I am seriously interested a Topcon Imaging Station. I had a demo about a year ago, and the person doing the demo apparently did not know how to use the instrument. The unit was not doing nearly what was advertised, so I did not buy it. I did more research over the last year, and am convinced the demo had a glitch. I also contacted a few endusers who have them and love them--and theirs was performing to specs. So I called our in-state dealer, and he said they don't handle the imaging station. So I called a reputable dealer who, is out of state. It took him about 2 weeks to get a demo unit, and he offered to demo it for me, and I even offered to drive to his place. He tried to learn how to use it, but he did not know how to put it in the "machine gun mode" to shoots 20 pts per second. This has been going on for 6 weeks, and I still haven't even seen a demo. I wonder if they are even interested in selling this thing. I really have a use for the imaging station that would pay for it on one job if it works. I wonder what is going on in their minds?
Any suggestions where I can simply pick up the phone and get FULL demo? I will fly to the dealer's location.
I feel your pain! So tired of knowing more about a particular product then the guy selling it to me! I finally settled on a new Focus 30 earlier this month and went to get it all set up and had a few questions so I called the sales guy for some clarification and he had no idea what the hell was going on with the instrument. Referred me to technical support!
Sorry I am no help but had to rant. Apparently these instrument companies just don't get it! They should be the experts!
I've always had pretty good demos when I purchased from Hayes Instrument in Shelbyville TN (800) 251-1280 or (931) 684-0555.
I don't know where they stand as far as the Imaging Station is concerned, but they really did a good demo on each of three different GPS units I have purchased from their shop as well as a QS that a colleague recently purchased.
I've found, for the most part, a few days with the equipment itself and the manual as reference source ONLY, will clue me in more than 95 per cent of the salesmen out there.
Exceptions are Adam Arrington with Earl Dudley, was always three steps ahead of the curve every time I've had an issue with Leica equipment.
Been a few months since I played around with one but I don't recall it being very difficult to set up the scan mode on the gun.
Even more outrageous is that most of these "salesmen" make more money than a PLS does.
As already suggested, I would try
Hayes
or
Earl Dudley
If a dealer doesn't want, or as too many excuses as to why they can't demo a particular product - they normally don't believe in the product or can't service/support the product if you purchase it.
I would have my doubts buying an instrument from an "internet company" as recommended, if local dealers can't support your product how much better can someone do over the phone?
If it looks like a fish....and smells like a fish....must be a ____________ .
> Even more outrageous is that most of these "salesmen" make more money than a PLS does.
:good:
I totally agree.
Was on the phone with a salesman the other day, wanting information on a tribrach adapter. "...60 inch level vial...."
"60 inch?"
"Yes."
"That's 5 feet."
Silence
> Any suggestions where I can simply pick up the phone and get FULL demo? I will fly to the dealer's location.
You could attend one of Topcon's events.
Or not, since they don't seem to put on events for surveyors anymore.
I have talked to several Survey Supply companies and have found too many salesman that had no idea about the equipment they were peddling. The lack of a return phone call was also very annoying. I have started to take my business away from a company I had been using for many years because of these problems.
The salesman that was knowledgeable and returned my phone calls received my business.
> if local dealers can't support your product how much better can someone do over the phone?
For me, Hayes phone support has been outstanding. I spent an entire weekend messing with trying to get a setting correct in my Hiper GPS units (one that I had messed up). On Monday, all it took was a 15 minute call to Daniel at Hayes and I was up and running. I requested an invoice for his time - as I have owned the units for many years and am way beyond reasonable expectations of support. He would not send me one, that is just the way Hayes treats their clients.
I will note that is not the first time Hayes support has helped me out over the phone.
Granted they are basically the local (3 hours away) shop for me.
> Was on the phone with a salesman the other day, wanting information on a tribrach adapter. "...60 inch level vial...."
>
> "60 inch?"
>
> "Yes."
>
> "That's 5 feet."
He could have been talking about the sensitivity of the level vial, expressing it as the radius of the curved glass tubing from which the vial was cut. A 5 foot vial would have a sensitivity of about 4 1/2 minutes for a 2mm movement of the bubble.
> He could have been talking about the sensitivity of the level vial, expressing it as the radius of the curved glass tubing from which the vial was cut. A 5 foot vial would have a sensitivity of about 4 1/2 minutes for a 2mm movement of the bubble.
I'm sure he was reading " 60" " as inches instead of seconds. Which is a mistake no surveyor would make.
We are looking to get the same exact instrument, the Topcon IS-1. I've asked about getting a demo but haven't seen one yet.
Hayes is a great company, no question.
I define support as keeping a customer working, whatever it takes as quickly as possible. As a local dealer if one of my customers goes down they can have another price of equipment to keep them working that day. Not tomorrow, not next week. Again, telephone support is great for troubleshooting and questions, but support doesn't stop there.
