trainguy4466 ........Bachmann Repair Center........ It’s a Repair Centre not a “Dispensary for Free Advice”, there is nothing worse than trying to trouble shoot problems over the phone, especially to a customer whose ability to actually carry out a satisfactory repair is not only problematic, but a lot less than they think. trainguy4466 , and wouldn't have if I didn't think I could fix the problem, Well you haven’t! trainguy4466 So what do you all think should be my next plan of action? Get off your high horse and do what the “horrible” Bachmann rep told you to do, send it back and get it fixed or repaired, and be grateful that such a facility is readily available. I should add that that I have had nothing to do with the Bachmann Repair Centre or its employees, but know from experience how hard it is to be polite to even well meaning “experts”. The Bear.
trainguy4466 ........Bachmann Repair Center........
trainguy4466 , and wouldn't have if I didn't think I could fix the problem,
trainguy4466 So what do you all think should be my next plan of action?
JaBear, I apologize if I came off as being on any kind of a "high horse". I completely understand that the repair center's customer service isn't there to troubleshoot via phone. The point of my calling was to simply ask if disassembly of the one individual truck was possible, and if not, whether or not I could order a replacement from their parts service (which shows the part in stock, I wanted to order via phone to ensure the replacement would be functional and to protect my card a bit more).
I didn't go into the conversation as saying "Hey I think I know more than you but clearly don't so tell me how to fix this" it was more of "Hey I'm having a problem with this one part, is there a way to get to the problem or can I order a replacement." I'm not asking him to try and work out the problem via phone. I've located the problem and am only asking how to get to it. This isn't "troubleshooting" in the sense of talking me through finding the problem. It's one simple question about one specific part.
I totally respect that it can be taxing to deal with customers via phone, however calling to determine whether or not a part can be fixed/replaced on an otherwise flawless model and being talked to in the manner I was seems out of line.
I didn't realize that calling them knowing what the problem was and admitting I didn't know how to get to it made me seem like an amateurish self-certified "Expert" I'm not an expert and don't claim to be.
When the same company that has this repair center and service also has a parts department that will allow me to replace the specific part that is broken for less than the cost of what it would take to send the model back in (which as far as I can tell I will be charged at least $20 to send the model in as I don't have the receipt of sale) However I can save myself from spending anything if I can access the inside of the truck so my inquiry was more along the lines of asking them whether or not this part was designed to be disassembled without specialty tools.
Also, this whole thing is about the WAY he said it, not WHAT he said. I understand he's not there to dispense advice and I wasn't asking for it so I find it surprising that you seem to be so confident that he was justified in his tone. I've been taught through my time in customer service postitions to always be polite to even the most difficult of customers. Additionally I've learned to be as polite as possible to the people in this field as I know from experience how challenging it can be. And I was. And his response was rude and uncalled for. I NEVER report or blast anyone or any company publically or to their superiors unless I feel that my treatment as a customer warrented it. And this is the first time I have ever felt that way.
It's best to avoid Bachmann altogether, unless you really like toys.
Aside from a few Amfleet I cars, My layout is Bachmann-free. Will never buy a Bachmann loco, not worth the trouble.
trainguy4466........Bachmann Repair Center........
trainguy4466, and wouldn't have if I didn't think I could fix the problem,
trainguy4466So what do you all think should be my next plan of action?
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
I've since sent an email to Bachmann citing the rudeness of the representative and requesting a replacement part so I may fix the issue myself
Instead of blasting them here, I would have reported it to Bachmann. The company is not going to stand for such poor representation. I'm sure they'll take care of you.
Jay
C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1
Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums
cacole Bachmann's policy always has been, "Send it to us for repair or replacement." I think that is even in writing on the warranty card that comes with the item, and is stated on their web site.
Bachmann's policy always has been, "Send it to us for repair or replacement." I think that is even in writing on the warranty card that comes with the item, and is stated on their web site.
I do not think the OP is calling into question the policy, but how this representative went about explaining it. Customer Service is supposed to be just that, "service". I do not mean Bachmann should bend over backwards, or adopt a "give the customer anything they want" approach, but the explanation of what they can or will do for a customer with a problem should always be handled politely and professionally.
Manners, however, are not a one way street. Whenever I am dissatisfied with a product and have to interact with a companies employees, I always start with "I need to vent a little about the problems I am having with your product. Please understand that I am not mad at or blame you, but I am quite frustrated with the situation." This has almost always met with understanding between the representative and me, and the ensuing conversation remains civil, even if the resolution offered is not what I had hoped.
In the rare circumstance that I do meet with "attitude" (we all have bad days), I politely request that I be allowed to speak to a manager. If the representative is still resistant, I politely end the conversation, hang up, and call back and ask for a manager immediately (but still politely).
That would be my suggestion for the OP's next step.
Chris Ballinger
Modeling the Clementon Branch of the Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines in HO scale
I understand that this is Bachmann's policy and it's completely understandable for them to request for me to send it back, however doing so in such an unneccesary and condescending tone is completely uncalled for and out of line. The Sales representative was the rudest person I've ever dealt with as a customer and even though he was explaining company policy he did it in a way that was so rude and inconsiderate that I will no longer be dealing with them on any level
I have never dealt with the Bachmann folks in the customer service department over the phone, but I exchanged a number of emails and found them friendly, responsive, helpful and fast. They even sent me a spare part - free of charge and shipping (to Germany!).
Normally I don't ever consider putting a model company on blast, especially online like this, but I had an experience with a Bachmann Repair Center employee that I think needs to be made known.
I've got a Bachmann 45 tonner that I have had since December, and have been having serious issues with the performance.
Yesterday one of the trucks fell off when I took it out of the box. I rolled the truck on the table to see if it was binding. it was so I tested the other truck and it ran well. Popping the panel off of the bottom of the truck I figured out that if I can get the truck apart to access the gearing I can fix it, as I've done similar jobs on other models. But the trucks on the 45 tonner are oddly constructed and I don't know how to get them apart, so I called Bachmann to see if I could order a new truck or if they could tell me how to take it apart and the guy basically said:
"Let me explain something to you. Let me tell you what you should have done. You should have put it in the box and sent it back to us before you went in and started messing around and playing around inside the engine. So find your sales receipt, put it in the box and send it back. Have a nice day."
I was appalled. I barely told him anything beyond "the truck fell off and I think it's binding, is there a way to disassemble it to clean the gears." I never even went into detail about specifically what I had done or if I had disassembled it or not. I didn't even get to ask if I could order another truck, which is what I figured I'd end up doing, thinking if I ordered it by phone they could make sure that the replacement worked properly. This is the rudest, most inconsiderate condescending representative I've ever spoken to. I understand that disassembly of the locomotive voids the warranty, and wouldn't have if I didn't think I could fix the problem, however this isn't the point. If a company of any kind, let alone a model train manufacturer thinks that this kind of behavior to customers is acceptable they are sorely wrong. With Bachmann's spotty at best quality control I'm not sure if I'll ever trust their products, but I'm totally sure I now want nothing to do with them on a customer service level. I'd rather deal with a third party repair company or anyone else really that's willing to speak to a customer in a decent manner.
So what do you all think should be my next plan of action? At this point I'd like to order another truck from their parts department, but I'd like to do it over the phone to ensure whatever they send me will actually work.