RECEIVER POLICY
I have done everything I know to do to streamline
receiver production. But, the fact remains that I am getting further and further
behind. This is caused by several factors. The primary one being that Thompson
is a hobby with me, not a business. That combined with age (72), vision
problems, back problems and arthritis and the fact that I live alone which
causes much of my time to be spent on shopping, cooking, cleaning, laundry, car
repairs, property maintenance, etc., doesn’t leave me with as much time as I
would like to spend on Thompson. I have to do everything myself and I can not
predict how much time I will have available and what events will cause me delay,
such as losing my original shop area I was renting from a friend when he
suddenly retired and then the collapse of my new shop roof by rain which
virtually destroyed one of my machines.
I probably should have quit when I had vision problems. I probably should have
quit when I lost my shop and had to start over. I probably should have quit just
because of my age and general health. But Thompson is in my blood. I have been
working on Thompsons for over 65 years. I have a huge investment in the design,
development, planning, tooling, fixtures, programming, research, experience,
etc. involving Thompsons. Even if I quit, I would still be making parts for
myself, which is how it all started. I made my first Thompson receiver in 1957.
In 1962 I was making the half-size Thompsons commonly known as “DeLaGarrigue”
miniatures that have become prized by collectors. I feel obligated because no
one else either can or will do what I do, at least for the price. If I don’t do
it, no one else will. But, there is only one of me. Therefore, I have to use my
time efficiently which precludes me from doing office work as much as possible.
I accepted orders for receivers based on the customer understanding this and
promising to be very patient and never asking me when he would get his receiver
because I don’t know. Such questions are just a total waste of my time.
Receivers are finished when I get them finished. That commitment by the customer
seems to be forgotten by many almost immediately as one excuse or another seems
to justify asking with the result of just pushing me further behind. Apparently,
I am a lot better at solving technical problems than I am at getting customers
to cooperate. The solution is to get the customer completely out of the receiver
manufacturing process and simplify my receiver offerings so I can produce more
receivers.
Because I have customized receivers for customers by
offering such things as marking them with requested serial numbers and other
custom markings as well as making custom receivers, it has been necessary for me
to require final payment before any customization is begun. This coupled with
the necessity to make a quantity of receivers at a time in order to keep costs
down, required that I get all customers who were going to get a receiver from a
particular batch to finalize their orders before I could continue on. This last
batch of receivers finally did me in. What should have taken a couple of weeks
turned out to take several months of me trying to get the orders finalized and
even with that time span some people have still failed to make full payment and
one person changed the serial number he wanted five times. When someone
cancelled his order at this stage, I had to stop until the next person in line
was notified and had a chance to finalize his order. Worst of all is that,
apparently, when a customer has paid in full that somehow cancels his promise
not to ask me when his receiver will be shipped. This, even though I explained
the process when I called for final payment and assured every customer that I
would call just before shipping so they would know when to look for the package.
Obviously, my policy has failed. I am spending more time on the phone and e-mail
telling customers who insist on asking when will they receive a receiver than I
am making them.
Therefore, starting immediately,
including the current batch of receivers, the NEW POLICY is that I will no
longer engrave serial numbers, “TOMMY GUN”, “U.S. PROPERTY”, or custom markings
or make custom receivers. I have considered discontinuing accepting back orders
for receivers and only selling at gun shows, but there are a lot of people who
really want one of my receivers and who would be totally excluded. So, I will
continue to accept back orders with a $100 deposit on the customer’s promise to
be very patient and never call me to ask when I will ship a receiver because I
will never know until I am ready to ship.
Since serial numbers were put on the original receivers after the standard
markings, they never quite lined up or matched the standard markings. Therefore,
a finished receiver can be taken to any engraver to have any kind of serial
number added as desired after the customer has received his receiver from me.
This new policy will enable me to make
standard receivers, engrave them with standard markings and blue them so they
are ready to ship before I ask for final payment. I will pay attention to the
oldest orders and try to be sure to include the models of receivers in every new
batch I make to fill those orders first. By doing things this way, I will
essentially be making standard receivers for stock since there will be no custom
features that require prepayment. This will also enable me to give the finished
receiver to the next person in line in the event the first customer fails to pay
for the receiver in a timely manner. The goal being to finally have receivers on
the shelf for immediate delivery which I can only do if I eliminate
customization. However, each time I make a batch of receivers, I make a couple
of every model I offer just to keep in practice and check everything out. Then a
bunch of one or more of the more popular types. Therefore, it is possible that a
person who orders a slower selling semi-auto or 2M2, etc. will receive their
receiver before someone who had ordered a popular model but no one who is in
line for a popular model will be passed over when the model they ordered becomes
available.
So, therefore, please do not ask me for individual receiver updates. I simply do
not have the time to respond to that nor do I know. I only know your position
on the list. Other than that do contact me if your personal information or your
order needs to be changed or you wish to cancel your order. And please
keep a copy of your order to refer to. I check each new order for errors
or apparent confusion so as to make sure the customer orders what he really
wants and then I complete missing information. Please do not get
panicky about your order. When your order is ready to be filled, I will make
sure everything is correct.
I know some people will be unhappy about this new policy because they want their
special serial number or marking, but I either go this route or I will never
catch up. I simply can not be on the phone or e-mail endlessly about delivery
dates and get receivers made.
I fear that I beginning to come off sounding non-responsive, unpleasant or
abrasive, which is not what I am. I just want to get some receivers made. I know
that most people are not reliable and getting “ripped off” by vendors is
becoming commonplace today. I realize that if a person can’t make contact, he
feels forgotten or starts to imagine the worst. I try to remain accessible to
all Thompson people. I try to make periodic updates in my “blog” section, but
when I’m accomplishing the most, I have the least amount of time to be in the
office.
Thank you for your understanding.
Doug Richardson
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