Quality of Service VS Quality of Product

[jkasta]

The closed thread on ML's USA service should be re-opened. If there has been a deterioration in MineLab's Nevada repair site then this should be known to the ML community. One response to my earlier reply inferred that I and others were denigrating MineLab's quality of their products - this is not true. I re-read the thread and not one person said that MineLab made inferior products, in general or in relationship to some other brand. The main complaint was that the Nevada facility was undermanned for the repair workload and was taking too long to return customer's detectors and even some of them were not repaired properly.

Now, all the major detector brands have good reputations for quality of product. The recent exceptions have been the Chinese knock-offs that are coming on the market these past few years. But serious detectionists know to avoid them as they do suffer from poor quality of product and lack any service whatsoever.

No manufacturer makes a perfect product. There will always be a need for a service department. When I consider metal detector I consider the following:

1) Technology used: is it up to date and if possible have a leading edge?
2) What is its Quality of Product reputation in the user community? Forums such as this are extremely valuable in this regard.
3) How well is it supported after purchase? Warranty and Quality of Service?

ML rates 10/10 for the first two considerations. Now there is some doubts about number 3. The closed thread was an honest and forthright discussion of possible problems with ML's repair services.

As I stated earlier, nothing lasts forever. That includes companies that become the premier manufacturer in their arena such as GM was for cars and MineLab is for metal detectors. Even Mercedes and Toyota will one day become has-beens. I constantly look for signs of those that are first becoming those that will be last.

Last March MineLab was acquired by Codan Ltd: Codan Limited is the communications business unit and the parent company of the Codan Group, which is engaged in business through its three operating segments

 

[nero_design]

When a Moderator closes a thread, he usually does so with reason. To open two more threads on a subject that has been closed is probably not the best idea.

What REALLY annoys me is when someone complains that their detector is "not working properly" and they send it back for repair and testing. So many times, there's nothing wrong with the product at all. The fault lies with an incompetent user. Even in the instance of the detector that uses third-party coils, the users complain that the detector isn't working properly and, after a long winded chase, the offending defective part is a poorly made coil from another manufacturer.

If you have an issue with a detector, deal directly with the repairer. It may be your dealer or it may be the company itself. But whilst it's great to get a heads-up from others online to gauge the issues at hand, I've only read fairly positive threads here about how Minelab were only too happy to replace an item or repair one at their own expense on so many occasions. For standard repairs, again.. I've heard nothing but praise here on this forum for Minelab's timely repairs. The one thing that sticks out is how fast they are at returning a repair back to a customer.

I spoke with a VERY incompetent user recently who had split his ML detector by dropping it repeatedly onto sharp rocks and then had the audacity to take the device under water with him with visible cracks in the casing. In salt water no less... not that it mattered. And the damage was not just from the occasional drop. It also appeared to have been slammed in a car door and the cables were fraying. Even his external charger was damaged. When the batteries shorted and swelled up so much that the compartment looked like an inflated balloon, he brought the rusty abomination into his local dealer for a repair.

Sure, after sales service is very important for consumer confidence. But something I think worth noting is that there are many people abusing and mishandling their detectors. They then sell these detectors or trade them in. As a result, many of the detectors being repaired have been severely mishandled to begin with. Then, when some guy buys a new detector and has some sort of issue with it and sends it in for repair, the repair department is no doubt filled with all those mishandled detectors which are also under repair. People treat their cameras and pets better than their detector. And now, due to the incompetence of others, there may be a delay in getting something repaired. Though until seeing these thread this week, I wasn't aware of any delay. The turnaround was usually a week or so.

 

[Digger]

