service manager

[SteamGene]

Bridget is the service manager at Bachmann, right?  I need to call back and talk to her.  I called today about a 2-10-2 that isn't performing correctly under DCC.  I opened up the tender and discovered why - no decoder.  So the guy on the phone wants me to send the locomotive back!  Why not send me a decoder?  This would be cheaper for everybody. 
Gene

[WoundedBear]

I was going to type in a really witty and sarcastical reply.....had it all drafted and everything.....lol.

I'll just shut up now and stay safe....lmao.


Sid

P.S.......Gene....there is no such thing as common sense anymore....it got fed up and left years ago.

[the Bach-man]

Dear Gene,
By all means call Bridget.
Where did you get the loco? Was it new?
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[Atlantic Central]

Common Sense - Didn't you hear, it was outlawed by the socialists.

I'm still dreaming that one day I will get a call from Lee Riley about my offer to take all the returned locos and start a parts department - orthat some parts might actually leak out of China.

Sheldon

[japasha]

Excellent idea SHeldon.  Don't forget the On30 group and their need for freight trucks.

[RAM]

It may be a case of do you really have that locomotive , or I want to make sure that it is installed in that locomotive.

[Atlantic Central]

RAM,

For capitalism to work correctly, there needs to be a basic trust and similar value system between the parties. While people do lie, cheat, steal, I refuse to knowingly do business with people who do not trust me and I definately do not do business with people I do not trust. I promise you, treat me like a thief in your retail store and I will put down my purchase and walk out - call me a liar on a customer service issue and you will never see me again.

If that's their reason, thats bad customer service policy.

Sheldon

[SteamGene]

Some members of the service department know me.  I have to say that the person with whom I spoke sounded very much like a new hire at the bottom of the learning curve. 
to answer Mr. B's question, the locomotive was a replacement from Bachmann for a 2-10-2 that got fried by mating it to a 16V tender without changing the boards. 
I will agree with Sheldon, that treating a customer like a thief is not a good idea.  But I don't think that was the problem.  I think that the guy was told "Tell them to send it back," and had not enough experience to understand that SOP is standard, but not the only procedure.   I wasn't quite asked "How do you know it doesn't have a decoder" without actually being asked that question. 
Sort of reminds me of that second lieutenant from Explosive Ordinance Demolition who wanted to know how I was positive that the round was a freshly fired 155mm high explosive round.   
Of course I agree with using returned locos for spare parts and making more.  How many Delta trailing trucks could Bachmann sell?  Let me count the ways....
BTW, Sheldon, I think common sense was lost by folks like the Klan, the Militias, and the Skinheads. 
Gene

[Atlantic Central]

Gene,

I agree those groups lack common sense as well, most extreme positions lack common sense. Like:

zero tollerence with 3rd graders drawing pictures of guns.

envronmental wackos burning down new homes.

bombing abortion clinics.

spray painting SUV's and fur coats.

removing all hints of God from the puplic square.

preventing people from defending themselves against the thugs.

Just to name a few! It seems some how when I contemplate such a list there are more socialist/liberal ideas present than conservative ones - but I make no defense of crazy conservatives either - they are just as bad, maybe worse, for my beliefs as the over the top liberals.

I just love when I go to a big box store, and the buzzer goes off as I leave. I just keep walking as they have no right to check my person or my purchase, and if they try to detain me against my will, finding no stollen merchandise, they are in trouble - that's false imprisonment!

If we all give in to this non sense, it will be worse than Mr Orwell's 1984, if it's not already!

Sheldon

[Atlantic Central]

On this topic of customer service, I had an interesting experiance today.

Now Bachmann has always treated me very well and telling this story is no slight on Bachmann's great service, but this story is a about a competitor - Walthers.

Several weeks back I discovered some more cracked gears on older
Proto2000 locos - but this time it was not GP's or FA's known to have the problem, but on several of my fleet of 6 PA1's, which use a completely different part.

Upon calling Walthers, the parts person I spoke with said he knew of no such problem with the PA's but could sell me as many as I needed. I purchased enough to fix the known problems plus a few spares. After they arrived I repaired and checked all 6 locos and had about 12 defective gear sets. I played around with several of them, distroying them completely in the process to examine the problem. The remaining 9 axles I returned to Walthers with a brief letter about a week ago.

TODAY, the phone rings, its the Walthers parts department, wanting to refund my money and still send me some more free replacements - even after I explained that not all of them had failed!

That's Customer Service!

Sheldon

[Jim2903]

I have had great experience with Walthers customer service as well. They really go the extra mile to ensure customer satisfaction.

Jim Dudlicek
Hoffman Estates, IL

[GN.2-6-8-0]

This is defintly good to hear...

[MC]

Sounds like Walthers & Backmann are the way to go.....I had a bad experience with Rivarossi on getting my Allegheny repaired. They only have a part time service person and he only works when he wants to. I wish Bachmann woud make a 2-6-6-6 with sound. I would be on the list.

Does any one have any experience with an older Berkshire? I have an AHM from Rivarossi that I purchased in the late 70's. It has never ran very well and has been in storage for a number of years (??). I am just now getting back into the hobby and  like to start using it. I have cleaned and oiled everything but it still doesn't run very well. Has anyone every replaced the motor and had any success?

MC

[Les]

I have a 2-8-2 URSA Athearn Genesis that simply did not run; I wrote Athearn in Carson, CA,  they told me to send it in, they repaired whatever was wrong and it did run for awhile and then started to run very slowly; another letter, sent it back in for repairs and it now runs OK.  Athearn did this at no cost so I would say the service was good.  By the way, has anyone had trouble with the 2-8-2?

[SteamGene]

The Athearn 2-8-2?  Yes, they can be a bad problem.  Athearn is good at some service, but they were awful about replacing those busted gears.
As for AHM, I'd start by replacing the motor.  I bet you have a pancake motor and it' won't pull its tender.  Add weight, too.  I just added about four ounces to a Rivarrossi 4-6-4 which couldn't pull two Walthers Pullmans up my grades.  I took it to the club and it pulled eight Bachmann heavy weights up the big helix with no problem. I even started the train in the helix and it walked away. 
Merry Fifth Day of Christmas
Gene