customer service

[Art2249]

Just going back through my receipts to see how much money I've spent in the past year. On June 29 I ordered 2

Click on image to zoom
EcoTech Marine
Radion XR30w G4 Pro LED Light Fixture
from Brs. Along with the rail and hanging hardware. I called to speak with a "reefing expert" named Adam and told him what I needed. unfortunately, when my order arrived they had sent the hanging kit for a single light fixture instead of the kit for hanging a rail. So I called back and asked if they could send the correct one and let me send the other one back. NOT BEFORE I PAID FOR THE NEW ONE. They credited me after I sent the other one back. Not a big deal really. And it's been 5 or 6 weeks since that happened. the reason I post about it now is because, like i said before Iwas adding up my receipts. So since January last year I have spent 8640.75 at BRS.

 

[ZoWhat]

This is called "cross shipping" bc the replacement part doesnt come from BRS but from the Mfgr directly.....BRS facilitates getting you the part but BRS is NOT going to FRONT the $ for the part until you send back the incorrect one.

This is all Industry Standard knowledge.

I worked 20+ yrs wholesaling computer parts for Compaq, HP, IBM, Toshiba, and EVERYONE in the industry understood "cross shipping" in the manner your issue was handled.

We handled things the same exact way you were handled.

Example: one of our top 10 accts was the State of California and they were buying over $1,000,000 in computer repair parts Quarterly....and we cross shipped like this

So....Not really understanding your complaint (?)

Spending $8k makes you a valuable customer but not to the point where they'll step outside industry standards of cross shipping.




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[Art2249]

Which makes my point that you don't understand. Customer service. Anytime somebody spends that much money with your company and you haggle over a $35 part, that's a problem. This can be an expensive hobby. Too often we mind up with stuff that has the quality of a cheap Chinese toy from Walmart, and then we get Walmart customer service on top of that.

 

[rockskimmerflow]

Which makes my point that you don't understand. Customer service. Anytime somebody spends that much money with your company and you haggle over a $35 part, that's a problem. This can be an expensive hobby. Too often we mind up with stuff that has the quality of a cheap Chinese toy from Walmart, and then we get Walmart customer service on top of that.

I'm not sure I understand the issue. They took care of the mix up and while you had to wait a couple days for the refund on the part in question, you were ultimately made whole. It wasn't until you realized how much money you had spent there that you got mad about it?? If I follow correctly? I'm not sure if I can offer any real commiseration if that's the case as I dont see how your spending 8.6k somehow is a reason you should be entitled to treatment beyond their policies or what would be offered to a new customer in the same situation. I doubt their sales reps look at someones total purchases record everytime they call just to see how much money youve spent and adjust their service level accordingly.

 

[Art2249]

I'm not sure I understand the issue. They took care of the mix up and while you had to wait a couple days for the refund on the part in question, you were ultimately made whole. It wasn't until you realized how much money you had spent there that you got mad about it?? If I follow correctly? I'm not sure if I can offer any real commiseration if that's the case as I dont see how your spending 8.6k somehow is a reason you should be entitled to treatment beyond their policies or what would be offered to a new customer in the same situation. I doubt their sales reps look at someones total purchases record everytime they call just to see how much money youve spent and adjust their service level accordingly.

Right. Their service level shouldn't have to be adjusted for anybody. I guess my point is this: we spend a lot of money, all of us. And we should get better quality and customer service. Not just from one company, but from the industry as a whole. I remember this same felling i had years ago. As customers, we should all demand it.

 

[Art2249]

Or you could look at it another way. I take your $2000 order and don't send you the correct items. then I'm too tight to go ahead and send a $35 part to make it right.

 

[ZoWhat]

Their service level shouldn't have to be adjusted for anybody. I guess my point is this: we spend a lot of money, all of us. And we should get better quality and customer service

Quit trashing BRS for their policy which is industry standard. BRS is a 5star e-tailer

You have buyers remorse for spending more than you should have..

....and want "added value" thru goldplated service that you dont deserve. You got a great light at a great low overhead price. I'm sure that light at a brick n mortor store would have added 25-30% to your total bill

Sounds like a bunch of crybabying you didnt get the part overnighted with a $25 BRS Gift Card for "your trouble".