as to your request to reopen the discussion on Minelab's service......... This is not the Minelab Service resolution forum. This is the X-Terra forum. It is a place for folks to ask questions and share thoughts on the Minelab X-Terra. If you are unfamiliar with our "rules", I suggest you search our archives and review them. This specific forum has been online for over 3-years. You have been a member of FindMall for 11 months. In those eleven months, you've made about a dozen posts to the X-Terra forum. And NONE of them have been X-Terra specific. You posted a link to assay reports, 3 posts about Yellow Jacket mine, an ebay offer, a link to mbmg.mtech, made one post about gold in Indiana (copy of the same post you made on another forum), 3 questions about the GMAXX, a post asking where you could get a straight rod for the X-Terra (similar to the post you made on the White's forum asking for a straight rod for a White's) and a post telling us you had decided to buy a White's detector instead of the X-Terra. So in response to your request for opening up the discussion on Minelab's repair services......... I don't think so. Not because I'm not concerned when fellow X-Terra users have to send their detector in, only to find it takes longer than one might expect to get it back. That does trouble me. But because we've done all we can do, from this direction. The original post from Wade was dated over a month ago. At that time, Minelab repair had lost one of their technicians. And, as a few pointed out, delays were being encountered with repair and return. About 3 weeks ago, that vacancy at Minelab repair was filled. Although it is still a bit early to say that "all is back to normal", they are getting caught up and I'm confident we will soon be seeing the rapid "turn-around" times that Minelab has been known for. Don't read anything into the repair delays that isn't there. People move on to new jobs everyday. When a highly skilled technician leaves during their seasonal "busy time", it can create a backlog. And it apparently did in this case. If things aren't "back to normal" in a month or so, I'll be making another phone call and asking the question again. If further answers are required on your part, give Minelab a call and ask them yourself. HH Randy

 

[BarnacleBill]

A. You are not a member of the "Minelab Community".
B. You are not adding any useful or new information, Codan is old news.
C. If you were concerned about any issues with their service you can contact them directly.
D. This is not a Minelab Corporate website run, moderated, or administered by Minelab.
E. The members of this forum are hobbyists that attempt to help one another in the use of their detectors and do not sit on the Board of Codan nor Minelab, and therefore have no control over any decisions they do or don't make.

Bottom line is that you are providing no positive content that is going to improve anyone's knowledge or skill in the use of their detectors. If you have questions or have input on the use of the X-Terra line of detectors then you are welcome to make those posts. Many forum members have put in a great deal of time and effort to make this an informative and welcoming forum, and therefore if you continue to Troll, then you will be Trolling elsewhere.

Buy the White's or whatever Make/Model you decide upon, and go enjoy it's use and share that on the forums that are applicable.

BarnacleBill

 

[xwyokid]

My brother sent his X-70 in for what turned out to be a less than major repair. He had it back in less than 5 days. Of course it helped that he lives less than 300 miles from Las Vegas. I would say that's pretty good service anyway.

 

[Steve(MS)]

1 Didn't you state you were going to buy a Whites?
2 If so, what do you care about the service or stability of ML?
3 How many posts have you read where ML was running late on service?
4 Have you personally experienced slow service of getting a ML detector fixed?
5 Since you seem to be trying to find fault maybe it would be in everyones best interest if you buy another brand just like you mentioned in your post.
6 I know guys that like detectors such as Compass. Now because of the age of them and other factors they are known to need repairing above the average.
Does this stop them from using them, buying them, searching out for used coils and having to find someone to repair them? No, they still get them and don't seem to complain either.
Sorry I really don't see your point.

 

[utmike]

That this site is called "FIND"mall for a reason. That the intent here is to discuss successes with machines, methods, and practices to make this an enjoyable pastime and to foster camaraderie and share experiences with fellow detectorists. Service, both positive and negative is certainly a relevant issue and should be addressed as appropriate. However, when the rubber meets the road, conflicts belong between the consumer and the supplier.

If my truck breaks down, I am going to raise hell with my Dodge dealer not the on line forum.

 

[1859large]

To be fair they did estimate the time of repair to be long and they where right on that. I suspect that the rate of returns went up in the early fall, after the busy season, and loosing a tech just compounded the problem.

I found the staff at ML LV where strait up and told me how long it would take and updated me when it was shipped. They where very professional.

I am pleased with the XT70. It is a great machine. The prospect mode is a great complement to the coin finding mode and very sensitive. From what I read there are no (or few) machines out there with this dual capacity. The prospect mode has kept me digging when I was loosing hope and I have pulled some nice non-ferrous artifacts that where below 10"

I have no regrets about my purchase.

HH

1859

 

[fredm]

Not that anyone here is likely to care but I commend the rational and polite manner in these responses...if only every thread were so mannerly...
btw, I have had six minelabs, five new ones and only one repair which was fast and effective. One used 3500 currently being repaired, I bought it used so I won't whine over the repair charges but I won't buy a used one again...unless the warrently becomes transferable.

Fred

 

[surfman]

Mine failed in October,i live in Delaware,sent it to nv,had it back fixed in two weeks. From Delaware! I couldnt be happier with the repair service. No complaints here. I love my xterra 70,one great machine!