Melco ignoring anyone else?

[signman]

I see a few posts lately about others not getting any info from Melco about updates, sales, etc....
and realized WE haven't even gotten a catalog in the mail since early last year!
Is it just me or do they ignore anyone else?
You would think they would keep us on a mailing list for supplies, upgrades, new accessories (like new sizes for the speedframe, etc.!)
Is there any one that knows why or how someone gets 'dropped' from the mailings? It's like they DON'T want us to buy anything from them!

[djames]

I don't have a problem receiving emails from them for thread specials etc. but I have never received any info on upgrades to the machines. Why would this be so difficult. To my way of thinking, it would make less calls to tech support, and increased sales for them, and we would have machines that were operating with the latest implements.

[levelbest]

You know Rolland - in my eyes, this is the one area where Melco really needs to step it up. Customer Communications. Software updates, Melco Mart Sales, New Products etc. A monthly e-newsletter - something. They are a really great company and are missing the boat on this one.

I've told them I'm available for hire but no one has called

[signman]

We have never recieved a single email about ANY specials or sales...not one and we have had our machine since 04 I think?

[impressingpromo]

I have never received anything either. The only way that I know about updates or specials is by listening to all of you. I have owned my machines since 2005. You have to admit that is pretty bad.

[Theresa S.]

Ditto for me.

[Maggie21]

I have never received any e-mail. I had to request a catalog to have one. I learned about this week 20% sale on this website. When my tech guy came for yearly maintenace he told me about the new updates and I called Melco to request it. They never offer it if you don't ask. I have owned my machines since 2003.
I agree that they need improvement in this area.

Maggie

[Anita]

I get MelcoMart sales notifications weekly thru the yahoo group, but ditto that I have never gotten any notifications re: updates/upgrades. I've only owned since 12/07, so I guess I thought there hadn't been any.

Anita

[Body Cover]

OK, as I was reading these posts and agreeing with what everyone was saying, when I stumbled across a thought that I wondered if anyone else has had? Please don't take offense on anyone's account. this is just a simple thing to make you say, Hmmm... I don't work for Melco I use their products and am a big fan and have had my share of troubles also.

Many topics come and go on this list and one of them is always "How can I grow my business?" Studies have always shown it costs way more to attract new business than it does to keep current customers. Don't beleive me? if you have Satellite TV, try to get your equipment upgraded for free while any new customer off the street gets four rooms of free equipment and Installation for free, while the guy that's been paying in for years just wants to get new services but needs to update ageing equipment to do so,

anyway my point is this, Melco is just a company, no a corporation, and somehow we hold them to higher standards than we small businesses. Just because they are big doesn't mean they are perfect, and like us, are they overlooking a revenue stream that is right under there noses? the existing customer looking to stay in tune with the Amaya lifestyle and upgrade to newer more efficient software or hardware? Want to dump big red for a new XT? I have never been asked that. Only they can tell their reasoning behind it.
When was the last time you as a business owner sent out e-mail to your existing customer base telling them about the new line of shirts just out, or a new technique you have mastered or maybe a new product you have access to that may benefit them, or even just plain asked for their business again or for a referral or even the dreaded "Let us know where you think we can make improvements"?
Anyway I am guilty of all these things, as business declines slightly do I look
to my existing customer base to make sure I am getting all the business there for the taking or am I looking to pour more money into a shot at new people, that I may or may not have a shot at, but the money is spent just the same. Hmmmm...

Business is an ongoing ever changing organism, This is hard to remember when you get stuck in the day to day grind of production, but it happens.
We find problems and hopefully fix them, we push in directions that work, and pull back from ones that don't. Does anyone remember when the Amaya first came out and they were promoting it as the machine that can sew WITHOUT backing? I do, caught my interest right away, Do any of you sew with out backing? not too often, but, it can be done, just like they said and we did on some jobs, but we soon learned the quality just wasn't the same, and soon after many responses from customers (I assume) they abandoned that line of advertising, you see like us they learn from mistakes and run with successes, but do they listen to feedback?, do we? Hmmmm...

