ANY OTHER PERSON RATHER THAN PADDLE CULTURE?

[unhappy player]

Sorry people out there, i had been trying really hard to get hold of someone from this company PADDLE CULTUER. As i wana get a new boat, however i can never get hold of them via their office number. Anyone know whether i can buy from any other sources..as i am thinking of buying a new boat and paddle. u may email me @ funkydaniel@gmail.com or u pm me to tell me where else to get okay if there is others who i can deal with.It is really irritating to not being able to get something that i want. Can anyone give some assistance to me? Or anyone out there is able to reach them can ask them to contact me also.. its really irritating to remain so "mysterious" or have they close down for business?

[DART]

hi daniel, are you looking specifically for any brand of boats? :confused:

[kaoz]

hi daniel
i also facing same problem as you.. :( looking for them to buy a pair of DD blades.. so is anyone selling dd blades only pls msg me , ok?? thanks..


daniel if u r looking for boats , maybe u can try looking for billy ... he shld have more contacts . too bad he doesnt sell DD blades.. :(

[GaAs]

Hi, just to update u guys big splash is currently closing for a major renovation so paddle culture is in the midst of relocating their operations so im guessing thats why most cant get a hold of them to order products. Will try get the person in charge from Paddle Culture to post an update here asap. Cheers

PS: im not their staff just updating to wat i know.

[DART]

hi there GAas, i think shifting of their office should not affect their work lor.. Since they are the distributor i believe they should have their customers in mind.. 2 to 3 weeks back, i posted on the forum to ask about who is the marketing personnel of Paddle Culture dated 21/9/06.. But no one bother to reply me.. Guess wat even after my junior boys ask them to contact me they still dun bother to get back to me.. until when i email to them again and again asking for a quotation of the Double Dutch paddles and ok Paddle Culture FINALLY gotten back to me.. in the email stating that Double Dutch is going through some changes with the pricing and they will get back to me and pass me the quotation over the weekend.. Hey come on, they say they will get back to me over the weekends.. BUT GUESS WAT.. i am still waiting after 2 weeks just for the quotation.. There are a few of us who is waiting for their quotation for so long already.. We want to buy those Double Dutch Paddles!! But why izit that they doesn't seem to be bother to do the sales.. Or izit Double Dutch is not willing to sell their paddles? Seriously if anyone know of other means to get those paddles in to us, pls post it here.... i AM 100% sure many people out there is willing to buy from you!!!! If anyone who thinks that he or she wants to take a look at the email between me and paddle culture 2 weeks back.. i can forward it to you or even maybe post it in the forum... there is a limit to patience... i am getting all flared up, is not only because of mine issue.. i am sure there are others who have bad experiences with them but they just choose to stay mumb about it..:confused:

[sm82]

Hey DArt and Kaoz,

i believe tt some sp players are goin taipei to play polo, suggest u get them to help u bring in from rudy wolf, no pt complainin abt paddle culture when they do not want to do business. even if u do get get ur paddles from them, i advise u to fixed ur blades and shafts urself or find someone experienced and professional to fix ur paddle. another option is from NZ, u can ask jon abt it... :D

i myself hav experienced really poor workmanship by them. i got a new shaft from them and ask them to fixed the blade for mi, and it took at least a month to get back my paddle. when i used it to block some shots, the angle immediately went off. all in all i got them to fix it 3 times in almmost 4 mths, each time my paddle couldn't last an hr of my trg!!! :eek: i finally got fedup and paid someone SKILLED and EXPERIENCE to fix it for mi, got back my paddle for 2 mths since and got no prob at all, it was well worth the money!!!

hav seen some schs having problems with their workmanships as well. NP got their boats repaired by them before nat champs. the boats came back in the same state as they went to paddle culture, its stil leaking badly! i wonder if paddle culture even touch of the boats!!! :rolleyes: SP got their brand new DDs by them, at least half the batch got their blade angles going off w/in an hr of trg aft blockin some shots. sent back to them and they took so long to repair. when they deliver back the paddles, they always say its not ready for use, need to wait a day!!! even my jnrs know that aft using epoxy or hot glue, the most it takes a a few hrs to dry up!! (does this person even knows wat he/she is repairing!!!) if its not ready y deliver in the 1st place?!?! Even the dumbest guy would know how to say that its not ready to deliver...unless they hav been holding on to the paddles for so long that ppl r chasing them to deliver and so they just do some last min repair....(u guys out ther think for urself :cool: )

I believe that a lot of ppl out there would really be interested to hear wats their comments on their EXTREMELY poor service!!! :thumbdown I m really amazed by the way they do things.... :confused:

Sometimes i really wonder if the person who does the repairs knows anythin abt polo or worst stil doesn't know wats he/she is repairing!!!
haha :rolleyes:

Think everybody is waitin for an ans.......
;)

[nor]

Dear all,

I have looked through all the postings in this forum and would like to set the record straight regarding a few matters.

