Oboe, Music Store Rant!

There is no knitting content here, just a rant.

School district buys (very nice and expensive) oboe from big music conglomerate in Texas. Same big music conglomerate has been claiming big box stores are hurting their business by selling cheap instruments (not oboes, thankfully). Big box sues music store and wins, so music store is now bankrupt and out of business.

In the meantime, lovely oboe cracks. Music teacher (me!) tells band director it needs to be repaired. Band director calls music rep still servicing the schools and is told that since the music store bought the oboe from the manufacturer, the warranty applied to the music store and not the final purchaser of the oboe. (Think cars here, people). Hello!! Are you nuts???

So I call the manufacturer and am told of course the oboe is covered under warranty and they will happily repair it for free. I guess the band director is happy, although when I gave him all the necessary information he didn't even say thank you. (That is another rant for another time.)

Now - the music store claims the big boxes were hurting their bottom line but you know what it really was? Their lack of professional and knowledgeable employees. Their hiring of idiot employees who freely dispense misinformation! I get so crazed with the ridiculous state of customer service that seems rampant in so many businesses here. Is it just in the US or is it everywhere??

Okay, I'm done now. Thanks for listening.