trip and factory tour worth it?

tonym posted:

Wouldn't it be wizard if Naim repeated this event?

Tony, I think it may be more gracious if we forumites reciprocated and put on a social for Naim.

Best, Chris

Innocent Bystander posted:

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.

The intention wasn't really to persuade us, we were already persuaded! 

Harry posted:

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

I ordered a 535xi for "european delivery" from BMW back in 2008.  This is a program that I'm pretty sure they do not offer to EU / UK residents unfortunately (but they offer something similar).  I arrived at the Welt in Munich, was greeted by a representative who was waiting for me, fed coffee and cakes etc, and given a tour of the factory and the delivery center.  My car was on a turntable with spotlights on it . . . and I drove off down the spiral ramps of the Welt and into the wilds of Bavaria.  It was a great experience.

tonym posted:

Innocent Bystander posted:

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.

The intention wasn't really to persuade us, we were already persuaded! 

That I had assumed. So persuasion of others could be an aim, while thanking those already persuaded. 

Bart posted:

Harry posted:

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

I ordered a 535xi for "european delivery" from BMW back in 2008.  This is a program that I'm pretty sure they do not offer to EU / UK residents unfortunately (but they offer something similar).  I arrived at the Welt in Munich, was greeted by a representative who was waiting for me, fed coffee and cakes etc, and given a tour of the factory and the delivery center.  My car was on a turntable with spotlights on it . . . and I drove off down the spiral ramps of the Welt and into the wilds of Bavaria.  It was a great experience.

Reminds me of when I bought my TVR Griffith. You got a very comprehensive tour of the factory & got to see your own car being built.

Bart posted:

Harry posted:

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

I ordered a 535xi for "european delivery" from BMW back in 2008.  This is a program that I'm pretty sure they do not offer to EU / UK residents unfortunately (but they offer something similar).  I arrived at the Welt in Munich, was greeted by a representative who was waiting for me, fed coffee and cakes etc, and given a tour of the factory and the delivery center.  My car was on a turntable with spotlights on it . . . and I drove off down the spiral ramps of the Welt and into the wilds of Bavaria.  It was a great experience.

I've seen an account of this on Youtube. I wonder if they turned up at short notice and asked BMW  to knock it   together for them? 

Audioneophyte,

Sorry to hear that, but you should have contacted your dealer or us (APS) ... we know how to ask...  

Christopher_M posted:

tonym posted:

Wouldn't it be wizard if Naim repeated this event?

Tony, I think it may be more gracious if we forumites reciprocated and put on a social for Naim.

Best, Chris

One of the best ideas I have heard on this forum.

Anybody got any ideas on how to make it happen ? (seriously)

Last one was mid- August, but was it seven years ago ?

Don Atkinson posted:

One of the best ideas I have heard on this forum.

Anybody got any ideas on how to make it happen ? 

Two words.  "Free beer."

I heard a nasty rumour that Paul Stephenson's cubicle is looking rather disorderly and factory tours are suspended until he can make it more presentable to the public.

I was lucky enough to go on a factory visit several years ago. At that time I was 'just' a Uniti owner, so it made no difference whether I had spent a lot, or not very much, nor should it, a customer is a customer.

But I did need to make arrangements many months in advance via my dealer, as I was going to be on holiday in Dorset (not too far away from Salisbury) for just one week, and to avoid disappointment I wanted to be sure.

The other thing that was made clear was that visits were only possible 1 morning per week to avoid constant disruption to the factory. It is only a relatively small team and there is a lot of pull on their resources I would assume. There are no 'viewing areas' as such like you may get in a big factory, visitors walk in amongst the work stations, so Health & Safety is also an issue.

Development work also needs to be off the shop floor to avoid any confidentiality issues, this also takes planning and all staff need to be aware.

