Re: [Leica] AVOID ACRONYMS!

[RBedw51767 <RBedw51767@aol.com>]

Marc:

Hello from south of you.

I have read the postings and questions about RMA's.  Perhaps I can add a
little about this form of documentation. Return Material Authorizations or
Return Merchandise Authorizations are usually documents that a supplier,
vendor or manufacturer uses to keep track of goods that are being returned to
them.  As an example;  Ewald-Clark receives a defective product from Leica
(binoculars, certainly not cameras!).  Leica "may" require that all products
being returned to them, for repair or credit, first be approved for return.
The form or process documentation that they would use is an "RMA".   Normally
each RMA would have a number and this number would remain with this product
throughout the return to vendor, time at vendor and return to customer
process.  This reference number is consistent throughout most industries.  If
Ewald-Clark would call Leica to check on the disposition of the returned
product or credit due them they would reference the RMA number associated with
the binocular return.   It would be my guess that Leica could track all RMA
types, ie., those associated with a defective focusing wheel on a particular
model binocular, those RMA's related to a defective front element of a
particular lense or, in my case, a Leica R8 winder returned because it would
work on my camera.  This information would be extremely valuable to them in
identifying particular defect problems and establishing corrective quality
controls in th future.  If Leica begins to receive an unusual number of RMA's
on Leica R8 winder I am sure that they will respond quickly.  It would be, in
my opinion, highly unlikely that they would share this data with the public
for obvious competitive reasons.

Marc, I hope that this information has been usefull to you.  Please accept
this information in the same manner as offered.  I do not want to insult your
intelligence if you were already aware of the items that I have stated.  

Bob