Bad service

[Bulldog]

Trying to mow the yard and heard a bang behind me. Half way through the 20th mowing season and the original belt decided to let go. Can't really complain about that.

Now for the bad service.

The dealer where I bought one tractor from and all my Bushhog implements from have recently dropped Kubota and gone to Deere only. And believe me if it's not green they don't want to talk to you. Not only didn't have the part but haven't even called back (been 2 days) about ordering it for me.

Thanks for nothing Ag-pro.

 

[dlundblad]

Do they carry Bush Hog anymore? If so, I wonder why such poor service?

Either way, time to go online. (Messicks, Coleman etc) Mostly likely faster too.

 

[Bmyers]

Service seems to be declining in many areas.

I contacted the local lawn mower repair place at the end of May because my mower wasn't running correctly. They said they could come pick it up for $50, which I told them I could just drop it by after work. They then stated they were very busy and they would put me on the list and it would be about a month and they would call me.

The lawn mower finally died. Thanks to some YouTube videos, figured out the problem, fixed it with a paperclip and 10 minutes of my time, and it runs perfect now.

Still haven't received a call from them to let me know they are ready to service my lawn mower.

 

[D2Cat]

Bmyers, we had a similar thread a while back on customer service. I had reverse quit working on my Dodge diesel. I called an independent shop and talked to the owner. He said about 3 weeks out, and he'd call me. We visited for a few minutes and he diagnosed my problem during the conversation and told me he had the part right in front of him.

He never did call me to bring my truck in, and I wasn't going to leave it in his yard for 3 weeks for him to get to it. I had called him at least 3 times to check when he'd need it there.

I finally called another shop, actually a few miles closer, got it in the next day, picked it up the day after that. And the cost was 2/3's of what the first guy quoted.

Customer service like the first guy makes one wonder how they stay in business at all.

 

[Lil Foot]

Poor customer service is everywhere, and it's getting worse.
I lost an escape window on my 5th wheel toy hauler on the last day of our trip.
Standard window, 20"x36", millions of them installed over hundreds of brands.
Called the factory in Beaumont CA where the trailer was built, (who I have dealt with on two previous occasions) and they no longer talk to the public. Called the only dealer for my rig in AZ, and they said "Replace it". "Yeah, that's what I'm trying to do, but I need a source for the window." They answer "No, replace the 5th wheel."
Went to the local RV salvage yard, and was told to go look through 100+ rigs in 116 degree heat. After an hour plus of searching, I told the guy that there weren't ANY usable escape windows in the entire yard. He says "Yeah, I know, that's the first thing we remove from every rig that comes in." I ask "If you knew that, why did you waste my time having me search for windows you knew weren't there?"
He shrugs and walks away.
I go to a local trailer supply house and they say (after an hour plus of searching) that they can get the window custom made for $593, plus $150-$200 shipping.

Finally got a tip on an RV parts dealer in CA. He apparently buys out old stock, overruns, closeouts and such from dealers & factories. Claims to have 10,000 pallets of RV parts. He has the window I need on it's way to me for $120 shipped. He also put me on to the original manufacturer that made the mini blind we lost when the window blew out, that's on its way (plus some spare parts) for $72.
Fingers crossed.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I don't rely on much of anyone for service, it's just my thing, I can and do fix just about anything.

But....

I'm currently in the process of building, and ready to pour my pad for my house and garage.
Talked to several concrete guys over the last couple years to get a feel for everything, I thought I had the right one picked, it might as well been been for not, because when it came down to it he left me swinging in the wind, wouldn't show up for appointments, wouldn't call back, just bad service.

I get it, it's a building boom, they are back side on fire busy, I ought to know I've been in the business for 30 some odd years, and I'm loaded down, but when you make an appointment to meet a contractor for a job you really should show up.

I ended up going with one of the trustworthy (by reputation) and the most expensive concrete companies around.
He showed up that day to look it over, got me a bid that night, and then
pushed things around moved us up the ladder, he's been back twice just to make sure everything is right (I've done all the underground and form work).

