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Customer Service: The good, the bad and the ugly!

258 messages,  Last post on Aug 04, 2008 at 8:43 AM

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Messages Page 22 of 26

#209 of 258 Craftsman... by turboshadow

Sep 21, 2006 (7:10 am)

Two good tales:
 
1) My dad and I were working on something back in the 80s, and an old Craftsman rachet wrench had the ratchet mechanism fail. It was one of the really old ones that ou flipped over to get it to ratchet the other way. I told dad he ought to return it to sears, and he refused. When I asked him why, he said, "I don't think they had that policy when you grandfather bought this ting back in the 20s."
 
2) When I lived in GA, a friend of mine returned a wrench to the local Sears for replacement. While there, he noticed a 1 1/2" drive socket wrench. He told the salesman that he'd never have to replace that one. The salesman said he had replaced one just like it a few days before.
 
Apparently, this man bought some property in northern GA that had some old mining equipment, and was trying to remove some of it. He put his 1 1/2" drive socket wrench on it and started heaving. The bolt wouldn't budge.
 
He put a 12 foot length of pipe over the wrench handle and started heaving. The bolt wouldn't budge.
 
He chained his K10 Blazer to the 12 foot pipe and carefully tensioned the chain, and hit the gas. Te bolt wouldn't budge.
 
But the wrench broke and Sears replaced it.
 
Turboshadow

#210 of 258 Re: Here's a vintage horror story... [jlawrence01] by isellhondas

Sep 21, 2006 (7:37 am)

Replying to: jlawrence01 (Sep 20, 2006 5:04 pm)
I spent almost 20 years in the tool business and I can tell you that the majority of tools that break are strictly due to abuse.
 
And, usually they guys who break the most tools are the worst mechanics!

#211 of 258 Re: Here's a vintage horror story... [isellhondas] by british_rover

Sep 21, 2006 (7:47 am)

Replying to: isellhondas (Sep 21, 2006 7:37 am)
Yup that is true. The entire time I ran my shop I can only think of four hand tools that actualy broke. Two were ratchets that had the ratchet part snap and both were over 20 years old.The just broke from age and being used many times a day.
 
One was a open ended wrench that had one end snap off. It snapped off because someone was using it locked up with two other wrenches to pry on something.
 
The last one that broke was a socket that had been hammered onto a damaged bolt and ended up spliting down the side from the force of the hammer.

#212 of 258 Re: Here's a vintage horror story... [isellhondas] by imidazol97

Sep 21, 2006 (8:57 am)

Replying to: isellhondas (Sep 21, 2006 7:37 am)
I broke a screwdriver trying to pry loose the brake drum on a 1961 Chev beater car (in 1979). Sears guy laughed when I asked if it was still warrantied because I was misusing it--he said pick whatever size off the rack you want to replace it with. I picked an even larger sized one. They kept a happier customer because of their approach.
 
I did cut up my Sears card over poor paint quality later.

#213 of 258 Re: Here's a vintage horror story... [isellhondas] by mikefm58

Sep 21, 2006 (11:52 am)

Replying to: isellhondas (Sep 21, 2006 7:37 am)
" I spent almost 20 years in the tool business and I can tell you that the majority of tools that break are strictly due to abuse. "
 
Mine must be the exception. I have a fairly large Craftsman socket set and the 1/2 inch rachet has broken twice on me, most recently just last week. Craftsman quality isn't what it used to be, their lawn mowers are junk.
 
But Craftsman really ticked me off when they changed the battery charger socket for the batteries used in their power drills. The charger went and I couldn't find a new one, so with both batteries dead, the whole thing was worthless. I just bought a new cordless power drill set. Think I bought a Craftsman?

#214 of 258 Re: Here's a vintage horror story... [mikefm58] by jlawrence01

Sep 21, 2006 (2:24 pm)

Replying to: mikefm58 (Sep 21, 2006 11:52 am)
Craftsman quality isn't what it used to be, their lawn mowers are junk.
 
They have off-shored most of their tools. I am NOT saying that alone would lower the quality of the tools. However, they are using a cheaper quality of steel and that WILL make a difference over time.
 
I bought one of their oursourced pipe wrenches a few years back for a meeting. I was twisting the think in my hand and the hook jaw broke off ... no need for destructive testing.
 
Besides, the chairman of Sears Holding views himself as the next Warren Buffet and is unconcerned that his two brands - Sears and K-Mart - have declining sales month over month.

#215 of 258 Re: Here's a vintage horror story... [isellhondas] by jmonroe

Sep 21, 2006 (2:31 pm)

Replying to: isellhondas (Sep 21, 2006 7:37 am)
...And, usually they guys who break the most tools are the worst mechanics!
 
isell,
 
I agree.
 
Aren't these the guys that work by the motto:
 
"I COULDA HAVE FIXED THE DANG THING IF I HAD A BIGGER HAMMER"?
 
Yeah, I've met a couple of these guys too.
 
jmonroe

#216 of 258 Re: Here's a vintage horror story... [jlawrence01] by mac24

Sep 21, 2006 (2:49 pm)

Replying to: jlawrence01 (Sep 21, 2006 2:24 pm)
I bought one of their oursourced pipe wrenches a few years back for a meeting.
 
A management/union meeting perhaps?

#217 of 258 To get back on topic .... by jlawrence01

Sep 21, 2006 (5:54 pm)

From the archives of Wikipedia. A car company with a real guarantee:
 
In 1920, XXXXXX first selected independent local dealers as the best way to take his products to market. He insisted that all sellers of his products must give the consumer the best in parts, service, and satisfaction. Always sensitive to consumers, his products were often less expensive than other name brands, but were guaranteed. XXXXXXXX "money back guarantee" paved the way for some of today's most outstanding sales policies.
 
Any idea who this car manufacturer was?

#218 of 258 Re: Here's a vintage horror story... [mac24] by jlawrence01

Sep 21, 2006 (5:58 pm)

Replying to: mac24 (Sep 21, 2006 2:49 pm)
I bought one of their oursourced pipe wrenches a few years back for a meeting.
  
A management/union meeting perhaps?
 
I only work in non-union shops - either as a laborer or a manager. Life is too short for all that nonsense.
 
When I was in the tool business, we purchased EVERY tool that hit the market.

Messages Page 22 of 26

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