I have 2 new Inik Lithium-ion batteries on order since this past January. They last responded personally to my emails on April 15th. My frustration with Rathbone is off the charts. I regret that the company seems to be having big problems, but that is not an excuse to not get in touch with their customers that have Pre-PAID!!! Spencer

I placed a small order (2 Antons with Rathbone) in early Feb. I received all of the above mass mailings but had to cancel the check he has been holding. No response to calls for weeks? I cannot believe its AT & T doing this stuff... weeks have dissolved into MONTHS with no one answering calls?? I only found one company in ONTARIO CA called BatteryRebuilds which does AB cells at a comparable price. Much less volume than Rathbone was capable of doing, most likely with varied results. Battery Rebuild TEL # 1 800 983 5008 good luck I will continue to look at this board for updates and will update when something breaks thanks all Lou

Bauhaus1:

Hello.

I have also been waiting a long time for my batteries.

Can anyone suggest an alternative to "Rathbone" in the mean time.

 I still have several other batteries that need repair.

 

Thank you.

Thank you for the heads-up.  I know that it will be difficult to find another company with the former abilities of Rathbone.

 Keep me posted.

 Christopher

Has anybody received their batteries back from Rathbone in May 2008 ?

Has anyone been able to get ahold of them in May 2008 ?

They have two of my Hytron 100's that have been paid since April 4th, 2008 - for rebuild - plus prepaid return UPS docs.

Total estimate of 1794.00 CDN worth of my products. This is the battery replacement cost - plus rebuild payment and shipping costs.

Since payment on April 4th, 2008 - have been unable to get a hold of anybody at Rathbone.

Will give them until June 27th, 2008 - then I will be forced to get legal help and the bill starts climbing from there.

I sure do hate having to do this - but when you can't get a hold of anyone for several months - you are left with no choice.

So again if there is anybody out there that knows how to contact Rathbone please send info to ddream@shaw.ca.

Try this link for re-builds:  ""http://www.batteryrebuild.com/camcorder/antonbauerDionic.phtml?gclid=CI6O27eJ3pMCFQoFGgodQDavYg""

And this one for Dionic 90 knock-offs:

   "" http://cgi.ebay.com/Battery-fits-SONY-Dionic-90-AG-PVM-Series-6750mAH-NEW_W0QQitemZ280224595069QQihZ018QQcategoryZ43438QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262""

    I bought the knock-offs and they work very well.  Fewer electronics than the Dionic 90's but still a good battery at a GREAT price!

My battery rebuilds were paid in full back in January '08. When I could get in touch with them, it sounded like a series of unfortunate circumstances. I was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt for sometime, because they were nice and generally good about informing me of what was happening, or not
happening as the case may be.

Unlike many of you that have worked with Rathbone for years and have seen exceptional quality, price, and speed, this is the first rebuild I have attempted with them. I understand that this might not be the usual way business is handled, but paid customers should be contacted. Reading the posts and emails re' customers taking up their rebuilding time to find out what is happening with their batteries makes me feel a little guilty about trying to contact them. I don't want to slow everyone else's rebuilds down, but I'm at a point where I have to have my batteries back.

This past month and a half I have tried every number on the website and every email that is listed without an answer. I have several battery belts, packs, and onboard  batteries that I need to have by the fall semester for a university. This does not look good.

Any suggestions? Anyone heard anything from them in June?
 

Rathbone has a second site: www.batteriesandcircuits.com - which was last updated on June 3rd, 2008.

I am sad to see so many people having the same problem I am having with Rathbone. He has four of my batteries and a four position charger and about $1400 of my hard earned cash. I cancelled my order in late april and he has not returned my gear or cash. Later today I will post on my website a letter I sent to the BBB about my problem with Rathbone. It's just a bunch of boring facts and figures, but if you are thinking of doing business with RE pay close attention to this forum, and others and read my note if you like. I thought I was all alone with this problem. Perhaps if we can get enough interested people together we could hire a lawyer out of Knoxville and try to get our gear and money back. If anyone is interested in this, email me and I will start compiling a list of folks. Ian Ellis Wimberley TX www.texashighdef.com

