Author Topic: "Service without a smile??":( Ur experience/opinion Needed Please:) (Read 1655 times)

tcrew · « **on:** January 28, 2012, 08:47:46 am »

Is this how service is now done? While at the local Stihl dealer picking up my missing air filter there was a elderly gent(80+years young) in at the other counter picking up his saw after having the chain sharpened,and as i stood there listening to him, he asked the the dealers son who was waiting on him if they gave it a quick tune up while they had it? The dealers son replied "did ya ask for it?" and the older gent says, well no but i thought u liked to have every saw run perfect before leaving ur store is all..maybe tune the carb a bit he mentioned..and again the sons reply, "Did ya ask for us to do it"? and about that time the dealer who was on his computer leaned back in view and said to the older gent," if i would of done that i would have had to charge u for it and u wouldnt like that,so NO" and then he added " ur not happy cause we didnt,and u would be unhappy if we did,so i cant win either way!" The older gent just had a confused look on his face and paid his ticket and left. I was god smacked my self,but didnt say a word, and then the dealer says to me as soon as the man left,"some people",while shaking his head side 2 side and then says"that guy called 2 pick his saw up,came and forgot his money and BLA BLA BLA!" To be honest, i wanted to do a very bad thing to this guy,but didnt..Anyway,2 the point, is this dealers way of "customer service" just a Fluke, or is this the way now Saw shops are treating customers? And 2 be clear, this is a BIG dealer, not a one room mom pop store. I kind of assumed that all small engine repair shops tune up their customers saws before letting them leave. But it seems that is a extra charge,and not just a small one. Im not talking rebuilding the carb or anything big,but a couple fine adj on the carb and a quick run to make sure its oiling and running pretty was all.. Used 2 be thats the way buiss was done,but now things have changed a bit i guess. What is u guys take on this?
Thanks, Sin Rick(tcrew)

Meadows Miller · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2012, 09:11:40 am »

Gday

I hope not !! But it just seems like the way the world is going apparently

Theres still alot off good people out there in business and they are the ones I aim to work with and there is a reason that only 1% off businesses make it through the first 5years

Now seeing as its a large store I see the problem alot off employes just dont care

Now for someone who knows about saws like a tech they should have been able to give it a quick tickle up to find its sweet spot within a couple off min or Just been Polite about it Not abuse the poor ole boy

I bet you that old fella has been taking his stuff there for years and wont be back

is it a Big local business where he may have delt with the original person who strated the shop or franchise if its a larger company

If your that upset by the experience I would send a letter to whoever is in charge to let them know how they conduct themselves

Regards Chris

tcrew · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2012, 09:47:06 am »

Quote from: Meadows Miller on January 28, 2012, 09:11:40 am

Gday

I hope not !! But it just seems like the way the world is going apparently Theres still alot off good people out there in business and they are the ones I aim to work with and there is a reason that only 1% off businesses make it through the first 5years Now seeing as its a large store I see the problem alot off employes just dont care Now for someone who knows about saws like a tech they should have been able to give it a quick tickle up to find its sweet spot within a couple off min or Just been Polite about it Not abuse the poor ole boy I bet you that old fella has been taking his stuff there for years and wont be back is it a Big local business where he may have delt with the original person who strated the shop or franchise if its a larger company If your that upset by the experience I would send a letter to whoever is in charge to let them know how they conduct themselves

Regards Chris

Good day 2 u Chris

and ur nailed it! yes this big store was bought in last couple years by a new family, and its part feed mill also. So i know that older gent is a farmer,like most of us out here in the country buys feed from that store. But by the look on his face, he wasnt happy. And a letter i dont think in this case would do any good,as it was the owner and the son that was at the counters. As far as me being upset,,its because of the disrespect the dealer showed towards the older gent,,,after he left.. To talk BS about another behind ones back is shady at best,,but this was towards a NICE older man. Maybe its just me,but it did upset me. and still does.. Oh, and our small town got a Wally world few years back and thats what put the hurting on this store,and why it was sold to the new owners. But the new owners act like they dont need ur buiss.. Idk,, Just thought id share this experience with every one.
Thanks for ur input

Meadows Miller · « **Reply #3 on:** January 28, 2012, 09:54:33 am »

If the old boy is a Farmer you know everyone he knows is going to sure as hell know about it

and from the sounds off it they will find themselves without a business sooner rather than later

I just dont see why people do that to themselves

You wanna buy a saw shop i see one coming up for sale on the cheap in your area within the next couple off years Mate

tcrew · « **Reply #4 on:** January 28, 2012, 10:01:28 am »

