Cs Belliver Issue

[dneal]

Hi,

 

I have copied and forwarded your review to our Operaions Director in the UK. Your feedback is very important to us and I will advise an update once I receive a response from the factory.

 

With kind regards,

 

Mary Burke

 

Hi Mary,

 

Just curious if the factory offered a response?

 

Derek

[Mary Burke]

Hi Derek,

 

I spoke with the Operations Director and was told that they are looking into the issue. There is a senior management meeting next week and I will bring this to everybody's attention.

 

With kind regards,

 

Mary Burke

[SignalboxCat]

Perhaps you can also bring to their attention the other issues they have with the acrylic Marlborough range?

 

Having bought an Ebonite Marlborough which was flawless and an excellent pen, I bit the bullet and bough a pair of acrylic Marlboroughs- one in Razorshell, one in Meteor.

 

Both were flawed. The nib on the Razonshell pen just dripped ink. Literally. (I established it was the nib that was flawed by swapping the nib unit with the one from my silver Duro and it was OK with that so was defo the nib unit). The nib on the Meteor one was scratchy and dry, the feed was mis-set on the nib and when I examined it under a loupe the tines were badly misaligned. "Schoolboy errors." Also on the Meteor pen, the lever rattled, and lid clip was badly bowed- and it seemed to leak ink from somewhere.

 

I did notice that the nibs on the acrylic pens were different to the ones on the Ebonite pen or indeed the older C-S range of the same size (eg the silver Duro). Maybe C-S have changed their supplier and not bothered doing any QC checks on new stock?

 

The UK retailer I bought the pens from has exchanged the nib unit on the Razorshell pen for an old-style one, although this means I have a silver-coloured nib rather than all-over gold one (as per the Ebonite Marlborough) which would suit the pen better. I returned the Meteor pen (via the retailer as per UK requirements) for exchange, 3 weeks on I have had no communication and no idea when a new pen will arrive- (if ever!). If it does not arrive within a month from when I returned it I imagine I will have to contact my credit card supplier for a refund as I was supplied with a flawed product and have had to return it andit has yet to be replaced- I have no Meteor pen and C-S is richer by the cost of it. Fortunately I paid with a credit card to a UK retailer so I am fully protected, eventually I will get either a functional product or a refund.

 

A one-in-three chance of getting a pen that is fit for purpose is not acceptable. I am just thankful I live in the UK, I would advise any overseas buyers to only buy via a local retailer who will take care of them and/or let you try before you buy. My experience suggests that C-S quality control out of the factory cannot be relied upon. I say that with a heavy heart, I live in UK and would love to recommend the brand and support UK manufacturing, but unfortunately I cannot.

 

I waited more than 3 weeks before I posted this account to give C-S a chance to put this right, but so far they have not. C-S has also totally lost this opportunity to turn around supply of a flawed product and a resulting dissatisfied customer into a success as their customer care has been non-existant in my case.

 

I am not knocking C-S per se the Ebonite Marborough is a super pen, and now I have it working the Razorshell Marlborough is nice. However I still do not have a working Meteor. I have not yet had any postage refunded for returning a product which was not fit for purpose (hence supplied in breach of the Goods & Services Act).

 

I will not buy new C-S again until I have some evidence that the QC problems are resolved, at this price band I am of the view that this is not an acceptable failure rate. I share this account not to knock C-S but to so that potential buyers are fully informed about the risk of buying C-S pens and can choose whether or not they feel the two-in-three chances of having a problem which requires exchange and postal costs, hassle etc is worthwhile.

 

'Cat

[warblerick]

Sorry. Please ignore this odd post. FPN and desk cleaning don't mix, I'm afraid.

Edited May 4, 2014 by warblerick

[Postscript]

It is tiring to listen to all of the whiners on this thread and the Forum. Everything I hear runs counter to my own very positive experience with over 5 new CS pens including a number of Bellivers with another on the way. Perhaps I am just really lucky or?

 

Thanks, Post Script

[DM48]

It is tiring to listen to all of the whiners on this thread and the Forum. Everything I hear runs counter to my own very positive experience with over 5 new CS pens including a number of Bellivers with another on the way. Perhaps I am just really lucky or?