Lisa took a leave of absence so I have her work on top of my prior work.  Unlike many people I do not have time to throw around and, fortunately, have many faithful clients.  Right now about 700 orders in house for broadcast alone, befoer the event.  Anywhere from 4 to 20 ProPacs and or Hytrons, already cut open but boxed up waiting to be unpacked from the move.  Cash Flow. Now I am trying to get hold of Lisa and retrieve the code to access the cell phone voice mail from calls I am missing while on the phone with new orders, with attorney firms or at the Sherriff's office, lunch, etc.  The credit card charge backs, the unexpected immediate relocation, the additional issues caused by AT&T, My time is focused on, (In this order): 1) Generating immediate cash to help compensate for extensive losses in expenses and lost sales since March 23rd. 2) Getting my equipment up and running so I can do the rebuilds which means a hefty electrical deposit. (An old store with walk in coolers) 3) Getting my people back in the building which requires generating more immediate cash through the sale of my lithium ion packs. 4) Tackling packed battery shells for rebuilding because I must get the prior rebuild orders fixed first, It take Cash Flow.  Cash flow is required to do them all. In that order. (My cash has been abused by credit card charge backs from clients who did receive their product, bank NSF’s caused by the charge backs, and the

relocation expenses caused by a very bad landlord.  Three years of H _ _ l, it was only a mater of time.)

It does not take a brain to realize that the relocation and charge backs dug into inventory money as well so I have to generate much in New Rathbone Energy LI-ON battery sales so that I can purchase Ni-CD and Ni-MH battery cells for existing rebuild and new asssembly orders.  It is in everyone's best interest to help me, not damage me.

 I alone am working the relocation, wiring the compressor and running CPVC for the air lines, and am almost ready to start opening the boxes of battery shells for rebuild.  I guess some might think that allows a lot of time to write letters.  I plan to connect power at the building the week of July 4, I hope.  Some of my tools and office equipment disappeared during the March 24th event as well.  Lisa, my right arm, had to take a leave of absence.  The credit card charge backs, the bad landlord, the relocation issues, the AT&T inability to get the telephones up and running until June 17, 2008, (I have emails to document and a new $480.00 phone bill that I will not pay), and last and primarily, eight very ugly new clients with no history with us who have busted us in the forums, crippling our cash flow,abused Lisa, and even with a very personal PDF file sent out, they do not understand whey it is taking so long to handle their contracts.  They cut their nose off to spite their face.  Every negative feedback posted after this event of March 23/24th has severely hurt my staff of 12, (all without a paycheck right now), my company of 18 years, and my very good clients with orders in-house, as well as themselves.  Lisa did the email mail status reports.  Later this week I am going to try and figure out how she did that through Act without our Outlook server up and running, but first is a vertical email promoting our lithium ion batteries to generate cash.  Business in the summer is always terribly slow. The sell of new lithium ion batteries is just keeping me afloat until we are back up and running smoothly, have my people back on the telephones generating money, and then it will takes months even with good lithium ion battery sales orders to get back to normal.  And now trying to decipher her computer files she was doing from home, and her paper files on top of getting the building ready.  I am not sure who to go after first, the people who did the charge backs or the people who have disparaged us in the forums and blogs.  Both have cost me an extreme amount of money.  Well, first is the bad landlord and that is in progress.  My first court date against the old landlord is supposed to be this Friday on assault charges. Then the civil suites will start including Conspiracy with intent to harm trade and collusion.  I have already posted several PDF files for you but basically, I have taken 14K in credit card charge backs from people who received their product, which in effect, are NSF and are being turned to legal, lost sales for the end of March, April, May, and now June totaling $95,000.00, the expenses of hiring help to move us, the losses in upgrades to the prior building, and on and on.  I drive a 1999 Trooper.  AMEX, VISA and Wachovia would not return my calls for 12 weeks.  I dropped them all and no longer accept credit cards.  PayPal is better about not allowing charge backs and honors my client contracts but if they do not I will drop them as well.  It will take me three to five years to recoup my money from the guilty parties that caused all of this.  Until then I have to just dig in my heels and hold on to keep from filing an unnecessary bankruptcy, and I will hold on.  If I did an unnecessary bankruptcy not only I, but my staff and my good customers would loose.  But those eight in the forums, they are something, real stand up.  Some of the eight want to hire an attorney which will hurt my good and stand up clients and put my 12 employees out of a job.  Fortunately I have already discussed this threat with council.  Yes more time that could have been placed in getting back up and running, like writing this letter and those to the better business bureau. PDFs attached including Status of Company.  I am still in business, a gristle, but need a lot more lithium ion battery orders than the SLOW summer allows, especially with no sales staff and no telephones, through June 17.  I am in meetings with attorneys throughout the week of June 27 regarding the bad landlord, go visit the Sherriff again regarding some of the eight stand up guys who have all but stopped my cash flow through the forums, etc, and have written the Sherriff letters in attempt to strike at me.  I am glad they already know me.  I sell them radio batteries.  I will be taking them more documentation including client signed sales contracts and posted disclaimers.  Simply a paper trail issue and they are fully aware that I am in business, and why this is happening.  But it is time that could be spent getting up and running and then taking care of good client request.  But, everyone is being held up by the stand up eight.   The guys who have disparaged me so bad in the forums have cost me more than the charge back people, and probably as much as the bad landlord.  I am unsure how to handle them at the moment and am seeking legal guidance this week.  If you are willing to help, I am giving a 5% commission to any client who sends me an order for new lithium ion batteries and chargers and the referral makes the purchase.  How will I pay you the referral?    The buyer MUST tell me on the front end that you referred him or her to me for the referring party to get the 5% commission.  I wait until I have enough orders to spread the international freight a little better.  +/- Ten days from receipt of my bank wire the factory I have contracted to manufacture my lithium ion batteries and chargers for me ships that order overnight, through customs, and overnight to me.  I am doing a bank wire tomorrow which will wipe me out for a while.  Battery Spec attached.
www.rathboneenergy.biz  featured items and current on-line
specials  It is very frustrating.  My losses have been, what to me are great, and I only need to sell about 500 lithium ion battery packs to get back together and operational enough to more quickly resolve all client orders, (50*500), will not put me in the black from the losses by any means, but would be the B shot in the arm.  That could have already been accomplished had the eight new clients not been of such terrible character in the forums and letters to the different Sherriff’s offices.  

