Tower Hobbies
#1
I used to purchase items from them on a very regular basis when I was into airplanes. They also sell MRR items. I ordered a few items from them recently, 2 USRA box cars, and some trees. The items I ordered where in HO scale. They sent me N scale. They tied them up in a plastic bag, which became a balloon, then stuffed them in a box that was about 10 times larger than what was needed, and added 3 more balloons for "package safety".
Then they sent them via UPS from Illinois to Michigan to a USPS facility to ship back to Illinois.
I received the items yesterday, only to find that they sent the wrong items, and one of the cars is destroyed due to their lousy packaging job. I have called them, and sent an email.
I have not received a reply to the email as of yet, and the girl who answered the phone told me a manager would call me back before the close of business, yesterday. Well, I have not heard back from the manager a full 24 hours later.
It is dissappointing. In today's economy, it would seem to me, that customer retention would be an important thing to consider.

Is it just me, or have companies forgotten that the economy is in the dumper, and customer service is all they have to rely upon to continue to generate revenue?

Let's take another example. Standard Hobby Supply. I have made several purchases from them. The last one they sent me an email stating that they only had one of the 2 cars on my order. The order consisted of a loco and 2 passenger coaches. I told them that as long as they had one car and the loco to process and ship the order. 3 days later, I had not gotten a follow up email, so I sent a polite request as to the status of the order.
The response was, "The car you are looking for has been sold so we canceled your order." That was the entire email. No thank you, no I'm sorry. Not a greeting, or closing. They may have canceled the order, but the charged my card. I am still waiting for that to be corrected. I have faith that it will get corrected, but they have lost a customer, as has Tower Hobbies.

It is my most sincere wish that these companies would correct the rectal-cranial inversion, and treat their customers better.

Matt
Don't follow me, I'm lost too.
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#2
Gee. And now you spread these expereinces to folks like us, who have purchases to make 357
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Kevin
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#3
An update, Tower Hobbies is trying to make things right. They are sending pre-paid shipping materials so that I can return the items.

Matt
Don't follow me, I'm lost too.
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#4
One of many reasons I have not purchased stuff that I cannot see and inspect, and why I don't purchase from those I don't know and can't trust.

There are honorable businesses out there, but they are often overshadowed by the uncaring and unprincipled few.
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#5
i used to buy nitro RC stuff from tower hobbies but they screwed me on some parts for my AE RC8 so i never bought another thing from them. Now for trains i use walthers or binge when train shows come to town.and for RC i have a hobby shop near by that gets my buisness,plus there very nice and helpful.but you are right, big companies are starting to care less and less about there customers. but for me,bachmann is an exception,there great.--josh
Women may not find you handsome,but they'll atleast find you handy--Red Green
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#6
What is it lately?
I have done mail order business for years, then it is Internet sales, and I have had great luck. I have hit a couple of bad dealers, but never major problems.
Now just 2 weeks ago a company I have done business with for 6 years (and been great) for computers and parts has really done a number on a friend I steered their way.
They bought a new computer from this outfit and it would not fire up right out of the box. This company made them return it at (the customer expense), has found a defective MB and is still messing around fixing it. It was 2 days to get the original order. This was my third computer referral to them, and if they do not make this right money wise, and get their service back to where it was, I will no longer shop there nor recommend them. This is tough because it is hard to find computer parts locally.
With tough economic times you would think they would want to keep business.
Charlie
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