Just some food for thought, now I have to get back to my customer list and put my money where my keyboard is. : )

Thanks for reading my thoughts.

Ron

[Juli in Kona]

Very well said! And I am just considering advertising. I just may send out some flyers to my existing customers instead. Certainly a lot cheaper!

Juli in Kona

[Shuffletown Embroidery]

I get calls and emails from melcomart but Melco should have a customer database and keep us informed of new machines, new releases and upgrades. You could talk to your salesman or tech, but Melco is the right central point of information.
I looked on Melco's website, thinking they might be trying to "push" information to us, but I didn't find out anything about the pinch roller upgrade. I'd like to know why they did it, problems it addresses, so I could decide if I wanted to plunk down the $$$ to get it.
Has anyone seen a posting from one of the lists techs this week? Just curious.
Mary

[Aaron]

Although most of you know a handful of Melco employees monitor this list to help us out rather than just venting or making suggestions on this list anyone who would like to see changes should also e-mail melco directly. I think you can e-mail them at [email protected] with any suggestions and maybe if enough of us vioce opinions about getting e-mails on upgrades, sales, etc someone at Melco might make some changes.

Any melco employee who wants to verify a good e-mail address to send suggestions let us know. Maybe [email protected] is an active e-mail.

[Mary]

Here's a curious question....those of you getting good or great service from Melco, do you own more than one machine? Those of you feeling ignored, do you only own one machine? I heard through the grapevine when I bought my machine that Melco gives more attention to those companies that own many machines. I get a weekly email listing their sales, but I never have my salesman checking in with me. And what about updates on the software? Are they free updates? I didn't know there were free updates I just assumed one would have to pay for the updates.
By the way, I only own one machine and I am on the east coast.
It may not sound like it, but I am extremely happy with my machine, but am quite disappointed with Melco's website. I think they lose a ton of business to other suppliers, because of such a user-unfriendly website.

[Redina]

Throwing my 2 cents in, I own one machine and have been mostly ignored. No emails, no catalogs, no contact unless I call for help with a problem. And this happened as soon as I bought my XT. After the sale, my sales rep has never called or been to my home-based shop and has not even contacted me other than a Christmas card in 2006, 6 months after purchase. I have gotten a few software updates, but the last one, which arrived inthe mail just before a service call, turned out to be several updates old, rather than the newest. Fortunately, my tech had it with him. I went to the Atlanta show in March 06 intent on buying a Tajima machine, having been to their seminars and sales office. But, after no pre-sale follow-up from their sales rep, I started looking around at other options. A "How to get started in Embroidery" seminar at the convention focused on tension problems and Melco's self tensioning caught my ear. So I visited the booth, came home with literature and made the decision on an XT. Ironic that I still got no follow-up. Are other company's sales reps also ignoring their purchasers?

[NickReinking]

Hello, it is Nick Reinking from MelcoMart. Every week we have a different sale here at MelcoMart and on Monday morning we send out an e-mail blast detailing the week’s sale. Taking advantage of these sales is a great way to try out new products as well as to save some money on all of your embroidery supplies. When we have new hoops and other types of accessories for the AMAYA machine they will also be advertised on these e-mails. If anyone is interested in receiving that e-mail please just let me know and I will get you signed up.

Our website www.melcomart.com is a newer site and on occasion we do have some problems with it; rest assure that we are constantly monitoring it and doing everything we can to keep it updated and error free. If you have a problem with the website please call or e-mail us so that we can make the necessary adjustments. We are also happy to answer any questions or take orders over the phone.

It is only through feedback that we can grow and continue to meet your embroidery supply needs. Please contact me by e-mail or telephone with any suggestions, problems, orders etc. that come up. Also, if anyone needs our issue #8 catalog and a 10% off coupon please contact me and I will mail them out.

Thanks,
Nick Reinking
[email protected] or 1-800-877-4272 ext 1025