Thank you so much to my good clients for the kind words. Many of my long term clients have emailed or written nice letters of encouragement and some pointing out that I have always supplied and excellent product and service to the industry and that I MUST stay in business.

 

So to everyone with battery packs in for rebuild, if you want them back any time this year, help me get past the damage of your colleagues doing the credit card charge backs, the bad press in the forum by the eight new clients, and the damage done by a bad landlord.  And to my good clients who know my quality and will need me in the future, the same.  I have always helped you and you should come to my aid / defense. PDF files attached.  Regards,  Ron Rathbone

 

Ian, I have you on my list to respond to today! 

I almost did not recognize the handle.

I remember, I could be wrong now, but, I believe Lisa spent some time, possibly two or three weeks, trying to get your signed sales contracts and disclainer from you.  I believe she sent you a copy of our order process procedure several times explaing that we start cleaning the batteries as soon as they arrive, assign them a serial number, cut them open, disect them, and then place them in a "hold" pattern until we receive the signed sales contract and disclaimer.  I also believe you sent in a hand written check on a new checking account.  I will be the first to say I could be wrong here.  A lot has happened since then I am am under extreme stress which hampers a good mind, let alone mine.

I was not aware that your check was deposited.  When the events of March 24 started we placed a hold on processing any money for rebuild work.  I have many more boxes that have arrived for rebuild but since I am not yet operational I have not opened any of the new incoming rebuilds.  All those clients were told up frot of the March 24th event.  I could use their cash now but know that I cannot rebuild their units for about 12 weeks.  Since I am sorting all the broadcast sales order files now and matching them to picking tickets I will know soon whether it was received after the 24th of March or accidently deposited.  After I have all the paper work from all orders matched, sales order to pick ticket, to paid or not paid, then as I open each of several hundred boxes of battery shells I can compare the assigned serial number on the shell to the pick ticket.  As I was unpacking last week I did come accross your container box.  I already had out copy of your signed sales order and disclaimer out because I had dropped a copy off to the Sherriff.

I also took time  and wrote a response letter back to your letter to the better business bureau.  Since I did send a response, you are already keenly aware of the situation here.