He didn't get offended that I had already made deals with the Concrete patch plant and Pump truck owner and was paying them directly ( cuts out the mark up ).
My pour is not an easy pour as it's done commercial style, all of the large electric is undergound as is any feeds for gates, cameras, landscape lighting, hottub, feeds for out buildings feeds for generator, and all the water and sewer.
So there are 51 water pipes, 50 some electric pipes, 25 sewer and vent outlets, 2 16 foot long gutter drains in the garage, 1 Floor drain in the laundry / utility room, and coming out of the pad that's vapor barriered, then covered in foam then covered in Hydronics piping for in floor heating and cooling (100% geothermal cooling) and then covered in wire mesh and rebar.
Phew done!
Oh wait I forgot to mention the 54 5/8 anchor bolts!
Soooo a whole lot to finish around!
Oh and the original concrete company finally called back 2 weeks later, sorry I've moved on, oh and FYI the 4 other jobs have been moved too.

 

[bucktail]

I get it, it's a building boom, they are back side on fire busy, I ought to k
So there are 51 water pipes, 50 some electric pipes, 25 sewer and vent outlets, 2 16 foot long gutter drains in the garage, 1 Floor drain in the laundry / utility room, and coming out of the pad that's vapor barriered, then covered in foam then covered in Hydronics piping for in floor heating and cooling (100% geothermal cooling) and then covered in wire mesh and rebar.
:

Am I reading this right that you're doing in floor cooling as well? I've been under the impression that you would get condensation issues if you did that.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Am I reading this right that you're doing in floor cooling as well? I've been under the impression that you would get condensation issues if you did that.

All it takes to overcome it is a fancy simple computer that looks at relative humidity and incoming and outgoing water temp and mixes the 2 to keep the temp above the dew point or condensation level.
If relative humidity is too high it won't work as any drop in any temp will cause unwanted condensation.
Lucky for us relative humidity is normally very low when it's hot enough to use the system, around 30%.
Could use a dehumidifier if it gets too high.

We can not just run the ground loop open, as the groundwater temp is about 50 degrees, that would surely chill the place down too much and would condense.

The other half of the Ground loop is a glycol loop that will be for garage skirt and sidewalk deicing, winter temps at 16 feet are about the same as summer so around 50 degrees, so just looping that will keep it from icing until it get really cold.
One of the tricks to this is that all the sidewalks and driveway skirt is on 4" of foam.

 

[PaulL]

@NIW: I so totally want to be building your house!! I've always wanted a geothermal hydronic system, and really wanted to do a new build with high efficiency setup and passive solar. But we bought an 80 year old art deco house, so I have to work around what we have. Very very jealous right now.

 

[GreensvilleJay]

hmm bad service...

I went to doctor in 2008, major checkup, asked several things, including what can be done about the tinnitus ( ringing in ears) 24/7. Yes, I hear it NOW while typing....kinda like them cicada bugs.....

..I'm STILL waiting for the doc to call...

dang it's been 11 YEARS..

Jay

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

@NIW: I so totally want to be building your house!! I've always wanted a geothermal hydronic system, and really wanted to do a new build with high efficiency setup and passive solar. But we bought an 80 year old art deco house, so I have to work around what we have. Very very jealous right now.

Thanks, Wife wanted what you have, old styling with big roofs and wrap around porches, but this area is a combination of old junky poorly built homes with way too many issues so we had to settle on building what we wanted.
We stayed practical and logical, we wanted a super efficient home that would keep us warm while saving us money and ease of maintenance in the cold months and still be comfortable in the summer months too.

I think I've designed a home that we'll be happy to grow old in!

 

[BAP]

I don't rely on much of anyone for service, it's just my thing, I can and do fix just about anything.

But....

I'm currently in the process of building, and ready to pour my pad for my house and garage.
Talked to several concrete guys over the last couple years to get a feel for everything, I thought I had the right one picked, it might as well been been for not, because when it came down to it he left me swinging in the wind, wouldn't show up for appointments, wouldn't call back, just bad service.

I get it, it's a building boom, they are back side on fire busy, I ought to know I've been in the business for 30 some odd years, and I'm loaded down, but when you make an appointment to meet a contractor for a job you really should show up.

I ended up going with one of the trustworthy (by reputation) and the most expensive concrete companies around.
He showed up that day to look it over, got me a bid that night, and then
pushed things around moved us up the ladder, he's been back twice just to make sure everything is right (I've done all the underground and form work).

He didn't get offended that I had already made deals with the Concrete patch plant and Pump truck owner and was paying them directly ( cuts out the mark up ).
My pour is not an easy pour as it's done commercial style, all of the large electric is undergound as is any feeds for gates, cameras, landscape lighting, hottub, feeds for out buildings feeds for generator, and all the water and sewer.
So there are 51 water pipes, 50 some electric pipes, 25 sewer and vent outlets, 2 16 foot long gutter drains in the garage, 1 Floor drain in the laundry / utility room, and coming out of the pad that's vapor barriered, then covered in foam then covered in Hydronics piping for in floor heating and cooling (100% geothermal cooling) and then covered in wire mesh and rebar.
Phew done!
Oh wait I forgot to mention the 54 5/8 anchor bolts!
Soooo a whole lot to finish around!
Oh and the original concrete company finally called back 2 weeks later, sorry I've moved on, oh and FYI the 4 other jobs have been moved too.

