Hero Restoration

On 6/17/2023 at 1:46 PM, sd2416 said:

After 3 plus years, no empathy or sympathy.  This looks like outright theft.  

I recommend you see an optometrist.

On 6/17/2023 at 1:22 PM, CAHokie said:

It’s a great question but at this point he feels he has lost both. The book is the most valuable thing and something he has no right to keep. I get the feeling (just a feeling) that the money is gone, the book is hopefully still there. 

I still don't understand what the logic is in that. There is no indication the book is lost, there is insurance coverage for any type of situation where the book is not where it's supposed to be. There is communication that's being left out. Just saying

On 6/17/2023 at 1:21 PM, seanlinc said:

Quite a long an interesting read I guess it's a complicated matter for the business owner but the next step forward seems perfectly clear. Just send back whomever has requested their books back as is. At this point i'm pretty sure they have written off any fees they have paid and would just be happy to have their books back. If sometime in the future you made them whole great but at this point I think most would be thrilled to just have their property returned.

This is the closest thing relevant to the reality as it unfolds.

On 6/17/2023 at 1:12 PM, Flanders82 said:

I hope this is on the condition that the $3200 that @NP_Gresham paid is returned to him with the book if the restoration hasn't been performed. 

What is your relation to this transaction?

On 6/17/2023 at 12:44 PM, FormerReader said:

A lot of excuses in this thread. A common theme when someone is in the wrong is to blame others. I feel bad for the customers.

I think you're confusing excuses with reasons. It is what it is on both sides.

On 6/17/2023 at 11:45 AM, skypinkblu said:

Here is another book that needs to be returned.

Last email received on 1-22. I will have to pm him.

On 6/17/2023 at 12:35 PM, NP_Gresham said:

On 6/17/2023 at 11:32 AM, CAHokie said:

Maybe not?

@Hero Restoration if you send NP his book back on Tuesday with a tracking number, I will reimburse you and add extra for your time after he confirms he got the book. 

I'll take you up on that, but mailers? No! if you watch my packaging video, it's box on a box with space between the two. Also has to be video recorded, to ensure that everything that goes into the box is what's found in the box 

I'd post it but it doesn't let me post video.

On 6/17/2023 at 4:19 AM, Cat said:

Don't blame the customers for your inadequacies. 

"Yeah, she left me because my pecker was just way too big. You know how it is." 

Whatever dude. 

Either take responsibility or don't, but don't eff around with this stuff. 

I disagree with your hypothesis that there is no middle ground. 😎

On 6/14/2023 at 9:43 AM, ExNihilo said:

I'm guessing between the business and health care, they're probably already in the red and can't afford to refund customers AND cover shipping.

The problem with sending out an email at this point is it sounds like they've lied to customers enough times that I imagine there are some customers who believe everything to be another lie.  Much like "the boy who cried wolf", this is more like "the presser who said it was getting packaged."  If it wasn't actually being packaged in the past, why should a customer believe that they're being genuine now about sending books back.

Despite that, this seems like a genuine case of someone just running into a string of bad luck and the recent health problems are the top priority.  It's an unfortunate set of circumstances and I agree that laying it all out for customers is the way to go.  I'd like to think people could be empathetic and understand that progress is going to slow down as a result.  Maybe assign numbers for every open order, tell customers what number their order is, and then send out an email every month saying you're currently working on order number XX so that way everyone has an idea of how much longer it will take before their books are finished.

Unfortunately, empathy is in short supply. I think some of it is the economic climate right now including inflation. People are looking for ways to stretch dollars, and canceling orders is one way to do it. Did you know when your books arrive at CGC, you Cannot cancel the order. Even if they're 4 month tiers taking 14 months. Plus, the meter already starts once we receive the books. You got receiving you got emails, books get dry, cleaned or prepped and then the larger process is already getting on way. I am committed to getting the books done, but customers aren't committed to waiting for them to be done. When you're talking to a client and they're only interested in one thing, and that's the one you can't do, and the client escalates it into a poor me. 

On 6/15/2023 at 2:31 PM, thehumantorch said:

I think it's important for you to recognize that the wolves at your door are customers who've you're generally let down.  A few have posted in this thread as figuring their books are gone and the money they paid you for work is also gone.  Failing to complete work on time, failing to communicate issues and going radio silent will turn customers into unhappy customers or wolves at the door.  I think you should also accept that you built a business based on your business model; you set the rates for work, you hired staff and purchased equipment and leased office space, and you're responsible for your businesses successes and failures.   

