I got in touch with both Modeltrainstuff and NCE yesterday with what I believe is a basic question about an NCE product and in both cases I was going to get a call back and I was never called back. I am astounded at what appears to be poor customer service from two supposedly venerated sellers in the hobby.
Personally I think you are being overly melodramatic by using the word “astounded”. I can’t tell you how many times I have not been called back by a whole host of businesses, including MBK, Home Depot, umpteen contractors we are trying to get cost estimates from.
Edit: LOL, good point Tom. Could be MBK was closed or short staffed on the holiday.
bearman,
Yesterday was a holiday for some folks and businesses (MLK Day). And sometimes theses business are getting ready for or just got back from train shows on the weekend. Give them another day to get back to you then call again.
Tom
Or, you could have asked your question here. The odds are high that someone would have given you the answer by now.
Don
I asked my question here, 100+ views, no responses
MBK was not closed. They answered the phone and if they were short staffed, I could understand that if they told me. I am ready to spend 300$, if that is not enough for a call back then I guess I am a cheapskate when it comes to their revenue stream.
riogrande…I can go to the Home Depot down the street. As for contractors, I will not do business with one that will not return my calls. I am about to spend 5500$ on a home improvement, I got 4 estimates, and I am going with the contractor that answered my call and talked to me. Customer service is important as far as I am concerned. If someone, I dont care who, is not going to honor their commitment then I do not care to spend my money with them.
And while I was not in retail when I was working, my father owned a store, which I worked at, and he practised total quality management before it was all the rage, even though he did not know what the concept was all about.
Bear,
Thanks for your answer. I didn’t know if you actually talked to someone, or merely left a phone message. Sometimes when someone says they “contacted” a business it can mean either one.
Tom
Tom, I talked to a real person, in both cases. I can understand about leaving a message and not getting a call back. In the latter case I can understand why there would be no call back.
I’m not familiar with the NCE setup, but here are the SB5 instructions. The diagram looks like your drawing.
file:///home/generic/Downloads/SB5%20Manual.pdf
Bearman, your statement here made me feel frustrated for you so I went to look for it, but can’t find a thread you posted that got no responses. I only looked about a year back in your profile, so maybe I missed it?
Check the DCC forum as of a day or two ago. Just got one response from South Penn a few minutes ago and I responded. That post is up to 130 +/- views, one response. South Penn was trying to be helpful, and I appreciate it.
I guess it depends on where you live. In northern Virginia, it’s the norm to not hear back from contractors so I’d guess if you refused to do business, you wouldn’t get much work done. My guess is conditions around here are like that because there is so much business and contractors are so busy, they don’t need to call you back. I mean, why else? If they were hungry and needed the money, they would call you right?
Let me give you an example. We need our hardwood floors re-finished. We have tried to get at least 4 or 5 contractors to give us an estimate during the past 4-5 weeks, so far only one estimate in hand. One guy answered my wife saying he was in Florida playing baseball. Since he returned, we’ve played phone tag a bit and decided he must be too busy. A couple of others seem to be taking their time.
Hey, I understand how you feel, I really do. I’ve just found in this area you have to chase people up or you don’t get anything done. Sad but true.
Anyway, I’ve tried to call MBK before and not got callbacks too on days they were open. Well, again, business is good for them so if you aren’t happy about having to call them back again, vote with your wallet - problem solved for you right?
Anyway, re: MBK, with a little imagination you can guess why you didn’t get a call back and then not feel “astounded”. They could be short staffed and busy and not had a chance. I’ve noticed during the past year MBK’s staff is reduced a lot from what it was a few years ago when I have visited the store in person.
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Oh man, I feel your pain here.
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Between Home Depot and contractors poor customer service combined, I am about ready to lose my mind.
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Spending thousands of dollars on home improvement is not enough to get a call back I have found out.
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-Kevin
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LIONS seldom call back. LIONS have big furry paws and so it is hard to manipulate the crank on the telephone.
Yes, we had a crank phone here. Our telephone number was “15”
As a matter of fact it is STILL “15” they just added a bunch of numbers in front of it a few at a time. It became 3315 and then 974-3315 and now it is 701 974 3315, but the 15 is still the same number ever since they used barbed wire and fence posts for their connections. Now we have fiber optic. Copper wire is all gone. Fiber Optic for everything, telephone, TV and Internet. Pretty good for a little rural co-op eh?
Oh, calling back… “Take two of these and call me in the morning.”
Get the name of him to whom you spoke, write it down. Everypone I call gives me a tracking number, but then I’m a big time LION. (Color me important). [Not]. Chat on the website works good. But REALLY… Have you EVER tried to call Microsoft. Or worse yet Google!
When I contact TrainWorld, I alwas send an e-mail. Methinniks that is the best way to make contact.
or just stand at the edge of the savana and ROAR
ROAR
If a contractor doesn’t call you back you don’t want to do business with them. It means they are to busy. When I worked for an electrician and business was booming and we had more work than we could handle we would bid jobs we didn’t want to take three times higher than they should have been and we would still get the job. It’s a boom or bust industry.
As for buying model railroad equipment, there are several dealers all selling the same products. Shop around until you find another dealer you like.
But I agree that customer service isn’t what it used to be. Recently I bought my girlfriend some expensive makeup online and I e-mailed their customer service regarding it. They took three weeks to answer my e-mail even though they e-mailed me advertising every single day.
Hehehe… I was thinking of Professor Lupin chewing out Harry for using that map while there were still enemies aboaut.
ROAR
Not taking sides here, but many retail places as well as factories are short staffed, especially on Mondays. This day is always the busiest for any business as they’re trying to catch up from the weekend, phone messages and more. I’ve waited more than a day for a call back from NCE and when they did call, they apologized for the delay. I’m on the sales side, and never call any customer on a Monday due to the scearios I stated above.
I hope that whatever issue you were having with NCE didn’t stop you from doing other things. We have many other things in our lives that we can stress over. Besides, some things are worth waiting for in our hobby. MBK is a great supplier to the hobby, so maybe give them the benefit of the doubt unless this has happened to you with them multiple times…
Neal
I think a customer rebellion is in order. Like on MASH, my most favorite TV show of all time, when Hawkeye started a rebellion against the mess tent menu, liver or fish. Seriously, I can undersatnd boom or bust for some industries like the construction related trades…heck I got some work done really cheap a few years ago when things were slow around here. But the model railroad business???
Actually Neal, the answer is no. Until now, I have never had any issues with MBK. Which is why I was surprised about this latest incident.
LOL. “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.” My wife just picked up a T shirt with that saying on it at a shop over the weekend. It seems to be a long term theme here at MR forums - well, should we be surprised with so many grumpy old men? =D Or grumpy old men in training? Raise hand.