Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Does anybody know, what happened with Sue Miller? I tried to contact her via phone and mail without response.
Hopefull there is nothing serious !

regards from Germany

Delle

Hope she's ok. I spoke to her a week last Friday as needed a couple of wheel bearings which arrived next day

TonyR

Good Evening Delle
sometimes the telephone can ring continuously. I have spoken to her recently regarding a throttle cable. I believe she has been expecting quite a bit of stock in so she made be tied up with that. Keep trying
all the best
Stuart

I think this is fairly normal; since Mick died, Sue (+ a daughter, part time) have been carrying on the business, this is a cottage industry (literally) and the cottage and workshop/store are some way apart. Also, they have a normal life to lead, shopping, sleeping, dog-walking etc. If you think of this as a 1960s business, rather than a 2014 web-focussed multi-national, then the service is exemplary. I'm so glad that Sue has the dedication to the tradition of personal service started by Mick.

elansprint71 wrote:I think this is fairly normal; since Mick died, Sue (+ a daughter, part time) have been carrying on the business, this is a cottage industry (literally) and the cottage and workshop/store are some way apart. Also, they have a normal life to lead, shopping, sleeping, dog-walking etc. If you think of this as a 1960s business, rather than a 2014 web-focussed multi-national, then the service is exemplary. I'm so glad that Sue has the dedication to the tradition of personal service started by Mick.

Me too!!

I've tried to order parts from her and both times she failed to ship them. I try to support our suppliers as much as possible because without them we'd be sunk. Probably great to do business with if you're local, hard to support from the US.

Tried calling Sue 6 times today... no answer...

Will try again in the morning.

I had similar issues so now buy from SJ Sportscars in Devon as they respond to you email within hrs and parts are despatched promptly.
Ian

Susan is fine, I just spoke to her & she is well!

Apparently, she has had an awful lot of running around to do, dropping off parts (for chroming etc) and picking up parts that are best not sent by courier. She has also been busy getting orders out of the door and has been trying to reply to emails & phone messages as best she can. As most people know who use her, she is always multi-tasking as best she can, one minute answering the phone, the next dealing with a visitor, then making visiting customers tea etc. All the while answering the phone & offering FREE advice to anyone. Susan has always been on the go whenever I have visited & to be honest, I don't really know how she does it, but she does! When Mick was alive, he would do all the talking to the customers & Susan would be doing all of the other background important stuff that kept the whole place going such as dealing with telephone customers, parts, paying bill, ordering materials & of course making the tea amongst other things. She has to do pretty much all of that herself now so I always try to be patient if I do not always get a reply to my email or phone call straight away.



Anyway, just thought I would tell you all that she is fine!


All the best for xmas & the new year to you all.

Adam

Thank you very much to Adam for his comprehensive post.

A few quick questions for some people: Do you work a full year without a holiday? Do you work 16-hour days? And, if you do, are you still working those 16-hour days five years past the age of retirement? Sue Miller is, and, what?s more, she is doing it on her own and yet still supplying a superb service unequalled in the industry.

For every person who carps that your email wasn?t instantly answered, there are another forty, fifty and probably more who telephone and find Sue generous with her time and knowledge. How many of the ?large? Lotus suppliers are willing to spend half an hour on the telephone giving out advice with the knowledge that there is unlikely to be a sale at the end of the call?

Sue runs this business out of a passion for the Lotus Elan and the industry would be a poorer place without her. Yet, when she had the presumption earlier this year to take four days off for a much-needed break, people thought the sky had fallen in! She goes far beyond what people expect of a small business service and yes, sometimes she is too busy to pick up the phone, and yes, frequently it will be because she has a customer with her and she feels it would be just plain rude. Sorry if such common courtesies are not ignored at Mick Miller Classic Lotus. Above all, she continues to work harder and longer than anyone else I know.

And I know this because Sue Miller is my Mum.

WELL SAID WIZZ!! That should stop all this bickering from the "moaning minnies". I have always had good, prompt and courteous service from Sue whenever I have needed parts or just advice. Long may it continue.

Regards

Martin B

Well said Wizz.

Though from what caused this forum thread I wonder if your mother's business has a telephone answering machine and does the voice message on that machine really handle the situation of Sue & you being too busy to answer the phone. Maybe you need to record a new message.

martinbrowning wrote:WELL SAID WIZZ!! That should stop all this bickering from the "moaning minnies"......

er... I don't necessarily think this was moaning, more about concern for Sue.

I did manage to get through to her this morning & glad to report that she is well, but just "Harried" with orders.

I think we all feel that Sue is a member of our community rather than just a part provider. Sue enables us to keep our cars on the road!

happy to,hear, that she is fine!

Delle

Well said and welcome Wizz. To those of us who have been around a while and who have had the fortune to deal with both your Mum and the still-missed Mick; they are both legends.

Best regards to both of you.