How would you rate this service?

**derekcohen** · 15th December 2006, 05:23 PM

I have just got back from a trip to Timbercon, Perth - a memorable experience for the wrong reasons.

I went there buy a couple of accessories for my Jet mini lathe. Most importantly, a spare central spur for the headstock since the Jet one is a removable affair, and this tends to drop out. I have had these visions of losing it over the Christmas break, which would be most inconvenient.

I explain the situation to the salesman, who says that they do not sell the same item and shows me a bunch of others. I find one that is compatible, and we put it aside. All fine so far. We move on to the chucks - I want something for small bowls. He goes through the various types, describing the pros and cons. While this takes place, I move the Jet headstock (which is on the counter next to him) and the pin falls out. I point to this, laugh, say "see what I mean", replace it in position,and we carry on. I agree with him that the new Supernova is a one-time buy but worth the initial pain in the wallet. He wants to check out the thread size to fit my Jet, so I say I have the face plate in my car. He grabs my things to put them aside (at the checkout) while I am outside. I return, we match the thread, and I retire to the checkout to pay. At this point I notice that the point in the headstock is missing. The salesman does not seem peturbed (I am distressed), and says words like 'it will turn up. We'll let you know". I say "please find it now, it must have dropped out when you carried the item over here." I also point out that I must get back to work and do not have much time. He wanders off, serves another customer, wanders back, does not seem to notice my aggitation, serves another customer. I say that this is not good enough, and ask for the manager. I am told that he is the manager. He remains unsympathetic, refuses to acknowledge that he had any part in losing the piece (repeatedly says it is not his fault, suggests that "someone else" must have moved it while he turned his back), and basically has a take-it-or-leave-it attitude. There is no compromise coming. If I was the manager I would have made sure that the customer left with a replacement part, even if it were a cheap headstock spur until the original part was found. I suggested such, but the response was more of his denial of responsibility.

I needed the parts chosen, so I paid for them and left (refusing to buy them was a consideration, but I lacked the time to run around elsewhere. I thought I would write this letter instead). By this stage I just wanted to get out off there. Consequently I walked out and left a box behind. Driving to work I realised this and had to turn around and return. I walk back in to be greeted by the manager with the headstock spur in his hand, saying "we found it over there - see it was not our fault!".

OK, you can rate this. I am willing to accept any criticism in my direction, but let me know how you rate this experience.

Regards from Perth

Derek

**chrisp** · 15th December 2006, 05:32 PM

Derek,

I don't mind too much when a store makes a mistake - we all make mistakes at sometime. But what I find telling is how a store (or person) responds to the mistake. I'd be feeling very nervous about taking anything of importance into the store again. I'd also be worried about the backup on something brought from the store, for example if some part was missing.

**outback** · 15th December 2006, 05:37 PM

Fool me once, shame on you.
Fool me twice, shame on me.

That's once.

**Clinton1** · 15th December 2006, 05:43 PM

sounds like it fits the "she'll be right" category.

**NewLou** · 15th December 2006, 05:51 PM

Been there Derek

THis kind a (@#$^_@$%+! is why I'm starting to buy direct from suppliers overseas that can even get goods delivered as quick as some of the locals.

I've given up on being loyal to suppliers who wont back there sales with decent service or winge at the thought of discounting dispite my willingness to spend big bucks in the long term with them.

Now my coin goes to who ever will give me the best service n value on the day I'm looking to buy. If they keep up the great work then I keep coming back. If I experience a grain of the kind of service you described I take my money elsewhere.

So far I have no complaints with

Professional Woodworkers Supplies
Northwood Tools
Hare & Forbes
Felder

WHo have to date looked after me appropriately and backed up there product with top shelf service. They will keep getting my coin consistantly. When I have to go elsewhere for what ever reason I find my self cringing about what kind of service I might expect this time round

To there credit there are a few suppliers who apprear willing to lift their game and as such I am warming to doing business with them again BUT if they dont deliver then I keep wondering why I should be paying them to cause me hassles.

How would I rate the service you got................Bloody Poor

REgards Lou

**bitingmidge** · 15th December 2006, 05:52 PM

Derek,

That's why I buy my stuff from people who care about me, even if they are hundreds or tens of thousands of k's away. (Jet stuff is available from a couple of suppliers that appreciate our business and know where the local post office is.)

