[Resolved] THULE / Epic Failure/Disgusted

[GLuvsMtb]

ok so I buy my canon camera from Game instead of Orms as it was R200 cheaper at Game on special and 2 weeks later the auto focus on my lens breaks down. I take it to Orms for replacement since the cameras come from the same place. Orms takes the trouble to test every lens and every camera body to ensure that these are not damaged in transport. Game probably throws the boxes around in the store room prior to packing it out on the floor. I am now upset when Orms refers me back to Game and I tell the world that Orms are the bad guys here.

[Skylark]

I think everybody understands that many brands don't take ownership of their brand, ie it's just a consumer item once you've bought it its your problem and whoever sold it to you's problem. Some brands aren't like that, if you can show, ie an invoice that you bought it from a authorized dealer and it's a warrantable issue, they'll give you support at any service center they run. Those brands win, Thule obviously not one of those brands

 

The fact that the cycle shop legitimately referred the guy to the Thule shop who didn't feel the need to sort the problem out on the spot compounds the display of lack of customer service integrity. Ok they are within their rights, well look how that attitude turns into a pr failure. The problem was a factory defect for crying out loud, could have been dealt with on the spot with one phone call , but no not Thules problem.

Ok well its actually probably Thule SA's franchise agreement that is a failure!

 

 

[awesme]

If you gonna use an analogy lets use it correctly. This would have been game and a dedicated, concept Canon store.

 

This was not game and Makro, this was Cyclelab, a general bike shop selling everything bike related and a brand specific, sells nothing else, would not have hurt, cost nothing shop and could only have improved the brand, their sole brand and their reputation.

 

Guess going to a Thule shop to get support on a brand new Thule product (factory fault) was just to much to ask.

 

G

 

ok so I buy my canon camera from Game instead of Orms as it was R200 cheaper at Game on special and 2 weeks later the auto focus on my lens breaks down. I take it to Orms for replacement since the cameras come from the same place. Orms takes the trouble to test every lens and every camera body to ensure that these are not damaged in transport. Game probably throws the boxes around in the store room prior to packing it out on the floor. I am now upset when Orms refers me back to Game and I tell the world that Orms are the bad guys here.

Edited August 25, 2013 by awesme

[reactor_sa]

I phoned Cyclelab and we agreed since this was a electrical problem that Thule prob best to resolve, I was told that all I'd need to do is proceed to Ceedar square and take my invoice along.

 

 

My view, importer has nothing to do with this, This is a Thule product, Thule should service/support it with no question,

 

Analogy, Audi is brought in by Audi SA, and then sold by Audi dealerships, are you aware that the Audi dealerships actually belong to either Barloworld or Mcdulings. Have you ever heard of a Audi dealer saying well this was bought from Barloworld, we're part of Mcdulings, take it back to the other dealer, no. They are expected to support the Audi product, as a Audi dealer, if it meant they had to replace something, then they take it up with Audi, the importer,

 

Same here, The Thule shop should support the product, as a licensed dealer, if they had to replace something, then take that up with their supplier, this should be part of the dealer agreement.

 

I was gonna be down the road from Boksberg branch, so plan was to pop in there, simple, got told no interest, After speaking to Cyclelab and they said just pop into Ceedar square (got the impression they had a arrangement if they had problems with Thule units that they refer clients there, since I was told to take by Cyclelab invoice along)

 

G

Not a good analogy at all.

The Audi dealership is able to claim their expenses involved in solving a problem under warranty from Audi south Africa, or from the owner if not under warranty.

With the bike carrier there is no profit after the initial sale. Ie. There's nothing in it for the shop you didn't support in the first place.

[AndrewH]

Take it back to cyclelab. Why make it someone else's problem? There service is normally top notch.

[awesme]

I did (CL), and as always, it was, problem resolved, they went as always above and beyond,

 

Never questioned the type of service I would have gotten from CL, I was hoping the brand appointed, sole brand sold by shop (reputation solely based on the brand) would have wanted to even try and help, there was many way's they could have, instead it was test product, confirm problem, ye something wrong, now leave, go to CL.

 

I go back to what service we expect/except in this country, compared to the rest of the world.

Lets close this subject, no sense in continuing,

 

G

 

Take it back to cyclelab. Why make it someone else's problem? There service is normally top notch.

Edited August 25, 2013 by awesme

[Skinnyone]

comes down to skills available, Thule/Cyclelab/bosal should know that its a matter of swopping the wires in the plug to sort the problem out.

 

It peeves me when everyone wants to point fingers at "service levels" in this country and compare to the rest of the world - go live in the rest of the world then and get the perfect levels of service you so desire - you'll also find out that things cost more there - why? because the shops (not just LBS) pay the staff what they are worth.

Edited August 25, 2013 by Skinnyone

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I did (CL), and as always, it was, problem resolved, they went as always above and beyond,

 

Never questioned the type of service I would have gotten from CL, I was hoping the brand appointed, sole brand sold by shop (reputation solely based on the brand) would have wanted to even try and help, there was many way's they could have, instead it was test product, confirm problem, ye something wrong, now leave, go to CL.

 

I go back to what service we expect/except in this country, compared to the rest of the world.

Lets close this subject, no sense in continuing,

 

G

 

I am with you here awesome, its got less to do with the retailer and more to do with service support. Your analogy with Audi is perfectly correct, and one can expand on this further by including Yamaha, and any of the bike brands, also include Sony and various others.

 

What should you have done if you say for instance were here on vacation and bought the product because you felt like it, but lived in Durban? Should you now load it into your car and drive 7 hours back to have it attended to.?

