Please bear in mind that this report of my visit to Butterfly Labs is intended only to provide you with the information I gleaned from my visit there and not to be provacative in any way or to influence any decisions that you might make for yourselves regarding BFL.
I visited Butterfly Labs today at around 11:30 am. Entering the building I went through the main door to the BFL door to find it being unlocked by a very nice very tall lady who asked me if I had an appointment.
I told her that I did not but was probably expected. She asked me my name and I replied "MY BFL FORUM NAME". I was immediately ushered inside the fortress that is BFL and asked to wait in the lobby, which is really only a couple of chairs at the end of the hallway leading to the "back room" itself.
After waiting only a few moments a fellow came from the back who introduced himself as Dave.
I introduced myself by both my forum user name and my real name.
Dave told me that he had a few minutes but that soon everyone had to be in a meeting.
I told him that I had come for any updates and any any news that he would liked passed along.
He told me that Josh had posted an update on the BFL forum and that was the only news there was.
Hoping to get a little more info, I told him I hadn't read it, which of course I had but got nothing additional.
I asked him if he had any specific shipping date, to which he replied that Jalapenos were being shipped now. When asked about shipping of other devices, he would not give me any sort of idea at all, telling me that they will ship when they ship.
He then said that BFL was more open than anyone because Avalon will not even reply to emails or phone calls.
Pressing him a bit further, I told him that the natives were restless and many preparing to jump ship.
I found his reply a bit startling and more than disconcerting.
Dave was very firm in his statement that "We can't worry about that. We just have to keep doing what we are doing and move forward."
I then asked yet again if he could give me any idea of expected shipping times on other products, to which I received the same admonition: "We will ship when we ship!"
I asked him if Minirigs were going to be put back into production. He told me that there was an update on Minirigs and that they would be put back into production when the redesign was completed.
I again asked Dave if he would provide me any shipping information of any kind to which he replied, "What if I give you a shipping date anad we can't meet it? Then we have more problems."
By this time it had become clear to me that I was going to obtain no specific information of any kind so I thanked him for meeting with me but before leaving I turned and asked him if he had anything he wanted to add for me to tell the folks.
He said "No, the updates say it all."
I left the building and took a couple of pics of the front door while leaning on the top of my car.
One interesting thing Dave did during our conversation was to play with one of those stainless steel folding knives, which many people would have considered to be a threatening gesture but I recognized the action as a nervous tic and in no way felt threatened. I doubt he realized he was doing it.
So........................................................
What did I learn?
Well, a couple of things. Shipping of anything but Jalapenos isn't going to happen any time soon and that the shipping time of other products is not known and that BFL will not even speculate on it.
In reflection on the meeting it occurs to me that Dave's replies to me although friendly sort of were monotonic and almost stilted and that his face was very nearly rigid and frozen as though he really wasn't moving a muscle. During our meeting he stood stock still; his only real movement was playing with his little knife.
Now...........................................
Here is the part in which I editorialize:
I was dismayed at what I perceived to be "customer care". It was as though the unspoken statement was "We've got your money, suck it up and wait for shipping and we'll ship when we ship!"
In short, I was pretty effectively stonewalled and I think BFL missed a wonderful opportunity to significantly improve its realtionship with current and potential customers. A good report from me could have helped them a lot but I don't think this report is going to help them at all.
I have endeavored to be as "fair and balanced" in this report as I can be.
I cannot and will not tell any of you what to do in connection with your relationship with BFL but I will tell you that my two associates with whom I am partnered are giving very serious consideration to the status of their orders.
I was left with the distinct impression that there will be no shipping dates given because there is nothing to ship and BFL itself has no real idea when there will be.
As for myself, on the basis of today's interview, I will not be ordering from BFL.
