SERVICE......and the lack thereof......

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Newklear

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Nov 5, 2013
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Location
Lake Winnipesaukee
I've spent the last six months trying to make some modifications to my 2001.........
I'll refrain from mentioning the specifics to protect the guilty, but I find it interesting that in what is really a service business, the word "service" seems to take on little importance to those providing it.

A number of years ago, I purchased a new Yamaha VMAX snowmobile......a monster for sure and hang-on-for-your-life fun.....and expensive......

On the day that I picked that up, I wanted to trade my more expensive synthetic oil that I was running for the recommended semi-synthetic oil......I asked the kid behind the counter to please trade for me and what I got was "You got a receipt for that?" referring to the oil I had that I wanted to trade for the LESSER expensive stuff.

"Yea, I have a $12,000 sled outside that I just bought. That good enough?"

He reluctantly (and with lots of attitude) made the trade after I explained that I was willing to simply go container for container and that he was getting the more expensive stuff in trade for the cheaper stuff.

Now, over the years, I figure I spent or responsible for about $50,000 worth of business (bikes, sleds, referrals etc) going through that dealership. I wrote the brothers who owned the place a letter explaining my experience.....it was respectful and not nasty at all. I explained that I was fortunate enough to have the disposable income to spend on "toys" but that I didn't NEED toys and that it seems to be that I a business catering to "WANTS" and not "NEEDS" there should be a tremendous focus on customer service.

Never got a response. Not even a call. Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. I found that quite unbelievable especially when they knew I pulling my new sled out of their dealership with my Cadillac and could obviously afford the toys that they were making their living selling.

I've never stepped into one of their dealerships since.

Of the three vendors I've dealt with this winter, I give one an "A" for proactive communication and even though I took him a long time to deliver his product, he communicated regularly as to cause for the delays and in the end, delivered a beautiful product that didn't end up preventing my getting the bike on the road.

#2 was exasperating to the point of many unreturned phone calls and unanswered emails over the course of weeks and weeks. OK, he had some serious family issues going on and I get that, but how long does it take really to jot a two line email? I give him a C only because of his family issues. In the end his workmanship was superb.

#3 is still in the works. At the moment, he's getting a D......the part received doesn't fit, which based on the tag on his website, I figure he should have known. But, OK, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on that.....we all make mistakes. But, getting things rectified since has been terribly frustrating......many un-returned phone calls, unanswered emails, and a perceived lack of urgency to correct the issue and get it done so I can FINALLY get my bike on the road for the summer.

All of this nearly led me to tell my friends at Rochester Motorsports to just sell the bike. I'd nearly had enough until I stopped he to see it and the excellent work they had done...it's looking killer to me.....except that I can't ride it until the part that doesn't for is replaced.

Bottom line? If you're in this business or any other one where service key, especially one dealing with "toys", you'd better focus on taking care of your customers because if you don't, they WILL go elsewhere. The dealership here in NH that I talked about will never see me again. And I've related my experience about them to many others. How much did that cost them? I don't know.

And I will go elsewhere for other things I want for my Max.

Ive been I the service industry one way or another my entire working life. I've seen the good,the bad and the ugly. Maybe those in the business here will read this and think about their operations.
 
Makes sense to me. Keep spreading the word to everyone you know, meet on the road, encounter at rallies, etc. The more who know the greater the impact plus it will keep the good shops going strong and if you are luck put the bad ones out of business.
 
Might as well vent it out here. If you are good enough or bad enough you deserve to be named (myself included if it applies).

From my guess the situations involve a Kosman wheel that took forever to get along with tons of emails and calls. Not sure if this was the "A" or the "C" but from your other posts I would think the latter?

The other is a swingarm that didn't fit from UFO. The unresolved emails/calls are pretty much their MO when they have a customer with a problem. There are numerous threads on here that many others have had similar problems with them.
 
When we talked about trading a swing-arm Jeff I called UFO for some info. It would have helped out all involved including them. It's been weeks with no call back. UFO never returned e-mail either. Will they ever get my business? Never!
On a good note, Wayne up in Wakefield NH is taking in VMAX, Wave runner and similar work. He's a very competent mechanic, and with resonable prices. He'll treat you right. Reach him from his add on Craigslist or call him at 603-871-8115.
 
I won't name the dealership here in NH that I had problems with who will never see my money as it has been a number of years since that occurrence. Anyone from around here can figure out who they are.....Central NH, Yamaha, owned by brothers.

Sandy Kosman gets the "C " as he did BLOODY OUTSTANDING work! The workmanship is simply superb. Maybe I should have given him B due to his family situation as we all go through hard times, but I think he could have been more reponsive at some point during his difficulties. And he did apologize profusely for his lack of communication. So, I'll up him to a B......please keep in mind his incredible workmanship. I have no beef with Kosman and can certainly recommend him and his work.

UFO gets the D and are slowly fading to an F. No response to an email or phone call yesterday. No response to a phone call from Rochester Motorsports. No reponse to an email sent this am. Simply unbelievable.
 
