One of the drivers for offering our own machine and having it made in England is we want to be able to offer world class customer service.
How?
We intend to have all the parts that can break or wear out in stock in our factory & reasonably priced. A portafilter basket shouldn’t cost CHF63, whoever makes it.
When your order arrives we walk the width of the factory, pick your parts, close the box, and put it in a courier bag to you – wherever you are in the world – London to Auckland in just 4 days typically.
Similar for Australia, assuming you don’t live in the outback.
Pretty much anywhere on the globe in 10 days.
Londinium I isn’t just a world first in engineering terms, it will be a world first in service and support when you’re desperate to get your machine fixed, or want to personalise your machine.
None of the parts going into Londinium I have been newly designed for this project. That’s probably a bit of a downer if you have a fetish for ‘new’, but aside from that it means we have a very good idea about how long key components can be expected to last, for example the electric pump. The answer is a long time. We know this because its been used for years in numerous machines by the guys who are building Londinium I.
So there’s no ‘suck it & see’ as there often is with new technology that seems like a good idea on the drawing board, but doesn’t quite live up to expectations in the field.
The plan is to get a base model to market that is within the reach of as many people as possible. Then we plan to offer a whole range of cosmetic accessories, many of which we haven’t even dreamt up yet but look forward to – a sterling silver guilloche face card in your manometer anyone? Why not? We’ll also offer a 10 micron gold plated version of the machine once we get standard production up and running, but these are unlikely to be offered until 2013.
You’ll pay for the luxury accessories, no apologies there, to an extent they may even subsidise the price of the basic machine. I think that is the fairest way that we can pitch the project to ensure as many people can enjoy the machine as possible.
Every aspect of the Londinium I design is proven and known to work. For years and years.