I am a bit puzzled by your lack of response to customer concerns at Wested. I feel that Wested gets more than a fair shake around here. I would go so far as to say that with your active participation within the group, the product you put out and your involvement in the movies themselves puts Wested at the #1 vendor spot here at COW. I think by using logic most members will completely agree with that statement.
I've purchased five jackets from you in the past. I placed 3 of those orders with you over the phone personally. Each and every time you gave me as much time as I needed to get my order correct and did not rush me to get off the phone in ANY way whatsoever. You and everyone I've ever dealt with at Wested have been nothing short of charming and exceptional people. If you read what others have said about you in the past after speaking to you or meeting you or any Wested employee in person, you'll find those sentiments echoed.
I feel that since you have chosed to join in on some of our conversations here, opened your doors at Wested to many of us and even taken the opportunity to break bread with fellow members on the Queen Mary that you are more than just a vendor here. There are many here who would call you a personal friend and possibly even a mentor. You are part of the bigger picture...the permanent family here at COW. Old school. Family. That's how we see it.
This is why I find it unsettling that you are being shown that there are quality control issues as of late and not only as customers, but as friends, we'd hope that you'd take this not as an attack on yourself or your business, but a major concern of ours as longtime associates and friends within the community. These are legitimate concerns, not just a gripe session aimed at flawing you or your business.
You wrote:
Peter, if you read almost all of the posts as I do I think you'll find this to just not be true. In fact, it's almost the opposite from what I read. There are many here who can vouch that I used to get sick and tired of all the same posts of people who want to show off their new Westeds. I found it rather redundant since almost all of them look alike. But people here are so proud and happy to receive them that they want to post them...to show everyone. Even when someone at Wested overlooks some hardware placed on an order and a member doesn't get their order 100% you still see members saying that they're so satisfied with the jacket anyways that it doesn't bother them.Last Year I sent out more than 2000 indy jackets with many complimentary replies unfortunately they rarely reach the COW only the complaints.
The fact is Peter, that you and your company have been making ALOT more people happy here at COW over the last decade than you may be taking credit for. Perhaps you should go back and read some of the posts for yourself going back years, of all the satisfied and happy customers who after many years of wanting, finally got the Indy jacket they've always wanted.
What this is is not an attack against you, but instead your fanbase reaching out to you not only as a vendor, but as a friend that we have legitimate concerns. We have no idea what's going on so we have to ask you but it seems all it does is get you upset, which nobody wants and will get us nowhere.
So, how do we address our concerns to you?
We're just trying to reach out so that you understand that there is something wrong. We as a group would like to help you so we can all figure out how to get past these concerns so that things continually run smooth. There is a gap in communication on some level, whether it be when the order is being placed or when the jacket is being made. There are simple things that are being overlooked such as the wrong color or styled hardware. There are only two ways I can see this to go wrong. Either the person writing up the order sheet does not write down the order correctly or the person installing them overlooks the information on the order sheet. Either way, I'm sure you'd agree that it is something which you can take into account and see that things of this nature do not get overlooked from this point on. There has to be a system to prevent this from happening.
I know that you have a high volume of orders and that it must be stressful at some point or maybe all points, I don't know. 2000 jackets is sure alot for one year. That's just over 5 jackets a day. Alot of paperwork and alot of cutting and stitching. I think we can all understand that and can definitely empathize with that fact. But the other fact remains, that people are still getting orders in which simple things are being overlooked.
I think I can speak for the majority that we are just looking for a way to make these concerns heard and acknowledged instead of ignored and without making you angry about it, which seems to continually be the end result whenever quality control becomes an issue. To be fair, things of this nature have been going on now for years but because people are so excited to get the jacket they are no longer concerned they got D-Rings instead of sliders even though they placed the order with you personally. Recently though, it seems to have gotten to a point where we were seeing posts of new jackets where many simple items were being overlooked on orders, mainly hardware.
I know sometimes we're a tough bunch and I'm sure at times, a bit unnerving. Still, Wested has been at it so long and I feel you are (and I think I speak for the majority here) all fully capable of handling any and all of the mods associted with the jacket. After all, you invented it and have shown yourselves to be professional craftsman. Still, I can understand possible frustration from a picky bunch such as ourselves.
The bottom line, Peter, is that we just want to be taken seriously. I think for our group as a whole, as loyal customers for the past decade we deserve that. The first step is for you to take us seriously and investigate where simple things on the orders are being overlooked. I'm sure if you needed help from any of your fans you would be overloaded with requests to help you if need be. That's how we are here. There are MANY here who are loyal to Wested and have stayed that way since day one. Please do the right thing and take us seriously. I'm sure there is some way we can all work out everyones concerns with little effort. The first step is listening and communication.
You are family here and so is Wested. I think I speak for the majority again in saying that we'd like it to stay that way as long as God will allow.
Peter, I just hope you understand how valuable you are to our community and that you are loved and respected. We simply want that in return, my friend. Please, show us the courtesy. You've made my dreams come true in the Indy jacket and I hope you will continue to do the same for future members. Yes, it's only a jacket, but one has to realize it means alot more to some than others. It means alot to me.
God bless - Jason.
Mods, I thought the other closed threads were getting negatively out of hand a bit so I wanted to throw as much positive light on this subject as much as possible since I'm sure I'm not the only one who takes this seriously.
Now, I'd like as many of you who love your Wested(s), have respect for Peter and have had those positive experiences to voice them here. If Peter thinks we don't appreciate him, lets let him know we do! We don't need any long, drawn out stories, but just a thank you and an appreciation for giving us the business for so long and making some of our dreams come true. I'm sure if this doesn't get immediately closed down it will if any of you continue to negatively gripe, so please can it. This thread is not intended to be a gripe session..think of it as a love session. To come to an understanding through positive communication, not to continue other closed threads.
. Hat's off to you, Peter.
](./images/smilies/Indy_wall.gif "Brick wall"){kind=small}