And don't take this wrong.  I believe your intentions are good and you're doing your best and you've had some bad luck.  I hope you can turn this around because the hobby needs dedicated, skilled guys who love the medium and I believe you tick off all those boxes.  From where I'm sitting the customers haven't failed you, you failed your customers.

Customers that have a true grievance are not considered wolves. A client who charges back on credit card 11k for restos not due is a wolves.bI won that dispute BTW 

Clients who's books were stolen values in the form 12k, but sues for $45, from thousands of miles away is a wolf. 

As Time is an estimate, GUARANTEE. This is posted in multiple stages. but gets ignore. Terms and agreement get ignored.I like Joey:s at CFP approach, post the date range you are working on, then there is no deadline. Deadlines are avoided to ensure the quality of the work, the minute you have to rush to finish. It's not going to come out right, no good deal goes on punished.

Not taking it wrong, just providing context, and errors and omissions. I can turn it around, but only if given. time. Without that, the work isn't worth having done.

I never said the customers failed me, the ones I mentioned are a small percentage, but have a large impact that, and effects the other customers in unpreventable way..

Again, restos are complicated, and silver age is the most complicated of them all. 

Sure, I have failed some customers by long timelines, but the still hey their books, and it's quality work.

I'M SLOW, especially now. If that's an issue, shop for a younger competitor one does a one and done.

On 6/15/2023 at 6:04 AM, NP_Gresham said:

If Mike is telling the truth and he has insurance he should make a claim NOW to refund the collected fees and then return the books.

Insurance is for a rainy day, well it’s RAINIING now. 
I am not unsympathetic to anyone’s health woes, but when my local banker had a heart attack no one seized funds from my bank account and told me to ‘be patient you’ll get it all back… eventually …. Maybe…,

Insurance doesn't cover that. If cover theft, fire, and flood. Would you like me to file a claim for one of those topics.

On 6/14/2023 at 5:11 AM, Nick Furious said:

I would interpret the "wolves" as a pack of life/business troubles that hit all in the same time frame.  I think the important thing to solving this would be to include the customers in the decisions and give them options, as limited as they might be.  As they often advise people in financial trouble...talk to those you owe.  

Yes, that sums up the wolves. So much bad luck, I couldn't fathom the time to detail it out, or whether it's proper as a business to discuss such matters. Also, disclosure is like telling bad people how to do bad things, and Hero and I got more than enough of that. Most of the "Wolves" are not of my making, but the company was more vulnerable due to my lack of knowledge on large scale business. Once I leaped from "self employed" to "Small business owner", everything changed.

I am concerned what I share may give others ideas that are wrong way to settle a dispute. Clients can make unreasonable demands, and find a way to jack you if you don't comply. Clients are the smallest of the problem, but can have the biggest impact overnight.  Everything we believe to be real or accountable because of contracts agreements, or the law, is false. 

BTW, before Hero went broke, it was able to keep help on long enough to get nearly even book pressed, and QC'ed. Hero doesn't have any orders of any note that are unstarted, except for resto's that are in queue.

So imagine this, I am a small company that is now smaller. Because I am late, and have health issues, a high volume of clients want out of the agreement, ignore any expenses incurred since received, and want a full refund, and immediately. Now take that, and multiply it by 20-50. Then, imagine no matter what compromise I offer, all they want is cash, and they all want it at the same time, NOW! I will let you guess what they do to me when I can't, as I am not giving tips on how to work around a fair settlement. Add to that, clients who want to back out, and are not even late, and the dollar amount forces the company into liquidation. Too many people suddenly withdrawal from a small bank, what happens? Not every person who has a complaint is being honest, and legitimate, yet the damage can be staggering. Too many comic clients won't even listen to reason, or acknowledge the agreed terms, and I feel a lot of it is my size. Being late, customers not get discounts, or a refund isn't my idea. I learned this from CGC, the leader, and Model for terms details. The difference is the can enforce their agreement, and I can't. So there's a third of the problem.

I never wanted a innocent client to take any type of hit from Hero, I always try very hard to do the right thing. But when you are suddenly asked for tens of thousands of dollars, without notice, and obviously down on your luck, what is the logical conclusion? Honestly, people act like I am a bank that hasn't invested in long term loans. If you wondering why savings APR is climbing, it's because banks are running out of cash.