 

Thanks, Post Script

I assure you that it is equally tiring when someone posts a genuine concern about an issue with Conway Stewart QC to have the 'usual posters' jump to the defence of Conway Stewart with their "I'm alright Jack", "it didn't happen to me" attitude.

 

Conway Stewart make wonderful looking pens, it's just a great shame that there are so many similar complaints about their inability to work when new without remedial work. I personally have had many issues with new pens from Conway Stewart and for me it spoils the buying experience. It is not productive to have people bury their head in the sand and pretend it is not an issue, it is an issue.

 

By reading these posts I am sure that Mary is well aware of the issues and is working to sort them out. If this can be done then I am sure the reputation of Conway Stewart will improve and then people such as me will feel that they can trust the brand again.

[SignalboxCat]

I assure you that it is equally tiring when someone posts a genuine concern about an issue with Conway Stewart QC to have the 'usual posters' jump to the defence of Conway Stewart with their "I'm alright Jack", "it didn't happen to me" attitude.

 

Conway Stewart make wonderful looking pens, it's just a great shame that there are so many similar complaints about their inability to work when new without remedial work. I personally have had many issues with new pens from Conway Stewart and for me it spoils the buying experience. It is not productive to have people bury their head in the sand and pretend it is not an issue, it is an issue.

 

By reading these posts I am sure that Mary is well aware of the issues and is working to sort them out. If this can be done then I am sure the reputation of Conway Stewart will improve and then people such as me will feel that they can trust the brand again.

 

You have totally hit the nail on the head. wth your post. Unfortunately however I don't have any impression that C-S is bothered in the slightest about these issues.

 

 

Update on where things are with the faulty pen I returned for replacement.

 

My meteor finally arrived back from C-S....... WITHOUT THE BOX AND PAPERS!!!!! It seems that the box/papers are currently parked with the retailer via whom I returned the pen, C-S obviously paying so much attention to remedying this situation that they sent the pen back direct to me in a plastic bag and didnt bother letting the retailer know.

 

So, whilst I now have a working pen, I have no box and papers. Goodness knows when I will manage to get those returned.

 

THESE PEOPLE HAVE NOT EVEN REFUNDED MY POSTAGE!!!!!

 

Where in all this does looking after the customer come? (No-where that I can see).

 

Not only was their first attempt at the pen a lemon, but the replacement (which out of fairness I should add does seem to work as is it supposed to although I only inked it last night and have not really written much with it yet) has no box/papers, the hassle continues and I am out of pocket on postage. That is shameful customer service to add to the original poor QC. Getting the return correct and perhaps adding a small token gesture like a bottle of ink to compensate for shelling out to have exchanged what was an initially faulty product would have cost them little and gone a long way to making me think that the management of C-S are actually bothered about their customers. I have now reached the conclusion they are not, so I will not be buying any of their products in future no matter how tempting they look. Just too much risk of a lemon and the ensuing hassle of sorting such things out.

 

To others who might consider buying from this bunch: Caveat Emptor!

 

To C-S: if you want positive postings on t'internet, might I humbly suggest dealing with your customers as if they actually mattered to you?

 

'Cat

Edited May 10, 2014 by SignalboxCat

[RMN]

First a question: is the pen repaired now?

 

 

Second: It is not uncommon that for warranty issues the customer pays postage. This is so in the penworld, and also in the world of electronics. Many a warranty is "bring in".

 

Actually several companies ask you to pay them a certain "token" amount to cover P&P. This happens with many Italian brands. And I think Cross and Parker & Waterman now also do that.

 

The fact that there is no box and papers, is because they did not get them. The retailer kept the box. No use sending a lot of empty weight over the mail. Did you send it in the box to your retailer? or did you bring it in in person...? Retailer should have informed you about the box. Actually it is good that they send the pen to you: you have it much quicker and it saves the retailer P&P&effort. Did you check with your retailer if they have informed them?

 

As you tell it, I do not see much at fault with CS, and I will happily buy from them again.

 

D.ick

[SignalboxCat]

Well, the saga continues.

 

The Meteor pen was re-made and sent to me (as described above). The box and papers eventually arrived back from the retailer.

 

Having tried the pen this week, it seemed OK, but after a day or so I noticed it held very little ink compared to it's companions of an identical type.

 

I have been away for a couple of days, today was the first day I was able to examine the pen in detail in good daylight- and doing so I discovered why it holds so little ink.

