Jake is offering his opinion. He is does not work for Everlast. I don't screen. If I can't get to a call and I am with another customer, or not at my desk, I don't pick up. But otherwise, it is first come first served. Compared to Miller, we are still a small business, but we are growing exponentially, and sell more welders than most of our US based import competition combined.
Jamming, you certainly have your right to your opinion and freedom to purchase from whom you choose. We do our best with the personnel resources we have, and make sure that each employee skills and resources are optimized. That ensures a lower cost of operation, and long term survival. It means we don't have a bunch of people just sitting around waiting on a sale, driving up our operating costs, and the price the customer has to pay. In this economy, a relatively small business (compared to the major competition) has to be efficient. Miller, and others have had massive layoffs. We have not, and we have added people while doubling, and even tripling sales over the last couple years. We may be loosing some sales, I'd agree. But the ones who buy speak for themselves when they buy.
I cannot and will not tell you that you are wrong...as I said, you have the right to buy from a company that has people sitting around, idle waiting for a Monday morning, opening hour phone call. I too like to get a live person everytime I call a company. That USED to be how it was years ago. It's a different age now. Just-in-time philosophy has been taking over more than in the parts delivery systems to run lean, and maximize the resources of the companies.... But you have to ask yourself...why do "others" have plenty of people sitting around idle, especially companies that I know are typically smaller than us? I think you'll find your answer soon after your purchase, unless I miss my guess.