I loved my 22ft C-Dory and was pleased with the service when the factory provided it. NOW that I own a R-25 Tug I could not be more pleased. Ranger is great about addressing any issues that I have. Today was another great example. I needed my zincs replaced after a year in the salt water. Andrew arranged to meet me at the dock, haul my boat to the Factory and proceeded to do a thorough check of the boat. He assured me that he would make any necessary modification from what they have learned during their quality improvement process. It just gives me great confidence to own a boat that I know the factory will bend over backwards to support. And I know where Andrew learned his customer service skills from - Ranger Jeff Mesmer and Ranger John Livingston. These guys continue to be the Nordstrom's of the Boating World.
Customer Service
- Thread starter C-Sick
- Start date
This is not boat-related but it is customer service. My $1000+ TV lost it's picture after 3 years and one month. I took it to an Angie's List recommended repair shop. The guy says he never heard of this make and he can't get the parts and if he could it would cost about $250 to repair, etc, etc. I look the make up on the net and see that it has a dismal customer rating, with many losing picture after a couple years. I called Costco, just to ventilate and tell them that they sold me a lousy set. She asks, "When did you buy it" Me- 'I don't know, I don't have any papers". She-"let me look it up"..."you bought it in March 2005. Bring it back for a full refund".
"I will be back" ought to be the best words any business owner hears. I bet you won't hesitate to buy another big ticket item at Costco. I had the opposite experience at Frys with a $700 lap top I bought for my daughter including a $200 service contract. The LCD screen went out a few months after I purchased it. I was told LCD screens only go out if damaged and was not covered under the service contract. I walked out of the story with a computer worth nothing and said, I won't grace your doors again. Fortunately I was able to buy a new LCD screen on line for $140 and my daughter is as happy as a clam. (Frys wanted $400 to do the repair) When it comes to what is for me a HUGE TICKET item buying a boat having the Customer Service excellence of Ranger Tug makes me one Happy Camper. I don't mind paying top dollar for any product or service when I know the company is honest. Nor will I hesitate to buy another boat from Ranger if that opportunity ever presents itself.
Wandering Sagebrush
Free Range Human
Hmmm,
C Sick said:
Here's my 2 cents worth, and that is probably all it's worth. Anytime you get a response like the one above from Fry's, the first thing I recommend doing is asking for the name of the employee, then asking (insisting!) on speaking to the manager, and go as high as it takes. The response Fry's gave was abysmal, absurd and just plain wrong headed. I think a number of businesses rely on people being docile, and accepting bad faith service/business as just the way it is.
When my dad's house was destroyed in December's storm, Direct TV was going to charge him for a couple of months still due on his "contract", even though he did not have a house to put a TV in. It took me a couple of calls, and some escalation, plus a promise to contact the Oregon PUC over failure to honor a force majeure situation, but all fees were dropped and reversed. People seem to take notice and provide better service when the customer knows their name, and is willing to take a stand.
Les Schwab is the ideal for what customer service should be. They understand that they are in business because of the people who purchase goods and services.
OK, off the soap box...
Steve
C Sick said:
Here's my 2 cents worth, and that is probably all it's worth. Anytime you get a response like the one above from Fry's, the first thing I recommend doing is asking for the name of the employee, then asking (insisting!) on speaking to the manager, and go as high as it takes. The response Fry's gave was abysmal, absurd and just plain wrong headed. I think a number of businesses rely on people being docile, and accepting bad faith service/business as just the way it is.
When my dad's house was destroyed in December's storm, Direct TV was going to charge him for a couple of months still due on his "contract", even though he did not have a house to put a TV in. It took me a couple of calls, and some escalation, plus a promise to contact the Oregon PUC over failure to honor a force majeure situation, but all fees were dropped and reversed. People seem to take notice and provide better service when the customer knows their name, and is willing to take a stand.
Les Schwab is the ideal for what customer service should be. They understand that they are in business because of the people who purchase goods and services.
OK, off the soap box...
Steve
Boy....yer right .....loosing Jeff was the worst thing C-Dory could have done..... He is just a super rep for Ranger... hopefully C-Dory will recognize thats what it takes to maintain their customer appeal... I think Scot tries his best.... but is hampered by other forces in the company...(that make big promises)
Joel
SEA3PO
Joel
SEA3PO
C-Sick's experience is very demonstrative:
Fry's wouldn't fix the problem, even with a Service Contract in force.
Costco gave a full refund 2 1/2 years later without any Service Contract.
My son has worked for both these outfits, and C-Sick's experience is typical.
Knowing in advance how a business treats customer service issues can be immensely important when you have problems later. Buy where you know you will be taken care of down the road. C-Dory take note!
Some outfits make a lot of money selling service contracts- but do they honor them? Why buy one if someone else services products w/o requiring the contracts? Know who you're dealing with!
Initial price isn't everything when service issues are also considered. The "Cheapo" approach can get you in trouble! (My weakness, too!)
If all this seems so obvious in retrospect, why do so many of us still make the same mistakes when dealing with these outfits?
Joe. :teeth :thup
Fry's wouldn't fix the problem, even with a Service Contract in force.
Costco gave a full refund 2 1/2 years later without any Service Contract.
My son has worked for both these outfits, and C-Sick's experience is typical.
