Klarinet Archive - Posting 000209.txt from 2003/11

From: "Timothy J. Kosto II" <tjk095@-----.edu>
Subj: [kl] Thomas Ohme experience turning sour...
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2003 13:08:00 -0500

I have seen several posts regarding Mr. Thomas Ohme's woodwind service and
wanted to contribute. Mr. Ohme is currently supposed to be overhauling and
replating my clarinet, which he has been doing since July 15, 2003. He has
now had my instrument for over sixteen weeks. I have sent several messages
to him without receiving any response whatsoever. All the phone numbers
related to his business and his web hosting service are disconnected.

Perhaps more disconcerting are the following pieces of information that I
have discovered:

Mr. Ohme is not a member of NAPBIRT as he indicates on his
clients/references page
Mr. Ohme is not a member of AMIS as he indicates on his clients/references page

I am in the process of communicating with each of the other associations
that Mr. Ohme claims membership in.

I have begun to communicate with every "reference/client" that I can
find. I am discovering that at least some of his quotes are based on a
fifteen minute conversation with the individual cited. In fact, the
individuals merely stopped in his shop or called him on the phone. They
have not, in some cases, purchased or done any business with the Woodwind
Service.

While I can certainly understand that Mr. Ohme may not be organized, his
lack of organization does not justify misrepresenting himself, losing
instruments or parts, or otherwise conducting business without anything
that resembles customer service.

Hopefully I will be able to recover my instrument without incurring absurd
expenses, though a trip to Milwaukee is not out of the question. I know
that there are several other musicians who participate in this mailing list
that are currently having problems getting their instruments or replacement
instruments if their original has been misplaced. I welcome private
correspondence from anyone in this situation to maximize the probability of
recovering property.

Thanks for any help.

Yours,

Tim

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