I say bonk. Sorry just my opinion....



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[Art2249]

Actually that light at lfs is the same price, but you have to pay sales tax. Not even worried about the money aspect. The only reason i looked it up was curiosity. You still don't see the issue here, which is the "industry standard". After retiring from the construction industry I worked at Home Depot for 5 years while I coasted over the finish line. The thing I learned there was that as customers we should demand good service. Maybe there's just not enough competition in the aquarium industry. At HD all the employees are empowered to do markdowns for customer satisfaction. One time a young woman and her mother needed plumbing parts for their trailer after a big freeze. i could tell they were poor. She didn't have the money for everything she needed. i walked her to the register and payed for it out of my own pocket. First time i've ever told anybody about that. But to me that is what good customer service is all about. And as a customer i reserve the right to point out when a company fails in this regard. Even if it is your favorite online retailer.

 

[ZoWhat]

At HD all the employees are empowered to do markdowns for customer satisfaction

That's assuming you can find a HD employee who's not behind the Pro Desk on the phone. Any HD employee I see in the isle is most likely shuffling quickly to the breakroom.

Where I live there are about 8 HDs and I've noticed every year the amt of employees that are avail is dwindling every year bc a HD cant compete with Amazon unless people need the part that day, that hour.

So.... BRS.... dont shop them anymore if you're so motivated to post your issues




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[andrewkw]

Hearing you complain about this honestly makes me more inclined to shop at BRS not less. They made a mistake and corrected it. They shouldn't have to pay for it further then making it right. This goes for everything aquarium and beyond.

 

[jrill]

I have found BRS to be top of the game in customer service. Just last week I had a part arrive damaged. I emailed them and the replacement was in the mail that day.

 

[Art2249]

That's assuming you can find a HD employee who not behind the Pro Desk on the phone. Where I live there are about 8 HDs and I've noticed every year the amt of employees that are avail us dwindling every year bc a HD cant compete with Amazon unless people need the part that day, that hour




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I can tell you it all depends on the district manager and store manager. It certainly wasn't like that at my store. having said that, maybe that is the "industry standard" for HD in your area. In which case you should demand better service as a customer. They have a hotline and i assure you the managers don't like hearing from Atlanta.

 

[Art2249]

Hearing you complain about this honestly makes me more inclined to shop at BRS not less. They made a mistake and corrected it. They shouldn't have to pay for it further then making it right. This goes for everything aquarium and beyond.

I still shop at BRS. Mostly they do have good customer service. All the stuff I've bought there this was the only time I wasn't satisfied. You shouldn't have to repay for an item when they messed up the order. They could have easily sent the part and credited my account when they received the return.

 

[ZoWhat]

They could have easily sent the part and credited my account when they received the return.

Let's use your HD as an example: you buy a $600 lawnmower. you get it home and it wont start.

you go to HD and tell them to GIVE you AT NO CHARGE a 2nd lawnmower....and you'll just bring back the 1st lawnmower whenever you get around to it.......

Sound fair to HD?

You think HD is going to let you load a 2nd lawnmower in your vehicle with the 1st one in your garage?



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[Art2249]

If it was a $35 part on a $2000 order I would have gave it to you and not even mentioned the return. Especially if I was the one that sold you the wrong item.

 

[ZoWhat]

If it was a $35 part on a $2000 order I would have gave it to you and not even mentioned the return. Especially if I was the one that sold you the wrong item.

Wow

At HD you buy a $600 lawnmower but you bought the wrong sparkplug

You take back the wrong sparkplug and you expect HD to say...."aaaeeee since you just bought the $600 lawnmower, here's the correct sparkplug for FREE...and just keep the wrong one too"

Wow. We're on two completely separate pages on biz life




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[Art2249]

If it was a $35 part on a $2000 order I would have gave it to you and not even mentioned the return. Especially if I was the one that sold you the wrong item.

