A previous post...that got a little heated now has me wondering. If you sent something in to get repaired/replaced would you prefer an occasional call/email/snail mail or other form of communication from the company letting you know how things are progressing ? It's really should be a simple yes or no poll. But there may be those who would rather call the company to get progress reports...so I have added that. TIA .
Having been in the tool repair business (a long time ago, in a galaxy far-far away...), I would opt for "No", since I believe it would slow down operations considerably (however, I would like to know if an item to be repaired would take longer than expected). Repair folks have enough on their collective plates without having to remember to email/call the customer as each nut and bolt is straightened and/or replaced. FWIW.
I would like to know if there are going to be any unusual delays (beyond the initially "quoted" time).
To start, please notify me when you've received my item. Let me know how long to expect. Contact me when you have a delay. That's what I'd expect.
Hi. Good topic. My preferrence...confirm receipt, advise if repair will exceed posted completion date. advise when repaired and date shipped to me. This avoids the need for me to needlessly post for status. Regards, Keith.
I second this! Several years ago my dad purchased 2 Kato boxcab electrics that were painted in MILW. Well one of them had a damaged pilot and the other was missing a sideframe. After not being able to find a parts availability, I sent the locos to the mfg after I had made a phone call to them. Well after about 6-8 phone calls later and over a 1 Year! that right I said 1 year! He finally got his locos back. The repair was done to his satisfaction both on quality of the repair and $$$$, but the long delay he (nor I) was pleased. Apparently there was 3 different versions of the loco in question that were made and the mfg had to do some research in order find the correct parts. A simple e mail as to keeping us informed would have been nice. I work in the customer srvc industry, and in my business if you inform a customer upfront of any delays, they are more apt to be understanding them misinforming them. Just my $0.02 on the matter.
If repairs took longer than expected; I would give them a call to get an explanation of the delay and expect a truthful answer on a get well date. Now a days staffing is too short to expect them to call.
DITTO!!!!! You spit out the hard cash for the product and for whatever the reason it's in the shop. The manufacturer should respect the customer and give them reasonable feedback.
I'd like to see even something automated, kind of like a track your shipment thing that you might get through UPS or FEDEX, along the lines of the milestone gpa outlined above. If the repair runs over time or beyond budget an email would be generated to let me know with a phone number I could call to get an update. I don't work on model locomotive repair professionally but I do put together a lot of designs for repairs of buildings, and one of the things that hangs me up more than anything else is a client or adverse experts or attorneys constantly wanting to "conference" about the progress. I sometimes tell people as gently as I can that the best thing they can do is give me a day or two uninterrupted so that I can finish.
I'd like to keep their overhead low and have them spend time on new products. Therefore, all I would ask is an honest answer if I call to check on a delay. MH
Communications is the key to providing a successful business. Keeping a customer advised removes the stress of "Not Knowing". I vote YES!
Although I would like to know how things are going, I also understand how it can actually slow the process down. I took my car in to the shop for a simple repair and that could be fixed while I wait. He had a young girl answering the phone for him, but even then she had to constantly interrupt the guy for specific details of other jobs he had going on. I could over hear the phone conversions and I was really getting annoyed from all the stupid questions this guy was answering. Plus my little 15 min stop was turning into hour and a half. Not only was time taken from the actual work, but after each phone call the guy had to stop and remember where he left off. I decided right then that I was never going to do that. I suppose a large operation could probably afford to hire someone to keep taps of each job and make progress reports or maybe something automated like SteamDonkey mentioned. I’m happy just to know if my item was received and an approximate date to expect it to be returned. But if at some point it going to take longer for some reason I would like to be notified so I’m not worrying about it. I sure don’t need a day by day report.
I second that. Even simple inventory systems can use barcodes to track items. Code the repair into the system when it come in and use the system to track a repair through all its steps. It could be connected to the email system and could send an automated email to let you know when the status changes. I really don't want a call unless something is catastrophic. An email is fine with me. Andy Tetsu Uma
I agree, although I voted yes above. I have recently had customer service from 2 big companies with the following results. Early in February I sent a N scale 44 tonner to Bachmann for warranty repair. I got a card in the mail from them telling me they received it. 2 months later I still had no loco or feedback so I emailed them and was answered, 2 days later, that they would be getting to my repair in a day or 2. Still have not gotten it back. The week before last I had a problem with the AC voltage output on a Prodigy Advance 2. I called MRC and was told to send it in, in c/o the person I spoke to. I mailed it in the next day priority (Friday for Monday delivery). They did not send any updates but Thursday afternoon it showed up fixed and updated to the current software revision (3 cheers for Doug @ MRC). I prefer the way MRC handled it.
Rule number one: You can't please everybody. Some people will like an update, others wont. Humans are just too fickled. With today's technology, I think an automated email can be sent, once when the tech checks it in to work on it, another perhaps if there is a delay for parts or what have you, and a final one telling you your item is repaired and on it's way. That is how a lot of the service stations for RC radio transmitters did it. It had a high success rate where most of the people liked it but there was always some who disliked it for some reason. I know, I know, there are still people without e-mail and internet access. I would say a phone call or postcard would work, but most companies don't like to spend the money.
In this case I think "No news is good news" just doesn't cut it. These companies all have web sites. If they are behind on repair work just list a clear reason for delays on those sites and I can live with that. If it's going to be 90 days...so be it. Don't tell me it's a 3 week turn around and leave me hanging 4-5 months. Delays I can understand. We have backordered parts all the time in my line of work at a large Ford Dealership. What I do not accept is one of my service employee's is giving a customer a date or time we can not possibly conform to. "Under promise and over deliver" is what we try to live by. Mark