Paddle Culture
We are currently experiencing some manpower shortages, and regrettably, that led to our equipment section being a bit short-handed.

Yes, it is crazy that some people were not able to contact us, and that some people did manage to get a reply but in the end, were not followed up on.

This I acknowledge, and on behalf of Paddle Culture, I apologise.

I have brought on one or two new people, and they will be sorting out the shortage.

Our contact details are as follows, below in the posting.

Double Dutch paddles
Firstly, I must apologise that this posting is long overdue. The actual situation is as follows.

They are experiencing some production issues at their factory, which is hindering them from supplying regularly to Singapore.

This I know because I met the person in charge directly in Prague, Czech Republic, during a world championships event.

Should you wish to bring in the paddles yourself, you may try to contact them directly. This I say honestly in all fact, not to be sarcastic (I think online interpretation of words can be quite different) but to actually let you experience it upfront. It's not fun, believe me, when we become the middlemen trying to explain the shortages.

I spoke to someone from NUS the other day about this situation, and after speaking getting his feedback, will effect the following.

All who can produce some proof of order acceptance within the last few month, please email me at nor@paddleculture.com and I will arrange something with you. Please email me urgently within this week as I will need to confirm numbers.

For those who have just recently placed orders or expressed interest, please allow for a waiting time of 2 to 3 months for the production to regularise again. Your order is confirmed when you are invoiced, so if you would like proof of order, do make sure that we have invoiced you.

These are some changes to the Double Dutch paddle, as voiced out to me during the meeting with the manufacturer. They are streamlining their production processes and are doing the following.

Firstly, It will no longer come with kevlar edging. According to the producer, this is because they have made the edges stiffer, hence doing away with the need for kevlar taping.

If you would still prefer kevlar tape, it would need to be added on top of the paddle cost.

Secondly, it will no longer come with peel ply. This would now be considered a special order.

I will be working with the manufacturer to regularise the orders. I still believe in Double Dutch paddles, that they are world-best, and would like to sort out these issues so that we can offer them to you.

Complaints of poor paddle workmanship

Firstly, we had a new paddle workman, who is no longer with us. We will be engaging another one.

Hot glue was a recent addition to our paddle fixing but since my return, I have decided to do what we do best, and instead move back to epoxy. If you are concerned about quality, or long-lastingness, I have a few samples that were done by me quite some time ago which has lasted until now w/o water leakage or shifting.

Due to my schedule doing other work for Paddle Culture, I had outsourced away many of the polo equipment sales and repair, for example, the paddle making and fixing, so since the manpower issue is cleared up, I am moving back to this department.

We hope that this will address the problems faced by some of you. I take seriously your concerns and if you are unhappy with what you have bought from us, please call 68723282, look for Valerie or Nor. Arrange for a meeting with us, and we will see what we can do.

Secondly, I would like to offer the option that the paddle comes unfixed, so you may get your own workman, and affix it in the style that is to your preference.

Regarding a statement on epoxy- I feel that perhaps one of the poster's statement might be a little harsh? Drying is one thing, but curing is another thing.

Depending on the resin/hardener you use, strength is gained over several hours to a day. Definitely, the epoxy we use does not simply cure that fast. The faster it cures, the less strength the bond has. For example, a five minute curing Araldite is definitely less stronger than an industrial grade Epicote curing over half a day.

The manpower shortage made us schedule delivery on a tight timetable, so sometimes, the paddle was handed over, technically fixed but which had not reached its full curing status.

With the movement of the office complete, we should be able to regularise our delivery times to better suit our clients.


Complaints of poor boat workmanship
May I advise the people/school affected in question to contact me directly at 91459594 or nor@paddleculture.com? Perhaps it is a misunderstanding with you that should be cleared up.

I have had a prior arrangement with them, which, I must say in due honesty, has not been followed up by the people/school?

It is not so much a question of poor/crazed workmanship as a goodwill extended to get the boats through the National Champs.

The repair work has not even been billed due to its temporary nature.

I will not go into details as it is a private arrangment, but if you are affected, please email me directly at my email account.

I would also like to strongly advise boat owners to take a look at their storage methods and usage patterns.

Repair is not a stopgap, it is a continuous process which will extend the life of your boat.

