Learned from my mistake
#1
12-26-2002, 05:39 PM
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Learned from my mistake
The best thing about web forums like this one is that we can learn from each others experience (successes as well as failures).
Unfortunately I made a mistake I wouldn't want anyone else to repeat - I placed an order with Bert's Dirt Works in TX on the 20th. When I placed the order they swore backwards & forwards that everything I ordered (tires, rims, winch, winch mount, etc.) was in-stock & would ship the same day. I figured since I was talking to the owner ("Bert") he was good for his word. Well I called in today to get a tracking number because nothing arrived in today's UPS delivery.
Long story short - the items were NOT in inventory & still haven't even shipped. After explaining what horrible customer service they provided I offered them an out by telling them if they would overnight everything there would be no hard feelings. They declined so I cancelled the whole order (over $1K).
Avoid those A-holes like the plague. They will never see another dime of mine.
Unfortunately I made a mistake I wouldn't want anyone else to repeat - I placed an order with Bert's Dirt Works in TX on the 20th. When I placed the order they swore backwards & forwards that everything I ordered (tires, rims, winch, winch mount, etc.) was in-stock & would ship the same day. I figured since I was talking to the owner ("Bert") he was good for his word. Well I called in today to get a tracking number because nothing arrived in today's UPS delivery.
Long story short - the items were NOT in inventory & still haven't even shipped. After explaining what horrible customer service they provided I offered them an out by telling them if they would overnight everything there would be no hard feelings. They declined so I cancelled the whole order (over $1K).
Avoid those A-holes like the plague. They will never see another dime of mine.
#2
12-26-2002, 06:22 PM
Learned from my mistake
Ooooh...I almost placed and order with them on the 20th too...I just had a bad feeling when I first talked to them on the phone. I don't know who I talked to, but it was like talking to a redneck shelf stocker dude.
So I called ATV North, it was totally different so I went with them... plus the prices were cheaper and they were also very helpful over the phone. But what impressed me most is that they responded to e-mails very quickly.
So I called ATV North, it was totally different so I went with them... plus the prices were cheaper and they were also very helpful over the phone. But what impressed me most is that they responded to e-mails very quickly.
#3
12-26-2002, 07:32 PM
#4
12-26-2002, 07:40 PM
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#5
12-26-2002, 08:17 PM
Learned from my mistake
Mr. Canty,
I apoligize for your negative experience with my company. The person you talked with was not Bert it was me. Now as far as your order goes like I said I am sincerely sorry that it did not ship when you wanted it to. Your order was placed on Friday afternoon at approx. 3:30pm. Our distributor stopped shipping at 2:00pm that day due to an unusally high volume of Christmas shipments. At the time I took your order I was completely unaware that this had occurred. Our distributor is closed on Saturday and Sunday so that was not an option. Monday they were only processing backorders so nothing new was being shipped, Christmas Eve and Christmas they were closed. Now I'm not saying that any of this is your fault or your problem it was ours and like I said I apoligize for that. I don't feel that you needed to go out on a national level and call me an a**hole. I'm sorry that we were not able to send it overnight but the order had already been processed as UPS Ground. I wish you had contacted me back before you began the name calling, I spent nearly an hour on the phone helping you out and even price matched the winch for you. My company is not perfect but we try as hard as possible to please our customers. We're not any different for any of ya'll. We're just a bunch of riders that loved the sport of ATV's so much we wanted to get into it. Now if you honestly feel the need to bash me and my company on this level go ahead, that's your option but I think the slightest bit of restraint on your part could have made the situation much better than it is now. All you had to do was call and talk to me and I would gladly tried to make the situation right. If you think that by talking all this trash on here it will destroy me and all I've worked for you're dead wrong, it will only make me work that much harder to please the good customers we have.
Jerry
Co-Owner Bert's Dirt Works
I apoligize for your negative experience with my company. The person you talked with was not Bert it was me. Now as far as your order goes like I said I am sincerely sorry that it did not ship when you wanted it to. Your order was placed on Friday afternoon at approx. 3:30pm. Our distributor stopped shipping at 2:00pm that day due to an unusally high volume of Christmas shipments. At the time I took your order I was completely unaware that this had occurred. Our distributor is closed on Saturday and Sunday so that was not an option. Monday they were only processing backorders so nothing new was being shipped, Christmas Eve and Christmas they were closed. Now I'm not saying that any of this is your fault or your problem it was ours and like I said I apoligize for that. I don't feel that you needed to go out on a national level and call me an a**hole. I'm sorry that we were not able to send it overnight but the order had already been processed as UPS Ground. I wish you had contacted me back before you began the name calling, I spent nearly an hour on the phone helping you out and even price matched the winch for you. My company is not perfect but we try as hard as possible to please our customers. We're not any different for any of ya'll. We're just a bunch of riders that loved the sport of ATV's so much we wanted to get into it. Now if you honestly feel the need to bash me and my company on this level go ahead, that's your option but I think the slightest bit of restraint on your part could have made the situation much better than it is now. All you had to do was call and talk to me and I would gladly tried to make the situation right. If you think that by talking all this trash on here it will destroy me and all I've worked for you're dead wrong, it will only make me work that much harder to please the good customers we have.
