When is Enough Enough?

#106
It's really crazy for anyone to get truly offended. I think we all are experiencing momentary heated passions. Basically we are all here because we Love RM bags or at one time Loved them and would like to see them thrive and prosper (Well, not too too much...LOL) because the prices have already hit maximun density I think.
I don't know what the answers are but things do need to take a turn for the better. If they don't, well, we have no control how a company chooses to treat it's customers and each of us will come to that "Enough" point individually.

I just hope they don't go the way of Kooba who after the Sienna bag seemed to think they could do no wrong. At one point I had 19 Koobas in my closet. Now I have one. It took 4 years of a slow decline before we parted ways. I hope in 4 years RM has worked out the kinks, took control of their situation, and are making happy customers.
 
#107
airedale3 said:
2. Put all the bag pieces together before assembly to ensure that the leathers are matched. Then have the pieces travel down the assy line so they don't get separated. This should reduce the defects in matching. When you are cutting large numbers of pieces of leather, it easy to see how different textures could get put together. (I am not sure if this is practical, depending on how their assy line is laid out.)
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I think this is a magnificent suggestion! I think it is important to point this out. I think that each person who works on a bag picks a different piece from their pile of that color and works it into the bag. (The CNN video seems to confirm this.) I find that a bit of a recipe for this kind of problem...

Very nice of Loquita to do this...(even though she is procrastinating her deadline:smile: Don't worry about stepping on a business owner's toes. When you are in retail, the customer is always telling you how to do things, the point is, do you listen and try to ferret out the constructive bits and incorporate them into your business model, or do you ignore them and accept that they start shopping elsewhere? I think we need to remember, though there is some artistry to this, it IS a business, a retail business, and you are the customers.

Lastly, can we please all just be nice? This is all supposed to be fun:smile:
 
#108
I can say too that I would never pay full price for RM. Of course I should state that I would never pay full price for anything. I would have to research, as I have done, to at least get no tax and free shipping or some points somewhere as I have done with LV and balenciaga and gucci.

That is not to put down RM. It is just saying that I am always looking for the best way to get what I want.

That said, I make sure I can return something I buy online so if it is not exactly as I want I can return it. That part really doesn't bother me.
 
#109
airedale3 said:
Loquita,
Here are some of my other ideas:
1. Standardize shipping boxes and packing. For example if someone orders a MAB, then it would go in a specific size box. I would think that someone could look at the most common customer orders and determine the best size boxes. It should also reduce costs because they would have some idea of the size and number of boxes they should maintain on hand. This should help reduce customer complaints about bad packaging.

2. Put all the bag pieces together before assembly to ensure that the leathers are matched. Then have the pieces travel down the assy line so they don't get separated. This should reduce the defects in matching. When you are cutting large numbers of pieces of leather, it easy to see how different textures could get put together. (I am not sure if this is practical, depending on how their assy line is laid out.)

3. Analyze the problems with the bags. I would like to suggest this--using some Six Sigma methodology (reducing defects to 6 per million) to determine why the defects are occuring seems like a good idea. I work for a large aircraft company and we are currently using these methods to reduce costs and reduce defects. To be competitive with foreign countries, we have to do this

Manufacturing is manufacturing whether it is an airplane or a handbag. All customers want a high quality product with zero defects. I want this company to be successful and hopefully, RM will accept these suggestions for what they are--constructive suggestions.
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As much help as Six Sigma would be, I don't think it's up to us to suggest specific solutions like that. I think the most we should do is tell them what is making us unhappy and what our expectations are. It's up to them as to how to fulfill the expectations.

PS I'm in aircraft manufacturing too!
 
#110
jsenning said:
As much help as Six Sigma would be, I don't think it's up to us to suggest specific solutions like that. I think the most we should do is tell them what is making us unhappy and what our expectations are. It's up to them as to how to fulfill the expectations.

PS I'm in aircraft manufacturing too!
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I agree. From what I understand, we are all customers, not business consultants, to RM.

It's one thing to write a letter summarzing "poor" or "insufficient" customer service that has been experienced and clarify expectations. It's another to lay out "suggestions" for their business.

From what I can gather, no one posting in this thread actually owns or runs a handbag company, so I think it would be out of place.

We know RM employees peruse the board, so they are probably not oblivious to customer unhappiness when it happens.

A simple letter should suffice.

Truthfully, I would be embarressed to submit anything more than a letter that documents my own personal experiences. I think it would be inappropriate to submit a letter that details other incidents that have been posted about in the forum if I personally had not experienced them first hand.
 
