Well some more background... I mailed this altimeter to them on 12/21/04. Yes, bad timing around the holidays, but any reasonable person would figure two to three weeks and it would be returned. Sparky (this is for you buddy) I enclosed a written letter stating the problem and enclosed my name, address, cell phone number and referenced the e-mail I received from them to send it in... So yes they did know how to reach me and had all of my info which you have no need or right to have here on the net.... I had the item shipped with a tracking number by the USPS and looked it up a few days later to see that it had been received by Digitude. I figured it would be a few weeks with the holidays and all. Initially it was frustrating trying to get a reply on how to send it in but I figured it was a weird coincidence that I did not get a reply. Well I finally got an e-mail from them to send it in after three weeks of trying (three calls and an e-mail) and as I described it was sent in on the 21st of December. For the last couple of weeks I tried three times to get a reply on when I can anticipate receiving my altimeter (calling, leaving my cell number and the serial number of the altimeter). It had been over a month and by the third call and no reply I was upset. Hence the post! I received a message while I was in a simulator evaluation on 2/8/05 (yesterday) that it had been repaired and was ready to be returned... I returned the call at about 12:00 mountain time and received the answering machine again. They had left their cell number this time and I called that later and they answered. They explained they were sorry and that they had just returned from a ten day cruise and were getting on a plane to leave town again, but would mail it from their destination. They explained that there was a problem getting screens to replace the one in my altimeter. Cool no big deal...
Lots of leasons to be learned from this one... People only have so much patience. We all get frustrated and yes this is what forums are also for...to vent! When a customer is left in a state of ignorance as to what is happening with their equipment they get frustrated. A simple e-mail to explain the situation, or out of office message, or simple call would have done wonders to ease my mind. I too have my own one person business in the aviation world and do my best to not let a customers concerns go unaddressed for more than 24 hours by one of the above means. As a result it is successful, but I too have not had a vacation since 1999..... 90% of my income I'll spend on whiskey, women and good times and the other 10% I'll simply waste!