 

The lever is not pushing on the pressure bar, so only the lever tip depresses the sac. It is far enough misaligned that it is not a minor adjustment issue. Basically the pen is not made correctly. Not only does it not fill correctly due to the mechanism not being made correctly, but in a short time I expect the sac will pierce.

 

So, I will have to reject the pen *again* (sigh). This time I will be asking for a full and complete refund (including of all of my postage) as I don't have any confidence in C-S to fix this.

 

I have taken a photo and if I can figure out how to post it I will do so.

 

It is a shame that C-S cannot respond to this post either.

 

Like I say, all I want now is a full and complete refund.

 

'Cat

[RMN]

Well, the saga continues.

 

The Meteor pen was re-made and sent to me (as described above). The box and papers eventually arrived back from the retailer.

 

Having tried the pen this week, it seemed OK, but after a day or so I noticed it held very little ink compared to it's companions of an identical type.

 

I have been away for a couple of days, today was the first day I was able to examine the pen in detail in good daylight- and doing so I discovered why it holds so little ink.

 

The lever is not pushing on the pressure bar, so only the lever tip depresses the sac. It is far enough misaligned that it is not a minor adjustment issue. Basically the pen is not made correctly. Not only does it not fill correctly due to the mechanism not being made correctly, but in a short time I expect the sac will pierce.

 

So, I will have to reject the pen *again* (sigh). This time I will be asking for a full and complete refund (including of all of my postage) as I don't have any confidence in C-S to fix this.

 

I have taken a photo and if I can figure out how to post it I will do so.

 

It is a shame that C-S cannot respond to this post either.

 

Like I say, all I want now is a full and complete refund.

 

'Cat

Alas, if that is the case I agree then you CAN hold this against CS. That is not as it should be. And you are the second one I hear having problems with the lever/J-bar function.

 

Good luck

 

 

D.ick

[dneal]

The lever is not pushing on the pressure bar, so only the lever tip depresses the sac. It is far enough misaligned that it is not a minor adjustment issue. Basically the pen is not made correctly. Not only does it not fill correctly due to the mechanism not being made correctly, but in a short time I expect the sac will pierce.

 

 

Sorry about your troubles. It's disconcerting that a pen leaves the factory working improperly in the first place, but particularly after it had been sent back for correction. I'm glad I didn't send mine back and was able to correct the issues myself (as an aside, there's still been no response to the condition it was delivered in...)

 

I'm curious though, is it the tip of the J-bar that pushes on the sac, or the tip of the lever? (The lever should push down on the J-Bar, which compresses the sac).

[Paul80]

Sounds like the J-Bar is out of alignment and being missed by the end of the lever, and yes a hole in the sac will soon follow if not fixed, as you have taken it apart to see what the problem is you will have invalidated any warrantee on the repare so it would be better and quicker to fix it yourself, if the J-Bar is anything like the one in my Churchill it should be easy to twist back into proper alignment.

 

Paul

[JonSzanto]

Hi Derek,

 

I spoke with the Operations Director and was told that they are looking into the issue. There is a senior management meeting next week and I will bring this to everybody's attention.

 

With kind regards,

 

Mary Burke

 

With the greatest of respect and politeness, Mary: this has still not been addressed, a month after the mention. I really wonder just what the point is - if you ask people for feedback, and you intimate that it will be communicated to the company but nothing ever comes back, even after this much time, wouldn't it be better to simply stop soliciting comments, suggestions, pleas for help and other input on a public forum like this? It is NOT giving anything remotely resembling a good impression of the company's consideration for their customers, and you appear caught in the middle.

 

 

It is tiring to listen to all of the whiners on this thread and the Forum.

 

Got to love a great attitude.

[Touchstone68]

Jon,

 

As I read it, I believe Mary's comments at Post No. 42 were directed at Arran's starting problems with his Belliver as the originator of this thread. Signal Box has subsequently hijacked the thread at Post No. 43 and we don't know whether his problems have been highlighted to the Plymouth factory. Signal Box has only contributed to the thread from 3 May being just over a fortnight ago.

 

For what it's worth, I also had starting problems with my Belliver Poinsettia. I sent it directly to the factory and it now works well. Of course, it shouldn't have needed to have been returned and it cost me £6 odd in postage to do so but the main thing is that it now works well.

