From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Note discussing customer complaints and responsibility for chassis 25-EX in the U.S.A.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 19\4\ Scan226 | |
| Date | 22th November 1930 | |
| x7772. COPY OF NOTE RECEIVED FROM Hs.{Lord Ernest Hives - Chair} (IN U.S.A.) DATED 22.11.30 RECEIVED 3.12.30. x7941d. To Sg.{Arthur F. Sidgreaves - MD} C. McR. 25-EX in U.S.A. ----------------- Before I left England you made it clear that there was no obligation for R.R. Ltd. to send a sample car to U.S.A., by the contract they must accept the chassis as produced at Derby. Although I have not discussed this point with Beaver, the view they take it that it is not what R.R. Ltd. say, or what R.R.Inc. say but it is the customer who counts. If they sell an imported car and the customer is dissatisfied with it or will not take delivery, it is obvious that some thing must be done to satisfy that customer. Who's responsibility is it to make that customer happy? The chassis is a completely Derby made job. R.R.Inc. as importers of R.R. chassis have no engineering staff and have no factory (it just happens they have both at present but that is owing to circumstances). Beaver impresses the point that it is their intention not to allow any of their people to alter or interfere with the Derby product, the chassis as received will be delivered to the customer. They quote they wish to be in the position of Barkers or any other agent. Barkers do not pay out money to overcome customers complaints on the chassis, Salamanca does not. They are very bitter over the fact that on one imported P.II car the customer complained of springing, they cabled for some weaker rear springs to overcome this complaint and they were charged for the springs. In the meantime the customer refused to take delivery of the car. They claim that unless we improve the springing of 25-EX up to at least the standard of the P.Is they are making, they will have a large number of complaints. Do we expect them to take that responsibility? Personally, I feel that on a completely imported chassis it is an R.R. Derby product and we have got to take the responsibility for it. I believe any attempt to divide the responsibility or avoid it will land us into no end of trouble. I am speaking | ||