Having worked for medium and large companies during my career, I can fully understand why factory visits are controlled and planned in only when resources allow, this would seem to me to be no different from what I have experienced working with customers in my jobs. Sure, we always tried to be flexible to do what we could, everyone knows the importance of customer service and impact on future sales if you get it wrong. But we needed a good period of notice to plan a visit in, seemingly no different from Naim. (This was a US owned company I worked for by the way.)

Just my thoughts for what it's worth. 

And another factor -- Naim is always working on R&D projects. Both for Naim itself, and (one presumes) for Bentley as part of the "Naim For Bentley" thing.

Making sure that things are kept under appropriate wrap is not easy, and checking the place out is going to take a not insignificant effort.

Obviously its easier if you want to visit just the foyer and the listening room. But the really interesting stuff is in the manufacturing areas, testing and so forth, to see how the naim factory and staff live and breath their work. 

And preparing for an outsider, even a hugely supportive customer, is hard work. Especially at this time of year when staff are on holidays.

The "Naim Day" idea is a good one, where Naim makes an open visit day for owners and guests alike.

I would fly back over to experience it.

Manu posted:

Audioneophyte,

Sorry to hear that, but you should have contacted your dealer or us (APS) ... we know how to ask...  

Manu I will definitely reach out to you guys if/when I have that opportunity to travel there!  My most recent trip focused on whisky, not hi fi.  It was a difficult choice to make

What might be helpful, is if someone from the forum who is aware that their dealer is arranging a tour, might mention it on the forum.

I am also a Naim listener since the early 90's, now active 500, and not yet managed to arrange a visit.  I enquired some time back about a visit when collecting some repaired equipment - but tours and repairs are all now dealt with via your dealer...

Manu posted:

Audioneophyte,

Sorry to hear that, but you should have contacted your dealer or us (APS) ... we know how to ask...  

Manu, how does one contact you?

CharlieP posted:

Manu posted:

Audioneophyte,

Sorry to hear that, but you should have contacted your dealer or us (APS) ... we know how to ask...  

Manu, how does one contact you?

Charlie,

Audio Plus Services contact info can be found here - just input "United States" and the first contact info you get is APS;

https://www.naimaudio.com/find-a-retailer

Richard, thank you.

tonym posted:

Reminds me of when I bought my TVR Griffith. You got a very comprehensive tour of the factory & got to see your own car being built.

If you buy a second hand one then you get to see lots and lots of them being built every time you take it back to have it repaired...

Phil

Phil Harris posted:

tonym posted:

Reminds me of when I bought my TVR Griffith. You got a very comprehensive tour of the factory & got to see your own car being built.

If you buy a second hand one then you get to see lots and lots of them being built every time you take it back to have it repaired...

Phil

Must be the way you drive it Phil...

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

This is actually quite close to my own experience - apart from the eventual outcome. It did take me months to arrange a visit - but, ultimately, I was successful, in November'14.  Thanks to Mark Raggett & Steve Hopkins, for their time. 

IanM

Harry posted:

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

I thought Andrew Everard closed this post!

Allante93!

ChrisH posted:

Development work also needs to be off the shop floor to avoid any confidentiality issues, this also takes planning and all staff need to be aware. 

I'm gonna guess that this (new products?) is a large part of it.

That said - and having been in Manu's position before - planning your trip before you leave is generally a pretty good idea; I've personally been on the other end of the phone when I've had to tell someone–no, this particular week was not a good idea but, hey–how about the succeeding week?

IMHO it's all about setting minimum standards for the experience, while simultaneously getting on with the business at hand.

Haha, who do people think they are? I've spent blah blah blah $$$ and I expect a red carpet to be laid out and be given individual preferential treatment. I could just sit quietly in a corner listening to music with security cameras watching me, I don't mind.

Haha this is brilliant, it's what I come to the forum for haha.

Despite it being August and the R&D issue I'm disappointed in this not least because in my experience Naim certainly go the extra mile for customers.

I hope somebody from the Company will contact the OP with a fuller explanation.

Best regards,

Lindsay