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Factory tour photography banned, except when it isn't.


Thaddeus Smith

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I don't blame corporate at all for not allowing photos of the operation.  30 years ago my plant had the same rule in place.  Since we are automotive related, naturally the Japanese auto-makers and our "other" customers wanted plant tours all the time  So here comes a group of about 12 guys from an automaker in for a tour, ok fine, they get the high dollar tour.  We start the tour and I notice 4 of them were "sketch artists" who stood there and drew the entire manufacturing process.  In the 5 minute pitch, they drew the machine, conveyor system,  EVERY process the machine went thru to create the product.  That was just the INITIAL process, same thing into the heat treating area, then the finish and visual inspection process and packaging.  THAT was the first and only time that ever happened but they got the entire process in an hour.  As soon as they started the call to corporate was made and they got the ok.  IF I owned that company Mr. OK would have been gone in a  heartbeat!

 

Yea, it ALL started when the US sent W. Edwards Deming to Japan to halp rebuild their society after WWII.  The US thought the guy was an idiot so they shipped him to Japan where he implemented his plan.  His process is still used today.  The US once again shot themselves in the foot imo.  Hit the link IF you want to know WHY and HOW the Japanese can do what they want to do!

 

https://deming.org/explore/fourteen-points?apartner=aarp   

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14 hours ago, Thaddeus Smith said:

Fair enough. No value in hammering the point any further, I just thought it was ironic and contradictory.

Well I don't know any more, I just figured for the trouble they went through with an inspection the photography thing with pilgrims was just to try and avoid that. And like Travis said it's there plant, were lucky to get tour because that takes alot for them, extra people are pulled from there jobs to lead tours and it just disrupts the normal flow of things. They are VERY strict on production and quality control.

 

Now on the other side of it the employees really enjoy it and have commented so, they look forward to it. This was also part of bringing them lunch just to show some appreciation, and they do appreciate it, both the lunch and knowing people care about what they do.

 

The plant manager says production goes up for 2 weeks before that day and for a week after, he wishes we could do it a few times a year.

 

I'm just glad they notice we are trying to do a little something for them, they work in that building and never get to see how happy what they make brings to people in the end.

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On 7/9/2019 at 7:42 AM, Thaddeus Smith said:

Fair enough. No value in hammering the point any further, I just thought it was ironic and contradictory.

There isn't any problem, hammer away, just leave "national origin" (that pesky TOS).  EDIT:  As Thaddeus correctly pointed out, my post was completely inaccurate,  a prevarication,  an outright canard; "national origin" is not in the TOS. I was wrong, he was right.  I hate instant replay

 

[The person who posted the video referenced has] 175K viewers on his channel, and almost 75K views of his very well done video, maybe the answer to to the seeming irony and contradiction lies there?

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CAUTION: THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE IS ENTIRELY FREE OF SNARK AND SARCASM.

 

I'm a photographer - a documentary photographer even - and capturing the people and the things they do in that space has been my greatest take away from the tours. It's what I end up doing the entire rest of the weekend, when not distracted by catching up with old friends over music and food. I've heard my tinnitus enough times in the anechoic chamber, I like the speaker demos but certainly have no intentions of buying, and nothing dramatically changes from year to year in the production process. So without the employee interactions AND the ability to capture them via photos, there isn't much draw for me to participate in that portion of the Pilgrimage. It seems silly, I know. And it's impossible to please everyone and their particular quirks, I know.

 

I also understand the legal ramifications and their desire to insulate themselves from evidence of OSHA violations or the perception thereof, due to a lack of context.

 

And I'm fine with that. But then to see some rando youtuber from across the globe granted privileges that have been stripped from the absolutely loyal fans who also spend their own time, energy, and personal financial resources to visit? Well, it certainly sucks.

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1 hour ago, Thaddeus Smith said:

capturing the people and the things they do in that space has been my greatest take away from the tours.

It was my favorite part also.

 

Some question everything, I won a pair of Cornwall's in 06 and the factory gave me a disc with build pictures. A few times I posted it when the subject of them being built came up by a new owner who was interested. Just to show different steps which we never really get to see. A couple others questioned some of the pictures as to what they thought was not done correctly as far as codes in their opinion.

