Flowery reviews of major shops/gurus...

[ryan68bug]

I'm just curious as to how often people overly pad their reviews of shops and their related service when they post online reviews, as well as how often customers who are 'wheels' in the VW scene get slightly preferred service over Joe Schmoes like myself.

I say this only because I mailed off my carburetors a month ago and continue to wait for them to be done.  A week after they arrived (I never received any type of email confirmation; that would have been the only means since I didn't leave a phone number) I emailed and asked for a timeframe; at the time it was 15 days.  I checked in a week ago Monday, which would have been two weeks or better after my first email, and I was told I had six sets in front of mine, so it would probably be 5 to 7 days.  I emailed earlier this week (5/3, I think, on Tuesday) and was told "getting close, a few sets ahead still."

I understand that it is what it is in terms of the order of the line and all that, and that's fine.  Apparently there'd been some issues with an employee who had some kind of personal crisis and was off for several days a couple weeks ago.  Such is life, these things can't be predicted.

But when I read these posts about how a $20 order was treated like a $1,000 order, and how turnaround time was super fast (who defines what fast is?) and how the customer/poster was made to feel so appreciated, I'm inclined to disagree.  I don't particularly feel like my business is all that valued.  I'm sure when I get my carburetors back it'll all be worth it and they'll turn out awesome, but there's something to be said for better communication than me having to initiate any and all updates, I think. 
I've had experiences with other businesses where I truly felt like my business mattered, even if I was a Joe Nobody off the street.

Just wondering what other folks thought about this.  I'm not about to post this thread on the Samba, God knows what some of the big wheels over there would lambast me with in terms of chiding comments.  Lol.

[CatBox]

I have to say that is weighing in on my mind as I prepare to send off a large amount of money to one of the well known names on thedramba. 

You have his parts on your new engine as well.

I understand it must be frustrating to have almost no communication with someone that is holding (and holding up) what you do for fun outside of the grind.  It is supposed to be a release from the daily stress, not to add to it.

Sometimes they get big headed and think that their particular niche' is a needed item to survive.  It is not.  They are a part of most peoples hobby and that is most often in times like this the first thing to be cut from the budget or cut clean off and sold to fund real items of need.

A parts guy that I use for my '54 Bel Air gives me good deals as I am a repeat customer and he knows that it is the people like me that keep him able to do what he loves.

If I find someone that is truely deserving I will fire away with the good or bad comments to simply relate my personal experiance, so that others may take it or leave it...

Just like you are doing here.  Thanks for the info as I also have Dellorto 45's going on my car...

 

[ryan68bug]

That's EXACTLY my way of thinking.  On the plus side, the guy's quick to respond to emails.  Why he doesn't initiate them is beyond me... but to read some of the glowing reviews, I would expect a bit more in the way of customer service/communication... especially for what I'm going to end up paying in the end (300 plus bucks).

[coolblue57bug]

He is not initiating an email to you because he really has nothing to tell you. Do you really want him to email you often to tell you where you are in line? His business is a niche one, and yes he has cornered the market on it. If he had my carbs I would want him to take his time to get them right. You can't expect him to half ass someone else to get to your quicker. You said in your email it is what it is. Sometimes we just have to be patient. I would say that it sucks to have to wait when you have a race date coming up, but your tight time frame does not make an emergency on his part. If he is quick to reply to your email then that is good communication on his part if you ask me.

[CatBox]

Yes having patience is a good thing.

But a simple communication stating your items have been recieved would also go a long way to better serve the customer.  This can be carried out by a minion and not by the man his own bad self.  Just fill in the few blanks and push send.

So simple a caveman can do it.

 

[Nacho]

Yes having patience is a good thing.

But a simple communication stating your items have been recieved would also go a long way to better serve the customer.  This can be carried out by a minion and not by the man his own bad self.  Just fill in the few blanks and push send.

So simple a caveman can do it.

 

 

[TotallyVW]

You can't expect him to half ass someone else to get to your quicker.

Oh yes I can.   

I had a very similar issue with the Holley carb for my turbo build.  It took twice as long as estimated.  No emails on progress.  I think that is Ryan's issue.  Had the vendor said it would take 8-10 weeks from the start the expectation would have been just that.  But to over-promise and under-deliver is not good business and can leave potential return customers going some where else.  He's been doing this work for more than a few months and he should be able to estimate his work load better.  Even if an employee is out for a couple days in the middle unexpectedly.  Does UPS change it's delivery times because someone called in sick?  Don't think so.  The rest of the team steps up and gets the job done.  This is why customer keep coming back to UPS.  When you pay a premium price you expect premium service.  You cheap-out and go to DHL you get what you pay for.  300 bucks to fix 400 dollar carbs is a premium and it doesn't matter who you are.  You are spending good money you should get good service. 

