Company customer service feedback

[gear junkie]

Try this again-Aaron's thread got me thinking about customer service. Why should I buy a product if the plumbing company can't even provide decent service. So here it goes-quote this message and next to each companies name, give it a number, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best. Just delete my message so you only have the company names. To help you out "control C" will copy and "control V" will paste(thanks Mark). If there's any I missed, please feel free to add them, I'd certainly like to know what company I should or shouldn't buy from.

Ridgid-3 Can't get a catalog to save my life
General-NA Never had to deal with them but there website sucks
Spartan-NA Never had to deal with them
Electric Eel-NA Same as general
Trojan- NA Never had to deal with them
Water cannon-7 Called up and talked on phone for around 30 min to tech services- very helpful and then received a follow up email later on, never needed them in a service repair capacity
Duracable-9 Extremely helpful, fast shipping, great tech service
Cable center of St. Louis-9 Great tech service, gave me a ridgid catalog, great price, slow shipping

The purpose of this thread is to help us plumbers know which company will be there for us when we need them to be. The more participation there is, the better informed we will be on our next tool purchase.

[Gene Bickford]

Re: Company customer service feedback

Ridgid-NA never had dealings other then Home depot stuff. I was a General guy until last week. I may switch to Ridgid as I like the fact that this forum exists, giving me a place to seek advice/info. I don't know all the ins and outs of their cable but when I hear of breakage under normal conditions, that leaves me with an uneasy feeling. Th
General- GREAT BIG 000 ZERO . Their customer service sucks a$$. It took me over a year just to get a list of products they sell. The last drain brain rep I spoke to said" well I'm so and so, and the buck stops here" then he gave me yet another person to call. So just like everyone in that company, the "buck" stops for a sec. then gets passed along to someone else that can't answer your questions. One of the biggest reasons for me going to the pumper show was to finally talk to some reps that know whats going on. But of course even at the biggest drain cleaning type show in the country guess who was a no show. I love their cables and IMO they are the best in the industry but its such a PIA to do business with them its not worth it.
Spartan-NA Never had to deal with them. Talked to them at the show and two days after I got home the rep that covers Maine called and set a time to meet the next trip to Maine. Not many real reps from any company come to Maine. I like the fact that I've seen his truck in my area a few times.

[plumberscrack]

Re: Company customer service feedback

Ridgid Parts Online-10 parts delivered next day
Ridgid (local) Service Center-7 Battery repair took 10 days
Hilti- 10 It's like they can read my mind and know exactly what I want. I expect this from a company that charges double what their competitors do
Dewalt-6 Decent website for parts ordering. The problem there is I'm ordering too many parts.
Milwaukee-9 They can handle the abuse I dish out. When they finally break down I toss them out and buy another. Not worth an expensive repair
Spartan-8 My local rep used to stop by every few weeks just to see if I needed anything. I'd throw him a bone just to keep him coming back even if I didn't need anything. Then one day he stopped coming by. Found out later he died but no one else ever came back

[Woussko]

Re: Company customer service feedback

Does anyone have any experience with customer service or actual tools made by REED Manufacturing Co. of Erie, PA? They have been around longer than Ridge making plumbing tools and more. I own a few items and while I haven't needed customer service, the tools are great. Their machinist's bench vises are IMO second to none. Their iron pipe cutters (like a Ridgid 2A) are great tools. I've had nothing but very good results with their tubing cutters provided I select and use the correct wheels in them.

Reed (about company) http://www.reedmfgco.com/index.html?...ompany_profile

Reed (home page) http://www.reedmfgco.com/

Reed vise like mine that I really love: http://www.reedmfgco.com/index.html?...nch_pipe_vises
Mine is the 2CA and it's an old one that just won't quit.

The only gripe I have with them is that it's rather hard to find a good dealer where I am, but I can order things from out of the area and have "Brown" bring them.

What I like is that they are their own company and not part of some monster hog that's into everything. They are USA based and controlled.

When it comes to Ridgid plumbing tools (manual human powered) so far I haven't had problems with the products or getting parts. I did have problems with a shop vac where it cost less to trash it than get the parts. I was going to install them myself.