Jerry
Co-Owner Bert's Dirt Works
#6
12-26-2002, 08:43 PM
Learned from my mistake
glad to hear you will make an effort to work harder for your customers...working in the industry I know how customer expectations can't always be met, often times an apology is all you can offer...without loosing your ***. Hey goggleyed maybe give them one more shot, or stop mail ordering and support a local MC shop...that way when parts arn't available/back ordered/dicontinued you may speek with an actual person in disgust rather than taking a shot at some guy you've never seen...
remember mail order is nation wide and customer repeat isn't as important to them as a local shop
remember mail order is nation wide and customer repeat isn't as important to them as a local shop
#7
12-26-2002, 09:00 PM
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#8
12-26-2002, 09:25 PM
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Learned from my mistake
Chucky- agreed. Other than below, I'm done.
Jerry,
Thank you for responding. The reason I sent you the email message was to keep things fair & provide you an opp. to respond. Otherwise it would have just been "bashing."
I did call your office twice today trying to get an update on the order & would rather have worked things out on the phone. Unfortunately I wasn't given that choice. Needless to say I was more than a little upset to find out that not only was the order not on the way but it hadn't even shipped, further your distributor was just receiving some of the parts today (I believe they were "unloading the truck right now").
I hope you will recall that it was VERY important that the items were in-stock (not on back order) and that they would ship immediately. You reassured me that everything was available and would get out the door the same day. I believe you said the expected delivery time was 3-4 business days. That would mean an arrival of today or tomorrow. I specifically requested that if there were going to be ANY delays for ANY reason that you contact me. That didn't happened. If it did, as you probably suspected, I would have cancelled the ordered & purchased from someone that had everything available. If I wanted to wait I would have purchased it locally. That call would have cost you an order & kept my respect. Instead you lost a customer for life.
You did a great job on the sales side , but choked on the follow through. If you wanted to make things right you could have gotten on the phone & discussed what it would take to make it right. That didn't happened. All you would have had to do was overnight the tires & rims. Everything else could have gone ground. Saying the order was already "processed as UPS Ground" is lame & unacceptable. It was also processed for immediate shipping.
Glad to hear that you're going to try harder in the future.
I've said what I have to say & won't post anything further beyond clarification (if required). FYI- my original post wasn't meant to "bash" you or your company. It was just to pass on my experience to others. If I just wanted to bash I wouldn't have emailed you letting you know my intent to post to this and other forums.
Jerry,
Thank you for responding. The reason I sent you the email message was to keep things fair & provide you an opp. to respond. Otherwise it would have just been "bashing."
I did call your office twice today trying to get an update on the order & would rather have worked things out on the phone. Unfortunately I wasn't given that choice. Needless to say I was more than a little upset to find out that not only was the order not on the way but it hadn't even shipped, further your distributor was just receiving some of the parts today (I believe they were "unloading the truck right now").
I hope you will recall that it was VERY important that the items were in-stock (not on back order) and that they would ship immediately. You reassured me that everything was available and would get out the door the same day. I believe you said the expected delivery time was 3-4 business days. That would mean an arrival of today or tomorrow. I specifically requested that if there were going to be ANY delays for ANY reason that you contact me. That didn't happened. If it did, as you probably suspected, I would have cancelled the ordered & purchased from someone that had everything available. If I wanted to wait I would have purchased it locally. That call would have cost you an order & kept my respect. Instead you lost a customer for life.
You did a great job on the sales side , but choked on the follow through. If you wanted to make things right you could have gotten on the phone & discussed what it would take to make it right. That didn't happened. All you would have had to do was overnight the tires & rims. Everything else could have gone ground. Saying the order was already "processed as UPS Ground" is lame & unacceptable. It was also processed for immediate shipping.
Glad to hear that you're going to try harder in the future.