Knowing in advance how a business treats customer service issues can be immensely important when you have problems later. Buy where you know you will be taken care of down the road. C-Dory take note!
Some outfits make a lot of money selling service contracts- but do they honor them? Why buy one if someone else services products w/o requiring the contracts? Know who you're dealing with!
Initial price isn't everything when service issues are also considered. The "Cheapo" approach can get you in trouble! (My weakness, too!)
If all this seems so obvious in retrospect, why do so many of us still make the same mistakes when dealing with these outfits?
Joe. :teeth :thup
I got no further with the manager than I did the young kid at the repair counter. Frys gave me the impression they could care less about me. Their Parking Lot is always full.
What I appreciate about Ranger is Jeff has empowered his entire Team to be responsive to the customer. While I was there another employee dropped by and saw that there was a kink in the guy wire for my mast unit. He told me I'll take care of that for you while you got the boat here. My guess is Customer Service has penetrated the entire organization. The employee parking lot is full and they are putting together a First Class Team during an economic slump. Darn impressive.
Frys may be the big boys in town now but someday a customer service driven company will give them a run for their money.
We have a hardware store in town -McLendon's. They may charge a few cents more than the Big Box Stores but it is always worth the trip. They have great inventory and everyone of their departments has knowledgeable people working their. They continue to compete well because of it.
What I appreciate about Ranger is Jeff has empowered his entire Team to be responsive to the customer. While I was there another employee dropped by and saw that there was a kink in the guy wire for my mast unit. He told me I'll take care of that for you while you got the boat here. My guess is Customer Service has penetrated the entire organization. The employee parking lot is full and they are putting together a First Class Team during an economic slump. Darn impressive.
Frys may be the big boys in town now but someday a customer service driven company will give them a run for their money.
We have a hardware store in town -McLendon's. They may charge a few cents more than the Big Box Stores but it is always worth the trip. They have great inventory and everyone of their departments has knowledgeable people working their. They continue to compete well because of it.
With all that you had to go thru with "FISHTALES", i completely understand your feelings. please allow me to share with you, and others, what happened just today. i received a call from FRANK WALTERS, informing me that he had a pair of LED's for my EZloader and only needed my shipping address for them to be on their way. i had phoned him last week, asking for his help with the EZloader that came with my CD19 in AUG '05. he returned my call and said that he'd look into it. i could not ask for better treatment. he even declined my offer to pay the freight. so, things might just be looking up with C-DORY. DON aboard "High Time"C-Hawk":29x2i983 said:Customer service left C-Dory when Jeff went over to Ranger.
Wandering Sagebrush
Free Range Human
High Time,
I may be very wrong, but I suspect that your LEDs will be coming from the manufacturer. Apologies in advance to Frank if I am mistaken. I do compliment his personal touch on this one.
Steve
I may be very wrong, but I suspect that your LEDs will be coming from the manufacturer. Apologies in advance to Frank if I am mistaken. I do compliment his personal touch on this one.
Steve
can anyone help me move this to a more appropriate forum? Thanks, DonHIGH TIME":1e63ie74 said:With all that you had to go thru with "FISHTALES", i completely understand your feelings. please allow me to share with you, and others, what happened just today. i received a call from FRANK WALTERS, informing me that he had a pair of LED's for my EZloader and only needed my shipping address for them to be on their way. i had phoned him last week, asking for his help with the EZloader that came with my CD19 in AUG '05. he returned my call and said that he'd look into it. i could not ask for better treatment. he even declined my offer to pay the freight. so, things might just be looking up with C-DORY. DON aboard "High Time"C-Hawk":1e63ie74 said:Customer service left C-Dory when Jeff went over to Ranger.
Pat Anderson
New member
Jeff and Andrew are just two of our favorite people all time! I wish they were still at C-Dory, and C-Dory still did factory sales and service...but that is all a pretty vain hope I guess...I am really glad that they hooked up with John and Dave, whom I admire greatly too, that didn't work out for us on the Ranger 25 but I will never say never...a Ranger 29 might be just the ticket for Pat and Patty one of these days!
After reading about Roger's (Fishtales Decommisioning) plight, I e-mailed the factory primaries, and belive it or not got positive e-mails back from Scot, Jeff and Ricardo. They all seem apologetic and appear to want to be helpful, assuring me that the boat is very near completion, and should meet the promise date plus 30 days. Also that there is a lot more to the story than we know, or they are willing to share. I'm just hoping that Roger does not have to wait any longer. Let's hear it for customer service. (the proof is in the pudding as they say, I'll be counting the days along with Roger et al.)
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
Harvey
SleepyC :moon
I so appreciate working with Andrew at Ranger. They have had my boat for a week to do some work on it. Rather than jerk me around or give me some cock and bull story about when it is going to ready Andrew talks to me up front and asks what my cruising schedule is going to be. He tells me if I have to have the boat with in the week he will work overtime to get it done. But if I can go out a week it will work better into the factory schedule because they have an already intense week. I told Andrew I have no problem with the schedule as long as they shoot straight with me. Ranger has always done that from day one. I am waiting longer that I would have liked to but I know what the facts are and I know they are going to do everything within their power to deliver on time. This is true customer service. I am also very pleased to hear that C-Dory is upping the wattage on their customer service. We all love our boats and want our factories to succeed. Thank you Ranger. Go C-Dory.