Customer Service

[dicksterp]

This is not a complaint, but a recounting of ShopSmith's great customer service that I received today.

I received my order Fri. for 8 items that I placed on 10/28. 3 of the items I had issues with. they were the bandsaw and stripsander manuals and the upper bag retaining strap assy for the dust collector. The bandsaw manual came as a bunch of loose leaf printed (computer?) pages tucked in a clear plastic holder. The stripsander came as 4 loose pages folded in half (like a greeting card) with print so small I practically need a magnifying glass to read it. The retaining strap assy. would not fit together (items 3, rack & 4, clamp). I got them together using a socket and drill, thinking they had a burr. Then I couldn't get them apart to install. The rack is deformed and the clamp will not engage the slots in the rack (keep slipping out).

Long story short, called SS this morning and they are sending me a new retaining strap assy. under warrenty. They are refunding my money for the manuals. They were very surprised about the manuals, especially the stripsander.

I am extremely impressed with ShopSmith's professional customer service and willingness to go the extra mile.

[doug45601]

So the squeekie wheel get oiled "again"... I don't like to complain myself but I will have to admit that Shopsmith is getting a little too sloppy the first time around. Of course the customer service folks will be happy to fix the problem but in reality it shouldn't have happened in the first place!!

I for one have received a power stand with missing nuts and bolts, a 520 upgrade with the wrong rail, a can of touchup paint that wouldn't spray, a carbide blade with a missing carbide tooth and manuals printed like yours, so dark and blurred together they were useless.. Yes all were corrected because I called their customer service...

I lost time, they lost shipping cost and time.. You think Shopsmith really cares about YOU?.. I think not, they just care about your money and want to keep you coming back... Their email so called specials are just a carrot and stick approach to keep you interested..

Try this sometime, Order something that will be put on backorder.. you will get a order number for the item. Then a few days later, order something else only to have it on backorder.. Now you have 2 different order numbers and each has it's own shipping cost... Wouldn't you think that somewhere along the line they could combine some shipping fee's ??? Think again..

Shopsmith is in buisness to sell products to customers willing to buy, like us but do they really care...?? Only care if you got the money to keep them going and their ability to fill orders with quality the first time around is LACKING... Not all the time but way to frequest for my liking...:rolleyes:

[woodburner]

Hi Doug,

If you are not happy with SS, why are you a member of this forum. I've been to several other woodworking forums that the members do nothing but bash SS when the subject of Shopsmith tools comes up. Maybe you will be more happy writing in one of those forums.

I myself have had issues with SS when it comes to orders, but I've had issues with other woodworking companies also when it comes to orders.

You will not find the perfect company and I've have found that about half of them have lousy customer service if you need to call them to correct a problem. These companies do not want to hear from you after they have got your money. At least with SS, they are willing to correct the problem even after they have got your money, and they are nice people to talk to on the phone. I've been cussed out after calling one of those other companies (I'm not doing any business with them ever again), and for the half I mentioned are usually pretty rude.

Yes, SS can use some help with quality control where it comes to getting shipments ready and actually putting the orders in the boxes (example, I received a bent Incra ruler because they put it in too small a box, but they sent me a new one at no cost and told me to keep the bent one), but the personnel answering the phones have no control over that.

Backorders are a problem right now also, though they weren't in the past. I recently waited 3-1/2 months for my Sand-Flee to arrive, but that was due to the company that actually manufactures them being slow and then also being shipped by them. I'm sure SS wishes they were faster, but what can they do except not offer to sell them anymore.

I like my Shopsmith tools and I'm very happy with them. But just like any other mail-order company right now, you will find a lot of what is on their websites are not in stock. Check out the tool listings on amazon.com and you will see what I'm talking about. It is something that everyone who orders from mail-order companies are having to put up with at the present time.

I wonder if the current economic situation has something to do with it?:p

[pinkiewerewolf]

Do I think that SS cares about their customers? Yes I do.
I think any business should care about their customers and I don't think SS is an exemption.
That being said, profit and surviving/thriving in today's economic climate is the goal/challenge.