I've said what I have to say & won't post anything further beyond clarification (if required). FYI- my original post wasn't meant to "bash" you or your company. It was just to pass on my experience to others. If I just wanted to bash I wouldn't have emailed you letting you know my intent to post to this and other forums.
#9
12-26-2002, 10:15 PM
Learned from my mistake
IMHO I think this great! These people, mail order businesses, need to know that they are being watched and that their customer satisfaction record is becoming just as important as it is to the face to face type of business.
Bad service irks me to no end and too many times mail order houses think that they can get away with it occasionally because they mistakenly believe that no one will be affected but the poor Schmuck they just forked over.
The one thing that really ticks me off about some mail order outfits is when they farm out their order taking to a bunch of folks for whom English is a new language and who know nothing about the product they are taking orders for.
It's the customer stupid!!
With the communication age we are now enjoying the word will get out. Be it good or bad!
Bad service irks me to no end and too many times mail order houses think that they can get away with it occasionally because they mistakenly believe that no one will be affected but the poor Schmuck they just forked over.
The one thing that really ticks me off about some mail order outfits is when they farm out their order taking to a bunch of folks for whom English is a new language and who know nothing about the product they are taking orders for.
It's the customer stupid!!
With the communication age we are now enjoying the word will get out. Be it good or bad!
#10
12-26-2002, 10:49 PM
Learned from my mistake
"Avoid those A-holes like the plague."
Not bashing? These are your words are they not? I'm sorry but this really sounds like nothing more than childish bashing to me. Like I said previously, I sincerely apoligize from the bottom of my heart that your order did not go out as expected. I cannot control what happens at my distributor, I can only handle what is within my power and try make sure there are no glitches. You placed this order late on Friday afternoon. At the time I took your order I checked stock on all available items and everything was in stock at the distributors warehouse. The order was placed and held because it was too late to ship Friday. I'm sorry I should have realized that we were beyond the cut-off. I think what you failed to realize or even remotely take into consideration is that this is Christmas time. Everyone in the retail world has their backs to the walls at this time of the year. We were absolutely slammed right before the holidays trying to process everyone's orders for Christmas. All I can say is that your order slipped through a crack, it was placed but no one followed-up to make absolute sure it made the last truck for Christmas. For that I am sorry. You said that you were not given a choice to be satisfied. What else did you want me to do? I was selling you a 3000lb Ramsey Winch at dealer cost, giving you free chrome lugnuts and not charging you for shipping and trying to get it to you for Christmas!!!!!! So I guess I am the a-hole for not eating $250 in overnight freight charges. I'm sorry Mr. Canty but the more I read and the more I think about it I'm not sure I could have ever pleased you. I'll make you a deal, I promise to work on our shipping glitches if you'll remember the next time you place an order, the person on the other end is human and could possibly make an accidental mistake. I don't think that makes them deserving of being called an A-Hole on a national forum when they have in turn been nothing but apologetic and nice to you.
Jerry
Not bashing? These are your words are they not? I'm sorry but this really sounds like nothing more than childish bashing to me. Like I said previously, I sincerely apoligize from the bottom of my heart that your order did not go out as expected. I cannot control what happens at my distributor, I can only handle what is within my power and try make sure there are no glitches. You placed this order late on Friday afternoon. At the time I took your order I checked stock on all available items and everything was in stock at the distributors warehouse. The order was placed and held because it was too late to ship Friday. I'm sorry I should have realized that we were beyond the cut-off. I think what you failed to realize or even remotely take into consideration is that this is Christmas time. Everyone in the retail world has their backs to the walls at this time of the year. We were absolutely slammed right before the holidays trying to process everyone's orders for Christmas. All I can say is that your order slipped through a crack, it was placed but no one followed-up to make absolute sure it made the last truck for Christmas. For that I am sorry. You said that you were not given a choice to be satisfied. What else did you want me to do? I was selling you a 3000lb Ramsey Winch at dealer cost, giving you free chrome lugnuts and not charging you for shipping and trying to get it to you for Christmas!!!!!! So I guess I am the a-hole for not eating $250 in overnight freight charges. I'm sorry Mr. Canty but the more I read and the more I think about it I'm not sure I could have ever pleased you. I'll make you a deal, I promise to work on our shipping glitches if you'll remember the next time you place an order, the person on the other end is human and could possibly make an accidental mistake. I don't think that makes them deserving of being called an A-Hole on a national forum when they have in turn been nothing but apologetic and nice to you.
Jerry