Not going into excessive details here, but I'm sure I'll mess that up, I usually do.
Me, my life and my business lives and dies on the PHONE. Yes, I'm an audio guy. I own FULL service sound production company(sound, lights, recording both studio and on-site, video and more) and a data communications company. You'd think I'd handle a lot via email, but I don't. I'm a phone guy. Mind you, my web server and email server are in my computer room and I admin them as well. so, I'm definately a wire-head.
When I need help, I ain't gonna sit around waiting for email. I'm gonna call. I am the type who gets results and answers. In some cases, when I'm calling, that means someone(as in where I am calling) is going to lose their job. Why? Treat me bad, I take you down. Period. Anger me and I'm on the phone with a VP or CEO giving them earfull. I may be a small little nobody, but people QUICKLY realize that "oh hey, don't screw with this guy".
Now, my experiences with ADJ have been what I would say on the upper end of the scale overall. I find that when dealing with pro audio and entertainment related equipment makers, I have gotten nothing short of excellent customer service, FOR THE MOST PART. I call up Shure, Audio Technica, Audix, Sennheiser, AGK, Mackie, Allen & Heath and any other brand I use and like, I get people jumping all over the place to help me out. With ADJ, my wose case was being on hold for maybe 5 minutes while the right person became available. Whas it worth the wait? I'll wait 5 minutes. Yes, it was. The question was thoroughly answered. It was for a discontinued product, but they still answered it and my next call was across the country to ORDER that light from a dealer I like to use for it.
And some day soon, I'll go back over this thread and once again email off for the DMX Operator training DVD. I'm holding that as a negative, so don't sweat it.
Now, let's compare for a moment with a direct competitor. Chauvet. Now, ADJ has a competing product, perhaps it was the Accuscan 250. Compare that to the Chauvet Intimidator Color. Why did a choose a competitor's product? 3: Size, more colors, better price. Elsewhere I've described issues with those lights. But let me not go totally off. When calling Chauvet Lighting, I did not get the "warm and fuzzy" feeling compared to calling ADJ. I felt I was bothering someone, which I probably was.
I bought the ADJ Color Fusions. I originally wanted a Chauvet product, but I couldn't get that due to Hurricane Katrina issues(couldn't ship to me at the time). Spent $20 more per unit to go ADJ. Kind of irks me that they can't have it ship from another dealer or distributor. Odd how I can get ADJ any time, anywhere, any place, even if it's got to ship.
Now, not to knid of get on a soap box, but looking at other stuff, I need to order the latest ADJ catalog for lights. Comparing the catalogs, I like how the ADJ catalog is laid out better. I need this paper catalog to really think about things. I write notes on it, decide what to get. It's like a workbook. The Chauvet catalog? Well, I didn't like it. Plus, the ADJ videos really help me a LOT most of the time. No DVD from Chauvet.
Take it to the next level, even the ADJ web site is better laid out. With Chauvet, you have to have a better knowledge of their products to find the product. While ADJ's isn't perfect either, it is better laid out. When the ADJ site itself falls a bit short, they put a search function. Bottom line, I can find what I want via the ADJ site. On the Chauvet sight, it does look neat, but it doesn't function as I would prefer. I like fast and efficient. ADJ's site looks nice, functions great and is fast and efficient.
Unless ADJ simply doesn't carry or make what I'm looking for, only then will I go outside ADJ lighting. I'll spend the extra money. Why? Goes to a company that I feel backs their products better. And if ADJ doesn't have what I'm looking for, I'm going to contact ADJ FIRST and see if they will be offering it. I have open channels of communication with ADJ, and I intend to use them when I need to.
This stuff isn't like buying a SPECIFIC item. I mena, if you want a specific item, such as a microphone, then you can shop around by lowest price if you want as long as it's a quality product. Sometimes you have to take something other than just bottom line price into consideration. Considering how much I spend on gear, my purchase decisions are not cut and dry.
With ADJ, I have seen excellent customer service. Whatever they are doing, I urge them to continue it. For those not feeling email and the forums are not as responsive as you would like, pick up the phone. I put ADJ's number in my phone. Never know when I will need it. Hasn't been often, but I'm not taking it out.
So, can I have a product endorsement?
I got the largest Allen & Heath console in Northern California. You think they'd give me a shout out! Nope, but their customer service kicks serious butt too! Let's put it this way, that made my next console purchase decision easy except for the money.