Quote from: Meadows Miller on January 28, 2012, 09:54:33 am

If the old boy is a Farmer you know everyone he knows is going to sure as hell know about it and from the sounds off it they will find themselves without a business sooner rather than later I just dont see why people do that to themselves You wanna buy a saw shop i see one coming up for sale on the cheap in your area within the next couple off years Mate

haha, i know right? But thats a good one! nice

beenthere · « **Reply #5 on:** January 28, 2012, 11:01:30 am »

IF those were the very words used by the shop to the customer, they could have been softened a bit. Like "Sorry, we didn't run your saw, but we'd be glad to do it for you". Then the customer can decide if he wants to wait or is ok with paying for the sharpening and leaving.
I see no real problem otherwise with a dealer doing just what he was asked to do.
Maybe this is a customer that has a history of trying to put a wedge under the dealer for freebies. That can get a dealer in business trouble as well. It is like walking a tight rope to know what is best for a customer.

tcrew, you seem to have a burr under your saddle for Stihl dealers. What's up?

shelbycharger400 · « **Reply #6 on:** January 28, 2012, 11:24:40 am »

if i sharpen a saw for someone , a tune up ect dosnt take that long. a guy at 80 prob shouldnt be usin a saw,
but a company needs to make money , if they do it for free for one person, next guy is goin to be pithed if he gets charged for it.

bull · « **Reply #7 on:** January 28, 2012, 11:50:00 am »

I have a couple old bucks that are good customers, and stop in quite often, sound like this guy.... Only ask for one thing and expect everything, they can been a real PIA and sometimes have to be set straight....But we have known each other forever and have a good understanding,so it could be a zing or a rub sometimes and someone witnessing it wouldn't understand in the least !!! By no means do I disrespect my elders but once in a while I will give one a hardtime.....

My customer policy, Is " The customer is always wrong,if he-she was right they would be doing what I am doing and keep all the fun for themselves"... They came here for me to help them and that is what they will get, the best I have to offer and they had better like it !!

..... $:-\$ ......

tcrew · « **Reply #8 on:** January 28, 2012, 12:55:55 pm »

Quote from: beenthere on January 28, 2012, 11:01:30 am

IF those were the very words used by the shop to the customer, they could have been softened a bit. Like "Sorry, we didn't run your saw, but we'd be glad to do it for you". Then the customer can decide if he wants to wait or is ok with paying for the sharpening and leaving.
I see no real problem otherwise with a dealer doing just what he was asked to do.
Maybe this is a customer that has a history of trying to put a wedge under the dealer for freebies. That can get a dealer in business trouble as well. It is like walking a tight rope to know what is best for a customer.

tcrew, you seem to have a burr under your saddle for Stihl dealers. What's up?

Hi beenthere ,,,

. I like that last line. PLEASE, PLEASE understand i have no issues with any other Stihl dealer other than the one in the post. And its nothing to do with Stihl either, just the guy that own this shop. I dont expect anything for free by the way, just to be treated fair. And those were his words,,thats why i put it in quotes. Its the way he bad mouthed the customer behind his back and that it was a nice old man that bothered me. where i come from, ya just dont act like that. But i asked u for ur opinion and sure got it! Thanks beenthere

tcrew · « **Reply #9 on:** January 28, 2012, 01:01:47 pm »

Quote from: shelbycharger400 on January 28, 2012, 11:24:40 am

if i sharpen a saw for someone , a tune up ect dosnt take that long. a guy at 80 prob shouldnt be usin a saw,
but a company needs to make money , if they do it for free for one person, next guy is goin to be pithed if he gets charged for it.

Hi shelbycharger400,, i was just talking about tuning the darn thing a little.. How long or much cash can that really take out of ur pocket? 2,3, maybe 5 min of ur time to keep a customer happy i didnt think was asking for to much. But then im not in the repair buiss,so thank you for ur input ..

Paul_H · « **Reply #10 on:** January 28, 2012, 01:06:22 pm »

TCrew,I have the same question that Beenthere posed.You presented one side of the story over and over again and seem to have a beef.Move on.

tcrew · « **Reply #11 on:** January 28, 2012, 01:12:48 pm »

Quote from: bull on January 28, 2012, 11:50:00 am

I have a couple old bucks that are good customers, and stop in quite often, sound like this guy.... Only ask for one thing and expect everything, they can been a real PIA and sometimes have to be set straight....But we have known each other forever and have a good understanding,so it could be a zing or a rub sometimes and someone witnessing it wouldn't understand in the least !!! By no means do I disrespect my elders but once in a while I will give one a hardtime.....

My customer policy, Is " The customer is always wrong,if he-she was right they would be doing what I am doing and keep all the fun for themselves"... They came here for me to help them and that is what they will get, the best I have to offer and they had better like it !! ..... $:-\$ ......