 

I dont think so, people today are mobile, we buy products in one city and live in another, even sometimes other countries, its time suppliers start supporting the brand they represent, not the location.

[Tumbleweed]

What is the business model for the Thule outlets? Are they owned by Thule SA? Or are they franchises? What I'm getting at is that you can't demand a free meal at Spur in Boksburg if you got a bad meal at the one in Midrand.

[Big H*]

 

 

I am with you here awesome, its got less to do with the retailer and more to do with service support. Your analogy with Audi is perfectly correct, and one can expand on this further by including Yamaha, and any of the bike brands, also include Sony and various others.

 

What should you have done if you say for instance were here on vacation and bought the product because you felt like it, but lived in Durban? Should you now load it into your car and drive 7 hours back to have it attended to.?

 

I dont think so, people today are mobile, we buy products in one city and live in another, even sometimes other countries, its time suppliers start supporting the brand they represent, not the location.

 

We have a desensitised screwed up consumer society. We allowed the suppliers to degenrate to the pathetic levels of responsibility we have at present. I recall my Marmite lens cap for my Olympus canera. Nobody stocks them and nobody really cares. Dions Wired sells the camera. I could not get a spare battery. The corner guy that owns a camera soppie could get one for R800 but with a three week delay. I ordered two batteries, lens cap and four Tiffen UV filters of various sizes from the good ole U of SA and paid R625.00 shipping and VAT included and received it delivered at my front door four days later.

 

I am a confirmed internet ordering junkie now. Screw those who cannot or will not take responsibility, give backup or train people who can properly advise. I will vote with my wallet....... Or credit card in this case.

 

BTW ...... I still use the Marmite lens cap and tell everybody of the bad backup offered by the Olympus agents in Cape Town.

[Helpmytrap]

What is the business model for the Thule outlets? Are they owned by Thule SA? Or are they franchises? What I'm getting at is that you can't demand a free meal at Spur in Boksburg if you got a bad meal at the one in Midrand.

But in awesme's case, the Midrand Spur referred him to the one in Boksburg. So he wouldn't be wrong in expecting that free meal.

[Tumbleweed]

 

But in awesme's case, the Midrand Spur referred him to the one in Boksburg. So he wouldn't be wrong in expecting that free meal.

 

Still doesn't answer the question. Are the stores owned bu Thule SA or are they franchised? Either way, CycleLab's service agreement is likely to be different to the two arrangements I mentioned above. Your first point of contact in any CPA-type claim would be to the retailer, not the agent.

[Big H*]

What is the business model for the Thule outlets? Are they owned by Thule SA? Or are they franchises? What I'm getting at is that you can't demand a free meal at Spur in Boksburg if you got a bad meal at the one in Midrand.

 

I had a badly prepared meal at Ocean Basket in Bloem. I complained to their head office and received a complimentary meal for two at ANY Ocean Basket........ bang goes the Spur theory.

 

OB took responsibility and earned a loyal client!!!! Thule could have done the same, it was their product after all.

[PhilipV]

Firstly, I am saying this not knowing the OP or how he acts, but I have always found that my attitude going into a shop has a huge effect on the service level I recieved.

And having worked in retail at the lowest levels, like the Thule people in this instance, I know how crap it can be when a person storms in and demands that his problem be fixed, (again, I am not saying this what the OP has done,) even worse when it will decommision one if my units when I have no obligation to fix it if tje Thule Shop is a franchise.

but, another curveball would be to say that the amount of goodwill I can win for my store and my brand by helping the customer can be a lot. and would hace avoided this pr storm in a tea cup thread.

 

My take in things, CL should not have referred you to Thule, they should have taken ownership of the problen, fixed it themselves and immediately and taken it up with the agents.

The Thule stores would have won goodwill had they been willing to go the extra mile (as it is an extra mile for them, they are under no obligation to help out.)

 

Overall this has been a bad experience for the OP, and I would not blame him if he never buys Thule again. incidents like theae do not leave a great impression of their backup.

[awesme]

Hi hi

 

When I walked in, I was chirpy, happy, chilled...

 

When I asked them if we can take the light bar from another unit, I was pointing to one of their outside/sidewalk demo units, implying it would not have costed him a possible sale, since this was already an unsellable unit.

 

And yes I will confess, my temperature rose quickly once they pulled the not our problem.

 

 

 

G

 

Firstly, I am saying this not knowing the OP or how he acts, but I have always found that my attitude going into a shop has a huge effect on the service level I recieved.

And having worked in retail at the lowest levels, like the Thule people in this instance, I know how crap it can be when a person storms in and demands that his problem be fixed, (again, I am not saying this what the OP has done,) even worse when it will decommision one if my units when I have no obligation to fix it if tje Thule Shop is a franchise.

but, another curveball would be to say that the amount of goodwill I can win for my store and my brand by helping the customer can be a lot. and would hace avoided this pr storm in a tea cup thread.

 

My take in things, CL should not have referred you to Thule, they should have taken ownership of the problen, fixed it themselves and immediately and taken it up with the agents.

The Thule stores would have won goodwill had they been willing to go the extra mile (as it is an extra mile for them, they are under no obligation to help out.)

 

Overall this has been a bad experience for the OP, and I would not blame him if he never buys Thule again. incidents like theae do not leave a great impression of their backup.

[Tumbleweed]

I had a badly prepared meal at Ocean Basket in Bloem. I complained to their head office and received a complimentary meal for two at ANY Ocean Basket........ bang goes the Spur theory.

 

OB took responsibility and earned a loyal client!!!! Thule could have done the same, it was their product after all.

 

Nice story, but still doesn't answer the question.

Service level agreement. Your first recourse is to the store of purchase.