Exactly. That's what I'm talking about. Except that they sold you the wrong sparkplug, you didn't pick it out. but even if it was your fault, i still would have gave it to you and thanked you for shopping at the HD. In 5 years at HD I probably marked down 10k, probably more, and I was promoted. After I got promoted i was routinely called to the service desk to approve markdowns and returns. if a customer was unhappy I would offer them 10% on their order. We often took back used items that were broken etc. i even took back materials that had been cut in half. I don't see how you think that's a WOW. It's just good customer service. And yes a lot of customers take advantge of that. But the good customers spend enough in your store to more than make up for it.

 

[saltyhog]

Sorry you had a bad experience with BRS. My experience has been quite different. Very few (if any) mistakes that I can recall and customer service that's been impeccable.

Everyone makes mistakes occasionally and I hope this won't sour you on one of the best suppliers of reefing equipment out there.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Just my 2 cents but I had a similar issue with BRS. I ordered an Ecotech Vortech MP10, and when it came in the controller was faulty. It wouldn't boot up. It flashed red and then quit. So BRS sent me a return label and I sent it back, and when they received the defective one they shipped out a new one. I couldn't have been happier with the customer service I received from them. It's been my experience that whether you spend $10 with them or $10,000 dollars with them, they treat everyone the same. BRS has been nothing but good to me and will continue to exclusively get my business when it comes to dry goods. I can completely understand why the policy is the way it is, and if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. I am in no way, shape or form, implying or saying that you would steal or be dishonest to a company, but unfortunately there are people out there that do try. But say someone orders a $300 pump. It comes in and they call them up claiming its defective. So they send them out another one...and that's the last they hear from them. Now they're out a $300 pump and that person now has two pumps for the price of one. Because if BRS were to try charging the persons card for the second pump, that person could argue it with their credit card company and getting the charge reimbursed.
I work for a car dealership in the parts department, and occasionally a defective part goes out. Customer will take the part, install it on their vehicle, only to find out that the part doesn't work. So they drive the vehicle in with the part still on the car and request a new one. I charge them for the new one and when they bring the defective part back I'll credit them. I can't just hand out a new part with the assumption that A) the part that the customer got is actually defective or B) they'll "promise" to bring back the old part.
My boss would have my hide if I just handed out parts.

 

[Art2249]

Just my 2 cents but I had a similar issue with BRS. I ordered an Ecotech Vortech MP10, and when it came in the controller was faulty. It wouldn't boot up. It flashed red and then quit. So BRS sent me a return label and I sent it back, and when they received the defective one they shipped out a new one. I couldn't have been happier with the customer service I received from them. It's been my experience that whether you spend $10 with them or $10,000 dollars with them, they treat everyone the same. BRS has been nothing but good to me and will continue to exclusively get my business when it comes to dry goods. I can completely understand why the policy is the way it is, and if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. I am in no way, shape or form, implying or saying that you would steal or be dishonest to a company, but unfortunately there are people out there that do try. But say someone orders a $300 pump. It comes in and they call them up claiming its defective. So they send them out another one...and that's the last they hear from them. Now they're out a $300 pump and that person now has two pumps for the price of one. Because if BRS were to try charging the persons card for the second pump, that person could argue it with their credit card company and getting the charge reimbursed.
I work for a car dealership in the parts department, and occasionally a defective part goes out. Customer will take the part, install it on their vehicle, only to find out that the part doesn't work. So they drive the vehicle in with the part still on the car and request a new one. I charge them for the new one and when they bring the defective part back I'll credit them. I can't just hand out a new part with the assumption that A) the part that the customer got is actually defective or B) they'll "promise" to bring back the old part.
My boss would have my hide if I just handed out parts.

As i said before, I still shop at BRS. And they usually do have good customer service. But IMO this time they didnt. You guys keep bringing up $300 pump or a $600 lawnmower. We're talking about a $35 part here. Going back to the lawnmower. You cmae into my store and bought a lawnmower. It didn't include the spark plug. You ask me which one and i say this one. So when you get home and you're all fired up about getting your grass cut, the sparkplug didn't fit. When you come back to my store you're already upset that i sold you the wrong item. I want you to leave my store with a smile on your face. A sparkplug is a small price to pay for that smile.