17 February 2012

Free For All Friday No 170

Friday is where we open the floor to you to discuss anything Filofax related. There are no entry qualifications, so if you only found the blog 5 minutes ago or 5 years ago, you can add a comment, ask a question, open a discussion on any Filofax topic no matter when it was previously discussed.

So let discussion commence... and have a great weekend.

25 comments:

  1. Good morning,

    I was wondering whether any of you have got experiences with the Filofax France customer service. I bought a Holborn Zip there and the rings don't close all the way (seems to be a Holborn Zip characteristic :(). I sent Filofax France a message 3 days after it arrived (2 weeks ago). I only heard back from them last Friday telling me they'd see what they could do and would get back to me this week.
    Still no answer... I sent them another email yesterday asking for updates, but I kinda got the feeling they are trying to ignore this.
    Do you know whether there is anywhere else I could contact? Like some international head office I could write to?
    I'm a bit disappointed, especially since the Holborn wasn't exactly cheap and I've made great experiences with Filofax Italia over a <20€ item.
    Any tips are more than welcome!

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  2. Since you live in Germany, send Filofax.de an email! There was someone at Filomaniac who got a Filofax replaced that had been bought in the UK.

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  3. Nosing on eBay, I came across this!
    I'm not sure how many inserts you'd be able to fit with the hip flask inside though...
    http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Filofax-Vintage-Burgundy-and-Original-Designer-Solid-Pewter-Hip-Flask-New-/140704186380?pt=UK_BOI_Office_Office_Supplies_Stationery_ET&hash=item20c29f800c#ht_699wt_1185

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  4. @ Anita - Wow! That would perk up a few meetings wouldn't it!

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  5. We shared that link on Twitter the other night, I commented that it wouldn't hold enough wine for my liking!

    'This is my drinking Filofax' complete with pub crawl maps, the good pub guide insert, inserts for recording the details and your own reviews of pubs, beers, pub food etc. Oh and emergency instructions sheet... If this person is found asleep in the train sidings at 4AM do not disturb until morning and please drop him off at Tonbridge Station..

    Steve

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  6. Has anyone made their own weather charts for their Filofax they could share? I would love to record the weather occassionally, but a) I am useless at drawing and b)Don't really want my Filofax diary pages to look like a kindergarten wall chart!! Any ideas?? So wish Filofax did small discrete weather stickers too!! Mail me at je.mccourt@virgin.net, if you have a weather attachment to share. I'd be so grateful.

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  7. Jane
    How about using a month to a page diary/calendar so record the weather for each day in just that section?
    Steve

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  8. Butanben and Steve. You've got me thinking now! The horizontal year planner would also work very well for this.

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  9. Hello,
    @Lynne Dove:
    This is the beach of OLUDENIZ, isn´t it?

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  10. Thanks for your ideas about weather charts. I think it would be an interesting addition to my Filofax, and interesting to compare the weather trends year on year.

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  11. Hi Jenny, yes it is and that is my foot!

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  12. @Butanben- don't worry about looking like a kindergartner- it's YOUR planner! I can't draw to save my life, but I still put a little weather doodle with the temperature on every daily page.

    I'd thought about putting them elsewhere in my binder, but I find I really like being able to look at what I had done that day AND what the weather was like in the same page. That way, I can laugh at myself if I was camping in a thunderstorm or wonder what I was thinking when I went running when the weather was below freezing!

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  13. I am coming to the conclusion that Letts Filofax aren't really interested in interacting with their customers. We've had quite a lack of response to numerous issues and suggestions raised on Philofaxy. So, I thought I would try posting a question directly onto the Filofax Facebook page with the hope of reporting back here.

    They left it there for a few days and then just quietly deleted it.

    Is my question so unreasonable...?

    "Is it true that there's to be some slim A5 binders coming? Let's hope so! Many of us now keep most of our data (appointments, contacts etc.) on our phones and laptops so there's less need to carry unnecessary paper around. Smaller rings are needed!

    A5 is a great size for making notes, sketching etc. but traditional A5 binders are too heavy and bulky to lug around. Also, A5 is the best size for printing documents (certainly in UK/Europe). Most documents come in A4. Simply reduce to A5 (two pages on an A4 sheet) cut, punch and insert into your Filofax. Much easier than trying to reduce on a printer to other paper sizes. Thinner binders may be said to look sleeker (no, not the gusseted Adelphi!) and big fat binder rings are awful for left-handers to write around!

    So - an A5 slim binder with Filofax Time Management pages please. Now that would be a great business tool!"

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  14. Tim
    I can't see anything in their terms and conditions that would prevent you from asking such a question:

    FILOFAX FACEBOOK GUIDELINES

    This is the official Filofax Fan Page and we encourage you to leave comments, photos, videos and links on this page. However, we will review any content which is posted and will remove any that are deemed inappropriate or offensive. Filofax will leave the content that you share which relates to the subjects covered on this Fan page. Please understand that any comments posted to this page do not represent the opinions of the Letts Filofax Group.

