Customer Service

[paul heller]

I was going to post this at the end of the former thread of this title, but that thread ended rather harshly and it somehow did not feel good to extend it.

I have been trying all day today to call Shopsmith. I constantly got stuck in their call queue and never got picked up. I waited 5-10 minutes and then bailed out and tried later. I finally got in at 4:15pm EST after a lengthy wait (thank goodness for hands free phones). I told them it took a long time, and they told me are aware of it. :( Oh well.

I know everyone speaks of the high quality of customer support that Shopsmith provides... and the do! But I wonder how many people never get to experience that support because they hang up disgruntled. I wonder how many sales Shopsmith lost today because no one picked up the phone.

Times and money are tight. I know. I know. I have no idea of anything I could suggest to make it easier for Shopsmith. But the phone problem is a real handicap for their future success.

Well, maybe someone was sick today or something and this is not the norm.

I called to ask the status of the backordered strip sander. They have no ship date, and no idea when that might change. Keep in mind I ordered this because they put it on sale. :mad: :mad: I forget when that was. This is clearly a product they should not have put on sale.

Paul

[kd6vpe]

Sorry Paul,
I was not on the phone with them today but I have had some rather long conversations with customer service in the past and that takes away from the others that are on hold waiting their turn. I am surprised how many phone calls they recieve each day. There are allot of use out here waiting on back orders, and we are all calling. lol.

[rolands]

Paul, I also ordered the strip sander on 2-19-09 and have been waiting for it. I try to call when I'm not at work which turns out to be my lunch hour and had to wait and didn't get to talk to anyone. I tried later and got right through to Dave. He told me he would have to find out from his supervisor and would get back to me. When I hadn't heard from him I sent and e-mail asking and he replied right away that he his supervisor hadn't found out. Today Dave called me and said that it would be shipped by 3-31-09. I figure that yours should be coming around then also. Granted, it is a bit of a wait, but I have waited longer with other companies. If you haven't heard anything, maybe this will give you some kind of an idea as to when you will get it.

[charlese]

Paul and others waiting for the Strip Sander, I ordered mine the day after Christmas and is arrived here Feb. 16th. With a sticker showing mfd. date of 2/6/09 There was a minor error in machining the firm part of the case. (Shopsmith calls it the Frame.)

The Table Lock Knob that holds the table onto the case (it extends though the table protractor) would not thread into the case. I re-tapped the Frame hole to the size and threads of the knob, and then immediately told SS of this.

Maybe SS found all new frames in that condition and ordered more stock with the right size hole and threads. I have other small issues concerning the idler wheels and the upper tracking wheel. My issues with the Tracking wheel are developed in the frame. Using the inside sanding configuration, the machine sanded a rut in the top idler wheel within an hour of sanding.

I ordered a new idler wheel and then returned the worn one for SS to look at.

It is my WAG that SS is attempting to get new parts so you won't be having the same issues.

BTW - everything works wonderfully well with a 1" sanding belt.:D The sanding problems I had were with the 1/2" belt - and then in the inside sanding mode. Also the new idler wheel seems to be functioning well!!!

[rolands]

Chuck, thanks for the information. I would rather wait and not have any issues, then get it sooner and have them.

[calver]

Chuck,

There is no excuse for poor quality.

Dave C.

[JPG40504]

Chuck,

There is no excuse for poor quality.

Dave C.

True IF you are in control of it. SS is NOT the manufacturer in this case. They are dependent on the vendor(s) they utilize.

What really counts is HOW they respond to a problem not entirely of their creation. Previous posts indicate to me that getting it right for the customer is a higher priority then 'getting them shipped'. As it should be in this case.:)

[charlese]

I think JPG got it right once again! As I said earlier, it is my WAGuess (just a guess) that Shopsmith found other mis-manufactured parts from their vendor(s). IF true, they must check conformance of every portion of every part, Shopsmith's job, to satisfy their customers, has grown. And their ability to rely on their vendors has decreased.

I have asked Shopsmith other questions involving use of the 1/2" belt in "internal sanding mode", and the way it works on my machine. I know answers are coming. I will post them here.