Lionel's Customer Service Courtesy:

To All,

I’m sorry, I know this will sound as an endorsement and I’ll be brow beatened for it, but I have to name the company and give them credit.

This week I had an occassion to call Lionel’s Customer Service Dept. to order a part, as the original part, which is attached to a coke container load, was damaged. The coke container is a load which came with a mill gondola that I had purchased at my local hobby shop and the shop did not have a replacement part in stock.

Actually, I called the Technical Dept. and a gentleman was able to help me and in addition to him being courteous, he also, was very informative about model railroading.

This is not the first time, or the first Lionel personnel who was courteous and helpful to me.

I feel it neccessary to inform all of you, who purchase Lionel, besides other brands, that Lionel’s staff are helpful, kind, considerate and courteous.

Ralph

If you spoke to “John”, I can endorse your statement. I’ll be the first to say that, based on my experience, the Lionel Techs are polite but not ‘always’ cordial or ‘off-the-cuff’ knowledgeable and on a few calls I have been disappointed with their “assistance”. He is, however, a ‘positive’.

PS I dropped Lionel a note.

I too have had great service with Lionel. Can’t speak for the other places as I have not had the chance to call. Only issue I have had with the big “L” is that the hold time has been long on occasion. Besides that, they are great.

Dennis

I was holding off ordering parts, so they could get settled. I know how moving a large company can go…

Thanks for the update.

Kurt

To All,

Yes, John is the Tech. person I spoke with and he’s polite and knowledgeable of model railroading, among other subjects we spoke about.

I’ve had good experiences with the “Talk To Us” E-mail and at their Customer Service Dept. Ken is, also, polite, informative and helpful.

The bad experiences: at Cust. Serv. there’s an idiot who could care less about the job he’s lucky to have and the one telephone number to contact them at has the caller wait for a long time, from what I was told, is due to personnel shortages.

For the most part, I’m pleased with their service.

Ralph

I have had only one experience with the Lionel Service department and when I explained that there was not an authorized service station within fifty miles, they took very good care of me.

Buckeye Riveter,

You’re correct, many a time my local hobby shop does not have certain parts, or products on hand and I have to use Lionel’s “Cust. Serv.” for their help and most times they’re very helpful and understanding.

There’s a product which Lionel advertises in their catalogs and on their web site as having, in the packages, die-cast metal girders, when I contacted “Talk To Us” about the girders being light weight, I was informed that they’re made of a die-cast zinc metal.

Then, at a later time, “Talk To Us” E-mailed me back, that they made a mistake and apologized for it and told me that the girders are, in fact, made of plastic and all of their inventory stock is,also, made of plastic.

I told them to contact me, if and when they do produce the die-cast zinc metal girders with the price, so I may purchase them. The person who contacted me was apologetic, polite, informative, helpful and did their job in providing a service to me.

I also, informed my local hobby shop of this info. so that they’ll be prepared to have an answer for other customers, if the same item is bought and the same question arises.

I found out from my local hobby shop’s repair/sales person, who’s very knowledgeable about Lionel’s Post War ‘O’ & ‘O-27’ goodies, is that the die-cast zinc metal girders are too heavy compared to the plastic ones.

Take Care,

Ralph

Hah … 1,000 times better than MTH ! Don’t hold your breath on an MTH cry for help or advice … you’ll look like an egyptian mummy before they help … LOL . I always got fast and courteous help from lionel .

From what all you guys are saying, it sounds like Lionel is actually being helpful. Having a helpful service department is good for business.

Not something that I experianced about eight years ago when I called up about the 6-23011 O gauge switch, the Lionel person I talked to was so out focus with trying to comprehend the problem and refused to help me in any way, and that is why I swore off buying Lionel for a few years.

Lee F.