 

Kind regards,

 

Tim

[JonSzanto]

As I read it, I believe Mary's comments at Post No. 42...

 

I was referring to the exchange in #37, which to my knowledge has not been addressed, and that has been a month.

 

The point is: it would be comforting, at the very least, to know that all of this is something more than a waste of time. Either to hear the company explain what is being done to rectify the situation, or the person with the problem reporting back that things are being worked out. I hear complete silence.

 

I have seen companies, large and small, deal with customer service far better than this. I would really like to believe that things are much better than they appear, but it hardly seems so.

[SignalboxCat]

Sounds like the J-Bar is out of alignment and being missed by the end of the lever, and yes a hole in the sac will soon follow if not fixed, as you have taken it apart to see what the problem is you will have invalidated any warrantee on the repare so it would be better and quicker to fix it yourself, if the J-Bar is anything like the one in my Churchill it should be easy to twist back into proper alignment.

 

Paul

 

That is what it looks like, and I have NOT taken it apart as I don't want to invalidate any warranty- in a good light, it is evident to see when the lever is pulled to the "fill" position as the j-bar can be seen as can the lever end and the sac (through the lever slot) and they (the lever end and j-bar) do not line up.

 

'Cat

[SignalboxCat]

 

Sorry about your troubles. It's disconcerting that a pen leaves the factory working improperly in the first place, but particularly after it had been sent back for correction. I'm glad I didn't send mine back and was able to correct the issues myself (as an aside, there's still been no response to the condition it was delivered in...)

 

I'm curious though, is it the tip of the J-bar that pushes on the sac, or the tip of the lever? (The lever should push down on the J-Bar, which compresses the sac).

 

It is the tip of the lever presses the sac, it misses the j-bar completely (can see this through the lever slot, no disassembly required- I would not know how!)

 

'Cat

[dneal]

 

I was referring to the exchange in #37, which to my knowledge has not been addressed, and that has been a month.

 

The point is: it would be comforting, at the very least, to know that all of this is something more than a waste of time. Either to hear the company explain what is being done to rectify the situation, or the person with the problem reporting back that things are being worked out. I hear complete silence.

 

I have seen companies, large and small, deal with customer service far better than this. I would really like to believe that things are much better than they appear, but it hardly seems so.

 

Just to clarify, I don't expect the company to do anything. Having been in a situation somewhat similar to Mary's (i.e.: being responsible for others' work), I just wanted to bring my experience to her attention so she could pass it along. Pretty much what I indicated in the original post.

 

She replied that she would pass on a response. I only have idle curiosity with regard to that response, but I do agree with your point here and in post #53. If you are going to ask for and offer feedback, it seems only common courtesy to follow through.

 

 

 

It is the tip of the lever presses the sac, it misses the j-bar completely (can see this through the lever slot, no disassembly required- I would not know how!)

 

'Cat

 

Wow, and this after factory repair... Anyway, given your circumstance I wouldn't advise taking it apart either, although I think it is just a matter of unscrewing the section from the barrel.

[Happy Harry]

 

. Having been in a situation somewhat similar to Mary's (i.e.: being responsible for others' work)...

 

So you where one of the owners?

[Mary Burke]

 

With the greatest of respect and politeness, Mary: this has still not been addressed, a month after the mention. I really wonder just what the point is - if you ask people for feedback, and you intimate that it will be communicated to the company but nothing ever comes back, even after this much time, wouldn't it be better to simply stop soliciting comments, suggestions, pleas for help and other input on a public forum like this? It is NOT giving anything remotely resembling a good impression of the company's consideration for their customers, and you appear caught in the middle.

 

 

 

Got to love a great attitude.

Hi There,

 

First of all, I apologize on behalf of Conway Stewart that the repair has not fixed the fault. A repair should remedy the issue without any further problems.

 

The repair issues were mentioned during the recent board meeting. New repair and QC forms have been created as a checklist before pens are dispatched from the factory in the UK. Additional staff training is also taking place.

 

Although I am based in Seattle, I am always here to help and give support for when you have issues or complaints. I may not always be able to respond on the same day, but I do try to check the forum on a regular basis.

 

With kind regards,

 

Mary Burke