We hung speakers in the new museum,  we were questioned if they were hung to code by looking at pics, yes they were and I can prove it.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Thaddeus Smith said:

And I'm fine with that. But then to see some rando youtuber from across the globe granted privileges that have been stripped from the absolutely loyal fans who also spend their own time, energy, and personal financial resources to visit? Well, it certainly sucks.

Maybe the video was watched and approved by corporate prior to release?

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7 hours ago, Thaddeus Smith said:

 

Not seeing anything in here that would be violated by calling out a youtuber's national origin, btw:  https://community.klipsch.com/index.php?/guidelines/

You are correct.

 

I thought it was in the top of the section, but was wrong (below), apparently national origin wasn't included specifically.  So the question becomes is it "a sensitive issue"?  I don't know the answer and am too biased to give an opinion. However, be mindful that there a more than a few French-Canadians here, and a lot of Cajuns.

 

I will go back and edit my post.

 

Please find an appropriate snarky moving gif you are so famous for to point out my grievous error.

 

NOTE: Topics covering sensitive issues such as race, religion, or politics have no place here and will be locked by moderators at their discretion. Please refer to the posted Terms of Service for more information.

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On 7/10/2019 at 8:30 AM, Thaddeus Smith said:

some rando youtuber from across the globe granted privileges

I am willing to bet this guy laid groundwork for the needed relationships... approaching corporate with a formal request, nicely asking for a tour (maybe an agreement of some kind?). Perhaps if you wrote a letter to the "right" people, explaining your background and intentions--you might get similar access (or better).

 

Edit: I came back and re-read this – tone is ambiguous: might sound to some like I'm being mean-spirited (did not mean to be). My intent was to make a helpful suggestion. I recall, back in the '70s... some guy in NYC walked around the streets with a tape recorder slung over his shoulder--a complete poser--telling women he was writing a book about sex, what women want (or something like that... it was false pretense). Anyway, my point being the microphone/intro got complete strangers to open up, divulging personal stories; people who normally would have never considered sharing with a complete stranger. Crazy. I think his decision to write a book came later; anyway... we're all creatures of human nature. [Aside: I do not condone willful deceit]

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1 hour ago, dwilawyer said:

You are correct.

 

I thought it was in the top of the section, but was wrong (below), apparently national origin wasn't included specifically.  So the question becomes is it "a sensitive issue"?  I don't know the answer and am too biased to give an opinion. However, be mindful that there a more than a few French-Canadians here, and a lot of Cajuns.

 

I will go back and edit my post.

 

Please find an appropriate snarky moving gif you are so famous for to point out my grievous error.

 

NOTE: Topics covering sensitive issues such as race, religion, or politics have no place here and will be locked by moderators at their discretion. Please refer to the posted Terms of Service for more information.

 

Totally understandable. It's also important to take the time and understand intent - I wasn't blasting his nationality in any sense, but merely using that to the illustrate how completely far removed he is from the region and why it irks me that those of us in Klipsch's back yard who spend our own resources for a visit are treated differently.

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19 minutes ago, Thaddeus Smith said:

 

Totally understandable. It's also important to take the time and understand intent - I wasn't blasting his nationality in any sense, but merely using that to the illustrate how completely far removed he is from the region and why it irks me that those of us in Klipsch's back yard who spend our own resources for a visit are treated differently.

You have taken some nice pictures and it's helpful to those of us with other commitments who could not attend.  Companies are made of people who have varied ideas and vary in their decisions and even change their minds sometimes.   Try to not take it personally even though it feels that way.

 

National origin is a protected class so it is something else we have to tread lightly around.  My thought is that we can try to not be disparaging.  I think you have clarified your thoughts here.  

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14 minutes ago, muel said:

You have taken some nice pictures and it's helpful to those of us with other commitments who could not attend.  Companies are made of people who have varied ideas and vary in their decisions and even change their minds sometimes.   Try to not take it personally even though it feels that way.

 

National origin is a protected class so it is something else we have to tread lightly around.  My thought is that we can try to not be disparaging.  I think you have clarified your thoughts here.  

His photos are spectacular, the B&W stuff last year was "la magnifique."

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