As a Filofax user, I guess it was only inevitable that one day I would want to try something else. After browsing online I came across the Franklin Covey Day Planners, oh my, are they beautiful! Filofax really needs to take a leaf out of FC's book and get some less boring diaries going on. So anyhow, I had a look on e-bay to see what kind of prices they sold for and this what I found!
And better still, it cost me £4.99. What a bargain eh! A5ring binder, a Paper punch and the A5 Organiser all with inserts, dividers and 2 years worth of Diaries and calendars.
First is the Binder, this is A5 size. Notice it is Franklin Quest and not Franklin Covey, I believe this is before Mr. Covey bought into the Organisation.
Inside the front cover, no credit card slots, just the one big slot. But bright and cheery divider tabs.
First page:
Side View of the tabs included, there are also monthly tabs behind these ones.
Some of the inserts:
More inserts:
Month to a page Diary:
Month to view Diary:
Two Page per view layout:
More notes and index pages and a page marker with cellophane still on it:
Plastic pockets - Credit card holder and zipped pocket:
An odd little book which can be used to carry in your pocket then transfer notes to your main organiser. It has graph and lined paper inside.
This is the booklet from the front cover, explaining how to use and get the best from your organiser. When this was brought new, it came with some cassette tapes giving more information, but there was none with the one I bought.....which is well, because I don't own a cassette player!!!
So did you guess why it was only £4.99? Go back and look at the Diary dates....it's from 1997 - 2000, there's full 1998 and 1999 diaries included. But lots of the other inserts are very useful so it was still a good little bargain. Especially as this Organiser and Binder have never been used!
The only problem I am having is getting some up to date Diaries for it. I spent a long time ordering from FC online and on the telephone, eventually got my order sorted (or so I thought) and waited for it to arrive. When it didn't, I called them, only to be told it hadn't been put through and they couldn't tell me a delivery date. So I gave up! I've made a complaint to the company (3 actually) but they can't be bothered to answer that either! Shame really as I really need some updated stuff for this little guy. HELP!
Edited: 20th September 2012
Just want to add, I did find another contact address to make the complaint and I was told that that FC is now with a Scottish agent and FC can't do anything, only the agent can and sorry they couldn't be more helpful.
The title of this post is "From Filofax to Franklin Covey....well I just want to say, it should say " From Franklin Covey back to Filofax"
I have had to deal with Filofax Customer services in the past, I found them polite and friendly and only too willing to help in whatever way they can, nothing was too much trouble. Packages were received within a couple of working days and freepost every time. Thank you Filofax for making me as a customer, feeling wanted!
Just remember everyone, it's not always better going for the prettier inserts, sometimes the service your receive is just as important!
Can't one of the FF inserts or the ones at Philofaxy go on them? I mean if they're A5 they should fit right?
ReplyDeletePS: If you get this comment several times I'm sorry!!! This thing doesn't seem to be working :S
Hiya Tina, am sure the inserts from Philofaxy would fit in this planner, but I would like to try the FC ones as they do look very nice. Plus A5 FF and A5 FC holes are totally different.
DeleteOooo oki! Makes sense :)
DeleteSadly, Franklin Covey's great inserts are completely hamstrung by their incredibly terrible customer service. Last year, I ordered from them because my mom likes one of their spiral planners, cust. serv. was SO horrible I swore I'd never EVER buy anything from them again. Sorry you had the same kind of experience :o(
ReplyDeleteRori, they are discusting how they treat their customers. I may very well put this Organiser back up on e-bay. Someone from USA FC contacted me today and said since they got a Scotish agent, they can't help me.....The Scotish agents refuse to reply to all the e-mails I send them. Serves the arseholes right if they close down and lose their jobs! Can you tell I'm a little annoyed! lol
DeleteIt's so sad that such a great product is being let down by shoddy service! I've been curious about their binders and accessories (what a great range and price - filofax take note!) - almost enough to make an order, but now I'm certainly reconsidering if they can't even get an order to you! You got an ebay steal though! How good is the paper punch, by the way? Is it better than the filofax plastic one?
ReplyDeleteDo you know what, I have not even tried the paper punch, it's still in original packaging, I'll let you know when I try it. It surely can't be worse than the Filofax one. lol
DeleteIf it is, that really would be alarming! I had a plastic filofax one that broke in minutes. I've heard such bad things of the metal one I've not been willing to lay down the high price for it. So I'm using a single-hole punch, which makes it so time-consuming that I'm getting fed up. It's partly that that makes me interested in the FC or Daytimer - I have no idea how good the metal punches are but at least the DT one isn't anything like as expensive. Idk, though, I don't want to encounter the kind of appalling service you got.
DeletePersonally, I would just use the inserts anyway. Just cross out "Thursday" and write "Monday" and so on. Rewrite the dates in the monthlies with a black sharpie. And see how you like the function of the inserts itself. Maybe it'll work, maybe it won't. At least you've tried and it didn't cost you an arm and a leg.
ReplyDeleteI may just do this Jotje, I have been doing it on some 2011 Filofax Diaries and it's working well.
DeleteI've been using Franklin Covey for 20 years (in the US) and have never had any trouble with customer service. They've always been great. And the service in the store is awesome!
ReplyDeleteI had one of those plastic hole punches and it worked okay but I spent $25 and got the metal one. They work well.
Looking at all those Franklin Quest products brought back memories. When I started using Franklin products, it was Franklin Quest. I had one of the cassettes. It was actually really, really good! I learned a lot from listening to it. I wish I still had it.
I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. It really is a good company with a great product.
Yes, there customer service has taken a serious decline in the last few years. I have used FC for 19 years. It is not an A5 binder, very close, but is called "classic" and holds a half sheet of US paper so they are 8.5 x 5.5"
ReplyDeleteHey Gail, I really enjoyed reading your journey above. I am a Franklin Covey user of 25 years and luckily live only a few miles from the Australian Franklin Covey headquarters so I can get almost everything I need. Would you consider selling me the Franklin Covey items you don't need? I can put them to some loving use for many years to come. email me at kentmb@yahoo.com if this would work for you. PS - love your blogs. Kent from Oz.
ReplyDeleteHiya Kent, the FC stuff is still unused, but shipping would cost and arm and a leg to Oz. Sorry hun but thanks for the lovely comments, I too enjoy your vids, wish I was brave enough to make more. lol
DeleteI recently ordered some products from the UK FC site (26th March). Two days later a notice appeared saying the representative had changed and I thought no more of it. This week I cancelled the order after several phonecalls between the new representative and the previous one (Harper Collins) who had represented UK FC for several years (I'd used them previously with no problems). I was informed they couldn't help etc and got very frustrated and ended up cancelling. Best of it is that I wanted the compact pages to fit into my personal FF (the pages are slightly wider but that's all). I've since decided to print my own pages.
ReplyDeleteUK FC are really bad, wish Staples over here would stock FC goods, they have so much more interesting inserts don't they.
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