Then there is big business, that can smell a week defenseless company a mile away, and just wear you down at $500 hr for defense attorney cost until you break. (Interesting fact, did you know DC sued Fawcett over Captain Marvel due to infringed on Superman, until they were on the brink of bankruptcy, and conceded?) They can come at you in a way that increases default judgement, even though the case should be dismissed. Don't trust a civil attorney, they work both sides, and are more interested in clocking in the $, than your case. 

I have had malicious attacks where it isn't even about the money, it's about attempting to put Hero out of business. I thought the growth was building a company for the industry and the hobby, providing results no single individual could accomplish, and now I see I was dreaming. 

To those who want to come to a conclusion without a reasonable amount of facts, Or want to know why not to understand, but only to continue the rebuttIe, I take with a grain of salt, and avoid the wasted time.  I learned through 30 years of a bad marriage, you can offer all the reasoning and logic until you are blue in the face, and the arms will still be crossed, and the head shaking from side to side.

I have always believed we all have a choice; To be part of the solution, or part of the problem. That's the best I can do today, now to answer 13 emails asking the same question, in various tones.

On 6/14/2023 at 5:13 AM, CAHokie said:

I agree completely, especially the last paragraph. 

I am run down, burnt out, and I don't got any more fight in me against the wolves, and all I can think about is some peace, and chickens. 

I want some days off like everybody else gets, I want some time to enjoy life before something else happens and it's done.

I don't blame the clients, I think the timing is really bad. Everybody's very agitated right now, with inflation, scammers, and the threat of recession. 

Small businesses struggling to keep up with demand. People are tired of waiting. I get it. It's no different for me, I have the same struggles just on a different level, so sometimes it seems like the one thing people could spare, they don't want to.

That's all I ever asked for was Time, but nobody seems to want to give it. CGC doesn't want to wait, the wolves don't want to wait, creditors don't want to wait, and the customers don't want to wait, and I think the reapers getting a little impatient too..

Funny thing is, the biggest clients are the least worried. Can you imagine that? Someone mentioned something about an AF-15? You know how many I have here? More than five and none of them are worried. Justin's order now  that it's pressed is worth some money. But most of the pressure is coming from those other pressing tiers. 

I got insurance. I got others set up to have access to all the data and the books if need be. They're not going to just disappear or get locked up somewhere forever. Never to be found. People could just be calm, I can get this finished and schedule my surgery.

I don't think customers understand or believe how much it adds up, when you ask me to update every week, or every day, it's not helping. It's only slowing things down. 15 emails a day to find out something you already know? And then get upset if I don't answer right away? For example, I got email from Mr client Friday evening, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, memorial Day. By Tuesday he was ready to call his attorney. Come on! 

Just because I work on the weekend doesn't mean I do everything on the weekend.

So if it doesn't seem like I care to respond, it's not because I don't. It's because I am a headless chicken, trying to keep going even though I should be laying sideways on the ground.

I got to go but I am burnt out of people who want updates. I posted on the website, set up the phone system to deliver updates when you call. If I ship your books I'm going to send you an email, so you don't have to keep asking, although sometimes I'm so late on the email, they're already at their destination. But it really is part of the delay. A third of it really, ask anyone of the crew and they'll tell you. I spent more money paying people to answer emails and phone calls, then pressing books, and if I'm wrong it's pretty close.  

Nice talking to you all on the boards.

I almost lost that post. Okay power is back on and I got a spoon load of stuff to do. 

I mean well, but I really can't predict what happens day from day, and like I said my luck has been so bad. Something is always interfering.

So I basically got three reactions to the news.

First one is apologies and condolences. I'm not the biggest fan of those, You don't really know who means it and who doesn't.

The second was" oh my god, can you please hurry up and get my books out before something happens to you."

The third was a mixture of two. Sometimes in his less is 3 hours. I'd get an email that says I'm sorry to hear about your health, and then in the next email, It's a how fast can I get the books out?

So I go back to work in 16 hour days, 7 days a week, but I'm moving super slow. I push myself into heart attack number two. Part of my problem is an 80% blocked artery, and I have arterial spasms whenever I'm stressed out.

I need to get a bypass done, and I need time to recover, up to 8 weeks. Most people I've talked to you said it's not a big deal. I don't really want to get into it, but a stint won't work.

The problem is, the present customers can't wait any longer. They're already charging back on their cards or suing or claiming class action lawsuit or trying to get the pitchforks and torches out. So I can't have the procedure done until it's all done. 