One of our local / nationally known radio talk show hosts , Clark Howard ,
calls it " Customer No Service ". Anyone in business MUST practice good , make that GREAT customer service if they want to remain in business for the long haul. It's easier to keep good customers than find new ones , especially if repeat business is your goal. I have been in various service and sales jobs for the past 45 years and can testify , the harder I work to solve my customers problems , the luckier I get in keeping their business. I also respect the service companies that make me happy. I know they have a margin to sustain to keep the doors open. I don't argue about their pricing unless I know for a fact what something costs and they are trying to rip me a new one.
 
UFO Performance Products has now F-ailed.

No return call today. No answered email.

I have now told them not to ship the un-modified but powder-coated swing arm that has been two plus weeks in the works. No word from Mike all week as to the status. No call confirming shipment as I had requested that he do. He can keep the arm and return my money in full. If he fails to act, then I will be forced to do so and I guarantee that it will cost him more than what he should return to me. Just this thread may cost him business. There's always the BBB with copies going to the state's AG office.

Stay away from UFO.
 
We can help you out BUT we are also not a slap together outfit. So, be prepared to wait but as you may or may not have noticed it's not too hard to find me around.
 
^ Sean is the man! You might have to be patient with him, but he will be patient with you (I still haven't swapped my swingarm to send him the original... I kind of feel guilty, but my radials are on order so soon I can quit being a bum)
 
Sean is the KING of customer service. I'm sure his ears are still sore from the engine build he coordinated and designed for me. Would have been easier for him to tell me "let me put it together" but I wanted to assemble it myself, which saved a small fraction of the cost and cost him a lot of time on the phone giving advice. I can't say enough good things about the patience he exhibited and I do not think many vendors would have had that amount of patience.
Props to DAMON as well even though he is not a vendor I "cold called" him too a few times and got lots of crucial advice.
I wish he WAS a vendor too....

The rest of the vendors I have dealt with were obviously "in it for JUST the money" with the exception of COO

I tried to get Jon at PCW to advise me on some carberuetion issues and he wouldn't say anything but "send them to me".....admittedly though I had not really spent any significant amount of money with him so the stance he took was fully understood as being fair by me.

Exactrep? Good too, they advertise a product and deliver, won't get much phone time or advice from them and have to know what you want going in but that's perfectly ok for their product line.
 
I think Sean is so good with his customers because he has a true passion for what he does and loves to help people who share that passion. I had a bad experience with the local bike dealership service department this year and the young "who the fuck cares" service manager over there. Needless to say I won't ever shop there again. It always seems to me the smaller businesses do so much better at customer service. Yeah they make mistakes now and then and aren't always the easiest to deal with, but more often then not they'll fess up when they've made a mistake and do their best to resolve it. As a newish small business owner myself I can say it's not easy and you can't make all the customers happy all the time.
 
Sean's just a good guy with a conscience...those types of business people are rare, but can be found from time-to-time...
 
Mike at UFO has continued to ignore phone calls and emails.

I believe that if he fails to refund my money it would constitute fraud.

Any and all suggestions as to how to pressure him into returning my money would be greatly appreciated.

Ohio BBB?

State of Ohio AG's office?

File fraud charge?

Thanks!
 
If you used your credit card you can simply file a no receipt of goods claim. If you paid by check that's a bit more complicated.
 
I only deal with Morley's Muscle. Everything fits!!! Super service, priced right and you get what you want. Being that I have "the bug" all big ticket items come from him and some small stuff. Saves a lot of headaches. I've started stocking backup parts to eliminate down time. Happy customer
 
Sean,

Thank you for your support and suggestions. My mistake out of ignorance was not coming to you first. I certainly wish that I had but will do so in the future.

A charge dispute has been filed with AMEX which I will follow up with with a written explanation.

My next step will be to file a complaint with the BBB of Ohio.
 
I am not an attorney. Contacting the BBB is not going to be very effective. I suggest contacting the US District Attorney, which won't probably rate highly on their priority list, but if it's interstate commerce, I believe the federal gov't. is the appropriate authority. You could also try the County Prosecutor's office. Keep copies of all your correspondence.

The BBB is more for the businesses than it is for the consumer.

Here is the County Prosecutor's info:

Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office
The Justice Center, Courts Tower
1200 Ontario Street, 9th Floor
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
Phone: 216.443.7800
Fax: 216.698.2270
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday (except legal holidays)
http://prosecutor.cuyahogacounty.us/

Usually just the fact that you contact the legit business to inform them of your having-contacted the local and federal attorney's offices will be enough to get them to remit your funds immediately.

Sean,

Thank you for your support and suggestions. My mistake out of ignorance was not coming to you first. I certainly wish that I had but will do so in the future.

A charge dispute has been filed with AMEX which I will follow up with with a written explanation.

My next step will be to file a complaint with the BBB of Ohio.
 
That only does any good if they are a member (I am not and bet they aren't either). Still doesn't hurt to let them know though.
 
Thank you all for your support and suggestions......

I will pursue all avenues regardless of perceived effectiveness simply to further the cause.
 

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