Office contact

Our other office, now that Big Splash is undergoing one year's renovation, is with NUS, E4, Engineering Drive 3. The phone number is 68723282. You may contact us at infro@paddleculture.com , and after 15th October, at retailsales@paddleculture.com again.

Summary
I hope that this is clarification enough for those of you with concerns? If you do have questions that I have not answered above, please email me at nor@paddleculture.com . I may not be able to answer certain questions that deal with another client, but I will try my best to provide satisfactory replies.

You may also post here, and I will attend to the posting within a few working days.

No flaming please! We want to improve our service and improve ourselves, so we would like constructive feedback.

Thank you for your time.

Nor

[nor]

Dear DART and other forum readers,

You may find this email address useful to address the situation you brought up in another forum in Classified.

info@dutchcomposites.com

Regards,

Nor
Paddle Culture International

[DART]

addressing to your explainations, i believe that manpower shortage is not a reason to be all put up front as a SHEILD.. as i believe as a WELL run company with such BIG organisation of have your admin office in NUS and your operation site in Big Splash previously.. Dun your admin or marketing office have at least a computer in their office? As emails were send out by many of us to your company... However, your SHORTAGE of manpower have caused you all to not being able to read those emails pertaining to queries about purchasing.. What if your company turns out to be dealing with big orders.. Will you all still use not enough manpower as a reason? We are not trying to spoilt your company reputation in here but u have leave us with no other options but to create awareness of your company so that you all will reponse.. Seeing the effect now that we have gotten a full explaination tells it all..

With regards to the email address to double dutch, i have already gotten that long ago.. But whats the point of contacting them when we cant even get our own country's dealer ? To lodge a complaint against your company.. or request to buy direct from them.. then whats the point of buying from our local distributor? might as well all orders to be send to DD directly instead of going thru the middle-man in Singapore to allow more revenues created?

lastly, regarding your repair or fixing.. see the end products says it all.. Before this current 11 DD paddles were sent to Singapore Poly before National Champs.. it just so happen that i went down to Paddle culture to assist simon to collect his long lost paddle that was sent to your company to repair.. So well, lucky enough i manage to collect it on behalf of him.. that was when i entered into your office where i saw the new DD paddles being placed on your office floor awaiting to be fix up with regards to either their kelvar edging or fixing into their shaft.. On that particular day, in the evening, the 11 double dutch were sent down to SP for delivery and was told that all the paddles were all FIXED up and done.. The shocking incident came! After less than an hour of usage, 5 or 6 paddles were unable to be use as the paddle angle were out or the kelvar edge came loose.. If the paddles were just fix on that particular day, hope that you can tell your client so instead of telling them your paddles had long been done.. As i believe if anyone out there knows that the paddle is only fixed on that particular day, he will allow no usage of the paddles first until a day later..
And also when i was at your office, i already query about the purchasing of the DD paddles from Yong Kim, and fyi, he said the same thing, i am busy now and we will get back to you with regards to the pricing.. But i waited till no vain..:eek:


Stan

[r2d2sg]

chill....

[Evo7]

I've bought a DD paddle from Paddle Culture quite long ago... I'm oso extremely unsatisfied with e product... Paddle Culture has affected many people with their inferior products..It is truly a deep regret for all Canoe Polo players in Singapore that Paddle Culture is e middleman for the sale of Double Dutch products in Singapore...

[Nihplod]

I haven't been in this sport for a pretty long time, but about equipments procurement? Oh man! PCs got a real big sore to cure, judging from the remarks. :cool:

If those of what it's stated are true, then they don't have the basic courtesy of a seller (I'm not dwelling on the way they do sales). :thumbdown

Let's see... Equipments poorly fixed - Unskilled workers? Who's fault? Trainer? Trainee? Or worst still, CUSTOMERS? Seems so anyway... Actually, if it's not the best condition to deliver, I don't think you should deliver at all. You like uncooked rice in hawkers don't you? you do the math.

What else? Lack of response from emails... If renovation is equivalent to shutting of emails then this shows not just lack in proficiency for customer relation, it simply reveals the degree of oblivious you have for contacts.

Anyway, I had been their customer once. Once bitten, twice shy. :o

I think explaining your stand at this point and expect the trust from your customer is too far-fetched. Pertaining to your concerns, my advice is, don't just sit there and reply sorry's for your apparent inefficiencis and complacency in the industry, why don't you get it started? Post the quotations here instead. :D

No hard feelings still. :cool:

Enough said. Chilling... :p

From Jacky: Ex-customer, ex-player, ex-periencer.