz. Raspberry Liqueur

1 oz. Melon Liqueur

2 oz. Sweet & Sour Mix

1/2 oz. Jägermeister

What to do:

Shake the melon liqueur and sweet and sour mix in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Slowly pour raspberry liqueur down the side of the martini glass. Top with Jägermeister.

[frans belgium]

Been there. What happens with petitions is that they are dealt with as a single issue, then it disappears. Someone is tasked to look into it and they pick the stated specific as the thing to look at. That someone prods a little and reports all is good, Pete might get a good shipment plus my replacement side stand for good measure at no extra charge.

When the letters trickle in consistently, talk starts. At first the lowest minion available gets the task. Said minion looks a little, straightens out a few shipments and say all is good. Then letters keep coming in, things escalate. Then someone in PR/marketing adds some gasoline. Another minion, this one a lower ranking manager type gets the job. Said minion manager gets POed.

POed manager pees on minion because now they have to do something. Not realizing more letters are on the way, minion manager applies the least effort possible to fix the immediate complaints. A few letters go back to originators saying thanks and that the company's primary mission is the satisfaction of customers. Meanwhile some more letters arrive.

Minion manager having peed on the minion gets a turn. Now it is buckets and rare air breathers are upset. When will this stop? Its a few weeks into the campaign. Major minion manager gets the job with instructions that should this not get fixed, their 6 week holiday for the year will be in Greece without a company credit card and no return flight.

Major minion manager is POed. Said manager gathers minion manager and minion together and tells them that if the problem doesn't go away, they are going away before major minion manager goes away.

Things start happening.

Congrats Norge Pilot.  I finally found someone who seems to be even more cynical about company policy than me.  You're absolutely right btw ....

[ridingron]

     Been there. What happens with petitions is that they are dealt with as a single issue, then it disappears. Someone is tasked to look into it and they pick the stated specific as the thing to look at. That someone prods a little and reports all is good, Pete might get a good shipment plus my replacement side stand for good measure at no extra charge.

When the letters trickle in consistently, talk starts. At first the lowest minion available gets the task. Said minion looks a little, straightens out a few shipments and say all is good. Then letters keep coming in, things escalate. Then someone in PR/marketing adds some gasoline. Another minion, this one a lower ranking manager type gets the job. Said minion manager gets POed.

POed manager pees on minion because now they have to do something. Not realizing more letters are on the way, minion manager applies the least effort possible to fix the immediate complaints. A few letters go back to originators saying thanks and that the company's primary mission is the satisfaction of customers. Meanwhile some more letters arrive.

Minion manager having peed on the minion gets a turn. Now it is buckets and rare air breathers are upset. When will this stop? Its a few weeks into the campaign. Major minion manager gets the job with instructions that should this not get fixed, their 6 week holiday for the year will be in Greece without a company credit card and no return flight.

Major minion manager is POed. Said manager gathers minion manager and minion together and tells them that if the problem doesn't go away, they are going away before major minion manager goes away.

This sounds a lot like the business model the company I work at uses. The company make multi-million dollars profit per quarter. It works for them. It does create a frustrating work environment. The frustration level is directly proportional to the belief in logic.