Jobo/Omega Satter service kinda sucks..

Has anyone had any luck getting parts from the new Jobo distributor.

I'm trying to get a couple of parts for a current model Jobo (rollers etc) sent to Canada and Jobo's service absolutely sucks.

I've emailed Job germany, I emailed Jobo USA and what is supposed to be their parts/service person. I've phoned and left messages.

Not a peep.

My guess is they must have basically given up on film processing...

(and does anyone have another idea of where to source some parts?)

I heard from a fellow CPP-2 owner (not in APUG) that it took three months to get a switch and the price had doubled to $80 from before the change. He suggested I buy a spare complete CPP-2 as back up for mine.

Years ago I bought a second 356 Porsche on less logic than that, but I was single then. Doing so again might make me single again.

John Powers

tim said:

Has anyone had any luck getting parts from the new Jobo distributor.

I'm trying to get a couple of parts for a current model Jobo (rollers etc) sent to Canada and Jobo's service absolutely sucks.

I've emailed Job germany, I emailed Jobo USA and what is supposed to be their parts/service person. I've phoned and left messages.

Not a peep.

My guess is they must have basically given up on film processing...

(and does anyone have another idea of where to source some parts?)

Click to expand...

Hi,
A few things, as best as I know them. Omega/Satter's business model is a bit different than the one followed by the folks in Ann Arbor. Distributors usually depend on dealers to handle customer service issues and focus on servicing the dealer base. This allows them to run their business with comparatively lean staffing and (hopefully) focus on keeping the channel full of product. Jobo in Ann Arbor was as much a direct sales organzation as it was a distributor. However that model was obviously not profitable enough to keep them in business. I think they simply drowned under the call volume. The myriad folks who either called looking for help with old units or needed 20 minutes worth of telephone time to purchase a few dollars worth of parts was not keeping the doors open. Further, I don't think that the upswing in parts pricing can be laid at Satter's doorstep. I have at work a Jobo wholesale parts list which, although hopelessly ancient, was close to accurate until they closed up shop in Ann Arbor. In other words, parts pricing was not being kept up to date. (I don't mean things were cheap, just not getting scrutinized on an annual basis) When Satter say they were hit with price increase by Jobo I find that credible because the evidence clearly shows someone was asleep at the switch. Now, I really liked the people I dealt with at Jobo over the years... they were , to a man, friendly, helpful, and knowledge-able. They are unfortunately out of business and we are lucky that someone picked up the distribution of Jobo in the US. Satter may be on the steep part of the learning curve where Jobo is concerned but that is better than emailing Germany and dealing with customs. I have seen progress towards solutions for the issues I have presented to them. As far as getting better customer service goes you might try going through a dealer who makes regular purchases from them and let the dealer sweat the details and make the phone calls. They don't have to carry Jobo or Omega to help you, Satter sells many lines of products and is a leading resource for independent dealers.
Celac.

If Omega-satter elects not to keep a complete stock of repair parts on hand, then 3 months is going to be the average lead time. Jobo AG completes the order, loads the container which is shipped by sea, eventually unloaded at an East coast port. I found that a phone call to Omega will usually get a courteous person who, if the container has been shipped from Germany, will make their best guess on arrival. The truth is, they don't have a clue when the container will be cleared, unloaded and the product released to them. I work in transportation and I can tell you there are regular backlogs at the ports. If you are waiting for product from Asia, its worse - West coast backups have been horrible. Oh, and if they have to ship to Canada, then you have good old Canada Customs as well. What we don't go through to keep our stuff working!

Bob

Hello all,
you can try Semelec (France) they generaly have stocks and are efficient
http://www.semelec.fr/photo/site.php?contact=1
Two days to get the white cogs on a CPP2 (from France to France)
They should have someone who speaks or read english
Claude

Hi Tim,

try ordering through Service Photo Supply in Baltimore.
I ordered 9 rollers for my Fujimoto and had them within 5 days (that's because they were in stock, of course..). The service folks at Omega actually recommended purchasing through them, since they can sell below list price, which I thought was nice. (410) 235-6200, ask for John Heuchnan, website is http://www.servicephoto.com/

Good luck,
Imke