    LETTS FILOFAX GROUP TERMS OF USE

    The Filofax Facebook page is intended to provide a place for fans of Filofax (‘Users’) to discuss Filofax products, activities and promotions. All comments, visuals, videos and other type of materials posted by Users on this site (“User Content”) do not necessarily reflect the opinions or ideals of the Letts Filofax Group, its employees or affiliates. Letts Filofax Group (a) does not represent or warrant the accuracy of any statement or product claims made here, (b) is not responsible for any User Content on this site, and (c) does not endorse any opinions expressed on this fan page.

    By becoming a fan of the official Filofax Fan Page, you are agreeing to comply with Facebook’s Terms of use Facebook Terms. Letts Filofax Group reserves the right to remove any User Content which is in breach of the Filofax Facebook Guidelines.


    Ask it again and host of us will join in...

    Steve

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  15. Duly done! Thanks for your support Steve.

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  16. Can someone please direct me to the right facebook page please? I would like to support the conversation as well.

    I am not new to filofax, but I have had some bummer luck with them. I have had 4 binders and only one of them had rings that weren't broken. The customer service has been hit or miss with it. I really want to love them (filofax) completely but with the rings breaking it doesn't give me much to go on. ( just fyi I had 2 pocket maldens, and 2 finsburys.) I am still on the quest for one I like and that works for me. I also don't like the rigidness of most of them.

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  17. Steph
    It's here: https://www.facebook.com/filofax

    Steve

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  18. Hi Guys!
    I'm a long time lurker and lover of Filofax... I just wondered if any one owns the Finchley and the Osterley in A5 and which one would they recommend?
    It's time to replace my Domino and I'm willing to splurge if the Osterley really is that amazing!
    I'm not a fan of really stiff Filo's. I have a Malden and I know neither of them are as soft as that.
    Is the the Plum colour of the Osterley more purple or red? I can't tell too much from the pictures I've seen.
    Sorry for the rambling!

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  19. @Cazzle
    Welcome!!
    I have two A5 Finchleys (in red and in green) and they are lovely.
    The Finchley doesn't have a stiff cover at all and I find it has a good interior layout (lots of card slots and a zipped pocket on the LHS and a mesh pocket which can hold a notepad on the RHS). I haven't seen the Osterley in real life so I can't comment on it, but I love my two Finchleys!

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  20. @J
    thank you for the "it´s YOUR Planner". it was absolutely neccessary to be aware of that again. i love to "pimp" my filofax with coloured selfmade registers, washi tape, quotes and even svarowski-styled-stickers...... sometimes i feel embarrased for all these girly things in my also professional and serious filofax infront of others. but why should i?!!! it´s mine, and even if i look like a kindergartner..... i love the stickers and all the colours. they make me smile and happy. so i really shouldn´t care about what others might think....
    BUTANBEN START DRAWING!!!!! ;)

    @cazzle
    i totally agree with amanda. the finchley is such a great one. i own one in personal size and even if i´m not using it, i really can´t sell it because i´m so into this leather!!!! the look, the haptic and this smell!! this smell....
    you really should went to a store and "meet it in person".
    the osterley is also beautiful and i totally understand your lust for the plum :) But the things I don´t like: the way the inside Pockets are arranged, the copper coloured button, which is in MY opinion not ok for the plum one (it definately is for the new orange one!!! WOW!!!) and i also didn´t like the top and bottom positions of the pen holders.
    if you´re able to see them in person, you should really touch them to find out which one you prefer :)
    i hope it helped ;)

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  21. Thanks Amanda and Nina...
    I'll try and see them in person but I don't think there's anywhere round here that stocks those models.
    You've both pretty much sold me on the Finchley anyway! xx

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  22. @Tim, I e-mailed Filofax UK recently to ask if they were planning to offer print-on-demand and got an answer ("no but thanks" etc) back 5 days later. I think posting stuff and hoping they'll see it, and then that the person who has the answers will reply, is probably a bit of a crapshoot, so why not mail them directly for a start?

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  23. @Shanananana - You're probably right! I think it's very sad though that Letts Filofax have got a big, loyal fan club here, but seem to think it's beneath them to respond to questions or suggestions - either regularly on Philofaxy or on their own pages. I run a small business and am always delighted when folk take the time to comment on our Facebook page - good or bad! Filofax seem to regard their wall as purely for them telling us how wonderful they are. I'm not so sure that makes for good customer relations. Whilst they seem to respond well to individual faulty items, there are a lot of range (especially inserts) and quality (eg: ring mechanism) issues about which they should be listening.

    Thanks to everyone who supported my question or emailed me directly. We DO now know (thanks to Steve) that compact (20mm) A5 binders are coming soon. Let's hope they fit the bill!

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  24. @Tim and indeed in general, I think to get their attention you/we'd need an organised campaign, let's face it every company has dreamers who phone/write in with their ideal product.

    Unless Filofax pays people to actually sit and read blogs - which carries all sorts of legal potential problems in itself, in terms of creative copyrights and so on - how are they to know the numbers who want this?

    Maybe I just have an overly direct communication style or something, but I think if no-one hears the hints, it's time to just up and ask, they have phone numbers, e-mail and even snail mail addresses, and it's only fair to complain (NOT saying you're doing that!) AFTER you've actually asked them up front.

    JMO. ;o)

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  25. Actually many of us have contacted them directly via Twitter, Facebook and email. Sometimes we get replies, sometimes we don't.

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