Benchmaster Furniture--Kudos!

[n2zon]

As the coach has had two prior owners, I can't say whether the Benchmade "euro style" recliner was original equipment. However, the state of wear on the seat covers was minor when we bought the coach. It didn't stay that way over the course of a couple of season's use, though the frame was rock solid.

I really like that chair, so we looked for a similar replacement without much luck. The ones we found were too short, too tall, or lacking something. Finally, I found the company's website and found a new one was about $1K, but they didn't post measurements and they're 3,000 miles away in Anaheim, so a test sit was out of the question.

While on the phone with them I asked if they had replacement covers. Yes! But only in leather, for $500. A bit more than I'd expected, but OK.

Fast forward several months (I'm gonna strangle the next person that says "supply chain" in my presence--fair warning!). Three boxes arrived today and the chair looks brand new. This is the note I sent the company:

"Hi,

"It all arrived today. FedEx managed to get all three packages here despite having apparently been confused about whether there were two or three yesterday (smile).

"But I am really writing for a different reason. Benchmaster far exceeded my expectations. I thought I had ordered new covers. You sent complete cushions and armrests instead! I am very happy I don't need to put the new covers on the old cushions, and the new cushions are firmer than the old ones, which my wife and I both like better.

"Thank you!"

It was worth the wait. Benchmaster is a brand I'll look for now when buying furniture. If you have one of their chairs in your coach and it's starting to look ratty...I probably made the decision about what to do a bit harder (smile).

[Dutch Star Don]

I'm with you on choking someone out who claims "supply chain" as the issue for everything, including bad service. I like La-Z-Boy recliners and went to order a new one for the house. I found one I liked, in March, and we placed the order. They said the time frame was 6-8 months for delivery. That kind of explained why the store was dead and they were consolidating two stores into one.

We went ahead and ordered it as I could live with my old one for a few months. What really got me thinking is that they use a pretty simple mechanism in the chair. Heck, I could make one in my garage. How are we being so papalized by these parts.

Well.....surprise, surprise, they called and it's being delivered Wednesday. I guess they got the parts.