I'm trying to get this last batch of boxes out well at the same time having to fight off the wolves at my door, and the crows at my window. I can't tell you that I'm exhausted, because someone who has an order here might read it and then add to the anxiety that it is already been terrible.

Okay, I don't really like bringing out my personal stuff with business. I don't expect anybody who reads this to have any specific reaction. But I assure you, you'll certainly be one .

I don't like the attention, and it seems to cause more harm than good, seriously. For me it feels like being out in the wild, and you can't let the other animals know your injured. Because if they do, it's dinner time. Small business is in the cracks of corporate structure. Kind of like freshman year, the seniors already know how to bleed you without effort, and they do. That's a separate story for another time, which I assume will come up sooner or later.

So when I had my heart attack in late December, the last thing I wanted to do was tell everyone. It's the same reason why the government lies to you, because if they don't, then all the toilet paper on the shelves goes bye-bye. In other words, people panic.

I had to slow way down after the heart attack, and not necessarily intentional. It took me a while to figure it out, but time was really going by much faster. Except time is always static, so that means I'm moving slower.

Clients start to get upset over the wait, and eventually I revealed my health issue just so they'd understand why, but that it would still be ready soon. (Hoping for some slack). Now when I say soon, I really believe it, but.......

On 6/13/2023 at 10:17 AM, TC33 said:

Sent many massive books like AF 15 (yes that was my book he showed off on his web site) ASM 1 etc to Mike for resto although that was quite some time ago and everything came back great back in the day.  From my past dealings, he seemed like an honest and hard working guy that takes his work seriously, but even when healthy got significantly behind schedule quite often (my extensive resto books went well into the next year) which is why he added help to his staff quite a while ago.  I can only imagine that having a heart attack & whatever else he has been through took a massive toll on him physically and financially to set him back upwards of a year or so on his huge back log (especially if he had to let his staff go due to financial issues from the hospital/surgery/recovery costs).  Based on my past experiences with him, if I had books out with him, I would still hold out hope to get my books back eventually, even if it were a year or so late.  From the above recent post and scans, it looks like he is back at it as he gave the pre and post press scan above and delivery tracking for the ASM guy that first started this thread, so that should give some confidence that hopefully he is still slowly working through his huge back log as his health and time allows.  

Mike, it looks like people just want you to take a bit more time to communicate better details on the health issues you have gone through, huge back log and time constraints to get through your back log due to your health issues you have been through.  I am sure some people that had feared the worst would even be OK getting their books back without the pressing work etc at this point, so you should offer that possibility along with more accurate updated timing estimates.  I have a hard time believing Mike won't make things right & get all the books back eventually based on the guy I dealt with in the past.  With Mike communicating and working again, hopefully this all gives some hope back to everyone that had feared the worst.  Best Wishes! 

Thank you! You shared the bulk of it for me. I don't like posting using a phone, and I don't like losing my post after I go through typing it. 

My luck is so bad this last 6 months, that now I'm waiting for the power to come back on so I can use a desktop computer and type out something. Well thought out, error free. 

So I'm going to break this up into smaller post just to make sure I don't lose it.

I should be working right now, and without the power I just can't. That is what it's been like day after day since October. 

Like most in the industry, 2022 started out with a bang. Hero restoration's growth was exponential every 30 to 60 days. We grew to two locations, doubled up on training, invested every dollar of profit right back into growing.

By September of 2022, we were up to a 10-person crew. We were getting the volume we needed for that many people. 

Brewing in the background was a buildup of concern over inflation and recession.

Many of our clients are investors, first, collector 2nd, but there's nothing more I'd rather do than sit on the phone with a client who's been collecting books all his life, piling them up in the closet.

Investors watch the market, and in October key books dropped in certain grades 40% in value. Like any investor, nearly all of them just tap the brakes right away. By November I had no choice but to reduce the crew to three and went into debt, Keeping people on longer than the company should have to try to get that massive amount of work done..... 

Being the owner I bucked up. Never would I accept so many books alone that I would be facing 15 short boxes with half of them already late. I put in 16 hour days 7 days a week, the only days I've taken off since October or just to recover nothing else has been done. Just grinding out worked, but to the clients it doesn't look like it cuz they're so much to do, three people had to work of 10 and then eventually one me. Almost everything is done and it's just waiting for the work it takes to go through each order and process them. See there's my upside down. Horseshoe. Not only did it take five steps to get the picture, it's upside down. Dang it

Okay, so the short answer is I am very behind, sick, but not dead. Trying without help to get caught up. 