That’s where a basement comes in handy. Easier running utilities and if put in right maintains a nice even temperature year round.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

That’s where a basement comes in handy. Easier running utilities and if put in right maintains a nice even temperature year round.

We had contemplated a basement or Hillside build, just with the price of concrete it would have cost me way more.
I'm about 40k just in the slab, and that's with me doing all the work besides finishing the concrete.

 

[Missouribound]

hmm bad service...

I went to doctor in 2008, major checkup, asked several things, including what can be done about the tinnitus

Jay

Now...what I am going to tell you is one of those hearsay things.
According to a "source":
If you tap on the bone behind the ear for a minute of two the tinnitus should go away. Apparently this can be done with your finger tip.
I do NOT have tinnitus so I cannot verify this.
Just passing along what was told to me.
If you try it, let us know the result.

 

[William1]

Now...what I am going to tell you is one of those hearsay things.
According to a "source":
If you tap on the bone behind the ear for a minute of two the tinnitus should go away. Apparently this can be done with your finger tip.
I do NOT have tinnitus so I cannot verify this.
Just passing along what was told to me.
If you try it, let us know the result.

I've got tinnitus bad. Now I have a sore head and sore fingers too...

 

[Bulldog]

Do they carry Bush Hog anymore? If so, I wonder why such poor service?

Either way, time to go online. (Messicks, Coleman etc) Mostly likely faster too.

They are a registered bushhog dealer and do have some implements on their yard but keep nothing for parts. He couldn't even tell me what the belt number was or even a price. Said the password for the Bushhog account had been changed so he couldn't even look anything up.

Been 3 days and still not even a call back. I realize it's just a small part but as far as I'm concerned they've lost my business for good. The next closest dealer is about 40 miles away and is a little hole in the wall. Honestly didn't even know they were a Bushhog dealer. Called them up and within a few minutes knew the size, part number and he even had several in stock.

Only bad thing about this bunch especially this time if year if they have hay down they'll just close up shop and hit the field. Good bunch of guys but sometimes hard to work with their schedule.

 

[skeets]

It seems that tinnitus for most of us is from nerve damage, loud music working around heavy equipment in confined areas firearms all with our proper hearing protection as well as some disease related issues and the hair folicals and nerves with in the ear never regenerate, or so I have been told by the ENT doc. and tapping on the mastoid bone will do nothing more than give you a headache and make people wonder WHAT IS HE DOING???

 

[Creature Meadow]

Bad service seems to align with a boom in business around here. More the demand less the service!

My local Orange dealer is amazing. The dealer is 45 minutes from my house, not bad but does not align well with my standard work hours to go and get things I need.

So, I call my salesman tell him what I need and he provides a even number price. I leave money at the barn in the tool box and he drops off my stuff picks up the cash and leaves me a receipt and usually some hats.

Ran into him in the grocery store on Saturday, had my orange hat on and so did my daughter. Out of the blue he says Jay, just got a new shipment of hats in stop by or I'll bring you some.

He is awesome and his son plays on my daughters t-ball team.Told me to let him know next season what I need for a sponsor and he would take care of the jerseys and anything else we needed.

He is a good guy and makes sure his customers are happy even the ones that don't buy equipment from him, just parts or misc. things needed for service.

 

[Stmar]

"Oh and the original concrete company finally called back 2 weeks later, sorry I've moved on, oh and FYI the 4 other jobs have been moved too."

You must have been dealing with a relative of a contractor here. We wanted an addition and garage built, he came out and took some measurements and that was it. After not hearing anything for weeks I went with another guy. We were 3/4 of the way through the job, a few months, when I got a call from the original guy. I told him since I had not been able to get hold of him and had not heard anything I went with someone else and we were about through, it was coming on to winter, November. He had the gall to say "Oh, I wanted that job". That was when we first moved here and I have found that business model is more common than not. Learned to do quite a lot myself.

 

[D2Cat]

When he said, "Oh, I wanted that job", I would have told him "Not too bad, or you would have responded quicker. Thanks though, for touching base!" and get off the phone.