trip and factory tour worth it?

Hi Richard,

Audioneophyte's experience is not out of the ordinary.  

Naim gave substantially the same response when I have contacted Naim directly (twice in the last 3 years) to see if I could join a tour that may be scheduled within a 2 month window.

Perhaps Naim now sees such tours as a low value distraction.

Best regards, FT

Can I just understand something here ? Did you actually turn up at the factory or just try to arrange a tour by phone ?

If you turned actually turned up, did you arrange this tour previously with Naim only to be rebuffed on arrival ? Or did you just show up without making such an arrangement and expect to be shown around ? If it's the former then I have some sympathy, however if it's the latter then I have none whatsoever.

In one post you say you were coming to Salisbury anyway, and in another you complain about the distance travelled and how hard it is to get there - as though you had wasted your journey. I must admit I am struggling to be on your side in this.

Naim do a fantastic factory tour. We will probably do another one when our dealer arranges the next one. The lead time was about two months.  It used to be by personal arrangement but it's now done via dealers. Contacting UK dealers to ask if you might join a booked tour may have been a good starting point, although at this time of the year things can get squeezed as already stated.  

Even when fully staffed the factory is a hive of activity. If someone had to down tools for every customer who wanted to turn up on spec they would get considerably less work done and might have to do it dozens or even hundred of times a month. Word gets around.

Suppose you'd just treated yourself to a new 500 and got "we know you will understand that because we've had loads of walk ins this month your delivery date has slipped by four  weeks. It may slip another four weeks depending on how many walk ins we get this month".  One assumes you would accept this without complaint?

Maybe you shouldn't have let the cat out of the bag and told them you had already spent $170K on Naim gear, merely that you were considering spending said amount

Seriously though, there's a lot of logistics to plot for an overseas trip and if the Naim tour was a high priority for you it seems something you'd have looked into months ago during the planning stages, rather than upon landing in London as your OP indicates. Based on the replies regarding the factory's situation it seems the response from Naim is not unreasonable and would have been the same whether you'd inquired months ago or within the last week. Just a matter of unfortunate timing.

I doubt the Abbey Road studios would let me in for an impromptu tour despite all the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Alan Parsons albums I own.

Having lived and worked in both countries (and others), I think there is a cultural difference.  A similar US company is much more likely to be delighted to have the unexpected opportunity, even at the expense of some disruption,  whereas a UK company is more likely to see it as an unwelcome disturbance to its established protocol. 

Audioneophyte posted:

its EXACTY because Naim is NOT a big multi national.... rather Naim is a boutique hi end consumer centric business why I expected more...

Chrissu referring to me as a "needy customer" is poor mannered, I thought it neat to see the holy grail of sound... and thank/show appreciation to a few that make it happen...

Objectively, perhaps customer service is simply different in different places...  if this is the case... then I apologize for my false customer service centric expectations...

Have you been to a lot of similar factories, since you are sure this is part of outstanding customer service? I was at Naim and Chord last year, but that trip was planned months in advance.

Claus

As well as Naim I've done A&R Cambridge and  Ruark when they made speakers. Both planned well in advance.  Sounds like if I jumped on a plane tomorrow and went to South Carolina on spec, I could walk into the BMW plant and monopolise somebody's time for a morning. Nice to know, but I don't think I'll risk it without enquiring first.

lowdean posted:

Having lived and worked in both countries (and others), I think there is a cultural difference.  A similar US company is much more likely to be delighted to have the unexpected opportunity, even at the expense of some disruption,  whereas a UK company is more likely to see it as an unwelcome disturbance to its established protocol. 

180 degree disagree.  I worked for a US/Int cmpy with manufacturing facilities in three European countries;  in Europe we actively encouraged organised customer visits as an integral part of marketing. These were 3 hour managed events at the factories & carried out by pre-assigned mid/senior position manufacturing & engineering people who were trained in customer handling.  Most visits were by country/language group events & also single individual companies.   We did have the occasional individual call up to say they were in town on holiday/golf/passing through & if possible we tried to at least have a quick 1 hour look around & a coffee etc.  (thats all most people want anyway)        In contrast the US factories did not allow such visits & it took quite some effort to convince the (then US) CEO to allow it continue in Europe.

I've visited the factory twice.  Once by joining a tour already arranged by a dealer, then second time via an invite from Paul Stephenson (just myself and wife attending).  For the latter, I worked with them to find a mutually convenient date which was about 4-6 weeks ahead, rather than just assuming any date would be possible.  So it is possible, you just have to be flexible on dates.

Surely, if a visit to the Naim factory was really important to you, you would have contacted them well in advance...?  To avoid such disappointment. YMMV.