[aero1]

Re: Company customer service feedback

lately it seems customer service has taken a backseat on a slow train with to many stops inbetween and everything depends on who answers the phone and how there feeling at the time of your call, so my reply is its a crapshoot ,today ridgid may come thru and tomorrow close your eyes throw the dart and hope you get a hit. it annoys the hel# out of me when i have to call and call to get info or spend my money on a product or deal with a warranty issue and feel like im trying to solve the theory of evolution. and they wonder why most of us end up medicated

[boillerman]

Re: Company customer service feedback

The only time I have to call the factory, would be on a product, like a w/h
I might be working on. I can tell you B/W and Lochinvar I've had very good dealings with on those lines. Tools, I just go to the local dealers. Most of them are good, although they all have their own quirks. People come and people go, and customer service changes accordingly. Sometimes better, sometimes worse, sometimes just different.

[DUNBAR PLUMBING]

Re: Company customer service feedback

Ridgid Parts Online-10 parts delivered next day
Ridgid (local) Service Center-7 Battery repair took 10 days
Hilti- 10 It's like they can read my mind and know exactly what I want. I expect this from a company that charges double what their competitors do
Dewalt-6 Decent website for parts ordering. The problem there is I'm ordering too many parts.
Milwaukee-9 They can handle the abuse I dish out. When they finally break down I toss them out and buy another. Not worth an expensive repair
Spartan-8 My local rep used to stop by every few weeks just to see if I needed anything. I'd throw him a bone just to keep him coming back even if I didn't need anything. Then one day he stopped coming by. Found out later he died but no one else ever came back

His name wasn't Bruce Crookstone was it?

[BobsPlumbing]

Re: Company customer service feedback

Ridgid 7-I like when the lower priced stuff is replaced at the supply house free. I did know the maximum $ amount but can't recall. This forum is huge in holding them together on the customer service end. I would go here 1st or 2nd to get answers with problems. On the rep/supply house end, it's hard for RIDGID to control their interest and work ethic but they should as this is the first contact for most. And their foundation.

One problem RIDGID is having is broadening their product line. Think about their old tools, heavy, well designed, good materials for the professional. Now their getting more into the consumer market which can be smart and more profitable. But consumer product pretty much equals less quality for less price. Nothing wrong with that except that it can hurt their reputation. Subbing out cordless tools & autospins and their customer service for such hurts their reputation on things like pipe wrenches or threaders (Professional) to people who may not know better or blanket the company based on bad experiences with consumer (diyer, homeowner) products.

Lenox 7-Had a one tooth "bend" out at the tooth and wouldn't cut anymore. Don't know why. Didn't put great amount of pressure on it or run it at the wrong speed. Caught the rep in the van and they replaced it. But the supply house I bought it from shrugged their shoulders before. Bad communication on warranty.

Makita 9-The few tools I've had from them didn't break. So that's a 9 on customer service. As I've said before, I don't want customer service, I don't want it to break in the first place.

Bosch 8-Had 18V battery die prematurely and they UPS'd one the next day. I lost a couple of small adjusment parts on a skilsaw, called them, and gave them the parts off the breakdown. The guy with the Jersey accent says "This don't add up to much, I'm just gonna send'em to you free."

DeWalt 9-Big right angle drill hasn't broken.

Hitachi 5-Had a fairly young hammer drill break. Decent size plug in one. I think a wire or ground was loose from the trigger. I had to get it running so I just paid to have it fixed. Only like $35.00 but this was from the original place it was purchased. They said I "got dirt" in the ventilation. I didn't have time to argue but Hitachi distributors should back it and say their sorry. However, it's been indestructible ever since.

Rheem 2-My experience. God help you if you have to actually speak to someone.

Moen 8-Call them with parts replacement. They send you a new one. They used to send it in 1 or 2 days for free but now want to charge. You sometimes can argue your way around that.

Kohler 2-In todays time, who the !$@& still demands places make full truck orders to get anything!?