It is good to see you are kicking.

Ian, if you want to kick me do it when I am standing up straight.  I am asking you to please help me get past these bad events so I can help you!  I really need your help in selling new Rathbone Energy Lithium Ion Battery packs to generate cash flow so I can take the profit and fix your problem.  Since you have done such damage already you should help me more.

Regards,

Ron L. Rathbone

I was in here pulling information for the DA.  Tomorrow as I take the old landlord office manager to court for assault.  An email popped up and I saw a bad email from what was from the frst call in fo rebuilding, a very difficult client.  After the March 24th event, at some point, even after being given as much detail as Lisa could give, he would call over and over and over to the cell given to Lisa.  Because of him she had to turn off her cell phone for days at a time.  I think he was calling the cell number because the remote call forward never worked.  After responding  I saw your post here about the faith to move mountains.  Thanks.

 To generate cash flow and get me up and running quicker I also did a new post regarding a commission on referral of my lithium ion battery packs.  Take a look.  It will help me resolve your equipment quicker.

 Ron

Ron

Hello Bahaus,

When you first came to us Do you remembeer the quality of the battery packs you sent in for rebuild?

Help me out here with positive comments if you want my quality in the future.  I just posted a Commission referral Program as a New Post.  It is going to take a lot of cash to get over the dadmge done by the credit card charge backs, the bad landlord, and the people giving me negative feedback which halts my cash flow meaninig nothing gets fixed.

Have a good day.

Ron

Ron: I am glad to see you are taking the time to answer some client issues that have been brought to the public's attention through this forum. I would be happy to report positive feedback on this forum if I could get a positive result. I have been waiting on 2 Inik 155 Li-on batteries since January 2008, plus I need to get the overcharge resolved on my credit card. Would you please email me? Spencer spencer@crewsouth.com

Ron, It does sound like you are having a rough time. With so much happening in your life I can understand why your facts are mixed up. Lisa B. received the batteries and charger on Feb. 7. I have the printed copy of her signature on the dated FedEx receipt. She emailed me the sales order documents on Feb 11 and I promptly faxed back the signed sales order with all info requested on the same day. As a point of fact, on these sales order forms you state in several places that the signed documents must be returned before you begin work on an order. On Feb. 12th I emailed a query to confirm that you had received the sales order fax, no reply. On Feb. 22 I emailed a request for a status update on my order, no reply. On Feb. 28 I again emailed for the status of my order, no reply. I would also make occasional phone calls, get the answering machine, and leave a message with my return #, no replies. Finally, on March 20, the first time I had any contact since Feb. 11 from Rathbone Energy, Lisa called me to tell me about charge-back problems, and to ask me to pay by check. She also very generously offered a 5% discount if I would do so, I readily agreed. I sent a check drawn from my Fidelity checking account that I have had for over 10 years. On March 27 Rathbone Energy deposited the check. On March 31, I emailed inquiring on the status of my order. No reply. Later that same day March 31, I phoned and Lisa answered. We discussed my order and said she would call me back by noon the next day to tell me as much as she could about my order. I told her it was very important to hear back from her, as I had to make decisions about canceling my order if necessary so that I could get my gear back and not have to sub-rent batteries and charger all the time. She did not call me back the next day as promised. On the morning of April 3 I made several calls, sent several FAX's and emails saying that I wanted to cancel my order. At about 10:45 Lisa emailed me saying that she had received my cancellation email and would advise me when my equipment and refund would be sent back to me. She stated the refund check would be in the box with my batteries. Again, she never stated nor sent me anything "explaining that we start cleaning the batteries as soon as they arrive, assign them a serial number, cut them open, disect them" as you mentioned today. Ron, all I want is my equipment returned: four batteries, a four position charger and case; and my refund of $1411.10. I need this gear back so I do not lose money every time I have a rental. And I need my money back because I'm just like you, a small-business man struggling to make ends meet every day. Respectfully, Ian Ellis

Ron, I would be more than happy to send a fedex courier over to pick up my unopened batteries, charger, full refund and case that the gear came in. Just let me know what your regular business hours are and to what address to send fedex. I know you are busy and I want to keep this as easy for you as possible. (I wrote a private message but I don't think it worked). Ian Ellis