I would simply not grace their doors again. (In addition to relaying this tale)

As I have said before another similar company don't know how many thousands of dollars they've lost from me after similar behaviour, and they don't care, which is why I don't go back!

As I would expect from you, a well reported unemotional catalogue, so much better than the one from the company!
Regards,

P

**TEEJAY** · 15th December 2006, 06:18 PM

Sadly Derek you are not the first to report such of them and for this I am sure they lose business.

**Groggy** · 15th December 2006, 06:31 PM

I can't say that I would be happy, from what you describe. Mind you, I would not have left without it, or would have returned the other items.

However, around this time of year sales staff do get a little stir crazy.

**Driver** · 15th December 2006, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by Groggy

However, around this time of year sales staff do get a little stir crazy.

That's never a good excuse.

Consider Derek's story dispassionately (which he seems to have done - despite how much it must have annoyed him).

How much damage has Timbecon done to their reputation by mis-reading and mis-handling this situation? Derek is a highly-regarded member of Australia's biggest woodworking community. He has just been given shabby treatment by one of Australia's specialist woodworking suppliers. He has told all his mates and now Timbecon's name has dropped a fair few points in our esteem.

If the idiot who buggered up the transaction at Timbecon had made a simple judgement to fix the problem by electing to accept responsibility and maybe by giving Derek a replacement, I have no doubt Derek would have reported that story in the same way he reported what actually took place and we all would now have a very different view of the company.

Look how highly we all regard Lee Valley / Veritas. Rob Lee and his employees just do all the little things well. They treat their customers as if we are the people who pay their wages (Oh right, we do, don't we?) Consequently they have a justifiably wonderful reputation.

Not hard to get it right, is it?

**bsrlee** · 15th December 2006, 07:47 PM

Once again Timbecon shoots themselves in the foot. They seem to imagine that they are the only game in town and that the punters can't shop elsewhere.

They have some interesting gear from time to time, but I can't trust them to deliver what I order or tell me the truth about the stock when I ring.

I'll only buy from them at a woodshow when they have the goods in hand & I can carry it away then & there.

**Barry_White** · 15th December 2006, 07:53 PM

Hi Derek

This is the opposite sort of service that you can get from others.

As I posted on another thread of a kind benefactor sending me a Jet Mini lathe which came from Gary Pye Woodworking and on the basis of me making some pens I rang them up about some instructions on using the pen mandrel he suggested that I purchase a 7mm drill bit to drill the blanks and a pen mill to square the ends of the blank up.

When they arrived there was a spare tail stock spur/point in the parcel. I had to ring him again and he said BTW we put that spur in because the Jet Lathe spur has a very sharp point on it and you need to grind the point off otherwise it will bear on the bottom of the recess in the pen mandrel and allow it to wobble around. Me being a newbie at this would not have known any difference and BTW it came no charge.

Fantastic service. I ordered some pen kits last Sunday night and was confirmed Monday morning and arrived today as we only get three mail deliveries a week.

**Groggy** · 15th December 2006, 07:59 PM

Col, that was meant as an observation, I wasn't excusing them at all. I don't know Timbecon staff or management other than at the WWW show.

Certainly I think I know Derek better than their staff, just by reading his stuff and dealing with him in PMs etc. He always seems to be very considered in what he does and says, so I have very little inclination to doubt him, if any.

**Doughboy** · 15th December 2006, 08:15 PM

At my work our motto is...

Customers are not an inconvenience they are our purpose.

Timbercon have just crueled their way down the ladder of acceptability.... to boot it was the manager too! If I owned that business I would be looking for a new manager.

Pete

**scooter** · 15th December 2006, 08:52 PM

I agree with chrisp, mistakes will happen but it is how they are handled that makes or breaks customer service standards.

Cheers................Sean

**Big Shed** · 15th December 2006, 09:05 PM

I have never had the pleasure (?) of dealing with Timbecon, and reading this, and earlier, threads perhaps I won't bother.
I have however had the pleasure to deal with Gary Pye and their service was excellent.
At the last WWW Show in Melbourne I purchased some skeleton clock movements, when I came home to Bendigo I found that one box had the stands in place of the skeleton movement.
As a 320k roundtrip did not appeal, I sent them an email explaining the situation on the Saturday. On the following Monday morning, at 9:15am I had a reply, apologising profusely, 2 days later I had a replacement movement.
That is the sort of service that makes you deal with again with a company.
As others said, we can all make a mistake, it is how the company deals with it that sets them apart.

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