I have done it - twice. Once, years ago, via a dealer. More recently by direct contact with the factory. It did take several months to work in out, for various reasons, but it was done. 

The two posts above appear to confirm that the OP's criticism is inaccurate. Good to have established that.

No lowering of expectations required.

At my place of work we sometimes have conducted visits for interested people. If a customer wants to see around, we will usually accomodate them, even if they turn up without prior notice. But not always: there is no way I would expect my overworked staff to try to conduct a visit this time of year in my absence, with a third of staff on holiday and still deadlines to meet., whether or not requested in advance.

of course it may depend on the size of the business- the bigger it is, the more chance there will be multiple persons who could deputise for whomever normally conducts or participates in visits, and so cover at least their periods of absence. 

Harry posted:

Sounds like if I jumped on a plane tomorrow and went to South Carolina on spec, I could walk into the BMW plant and monopolise somebody's time for a morning. Nice to know, but I don't think I'll risk it without enquiring first.

Pre-books only, it seems: https://www.bmwusfactory.com/z...guided-factory-tour/

Before we heap too much criticism on the OP, please do note that I have tried to visit the factory twice.  

The first time via my dealer.  The second time by emailing and telephoning the factory directly.  In both cases I was flexible on dates within a multi-week window (avoiding the summer shutdown) and was looking several months ahead.

My requests were declined.

One day though, I may be more fortunate.  We live in hope.

Best regards, FT

Andrew Everard posted:

Pre-books only, it seems: https://www.bmwusfactory.com/z...guided-factory-tour/

Yeah but they'll make an exception for me

Foot tapper posted:

Before we heap too much criticism on the OP, please do note that I have tried to visit the factory twice.  

The first time via my dealer.  The second time by emailing and telephoning the factory directly.  In both cases I was flexible on dates within a multi-week window (avoiding the summer shutdown) and was looking several months ahead.

My requests were declined.

One day though, I may be more fortunate.  We live in hope.

Best regards, FT

FT, do tell what you did to upset them so much! 

Answers in no paticular order...

CLAUS-THOEGERSEN: I have enjoyed a number of factory tours, both in the US and abroad... Sage (flyrods), Boeing, Cessna, and more

IANROBERTM: I did contact them in advance and followed up while on my way to the Salisbury area...

JOERAND: I never mentioned the size of my system over the phone, only that I have owned one for a number of years

RICHARD DANE: Thank you for the response Richard...  I am simply trying to convey, (I) as a warm Naim enthusiast and as a relationship investment business (Naim).  A more open approach some how someway would pay dividends...  I would have posted about how cool it was and how great everyone was...  

Andrew Everard posted:

Harry posted:

Sounds like if I jumped on a plane tomorrow and went to South Carolina on spec, I could walk into the BMW plant and monopolise somebody's time for a morning. Nice to know, but I don't think I'll risk it without enquiring first.

Pre-books only, it seems: https://www.bmwusfactory.com/z...guided-factory-tour/

Thank you Mr Everett, for putting this to rest!

BTW, I rather enjoy your Audio Reviews.

 Allante93!

Problem is (apart from the fact that in August most of the UK is closed), there's no such thing as a quick tour of the Naim factory.  Even the dealer group tour that lasted half a day wasn't long enough to take in everything,   Your best bet would be to apply for a job there... although I understsnd there's a long waiting list for the post of 'Statement system final listening test supervisor'.

For those who remember; a few years ago Naim kindly arranged a splendid day out for forum members, including a factory visit, lovely lunch in a local hostelry, and entertainment courtesy of Phantom Limb and a wonderful girl singer whose name escapes me now. Wouldn't it be wizard if Naim repeated this event?

Now that would be something worth trying to get to, even for us non-naimees: a chance to meet some of the names on this forum (presumably all wear badges with their username), and hear some of the stuff that turns others on.

out of interest, I don't suppose they tried a blind listening of the band vs a recording?

tonym posted:

For those who remember; a few years ago Naim kindly arranged a splendid day out for forum members, including a factory visit, lovely lunch in a local hostelry, and entertainment courtesy of Phantom Limb and a wonderful girl singer whose name escapes me now. Wouldn't it be wizard if Naim repeated this event?

That wonderful girl singer would be Yolanda, saw them a few years back on their home patch Bristol at grillstock, had a nice chat with her after their set, as you say a wonderful singer and very nice person.

Innocent Bystander posted:

Now that would be something worth trying to get to, even for us non-naimees:

Naim owners only of course.

tonym posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

Now that would be something worth trying to get to, even for us non-naimees:

Naim owners only of course.

Non Naim owners on this forum could be ripe for persuasion - Naim owners don't need persuading.