[Histonet] WARNING ABOUT LEICA MICROTOMES AND SERVICE and Suggestions needed

Sat Dec 15 10:24:53 CST 2007

Dear all, 

I would like to use this email to APOLOGIZE for, but also explain the
motives for my earlier email warning about LEICA service in particular our
experience with our LEICA SM200R microtome. First of all, I would like to
apologize because I do agree that the wording of this email was not
appropriate for this forum. The reason for the email was an extreme level of
frustration with our Leica service technicians here at NIH: The group of
techs servicing our LEICA SM2000R were unable to repair the microtome for
over 9 weeks and it is still not functional. We paid $1600 for ³urgent²
service, but even after 7 repair trials the mechanism that moves the stage
keeps on failing after little use or (yesterday) the handle fell off. This
has caused us a tremendous loss of valuable time as well as money hence my
frustration induced overreaction. The many hours we spend talking to various
levels of LEICA service hotlines did not lead to any appropriate reaction
and the communication with the manager of our service technician team was
very unproductive and at times unpleasant, again leading to a buildup of
frustration that sparked in my inappropriate misuse of this forum.

Please note 
1. I agree that ³when functional² the LEICA SM2000R is a very convenient to
use microtome (I have used it for over 3 years)
2. LEICA SM2000R marketing representatives called and emailed me less than
15 minutes after my original email and initiated a phone conference with the
technical service headquarter. LEICA reviewed our case within minutes and
confirmed that it was an unusual case of unusually bad service. I would like
to use this email to thank LEICAs headquarter for this quick response and
express my hope and optimism that the promised changes will be made at the
our service department and we will not have to wait for another 9 weeks
before our microtome starts working again.
3. Again, I agree that my previous email was not appropriately worded since
it was written out of frustration. I should have given this more time for
thought. 

Please accept these apologies since I highly value this forum and its
community

Robert

On 12/15/07 10:49 AM, "Jack Ratliff" <ratliffjack <@t> hotmail.com> wrote:

> I am compelled to reply to this disturbing message as I STRONGLY feel very
> disturbed that ANYONE would actually use this forum to send such a dirty and
> misleading message for the eyes of thousands of histonet readers!
>  
> I have USED, PURCHASED, and RECOMMENDED the purchase/use of LEICA equipment
> ever since I entered the field 11 years ago.  In fact, I continue to purchase,
> use, and recommend the use of this equipment to this very day and I have NEVER
> had such an issue as described in the original message!  Additionally, I
> support this equipment because of the many, many positive experiences that I
> have had with both the equipment and the representatives over these years!
>  
> I cannot even fathom the problems as suggested as it is very true that the
> equipment is well engineered.  Lastly, in all my dealings with LEICA
> representatives over the years, I NEVER could imagine that the service would
> be as the original message has described.  In my experience, these
> representatives are true professionals, unlike the authors comments, tactics,
> and/or motives in the original message on this subject.
>  
> Jack Ratliff
>  
> PS If your microtome has not left for the dump yet, I would LOVE to take it
> off your hands!
>  
> 
> 
> 
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> 
>> > Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 16:58:50 -0500
>> > From: schloesr <@t> mail.nih.gov
>> > To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>> > CC: service <@t> leica-microsystems.com; Ernie.Oates <@t> leica-microsystems.com;
>> Tino.Thakral <@t> leica-microsystems.com
>> > Subject: [Histonet] WARNING ABOUT LEICA MICROTOMES AND SERVICE and
>> Suggestions needed
>> > 
>> > Hi all Histotechs,
>> > 
>> > We have a LEICA SM2000 R microtome. It worked fine for a few years but
>> > recently broke (the stage would not move anymore). We spend $2000 and over
3
>> > month trying to get it repaired by LEICA. LEICAs customer service is
>> > completely incompetent and its technicians are even more incompetent (they
>> > came our more than 6 times - they even send someone from Chigaco here to DC
>> > to try to repair a simple microtome).
>> > 
>> > Anyways, to make a sad story short I would STRONGLY advice everyone not to
>> > buy ANY products from LEICA that might require service.
>> > 
>> > Furthermore, I would like to hear from you if there is a suggestion from >>
the
>> > community what microtome to buy (since we have decided to throw our LEICA
>> > SM2000 in the trash). We need a microtome for cutting frozen brain tissue
>> > from rodents and primates. (usually 40um thick, sometimes up to 300um,
>> > sometimes thinner). We usually use STURKEY MICROTOME KNIFES.
>> > 
>> > Any suggestions? Thank you
>> > 
>> > Robert
>> > 
>> > 
>> > Robert J. Schloesser,MD
>> > visiting research fellow
>> > DHHS/NIH/NIMH/MAP/LMP
>> > 
>> > Laboratory of Molecular Pathophysiology (LMP)
>> > Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program (MAP)
>> > National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
>> > 
>> > Building 35/1C-912
>> > 35 Convent Drive
>> > Bethesda, MD 20892-3711
>> > Phone: 301-451-8435
>> > FAX: 301-480-0123
>> > 
>> > 
>> > 
>> > 
>> > On 12/14/07 2:21 PM, "Burton, Lynn" <Lynn.Burton <@t> Illinois.gov> wrote:
>> > 
>>> > > My children are now 13,10, and almost 6 and my experience was the same.
My
>>> > > last 2 children were higher risk because I was preeclamptic with the
>>> first and
>>> > > was diabetic with the last. I made a list in the lab of all the
>>> chemicals
>>> > > after I physically went through and read each MSDS. If anyone is
>>> interested I
>>> > > would happily fax it to you.
>>> > > Merry Christmas!
>>> > > Lynn Burton
>>> > > 
>>> > > ________________________________
>>> > > 
>>> > > From: histonet-bounces <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu on behalf of Laurie Popp
>>> > > Sent: Thu 12/13/2007 5:56 PM
>>> > > To: histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>>> > > Subject: [Histonet] Re: Pregnancy
>>> > > 
>>> > > 
>>> > > 
>>> > > Hi Histonetters,
>>> > > 
>>> > > I actually just had a healthy baby girl 8/10/07 and was a high risk
>>> > > pregnancy ( diabetic) while finishing my HT and working full time in the
>>> > > histo lab at Mayo. I was advised by my OB to limit my formalin
>>> > > exposure, to limit my xylene exposure as much as possible, and to be
>>> > > very careful in special stains area. To also be careful of B-5 which we
>>> > > use for our bone marrows and the list goes on. Basically I was limited
>>> > > to cutting and embedding most days.
>>> > > 
>>> > > Hope this helps!
>>> > > 
>>> > > Laurie Popp, BA HT ( ASCP)
>>> > > and happy mommy to Kaiana :-)
>>> > > 
>>> > > 
>>> > > _______________________________________________
>>> > > Histonet mailing list
>>> > > Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>>> > > http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
>>> > > 
>>> > > 
>>> > > _______________________________________________
>>> > > Histonet mailing list
>>> > > Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>>> > > http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
>> > 
>> > 
>> > 
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Histonet mailing list
>> > Histonet <@t> lists.utsouthwestern.edu
>> > http://lists.utsouthwestern.edu/mailman/listinfo/histonet
> 
> 
> 
> 
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