I decided to start my Christmas shopping early this year. I purchased my sweetie an Art Easel and an umbrella that is specially made to attach to the easel for sunny days.
Two separate packages, arriving a day apart from each other.
The umbrella box looked like it had nearly been decapitated. I notified the business where I placed the order as soon as I found it. 3 sets of phone tag later they tell me that they will issue a damage claim and that regardless of the claim they will send out a new umbrella. If the shipper doesn't check the claim they told me to keep/discard the damaged box and umbrella, they didn't even want to see it. ($40 umbrella, I'd want to see it.)
Luckily, this is well in advance of X-Mas.

Also, I've been satisfied with ShopSmith's efforts and results. I've on had one problem with an order, that I can remember, and it was an cross threaded set screw in a telescoping leg. Customer service immediately sent me out a new part, no interrogation.
I've had back ordered stuff, but I've had BO stuff with almost every online store/manufacturer that I deal with.

[baysidebob]

Wow Doug sounds like you are really unhappy with SS. I have to agree with Woodburner, maybe this is not the forum to be on. Most of us on here seem to be in support of SS. They may not be perfect but they seem to do everything possible to straighten out any porblems we may have.
I order from a lot of different companies over the Internet and the sort of problems you are describing are not just isolated to SS but seem to be just the way things are now. Not that they can't be fixed nor that they should be ignored. We do need to let these companies know that they have messed something up and it needs to be corrected. Hopefully you will be able to find something that SS does that will allow you to give them a decent chance to prove themselves.

Bayside Bob, Ca.

[doug45601]

I didn't say I didn't like the Shopsmith Tools, nor did I say that customer service folks or tech support folks were anything less then professionals.... and YES, they have always stood behind their products and have alway made things RIGHT.. But, it seems that more and more often then not, customer service folks have to FIX the problems as a kneejerk reaction.. And that my friends is costing Shopsmith excessive time and money... So how does the company recomp that money??? By raising their prices of course..

It's not the Shopsmith machines, equipment, customer and tech services that I have any issues with.... It's the people who do the order filling who do not take the time to do a quality check on what they are shipping!

I'm not bashing Shopsmith as a whole. I have thousands of dollars invested in their equipment and still buying from them. That's because they have proven time and time again to be very receptive and make things right... I just see a hole that needs fix'in.... Don't you?;)

[a1gutterman]

...Try this sometime, Order something that will be put on backorder.. you will get a order number for the item. Then a few days later, order something else only to have it on backorder.. Now you have 2 different order numbers and each has it's own shipping cost... Wouldn't you think that somewhere along the line they could combine some shipping fee's ??? Think again..

...Hi Doug,
I will knot add to what others have said in response to your post; however, I will make the following suggestion: IF you have an item on backorder, and you try to buy an additional item that also will be put on backorder, in order to reduce the shipping costs, you could cancel the order for the first backordered item and reorder it, along with the new item. Now you have one order number, and one shipping charge. Will that save you any money? I do knot know: It will depend on the items ordered.

[doug45601]

Hi Doug,
I will knot add to what others have said in response to your post; however, I will make the following suggestion: IF you have an item on backorder, and you try to buy an additional item that also will be put on backorder, in order to reduce the shipping costs, you could cancel the order for the first backordered item and reorder it, along with the new item. Now you have one order number, and one shipping charge. Will that save you any money? I do knot know: It will depend on the items ordered.

Thanks for your suggestion however, I have tried that and was told that my original back-ordered item was in process, hence, production initiated and can not be canceled... I would have to receive the item and then call for a return authorization... It was further explained that my order was in do-process and pre-approved on my credit card account... Not yet charged to the account but a charge authorization made. When I placed my second order, a bandsaw powerstation manual, bandsaw pully kit, I was told that the pully kit was also back-ordered... I ask then to combine orders and told that it would delay the first back-ordered item or possibly hold up the second back-ordered item till the first order was ready to ship! Lots of red tape seems to me.. Currently, I would like to order more stuff but I've deceided to wait for the sale catalog to come out then dump them a large order