LA MARCHE MOULDING, ANSWER YOUR PHONE

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JRB

JRB

PFG, Picture Framing God
Founding Member
Joined
Aug 12, 2000
Posts
7,107
Location
San Diego, CA
On October thirty first I tried to place an order with La March Moulding. I was put on perpetual hold while I waited for their order department to pick up the phone. I gave up waiting after about ten minutes and decided to send a fax instead, I had a bunch of other stuff to order from other companies and this had worked for me a couple of times in the past.

I went to do the job I ordered for and no moulding was shipped.

OK, La Marche moulding, you will not answer your phone, you will not look at your fax machine. How do you suggest I order product from you? Perhaps you could furnish me carrier pigeons to deliver my orders to you.

Let's just hope Peter La Marche does not have a computer. He has a standing policy at his company that he is never supposed to see or hear anything negative about his company.

It's a shame, they have such nice mouldings, they just don't want us framers to get them away from them. The only reason I have not tossed their samples is on account of Chris Flanagen, their rep. in San Diego, she busts her butt trying to smooth over their screwups.

John Baker,
John Baker Picture Frames


[This message has been edited by JRB (edited November 12, 2001).]
 
John:

La Marche does not currently have a rep for my area, but I talked to a very helpful rep this week. His name is Chuck Casey and his phone number is 419-898-7801. A call to him would probably get results for you. He was very concerned that I had to wait on hold and did not receive good customer service from their office.

Cherry Poulson
Cherry's Custom Framing

------------------
 
I was just reading about one of the La Marche sons left to form his new company, Gryphon Frames. He cited lousy customer service as the reason... I guess that's what he meant
 
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by GRYPHON 1:
Originally posted by Ainsley:
Do you have a phone or contact for Gryphen Moulding? Thank's for the info!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
GRYPHON MOULDING
1-800-277-2161
fax: 1-800-277-2162
Contact Philip LaMarche/President
or Denny Hsu/ Vice President
Please contact us at any time we would be happy to talk with you.
Click to expand...

John, this may not be the guy you're looking for, but he was really nice to us, and I'll bet he can get the phones answered. Hope this helps.
 
Gryphon Moulding is a nice line of compos., uniques, etc. very reasonably priced. I put in the entire line. He does not have many yet, I figure if I support him, his line will grow. The reason I would like to see Philip LaMarche prosper is he has one attribute his grandfather can not grasp, HE ANSWERS HIS PHONE! He also will talk to his customers, Peter LaMarche will not. If you think I'm kidding, try calling him.

Gryphon ships out of the Los Angeles area.

I would like to see him pick up that line of birds eye maple laminates his grandfather handles, if he had those I think I would just toss all of La Marche moulding samples.
I don't think we, as customers of Peter La Marche, should have to beg and grovel in order to get product from him.

John
 
Thank you to everyone for your kind comments regarding GRYPHON MOULDING.

Amanda, I apologize if I misled you durring my interview in Framing Business News. The fact is I never cited lousy customer service as the reason I left. My actual quote that I think you are referring to was " I left with the intent of being more customer oriented". I just meant I wanted to be more involved with the retail framers in regards to special events and things like the Grumble. Thank you any way.

Art Lady, I would be happy to send you our catalog, and our mouldings are also available from our distributor in New Jersey Forest Gallery. They carry a majority of our line and are constantly adding new items. Please call me I would love the opportunity to work with you. 1-800-277-2161

John, Thank you for the great comments. About those mouldings you want me to bring in.....Don't call me I,ll call you
tongue.gif


I look forward to some day seeing good coments on the Grumble about Gryphon with out being on another companies string.
(Why am I doing this on a Sunday???
smile.gif
)
 
Now I have some good suppliers, but Gryphon certainly has the appearance of customer care that many lack. Best wishes for the future of a company with such a great attitude.
 
I too have been very happy with Gryphon moulding, unique designs, quality, and good pricing. And I will attest to the fact that you CAN speak to the owner. Philip is a good guy and seems intent on building a good company. I would encourage people to check them out.

As far as La Marche goes, I seem to go hot and cold with them. One week I'll think they're great and then the next I'll need something and have to jump through hoops to have them get it out, especially around holidays. It can be very frustrating.

Duane Buck, CPF
The Frame Shop & Gallery
San Ramon, CA
 
Rob La Marche called me today and assured me that he, personally, is going to make sure their phone answering problem gets resolved as quickly as possible. I was less than pleasant with him and I hope he can do the job. The La Marche moulding line is one I would miss from my selection.

John
 
Well, whoever has the phone duty at LM, is asleep at the switch. We called and waited for 10 minutes just yesterday (11/28), and no one helped. The only good thing that came out of the expereince was that when we called Chris Flannagan (she is absolutely wonderful) to get her help, she recommended this site...which is the greatest. The only language they will eventually understand is that last phone call to Mr. La Marche from the accountants tellimg him that he has no more customers, no more cash flow, mounting bills to be paid and what will become a lifetime supply of his own moulding on hand.

------------------
Michael & Lesley Jones
 
I don't think you understand the program at La Marche Moulding, King Peter lives in a ivory tower and only the very select few are allowed up there. Rob La Marche might have told the loyal customers that he would solve the phone problem, but he may not have gotten to the top of the tower. King Peter only allows people WITHOUT problems to reach him, if he doesn't like the vibes in the crownroom he will not give the orders to correct. I'm sure the money counters and keeper of the goods have already sent flags up the flag pole, but the king has to be looking down to see what his subjects are sending up. I have been told that with all the problems we are having with their service that they are only down 10% ($25000) per month.
 
