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Thats what I call service from a dealer..
LesWVa
Member Posts: 10,490 ✭✭
The hardware place where I buy my power equipment from sells many different brands, Stihl, Husqvarna, Echo, Shindawia, Efco and others. He services what he sells unlike a big box store.
In late Sept I bought an Echo SRM280S trimmer from them and paid a little over $400 for it. Less than two gallons of fuel and it begin to act up as if the engine was locking up and very hard to pull the starter rope when it was cold (it actually never did sound right from day one). It was less than two weeks old so I took it back to them to look at. They tore it down and said that the engine was completely covered in carbon and the piston and cylinder looked as if it had 90 grit sandpaper took to it. Echo wanted the engine to inspect and authorized the dealer to install a new short block and carb under warranty. I got a call last Thursday that it was ready to pick up.
Today I go to pick it up and as they were waiting on the guy to do the paper work and sign off on it I ask about a CS370 chainsaw. A salesman said that he did not have one in stock for they sell them just about as fast as they get them in. But he had a CS400 "Value Pack" he would let me have for the same price of $299.00. The value pack normally goes for a little more due to you get the saw, a neat hard plastic carry case/tool chest, bar and 2 cycle oil and a ball cap.
We talk a while about some of the lawn and garden equipment I have bought from them over the years (most of which he remembered) and how I have started replacing my Husqvarna stuff with Echo as it wears out. He thanked me for being a loyal customer and all.
When I go to pay for the saw, The young lady behind the counter said "No Charge, Mr._____ called up and said that we would take care of it."
Now not only do I have a trimmer that runs better than when it was new. I also have a new Echo CS400 chainsaw to keep it company.
Learned a great lesson today. Being loyal to the local Mom & Pop establishments beats the heck of saving a dollar at a big box stores any day.
In late Sept I bought an Echo SRM280S trimmer from them and paid a little over $400 for it. Less than two gallons of fuel and it begin to act up as if the engine was locking up and very hard to pull the starter rope when it was cold (it actually never did sound right from day one). It was less than two weeks old so I took it back to them to look at. They tore it down and said that the engine was completely covered in carbon and the piston and cylinder looked as if it had 90 grit sandpaper took to it. Echo wanted the engine to inspect and authorized the dealer to install a new short block and carb under warranty. I got a call last Thursday that it was ready to pick up.
Today I go to pick it up and as they were waiting on the guy to do the paper work and sign off on it I ask about a CS370 chainsaw. A salesman said that he did not have one in stock for they sell them just about as fast as they get them in. But he had a CS400 "Value Pack" he would let me have for the same price of $299.00. The value pack normally goes for a little more due to you get the saw, a neat hard plastic carry case/tool chest, bar and 2 cycle oil and a ball cap.
We talk a while about some of the lawn and garden equipment I have bought from them over the years (most of which he remembered) and how I have started replacing my Husqvarna stuff with Echo as it wears out. He thanked me for being a loyal customer and all.
When I go to pay for the saw, The young lady behind the counter said "No Charge, Mr._____ called up and said that we would take care of it."
Now not only do I have a trimmer that runs better than when it was new. I also have a new Echo CS400 chainsaw to keep it company.
Learned a great lesson today. Being loyal to the local Mom & Pop establishments beats the heck of saving a dollar at a big box stores any day.
Comments
I have supported our local hardware store since we moved to town. I appreciate the fact that they are a short drive away and always friendly to me. From nuts & bolts, to gardening tools, to a couple of my guns, I have bought a lot if stuff from them.
Jon
Great example of taking care of a customer that takes care of you. Very cool. [8D][8D][8D][8D][^][^][^][^]
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
On top of that, they only pay minimum wage (and no benefits) to their workers, even those that have been there for years.
IOW there is a reason that the best workers around here are at McDonald's, Burger King, Home Depot and Walmart, and it's that they offer better pay and benefits than the M&P stores do.
Send pizza for lunch Monday as thanks. Good on them.
+1.
They won't forget it.
Humm, my local M&P would have charged you full price for the saw AND required you to at least pay for the shipping/handling of the "free" replacement parts AND the tear down labor.
On top of that, they only pay minimum wage (and no benefits) to their workers, even those that have been there for years.
IOW there is a reason that the best workers around here are at McDonald's, Burger King, Home Depot and Walmart, and it's that they offer better pay and benefits than the M&P stores do.
In response to the M&P operation you speak of, if the employees have been there for years making minimum wage and no benefits then they must have no ambition to better themselves or else they would've said "bye" to their employers long ago, they may not be worth more than minimum wage if even that much (many aren't), this country has plenty of "slackers", I know I've "tried" to work/help more than my share of them. [;)]
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee
When there are 100+ people applying for every min wage job opening, even those that start out with the words "bring your own chainsaw", I can guarantee you that the long time employees are not all slackers. The employers, including the M&P's, KNOW they don't have to pay any better.
There is a reason I've worked 160 miles from home for the last 13 years. Going from an electrician for a multinational mining corp here, to a plant maintenance person in the city, I had to take a 33% pay raise and am only expected to work 1/2 as hard [:D].
JB
When there are 100+ people applying for every min wage job opening, even those that start out with the words "bring your own chainsaw", I can guarantee you that the long time employees are not all slackers. The employers, including the M&P's, KNOW they don't have to pay any better.
There is a reason I've worked 160 miles from home for the last 13 years. Going from an electrician for a multinational mining corp here, to a plant maintenance person in the city, I had to take a 33% pay raise and am only expected to work 1/2 as hard [:D].
Congratulations, you had the ambition I spoke of, you said "bye", you will succeed in life while others are content with the status quo or else they would do the same [;)]. Sure, many economic factors come into play but don't knock the M&P's throughout America, as a customer where would we be without their local help & knowledge ?? Big corporations/chain stores don't give a rip about unhappy dissatisfied customers, they've got plenty more to fall back on. That's all I have to say and it's base entirely on my personal experience from both sides of the sales counter [;)] [:D].
"Never do wrong to make a friend----or to keep one".....Robert E. Lee