Blender

At Xmas I got an Akai blender as a Xmas present but on unpacking it and trying to assemble it, there appeared to be a part missing. Several family members tried to see if they could fix it but everyone thought there was a piece missing. Unfortunately there were no instructions to be found in the package or on the internet so it was difficult to work out what exactly was missing.The blender didn't get any use on Xmas day and given it was a present it wasn't even sure that the retailer would accept a return.

I rang the manufacturers help number that was on the box but they couldn't help at all, they pointed me back to The Warehouse. On Boxing Day I returned the blender to the Warehouse and they couldn't see what was wrong with it either. Fortunately they did replace it and I took the new blender home. constructed it and started using it.

Month went by when somehow a screwed part came lose and the blender fell into its component parts, with contents all over the kitchen bench. Once cleaned up I constructed it again and lo and behold it looked like there was a part missing in just te same way it had a Xmas. This time I had the advantage of knowing there wasn't actually a part missing, but something must give that appearance. It turned out one part was easily put in upside down, it looked like it went in that way but the result was you couldn't put it back together.

So the first blender was never broken, the retailer took it back unnecessarily and the manufacturer got it back and no doubt wondered ho anyone put it together the wrong way. All could have been avoided with simple instructions showing how it should work although as is the way with these things, once you know you cant see how it can be done any other way. That's no doubt why no instructions are included. 

Blender from Warehouse

I got a blender as a Christmas present that had been purchased from the Warehouse and much to my disappointment it appeared to have a part missing when I opened it. No sign of a manual I eventually rang the manufacturers help line, no joy I would need to go to the retailer. i didn't have a receipt so going to the retailer was always going to tricky, however I thought I'd give it a go anyway. The Warehouse took a look at it and couldn't work it out either and fortunately they agreed to replace it.

Months later in putting the new one back together after washing it, I find it appears to have a part missing. However the difference this time is I know it doesn't as it has worked well for months. Further investigation shows that one part can easily be put in upside down, and at that point if you don't know better, it looks like a part is missing. Now a manual might have prevented this, I do sometimes read them as a last resort. However, I now suspect I got a replacement for a part that actually worked perfectly well although neither the retailer or the customer could work out how to construct it first tie around.  

I'm left thinking the manufacture could have put some instructions in the box, or at least on the internet. I wonder if they get a few of these returned and will eventually conclude assembly instructions should be included.

Trans Rail Derailment

I travel on a train five days a week and normally delays are my main concern. Fortunately the quality of the train experience when it actually arrives is now pretty good, after years of travelling on prehistoric trains we actually now have new trains on our line mow, that even have an intercom so they can tell you why they are running late. They even give an airline type safety announcement at the start of each journey, but by that stage I usually have my headphones on an miss it.

However, I have been on a train that derailed, so although safety isn't usually a criteria that people choose their transport options by, it clearly can become one if incidents become a regular pattern. So this week there was a derailment near Wellington central station and fortunately no one was seriously hurt. However in the media commentary since, we have learnt that on those trains maintenance has been deferred that should have been dome five years ago. Looks at this stage that the train derailed because something fell off it underneath and ended up being propelled through the floor of the train. Luckily no one was standing where it came through the floor and the train was travelling slow at the time. 

When you buy your train ticket, you assume that getting you there safely is part of the service, and in this case that Trans Metro don't allow important maintenance to go five years past when it should have been scheduled. I still went on the train home that night, we have newer trains on out line anyway. But they may well lose passengers and if something else happens now they may lose a lot more. But they probably still wont lose as many as if the trains never arrive on time. A train has to become very unsafe before the passenger factors it in as a reason not to travel.

We're Off Track This Morning

Unfortunately a few tears ago I had the dubious pleasure of sitting in the front of a train that derailed. We were coming out of a tunnel when we hit a landslide on the track, the rail was covered in mud and the train fortunately left the track towards the bank rather than the cliff. It happened all very quickly and although I think I left out an expletive. there was no chance to panic as it was all over before you knew what was happening. Fortunately no one was hurt and although the lights went out n the train, I was lucky enough to have a torch and radio on me and was soon listening to the news to hear we had made the national radio bulletin. Two and a half hours later they got us off the train, and it is fair to say because it was in effect an act of nature, Trans Metro didn't get any negative customer feedback. 

This week however, they have had a derailment in the main yard at Wellington Central station, and it appears to be related to poor maintenance. You do get on the train each day (or any other transport for tat matter) and assume the trains are getting maintained and are safe. But after this incident it was reported that some of the maintenance was five years overdue and it was extremely lucky that no one was seriously injured as no one happened to be standing where the main damage. Customers are understandably less happy about this event especially on the back of almost constant delays. I wonder if they announced on the train that they apologised for the inconveniece of leaving the track.   

Cheap Outdoor Furniture

At the end of last summer I bought some cheap outdoor deck furniture in a sale from The Warehouse branded Resdie. It was a kit set but from the one on display looked sturdy enough and it was probably a quarter of the price of some of what I would consider the quality end of the market. Kit sets of course mean you have to spend a bit of time constructing the furniture and in the case of six chairs and a table this took a couple of hours, and then some stain was applied to help protect it.

About a year later and with normal use, four of the chairs are broken to some extent and three have been thrown in the skip bin. Now this isn't through heavy use, the Wellington summer was the best in years but that doesn't mean you sit around for six months outside on the deck. No the reason for the chairs have disintegrated is because it is the poor quality of the design and the cheap materials used. I could it back but in this case the table is still looking solid and I'd like to keep it, the Warehouse may well replace the chairs but I know they won't last more than a year so I'd be better to invest in some of a better quality.  

So after complaining to several retailers recently I find myself accepting poor quality on this occasion and most likely unless someone from the Warehouse reads this and contacts me, I suspect I won't tell them their product was junk. Maybe I am getting tired of battling retailers, I guess on this occasion I didn't have high expectations of the chairs so I've settled for replacing them rather than having them replaced.