I don't think the frustrations will end.  THese guys will continue to abuse the VW community because there is always another schmuck right behind you.  (don't take offense, I was/am one of the schmucks)

[ryan68bug]

Oh yes I can.   

I had a very similar issue with the Holley carb for my turbo build.  It took twice as long as estimated.  No emails on progress.  I think that is Ryan's issue.  Had the vendor said it would take 8-10 weeks from the start the expectation would have been just that.  But to over-promise and under-deliver is not good business and can leave potential return customers going some where else.  He's been doing this work for more than a few months and he should be able to estimate his work load better.  Even if an employee is out for a couple days in the middle unexpectedly.  Does UPS change it's delivery times because someone called in sick?  Don't think so.  The rest of the team steps up and gets the job done.  This is why customer keep coming back to UPS.  When you pay a premium price you expect premium service.  You cheap-out and go to DHL you get what you pay for.  300 bucks to fix 400 dollar carbs is a premium and it doesn't matter who you are.  You are spending good money you should get good service. 

I don't think the frustrations will end.  THese guys will continue to abuse the VW community because there is always another schmuck right behind you.  (don't take offense, I was/am one of the schmucks)

That's EXACTLY what I'm all about, Mark.  The guy should/could have given me an update if the timeline was going to be longer than initially posted at the very least... that's all I would ask.  But to be told one thing and then learning two weeks later that it's going to be longer is just a wee bit frustrating... I really don't mind missing the May 15 race, as I have some other things on the car to do as of yet (Mother's Day weekend was an off weekend for me to go spend time with family in Klamath Falls) and it's not like I'm a serious hardcore racer.  Lol.
I guess my expectations, reasonably, or unreasonably, from the feedback I read, were perhaps a bit on the high side. 

Got that linkage piece, Mark, I'll shoot a few bucks off to you in the mail this week!  Thanks again!

[ryan68bug]

Next week will be the six week mark, and I will likely initiate contact again by Friday if I don't hear from him first.  The initial estimate was 15 days, then 5 to 7 days when I checked in two weeks ago and a week ago Tuesday I was told there were still a few sets ahead of mine... By next Friday it will be 34 days since the carbs hit his doorstep, I think that's probably a reasonable opportunity to check in for a status update.

[CatBox]

Yuckie....

 

[corradojeff]

your better then the customers that call in to me atleast.... they call in wanting to check the status of their repair. I ask when we recived the product in... they usually say "you should be getting it today"....well then sir...we got your stuff in today, thats all the update i have...

feel your frustration, hopefully the end will justify long time delay

[LooseNuts]

Was there another reputable place to send the carbs to that you would have felt comfortable sending them to.

There are only a couple that deal with specific carb rebuilds of high quality. if the answer is no them patient my friend.
yes its sucks and communication would be of the utmost respect.

[ryan68bug]

I have the utmost in confidence that the wait will be well worth it.  I don't know anybody else that could/would work on them for what's needed.  As Mark pointed out earlier, it's just a matter of providing a reasonably accurate timeline/timeframe.  This isn't this guy's first rodeo, by any stretch. My only point of frustration is the fact that he keeps throwing out likely dates of completion and, so far, not one of them has been anywhere near accurate.  I'm thinking I may just hold off on contacting him until the end of the month to see if he contacts me first... In my last correspondence, I asked him to let me know when they're done and also in the event of any unforeseen problems.  At the end of May it'll be eight weeks even, or close to it.

I will provide full feedback on the service once it's all said and done, and will include my thoughts related to the constantly evolving finishing date.  I'm sure some of the guys on the Samba will jump my ass over any thing critical, but by that stage I feel it's justified.

[coolblue57bug]

To be honest I think your concerns of communication are very justified. I think most of us have learned that when you are dealing with people who specialize in fixing things that are no longer made you need to be patient. They stopped making dellortos in the early 90's so they are kind of getting hard to come by, and repair.  I don't think that Art is really worried about any negative feedback you may give involving his communication. It is what it is. This is a good lesson to all of us that if we need work done by him to plan on not getting them back very quick. That said anyone who does the same type of work will take their time to get your stuff right (as well as all the parts in line in front of you). Concern yourself more with the finished product as they will kick ass!!!

[ryan68bug]

Yeah, it's not like I'm going to go off on a scathing rampage like some of the idiots on the Samba.  Only point out that a little better accuracy in timeframes/deadlines would be nice to see.  So many people complimented the guy on his timeliness and fast turnaround that I figured maybe it would be two or three weeks tops, but maybe those other folks' standards for turnaround time is different than mine.

One of the biggest fears I have anymore is that some vendors prioritize customers based on whether or not they're a "wheel" in the industry.  I could be dead wrong in that thinking, but I'm sure it happens sometimes with some businesses (not saying that's the case here).