Going to type up long answer offline first, I don't want to lose it all again.

On 6/12/2023 at 11:07 PM, Hulksdaddy1 said:

You MIGHT want to add a little more info to this thread. 

I did. None of it saved. 😮‍💨

On 6/9/2023 at 1:04 PM, Kamenliter said:

Is there anyone out there with books out to Hero Restoration/Mike DeChellis that have not have their books returned? 

I dropped off nine books with Brandon Daza at a local NJ con last August and was told the turn around time for a press and clean would be 11 weeks. It is now close to ten months with no books and only excuses. 

Supposedly Mike had a heart attack earlier this year and let go of his entire staff but even weeks after he said I'd have my books back, nada. A week ago he said my books were going out. Nothing. This Wednesday he said he was packing them up and would send me a tracking #. Nothing. When I inquired again today, his response was and I kid you not:

'My girlfriends dog just ate all my baby chickens. I am offline until further notice.'

Sounds like he is certainly not in his right mind. For the record he has my:  Amazing Spider-Man #6, #7, #15, #18, #70, Daredevil #7, FF #16 and #19 and Invincible #1. Somewhere in the neighborhood of $10,000 or more worth of books.

I have collectibles insurance and have been in contact with them. But, more than anything I want my books back. Most of them I've had for over forty years, since I'm a kid. This is heartbreaking.

I have one friend, who has his FF #5 out for over a year now with Mike. It was a 5.5 restored book that Mike was going to bring up to an 8.0. My friend paid him $2k for the work, which to date he has not begun and has not returned his comic or his money.

I cannot find anyone else online who has books out with Hero Restoration, which I find perplexing. I would think there would be dozens of folks with comics with him and usually people are fairly vocal about things when personal property worth a lot of money has basically been stolen.

I have tried to keep patient and respectful up until now, but at this point I'm getting pretty infuriated.

If you have books out with HR, please respond here or you can message me directly.

Maybe a class action suit needs to be opened.

 

Hi Justin,

your submission is complete, and shipped out today, UPS Tracking # 1ZX61R530390153102

Sorry for the anxiety it caused. The last book to be done is below.

Has anyone else noticed Fast Track Economy is the fastest tier, faster than walkthrough? And yet, Economy is the slowest tier by an alarming amount? I mean, 9 days for Walkthrough? Only if you are a sick slug. LoL It's all good, just weird is all.

Of course, missing orders are an issue, got 2 of them myself, and after 45 days, haven't got anyone to look into it. Unusual for me to get ghosted at CGC on this issue, I have no trouble getting attention when I need to make a payment. Ha Seriously though CGC, HRC is not eating the loss, find those books!

And the problem is only getting worse. Sent a GSX 1 in a few month's back express tier. It got upcharged to Walkthru. The book came back a 6.0, and last sale at the time was $3300. Really, I mean REALLY? I am expected to grade GSX 1'ns now down to the .5? As a dealer, we do a high volume of submissions, it's hard to keep up on values, and pre-screen books condition. Not to mention the upcharge is always more than the 15% we get paid to facilitate.

This feels like the comic cartoon where someone is hanging upside-down to drain all the pocket change, seriously.

Everytime I try to talk to accounting about it, I get crickets, yet they have their hand out every week for the 3k plus we do, mostly walkthru, express and standard. We have almost disqualified anything for economy, and as a dealer, will no long offer Economy it to our clients, being a middle man for 10 months isn't worth it.

Oh, and the latest, a Star wars 1 subbed back in Sept got kicked from Economy to Walkthru. Haven't seen the grade, but it would have to be 9.8, of which I doubt. Okay, so the book has gone back up, but when was that? LoL I haven't talked to the client in over 9 months, how am I suppose to get re-imbursed for this upcharge?

Meanwhile; while I am trying to straight these out, the subs sit in the vault even longer. Is it really going to be 10 months, and walkthru fees to boot? And bookkeeping nightmares?

I was in error, CGC customer service is answering their phones today.

The rules are relevant to Grading, not external services. The leader in the restoration industry is hrccomics.com

On 7/2/2022 at 2:16 PM, onlyweaknesskryptonite said:

Stu..

I feel like an outsider! LOL I have seen that emoji with name, but don't recall making an association. 

On 7/2/2022 at 2:10 PM, OtherMan said:

Oh no, you misunderstand, I am definitely a shill. I just don't give a . Never have

 

Does 20 years count when you haven't posted since 2003? ;-)