Customer service experience

[bret]

Every once in GREAT while I run across an experience that just has to be shared. I will attempt to relay this info as accurately and as non biased as possible and offer no additional editorial.
I have a Fuel Safe fuel cell in my 69 Mustang. Beautiful piece...expensive, but if you are ever upside down on fire...priceless!
A couple of nights ago I was trying to determine why my fuel gauge was not reading correctly...it read empty but I know [thought?] there was at least 5 gallon of fuel in the cell. The fuel level sending unit is installed [by Fuel Safe] in the top of the tank towards the front passenger side, accessible from the trunk. [in a Mustang the top of the gas tank is the trunk floor]. It is installed with the typical 5 machine screws that [I thought] threaded into a blind nut plate that was molded [again, I thought] into the bladder like the other bladder connections.
Anyway it seems as though the nutplate for the fuel sender is not molded in but loose and when the fuel level sender is removed the nutplate falls down inside the fuel cell.
I spent a day or so in therapy over this and then decided to call the company to see if there was a magic fix. Worst case I figured that I could get them to send me another nut plate so I wouldn't have to remove the cell, drain it, remove the foam, and find the original nut plate to install it. Several hours of messy work could be avoided if I could simply remove the nearby bolt-on fill plate and slip in a replacement nut plate.
It seems as though Fuel Safe will only sell through it dealers, none of which stock this service only part [they tell me]. The dealer could special order the part, but it may take a "few days" to process the order. By the way...they have a $100 minimum order policy. I may have attributed this bit of frustration to the methods of a single sales guy, but I went through 2 of them, Drew and Harold [who had answered questions for me before] and got the same "it's company policy" response.
I will now keep my promise of no additional editorial.
If you have made it this far...thanks for enduring my way-too-long vent.

[camcojb]

there are times when a simple "bending" of the rules would accomplish so much positive. I understand why the rule is in place, and how it protects their dealers. But I don't believe any of these dealers would be upset if they helped you out here either.

I had a local auto paint supply dealer do something similar as far as making a rule and not bending it when they obviously could. Instead they let a good customer walk who's spent nearly $10K on supplies with their competitor since. I actually mailed them copies of invoices for a while after that just to remind them of what they lost over a $30 part that they stocked but wouldn't take back due to a 7 day return policy.

Jody

[Autokraft]

Well last week I had to order a couple rubber bumpers for the back door of my enclosed car trailer which cost $8.00 each. The design of them kinda sucks since I seem to replace them once a year but when I ordered them this time the factory told me they have a $50.00 minimum order. I sure as heck was not going to spend 50 bucks on $16.00 worth of parts so I ordered three sets. I guess that will last me three years but it's still frustrating.

[ridetech bret]

Since I am [sometimes miserably] familiar with both sides of this situation, I have thought about this quite a bit. We have all had similar experiences as a customer. After some cussing and venting we all typically follow along like sheep and go on to the next project [as I will]. The only way to "passively resist" is to keep as many people informed as accurately as possible. I am fully aware that there are at least 2 sides to every story, and that I have only presented my side. As a business owner I can only hope that IF we ever treat someone in this manner we are made to answer for it. We deserve it.
I also think that the specific problem at any company who operates like this is simple ignorance. The people who make these policies simply don't have the "nuts and bolts" knowledge to make an informed decision...and the people eho DO havethat knowledge are not entrusted with the authority to do so. I can't believe that a company who otherwise make a clearly excellent product would readily approve of such a couterproductive policy.
I think the thing the bean counters miss is that we are all spending diposable income. this is not grocerys or medicine...no one NEEDS this stuff. It all exists for our collective amusement. If we are not amused, we will not spend. Pertty soon there will be no beans to count.

[camcojb]

there is a need for rules and policies in a business. But there's also a time to bend them a bit for the greater good of everyone involved.

I've been self-employed for 20 years of my life, and I've gone against policies several times, whenever I deemed it necessary. I think I made the right choice, both the customer and myself were happy in the end.

You want repeat customers and good word of mouth no matter what business you're in. It's too hard to keep disappointing customers and constantly have to look for new ones to replace them with.

Jody

[HAULNSS]

I have made some happy customers in my line of work for simply giving them the small part they need. Most places have minimums basically to cover the costs associated with printing an invoice. We have some strict accounting policies and audits that look at our less than $50 sales. It was stated that every ticket cost anywhere between $90-140 just to print the ticket, bill the customer and wait for payment.

We have a $50 minimum, but if a guy needs something under about $15, I just hand it to him and have the boss adjust it out of inventory. This has been great PR as some guys have come back to order much larger orders and asked to have the 'free' part I gave them added to it, as they really appreciate helping them in a time of need.

Some guys have just thrown some cash on the counter and said, "Here is a tip for you to by the guys some sodas".

I can't believe how some places operate.

Randy