Return-Path: <BColon@eTranslate.com-DeleteThis> Received: from opus.labs.agilent.com (root@opus.labs.agilent.com-DeleteThis [15.0.168.176]) by jr.labs.agilent.com (8.9.3 (PHNE_18979)/8.9.3 AgilentLabs Workstation) with ESMTP id QAA06343 for <wind_talk_ls@jr.labs.agilent.com-DeleteThis>; Wed, 24 May 2000 16:29:53 -0700 (PDT) Received: from cosrel1.hp.com (cosrel1.hp.com [15.88.192.10]) by opus.labs.agilent.com (8.9.3 (PHNE_18979)/8.9.3 AgilentLabs Workstation) with ESMTP id QAA01217 for <wind_talk@opus.labs.agilent.com-DeleteThis>; Wed, 24 May 2000 16:29:49 -0700 (PDT) Received: from mail.etranslate.com (unknown [209.0.254.205]) by cosrel1.hp.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id C6E4E508 for <wind_talk@opus.labs.agilent.com-DeleteThis>; Wed, 24 May 2000 17:29:48 -0600 (MDT) Received: from ussfl3ims01.etranslate.com (ussfl3ims01.etranslate.com [63.211.154.151]) by mail.etranslate.com (8.9.3+Sun/8.9.3) with SMTP id QAA24298 for <wind_talk@opus.labs.agilent.com-DeleteThis>; Wed, 24 May 2000 16:28:36 -0700 (PDT) Received: by ussfl3ims01.etranslate.com with Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) id <KPDZBHGF>; Wed, 24 May 2000 16:28:32 -0700 Message-ID: <CFBA57E8B311D4118A0C009027E868EC0294D2@ussfhqmbx01.etranslate.com-DeleteThis> From: "Colon, Bill" <BColon@eTranslate.com-DeleteThis> To: "'wind_talk@opus.labs.agilent.com-DeleteThis'" <wind_talk@opus.labs.agilent.com-DeleteThis> Subject: MISTRAL - A VERY PATHETIC STORY Date: Wed, 24 May 2000 16:30:03 -0700 X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
This is a very true, yet very pathetic story about Mistral's customer
service practices. This letter was sent to Mistral over six months ago and
no response has yet been received. My goal in posting this letter is only
to disclose truths about Mistral's service so that all readers can make
educated decisions when considering the purchase of a new board.
TO MISTRAL:
I write this letter to inform you that Mistral has successfully converted
two dedicated Mistral sailors to very, very unhappy customers. Mistral's
repetitive demonstration of its poor business practices have convinced my
brother and I that Mistral's warranty policy is short of legitimate and that
Mistral places little, if any, value on their customers. Mistral can be
guaranteed that my brother and I will never purchase a Mistral product
again, never recommend one to windsurfing newcomers, and certainly never
speak highly of your products in our respective windsurfing circles.
Unhappy Story 1: San Francisco
I purchased a Mistral Screamer 260 in February, 1998. The board rode
beautifully. The volume fit my weight, ability and San Francisco sailing
conditions perfectly. In fact, the board was so fun that I recommended the
260 to my brother who sails on Martha's Vineyard and the Cape.
Unfortunately, I did so a little too early. After only 20 - 30 sessions in
the Bay, my board began to soften under the heel pads, take on water, and
delaminate on the bottom side of the front half of the board. After months
and months of phone calls on my part, I finally received a warranty
replacement board in March 1999.
The replacement board lasted less hours on the water than the original,
before similar symptoms of defective manufacturing developed. The board
quickly softened on the underside of the front half of the board. To give
credit where credit is due, Jeff Johnstone relentlessy returned my calls
over practically the entire season that it took us to find a mutually
convenient time to meet. Unfortunately, Mr. Johnstone denied my warranty
stating that the delamination on the bottom of the front of the board was in
fact softness due to less layers of glass used in the manufacturing process.
Less glass used in that section - true; reason for the board to be soft to
the touch of the thumb - ludicrous. Unhappy customer number one!
Unhappy Story 2: Martha's Vineyard
My brothers experience was different, but equally lame. Tim pulled his
Screamer 260 out of the plastic in May 1998 only to find delamination around
the skeg box. The board was replaced with one of lesser quality. Hard to
imagine, but true. This board suffered from a soft deck around the foot
strap area and eventually the rails and the deck completely cracked on the
tail of the board. After many justifiable requests for a refund or an
option to chose a replacement board, Tim was sent a Mistral Flow as a
replacement. Unbelievably this board was again defective right out of the
plastic, suffering from cracked rails in the tail. To count, Tim has
received THREE boards from Mistral and does not need any spare fingers to
count the number of times he has sailed on a clean, non-defective board. It
gets worse. This time Mistral told Tim that he could not return the board,
that this would be his last replacement, and that if there truly was
something wrong with the board, he could fix it himself. Unhappy customer
number two!
It is reasonable and fair to deduct from our experiences that Mistral has a
policy of replacing warranty boards with boards that are known factory
defects. It also seems clear that Mistral's intention is to replace warranty
boards with defects until the one-year policy expires and then Mistral no
longer concerns itself with its customers. Done deal, money in the bank.
The quality of these boards and the warranty service provided by Mistral is
completely and absolutely unacceptable. It is obvious to these former
Mistral riders that your company places no value on customer service, no
value on the customer experience, and most unfortunately, no value on the
customer. As someone who has now spent, several years with one of the most
successful retailers in the world, I would have the courage to bet this is
not a long-term profitable business practice. However, Mistral can be sure
that Tim an I will generously advertise this regrettable business philosophy
to all those we encounter, whether it be in the San Francisco Bay area,
Martha's Vineyard and the Cape, or anywhere in between.
I welcome your response if Mistral wishes to challenge any facts stated in
this letter. As of the first of the new year this letter will be posted on
several prominent Bay Area and National windsurfing websites.
No longer your customer,
WKC
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