General Wire 3- My local rep says GW does not make anything until someone orders it. Another company confirmed it. Makes it hard to get what you want or put your hands on anything for a comparison.

Spartan 8- The local guy came buy and showed me everything in his truck AFTER I told him I look, look, look before I buy and he may not want to waste his time.

All the time I've got for now.

J.C.

[Drain Medic]

Re: Company customer service feedback

Spartan- I deal with them alot. They delivered both jettes to do my front door. If i need cable, he gives it to me same day, if i need help on a jobsite with a piece of Spartan equip, he comes out same day. Spartan by far has given me the best customer service

Ridgid- Waited 6 months for them to give me a demo on some things, after i talked to the lady who calls you to set up the appointment 5 different times. But because of a certain individual on the these boards (Josh), and everything he has helped me with on some things, I give Ridgid the A- under Spartan, I give Josh the A+++ for his help.

Water Cannon- Had to order a gas tank for my portable jetter, they pulled up my info, and overnighted the tank. No problems.

Electric Eel- My 1st drain cleaning job i worked at, the owner there is now the eel rep. Only a phone call away if i need something from him.

[ToUtahNow]

Re: Company customer service feedback

I’m not sure if this has to do with a difference in expectation or the fact that my relationship with Ridgid Tools goes back 35-years. Pre Ridgid’s move to modern electronic tech stuff if I had a warranty it had to do with a tool which I abused and the guy at the counter would handle the warranty.

With the addition of locating equipment and sewer cameras the demand for service has increased because electronics are a little more temperamental than wrenches.

My service needs and results are listed below.

1. When I received my first Navitrack it was missing the markers and the post for the markers.

Result: I called Tech Services and the missing pieces were at my door in less than a week.

2. My ToolCase monitor malfunctioned on site and I was unable to tape my inspection.

Result: I called Tech Services who diagnosed the problem over the phone and I was up and running in less than 15-minutes.

3. When I received my second ToolCase monitor it arrived with a bad battery.

Result: I called Tech Service which told me I had to ship it to them to diagnosis the problem. Instead I found a replacement battery online for $17 and fixed the problem.

4. When I received my self-leveling camera the plastic covers on the cord wrap were missing.

Result: I called Tech Service who took my information and said they would ship them right out. Two years later I think I will quit checking the mail box as I don’t believe they are coming.

5. My first ToolCase monitor started having problems with losing the signal to the screen.

Result: I called Tech Service which told me to take it to my local Service Center. The local service center sent it to Ridgid who fixed it and had it back to me for shipping costs only within a week.

Was my Customer Service experience with Ridgid perfect? No I would not say it was perfect but I would say I have not been disappointed in them either. Another issue which I believe is being over looked is the fact there are layers of customer service so to paint the entire organization with such a broad stroke is not correct either.

Mark

[PLUMBER RICK]

Re: Company customer service feedback

the whole reason why i ever found this forum is because of an issue with a seesnake. the part i needed was on backorder for 6 weeks and i couldn't do locates without it.

so it does boil down to the local level first, before it gets to the top brass.

i know that members on this forum have always been guided the right direction by either other members, or by josh and co

it's not his job, but we're all glad he's there for us

rick.

[gear junkie]

Re: Company customer service feedback

Before we get to sidetracked(Rick), don't forget about rating the companies.

[PLUMBER RICK]

Re: Company customer service feedback

Ridgid-9+ i have the batline# actually we all have the batline
General-5 i try to deal with the local rep and not the factory.
Spartan-7 the couple of times i inquired, the local rep called me back.
Electric Eel-NA
Trojan- NA
Water cannon-9 i get their catalogs and have orderd in the past. no problem.
Duracable-6 only out of state co, i've had to pay sales tax on. too many calls to talk to the accounting dept. between postage and tax, there is no savings.
Cable center of St. Louis-8 easy to talk too. but slow shipping and ups charges cancelled any savings.

better ben

rick.

[gear junkie]

Re: Company customer service feedback

Much better Rick, I know it was hard for you to stick to the topic but you did well. Thanks.