customer services frustration

[Bavarian]

One last story:
Guy comes in and sits down in front of the top counterman and says he needs such and such shaft for his XYZ baler model 123. Not in stock so ordered from manufacturer as we are a dealer for XYZ.
Part comes in, picked up and paid for. Returns it to me and says it is the wrong part. I looked it up and confirmed it was the proper number, but sometimes parts get marked wrong. Apologized and ordered another one. Comes in and he picks it up.
Next day he is back with new part that is still "wrong" and the old part as proof. Checked dimensions and sure enough they don't match. Conferred with top counterman and he has me call XYZ parts technical support. Long hold, leave message, get call back. Tech guy looks up the part (there is only one possible part) and confirms part number. Then he pulls up factory spec data sheets (paper book as it was a 25 year old baler) and we start going through the dimensions. Both new parts match the specs perfectly. Old part is different.

Tech guy says to get the s/n as something is fishy. Finally got customer to give S/N all the while complaining that that part is the same in every baler and we are ALL idiots. Called tech guy back and he looked up the S/N. Didn't exist. NOT VALID. He said that number doesn't even follow our sequence but it does look like one from FGH brand (our competitor).

I called the parts guy down the street and said is this a good S/N for you? Told him the story and he said you must be dealing with so and so! Yes that's the name.

Turns out that the customer had tried to buy the shaft from the correct dealer but it was discontinued and no longer available, but the the customer "knew" that the same company made balers for both manufacturers he took it on himself to declare that "they are all the same". Knowing we couldn't look up FGH parts he flat out lied about what he had and put everyone through a totally futile attempt to "get it right". The shaft and bearings were spec'ed differently from the different brands and the plant made them accordingly.

In computer parlance: garbage in, garbage out. Some customers you are better off without.

This a good example when people assume, if multiple machines are built by the same manufacturer that they are the same. For example, LS/New Holland or Kukjie/Cummins engines. The same applies for filter manufacturers.

 

[Paul McILwain]

Order your filters on line. Amazon prime free delivery

 

[Lastkidpicked]

@piper184 Thank you for sharing your experience.

One thing that hasn't changed since I worked in the dealership is that MOST parts people really are on your side and really do want you to save money.

It's amazing how many times we go out of our way to help somebody, and they think we are trying to get more money out of them.

Fun and true story:

Truck comes in with "starter does nothing when he turns the key." Sure enough, it's the starter.

Owner tells me, "I think it's just the solenoid."

I explain he's probably right, but a solenoid is almost the same cost as the entire starter, and the labor is the same, so let's just replace the entire starter. (I'm a GM tech, so the solenoid is part of the starter)

"You're just trying to sell me parts I don't need. Just replace the solenoid."

Again, I'm looking out for our customer and wanting to save him money. So I explain that with labor, it's more expensive to remove and replace the solenoid rather than just swap out the entire starter. He insists we are trying to sell him parts he doesn't need and wants us to replace the solenoid and put the old starter back in.

We do as he asks, and he picks up his truck.

A couple weeks later, I see it in front of the shop (blocking the door, by the way). I call him and sure enough, the starter is out. That makes sense, because whatever heat caused the solenoid to fail also affected the rest of the starter.

Here's the fun part-- We replace it with a new starter and built-in solenoid. That's the end of it, kind of.

That Saturday evening, the family and I are having dinner out and he just happened to be eating at the same restaurant. We say hello and introduce each other to our families.

I go to pay the restaurant check, and the server explains, "There is nothing to pay. The other gentleman paid your dinner for you."

 

[ultrarunner]

I've run into it several times... auto, tractor and appliance.

Funny story about local Ford Dealer telling a customer with a warranty repair it could be weeks because the car was not bought at dealership... it was bought new when they lived in Southern CA and now transferred to SF Bay Area...

The reply didn't resonate… the part saying no estimate of days or weeks when it could be repaired.

The wife's uncle was a big shot at Ford Dearborn and she called him from payphone and explained...

Then went back to service and said expect a call from Ford corp regarding this...

The phone rang and miracle of miracles they were able to squeeze in the repair that day...

Kubota was the one that told me they would not sell parts or implements unless tractor bought here... I called Kubota and was told Independent Dealers make the rules... never went back...