What happened to customer service?

[Firewrench22]

Y’all may have seen my post entitled Pow Bang when starting hot. After much research I decided the compensator was worn out. Took things apart, yes the 3 “spokes” on the compensator were missing a lot of meat. Plenty of metal in the primary oil, which had 6,000 miles on it. Bought a new Darkhorse Man-O-War comp. Also ordered a new primary chain, tensioner, and clutch hub bearing from my local stealer. I don’t think I could ever get the chain clean enough. Took a while for all the parts to come in. I get the supply chain disruptions from the Plague.

Took my clutch basket with new hub bearing to the service dept for them to press the old bearing out and new bearing in. Service writer says it might be 5 or so days. OK…after more than a week, I called today. They haven’t touched it. The regular SR was not available, the kid I talked to said he would look into it. Took him over a hour to even find it. I told him I would just cone and get it, I’ll find a press. Doesn’t even need to be a hydraulic press, the shop manual says an arbor press will work. He called me back 15 minutes later, says “we will get to it today”. This is 11:30 am. I call back at 5:00, they still haven’t touched it. WTF?? They only have 3 techs. He says they are all on big jobs. I am a 10 year loyal customer. I’m not asking for a Stage 4 kit and putting me in front of other customers. This is a 20 minute job. I told him I would be in tomorrow at noon, I’ll pick it up whether it’s done or not. I can find a press alright, but I figured they would have the proper fixtures to hold the flywheel/basket to make the job easy.

I’d really like to get back on the road and try out that Man-O-War comp…

Am I being unrealistic???

[Jack Klarich]

No you are not

This is a 10 minute job at best

I would have stopped what I was doing and done the job no doubt about it

THis is piss poor on that dealer, I would never darken their doors again, they have proved their word is no good

Any automotive shop near you could easily do this job for you, good luck with your project

[Mykneesbehurtin]

This is just poor customer service, if there are any small machine shops in your area they could do this job for about a half hour labor. First I would take it back from this dealer and get it repaired else where. Then reach out to the general manager and tell him that they thru their poor service dept have lost a 10 year customer, then stick to your guns and never go there again.

[rhino 2]

What happened to customer service.....The question might also be what Happened to ''Understanding Customers?......Every Morning when i got into my shop' I opened the door and I would promise to myself...I will not let any of my customers set me off i will smile and be nice....And around when the fifth one or so comes through the door and thinks that their job is more important then all the other jobs that i lined up for the Day/Week that's when the fight started.... ...

[DK Custom Products]

Not being unreasonable, but maybe a bit unrealistic given the current state of affairs.

I think a big part of the problem (not the entire problem) is the current mindset of entitlement...across most of the population.

How many folks today actually entertain the possibility that they may not have electricity at their house, may not have water come out of their faucets, may not have internet connection, etc. etc. Not many....folks believe it is their "right" as humans to have all these things.

How does that relate to Customer Service?

In the real world, without Customers, there is no business. I know that, and any logical thinking human knows that.

If no Customer pays a business any money, there is no money, there is no need for employees, there is no business.

Unfortunately things are all backwards in todays economy.

People think because they clock in at work, they are doing their job and should get paid. There is a fundamental disconnect in their thinking. Most do not realize they have to take care of the Customer, so the Customer will pay the company, so the company can pay their wages.

It's like the Dr. syndrome that some Doctors have. (where some Dr.'s do not realize that the patient is their Customer and should be treated as such, instead they talk down to their patients, acting like they, the Dr., will make decisions regarding the patients body with no regard for the patients input)....it is like that conceit has spread thru almost every industry.

There are still good Dealerships out there...but they are getting more rare.

Kevin

[Jack Klarich]

I can remember back in the mid 90s I was out riding and had a terrible front fork seal leak

I stopped in at a H D dealer about 150 miles from my home, checked in the service department. It was a slow day that day

So I asked if they had time to fix my FLHT, their first question was did you buy the bike from us?

I said no, but why should that matter, it is a new bike still under factory warranty

They said they were too busy and could not service my bike

I never stopped there again and I shared this info with my friends. We passed by this dealer every year on the way to Sturgis. I never spent a dollar there after the way they dissed me, nor did my friends

[PanheadSteve]

It's like the Dr. syndrome (where Dr.'s do not realize that the patient is their Customer and should be treated as such, instead they talk down to their patients, acting like they, the Dr., will make decisions regarding the patients body with no regard for the patients input)....it is like that conceit has spread thru almost every industry.

There are still good Dealerships out there...but they are getting more rare.

Kevin

There are a lot of good doctors out there too. I’ve worked with many for years

[Mykneesbehurtin]

I can remember back in the mid 90s I was out riding and had a terrible front fork seal leak

I stopped in at a H D dealer about 150 miles from my home, checked in the service department. It was a slow day that day

So I asked if they had time to fix my FLHT, their first question was did you buy the bike from us?

I said no, but why should that matter, it is a new bike still under factory warranty

They said they were too busy and could not service my bike

I never stopped there again and I shared this info with my friends. We passed by this dealer every year on the way to Sturgis. I never spent a dollar there after the way they dissed me, nor did my friends

About 7 years ago myself and a few buddies were on our way to Missouri and around Bloomington Ind my buddies 89 FLHS had his comp bolt come loose.So we made our way to the HD shop in Bloomington and pulled into the HD shop. Told the Service manager we were traveling to Missouri ,he said ok my techs are out to lunch so have a seat and give me a hour and a half. Sure enough 1 1/2 hours later we were back on the road, plus they gave my buddy a military discount.

[DK Custom Products]

There are a lot of good doctors out there too. I’ve worked with many for years

True that, and I have edited my post to communicate that I do not put all doctors into that category.

I have had some that have worked "miracles" on my behalf.

Thanks for pointing that out to me.

Kevin

[Firewrench22]

I bought my trike there. Not asking for special treatment and not feeling entitled. I’m a blue collar/steel toe guy. Just was looking for an honest “we can get to it” or “we are swamped, take a number and get in line”. Got neither.

Went there this morning and took the clutch basket back. They said “we could potentially get to it within hours”. I said no thanks, and I have to say that I DIDN’T give the kid a bunch of crap. Went to my old place of work that I retired from last year, pressed it apart, then discovered that the new bearing was wrong. My favorite parts guy at the dealer has retired recently. A new kid is in the parts dept. I always try to give the young bucks a chance, I was young once too. Same at NAPA. I’m always patient and let them learn.

I was laying in bed last night thinking about it. That bearing only comes into play when stopped with the clutch lever in. When in gear and moving, the basket and flywheel/hub are all one unit.

Luckily I didn’t destroy the old bearing, so I put it all back together. Feels smooth.

Got the trike back together this afternoon. Took it for a spin. That Man-O-War compensator is awesome. No big clunk when dropping it into gear. More of a “snick”. Shifting is way better, less clunky there too. No rattle when I shut it off either. I’m not in the habit of lugging it, but did lug it down in first gear one time, no rattle there either.

Color me a happy camper…now we can head south next month on schedule.

And BTW, the guy in front of me at service desk thought he had a bad cluch switch. He was dropping his Road Glide off. They told him they could get to it on Oct 1st. Holy Cow, I am so fortunate that I can do my own work!

[Firewrench22]

I also need to add that you Kevin, are one of the few old-school businessmen left that know what customer service is and I’ve seen you bend over backwards to remedy a problem. I have plenty of your products on my trike.

The only thing of yours I’ve taken off was the tank lift, when I put the 9 degree trees on for the 21” front wheel, the top of tank and inner fairing was too close together…