Oh phooey, you guys!
Say what you will, but their moulding has a look that is uniquely their own. (Very unusual in this biz, yes?) They have a lovely line that sets trends and sells without much effort, even at those prices. It is, design-wise, heads and shoulders above any other moulding line. You MUST admire them/him for consistently bringing to the framing industry excellence in design. I have had few complaints about quality as well.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I must go straighten out the train wreck known as my LaMarche account statement...! Argh!

P.S. Welcome Michael and Lesley! Look out -you will soon become addicted. (and end up like Ron...!)(teehee)

[This message has been edited by Framing Goddess (edited November 29, 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Framing Goddess (edited November 29, 2001).]
 
i have been using lamarche for years..and have not had the problems that some of y'all are having. maybe its your particular distributing center..or sales rep that is the problem, and not the whole lamarche company. just my 2 cents worth.
smile.gif

Kirsty
 
From the drift of this thread, it seems all the problems with La Marche are associated with their west coast operations. The other Grumblers don't seem to be having problems.
Perhaps, who ever is running their other distribution centers, that person could go to La Marche headquarters on the west coast and teach them how to run a distribution center. I'll bet that's the problem, they just don't know how to do it.

John
 
I don't know about the phone service, but we have had trouble with the back orders of two LaMarche frames recently. We had been waiting for one since September. The customer finally got fed up and was going to cancel the order. We convinced her to use another company's length moulding we had on hand, and we cancelled the LM order.

The other frame we were waiting for from them finally arrived today, I think. We've appeased that customer and she hasn't tried to cancel yet.

There's a cute little gold or silver LM moulding (I don't know the number) that appeared to made of a spongy balsa wood. That was very aggravating.

I went off on a LaMarche grumble tangent. Usually, we're ok with them. Just recently these problems have occured. We still like their designs and hope to continue to sell them.
 
I don't use La Marche mouldings often, but when I fax my orders, I receive a fax back from La Marche acknowledging my order. They also say if it is in stock and when it will be shipped. They are the only company that does this for me.

Michelle
 
Ain't that just the thing.

You screw up and you hear about it all day long.

You finally get if right, and you don't hear didley.

Now, I am the first to speak up and Grumble, but the other day (Friday) I almost fell over backward in my chair.

When I called LaMarche I made myself comfortable as ususal. I got paperwork to do while on hold. Took a look at the clock and made the call.

The lady who usually puts me on hold answers the phone. I was on hold for less than 1 second. I kid you not.

I could not speak for a moment. Then I made my order.

Maybe I got lucky, or maybe there has actually been a change made.

I hope it is the second part. And if this is the case, I thank LaMarche for addressing the poblem.

Congrats!
 
We have been a customer of LMM for more than 20 years. It might even be fair to say we were at one (recent) time a large account. We purchased tens of thousands of feet, not per year, but per month. Yet, were treated with the same nonchalance as the chop customer who buys 12 feet per year. It must be nice to have that kind of power. But frankly, if I ran a business wherin I did not have to care about my customers, it only means I have too much money. Therefore: why would I work. Howz that for some framing syllogism?
 
I know Bob just looks at threads like this one as a slam on the 'big guys.'

If is was La Marche, or any other vendor that has taken a beating, I would look at all of this as a gift.

When it comes down to it: A complaint is a gift.

For instance; someone like Sir Lurksallot could stay silent and dodge away to another vendor. They took the time and effort to give the gift of thier customer experience, and or feelings.

I had a customer servcice experience recently (see "ready to grumble," the first post). I thought I had an open line of communication with that company. I thought they would like to know, or at least have an understanding that there was a shipping problem. By the response of the senior person I spoke to I know they did not get the gift.

I know not to give this company gifts anymore.

I hope you (framerfolk) recognize gifts your customers may give you. And thank them for them.

I am pretty sure that any vendor who is willing to be a posting grumbler would be the kind of person open to a gift.

In this gift giving season, the best gifts may not be wrapped.
 
Good point Marc. I often contact the management or web sites of companies that have a customer service problem, or if the service is great, I let them know too. (The local Office Max has really improved their service, and I let them know that I noticed.)

I do this with the attitude of "If it were my business, I'd want to know."

There is a local Subway that is in with a gas station. It always looks dirty. I
e-mailed Subway and told them how much I love the food at Subways, but I would not go into this one, even though it was very close to me. They responded and thanked me. Even sent me a coupon for free food! I don't do it for freebies, I'm just real partial to good customer service!

Betty
 
Marc and Betty both have good suggestions:You should let the people know that don't take care of you and your problems of your concerns. I love it when a customer takes the time to tell me of their dissatisfaction. It gives me the chance to correct the problem. And a customer that feels like I am truly interested is much more inclined to be a long term customer than one that thinks we don't care.

I guess the key is to be sure and tell the right person. I think we are making a quantum leap of faith thinking that a slam on the grumble is the most effective method.Direct, constructive criticism will yield far better results without trying to embarrass the vendor.

But, if I thought a vendor just doesn't care or doesn't get it, It's time for this client to find another person to drop my dime on.
 
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