#111
HitchcockBlonde said:
I personally do not think the handles issue has been addressed. First of all, it is happening AGAIN on a bag (Market Tote) I just bought a a month or two ago. Secondly, I have looked at several of the recent RM bags, including this season's MAM, Market Tote, and Steadies, as I mentioned in another thread, and I can tell the handles are just as flimsy. I personally don't think the placement of the seam is going to make any difference. The problem is the material and thickness of the handles and the fact that they are too small and flimsy to support the larger-sized bags. JMO, but if you look at any other bag at this price range (Botkier, Gryson, etc.) NONE of them have handles this flimsy. From what I've seen, only cheaper bags have handles made this way out of this material. For example I saw one in Banana Republic the other day that had them, but it was like $250 and wasn't even leather. I am not an expert but I think the whole construction is the problem and I think this is a leftover thing from when she was pricing her bags much lower.

I understand where people are coming from. I have loved RM's bags for ages now --- since there were only four or five of us posting in a single thread on TPF. But I don't buy them nearly as much anymore because of this. I don't "move on" to another forum because I adore the bags, am loyal to the designer, and am truly hopeful that she will resolve these issues. I love the bags. And RM (the company and the person) is responsive. So I think it's good to let her know our feelings in hopes that she will improve the quality.

At the same time, I think we should really try hard not to get overly dramatic about it. And definitely should not fight with each other about it. I think we all need to respect that everyone has a right to their opinion, whatever it may be.

And my opinion is: we have a unique situation here where the designer (and her representatives) read this board and pay close attention to our feelings in calibrating their business. They seem to actually make marketing, pricing and other decisions based in part on our feedback. So, I think it can only help to give her constructive criticism from time to time *when it is legitimate*. If we all act like we're thrilled to pay $600 for bags that aren't up to par, she'll just keep selling them at that quality at those prices (and higher) because we are making it clear we will buy them anyway. That doesn't help anyone, IMO.

But please, please, please, let's just be polite and nice about it and try to avoid unnecessary drama! xoxo
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I think HCB is the voice of reason always on our board. :yes:

I have be down on RM because of CS but recently they have really stepped up. Think how impossible it must be to have to " cater" to a board of obssessed woman who want this and that. It's so nice that RM appointed people to look out for us and take care of us as best they can.

I do have one piece of advice for Rm though special orders should probably be stopped for immediate future. I dont' think they are big enough to be doing this. Think about it: they take 3 special orders from us say:
dark grey nikki
Stonewash nikki
mini wine nikki

They promise them in 2 months but then Bloomingdales a national retailer orders up 500 bags for the east coast and 500 bags for the westcoast. Which order is more important in a business sense? Although Rm has told us repeatedly she is not a business person but the creative person the business has to flourish. And it will not grow and flourish making special orders, unless it's on a grand scale like the wine nikki. They have to accept the money up front on these to actually pay for the bags. The special orders are not part of her budget she has to account for it by collecting up front. That's standard.

We have had unprecedented contact with RM and her company. I really think we all need to back off, I mean after all it's only leather.

I love my bags as much as the next gal but I am done critizing.

As for me I love her bags I do and her colors and I can be patient. No pre-orders for me no more speical orders for me. I can wait.

As for QC issues she needs to hiring a QC Manager. This could help immensly.
 
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#112
Contessa said:
I'd like to add respectfully that unless I'm on the RM payroll, I refuse to try to "solve" these problems.

Point in the right direction?? Yes. Ask for constructive criticism?? Sure. But solve these fiascos?? That's what she's paying her employees for.

The ball is in RM's court as far as I'm concerned.
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i agree w/ that.
and if customers have specific suggestions i think they should email RM. if you want something done, do something, say something.
 
#114
nolarice said:
i agree w/ that.
and if customers have specific suggestions i think they should email RM. if you want something done, do something, say something.
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ITA. As cliche as the phrase has become in corporate circles, it really is true: the definition of insanity is complaining quietly and doing the same task, the same way, and expecting different results.

I know from personal experience that RM takes conscructive feedback and incorporates it whenever possible. I once expressed a concern here on the boards about one of their shipping practices. When I received my first package from RM, I noticed that an invoice was used as the shipping label - complete with the retail price plastered on it for everyone to see what I paid for what was inside. Amazing thing is, I posted my concern about this and within 24 hours - Rebecca had gotten word of this and contacted her shipping department about making the necessary changes.

So, if you have a geniune and constructive concern - it can pay off to speak up. :tup:
 
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