@ Bull,, ur name says it all.. set a 80plus year old man straight? I dont know what brought that response on, but the old guy was respectful and very pleasant. Not a grumpy old terd like ur describing.. Sounds like some uf ur customers gave u a hard time.. Thank s for ur comment Bull

tcrew · « **Reply #12 on:** January 28, 2012, 01:16:01 pm »

Quote from: Paul_H on January 28, 2012, 01:06:22 pm

TCrew,I have the same question that Beenthere posed.You presented one side of the story over and over again and seem to have a beef.Move on.

@ Paul_H,, didnt think i over presented anything, but moved on...

Thanks Paul_H for ur comment

ladylake · « **Reply #13 on:** January 28, 2012, 08:29:27 pm »

No good dealers around here, overpriced and don't fix it right. Steve

Jeff · « **Reply #14 on:** January 28, 2012, 08:41:47 pm »

I guess I'm used to a different type of service. Our dealer fixes what I ask him to fix. Our Stihl dealer is also our local do-it center and all around small engine repair shop. If I break a pull start cord, I take it in, they fix it. If I take it to get a chain ground, they sharpen it. I pick it up and say thank you, and give them my money. I'd certainly never expect that they would be tuning it up unless the repair was concerning the way it ran. If someone came in a sawmill and picked up an order of 100 2 by 4's I'd be a bit surprised if they asked if we had thrown in a dozen 1 by 6 for our trouble.

Clam77 · « **Reply #15 on:** January 28, 2012, 08:42:30 pm »

tcrew - if I were you, and this dealer is as bad as you say they are about customer service, why not give Stihl a call and complain about them??

Stihl does NOT like their customers complaining about the service they get from a dealer...

shelbycharger400 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 28, 2012, 10:53:20 pm »

tcrew, prob 10 to 15 minutes on a proper warm up, test cutting, adjusting high jet, low jet, idle, back and forth on low and idle.. ect . checking 1/2 throttle to wot, idle to wot.. ive done enough of them to get a feel if the low jet isnt comming in soon enough. ect. then to top it off... the saw comes EMPTY of oil and gas... seems EVERY TIME!
cash jobs should be atleast $20/ hr for non labor intensive, up to 100/hr for major machining. buddy charges 60/ hr for machining on select stuff.

i did a tune up and resharp on a saw that a local land owner was going to give me for free... i resharped tuned it up, filled it up and gave it back to him... i already cut and picked up 3-4 cords this year alone ..atleast double that is still left.. contracted to me ONLY!

a lot of work i do is barter work, but how else do i get free stuff

sometimes free labor too.

joe_indi · « **Reply #17 on:** January 28, 2012, 11:55:38 pm »

Quote from: beenthere on January 28, 2012, 11:01:30 am

IF those were the very words used by the shop to the customer, they could have been softened a bit. Like "Sorry, we didn't run your saw, but we'd be glad to do it for you". Then the customer can decide if he wants to wait or is ok with paying for the sharpening and leaving.
I see no real problem otherwise with a dealer doing just what he was asked to do.
Maybe this is a customer that has a history of trying to put a wedge under the dealer for freebies. That can get a dealer in business trouble as well. It is like walking a tight rope to know what is best for a customer.

tcrew, you seem to have a burr under your saddle for Stihl dealers. What's up?

I repair saws as a business.Whether the customer asks for it or not, I start up a saw and check it before handing it to the owner, even if it had come in for just sharpening a chain.
Other than building a good relationship with the customers, it is safer for me to do this.
No extra charges for that.
I dont want a customer coming back and saying "Hey, I brought my saw here to sharpen the chain but now it wont start".
So, just starting up a saw before handing it over saves me from having to reply to that.

Joe

beenthere · « **Reply #18 on:** January 29, 2012, 12:05:35 am »

And I think that is fine for you to do that Joe.
Appears this dealer didn't do that extra step which seems fine also, if that his way of doing business.
I wouldn't want my dealer to add his gas and oil to my saw just to start it (if it happen to be out of gas). Also, if you find out when trying to start the customers saw that it won't start, then you have a possible problem explaining to a customer that work has to be done to the saw. The customer might just say "it worked just fine for me before I brought it in here". So you may be just as the dealer said about his elder customer "danged if I do and danged if I don't".
Seems it is a coin flip, but I don't fault a dealer doing either way.

jdtuttle · « **Reply #19 on:** January 29, 2012, 08:38:38 am »

Quote

Is this how service is now done?

The dealer in our town charges for everything. But he does a great job & it's worth the money. He is very service oriented, he even fills out all the warranty paperwork & sends it in when you buy new equipment.
jim

News:

Author Topic: "Service without a smile??":( Ur experience/opinion Needed Please:) (Read 1655 times)