Had an issue with an order, called Customer Service to discuss but the rep wasn't able to resolve so I was transferred to a manager’s voice mail and was told by the rep I’d get a call back. 5 days later....still no call back. Anyone else experiencing poor customer service? A little frustrating given the cost of items.
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I'll betcha that you will be telling us the name of the company next, right? No need to keep us in suspense. We're all friends here.
Sorry, wasn’t trying to be cagey, posted this under Lionel General Topics.
I would say most businesses (at least the ones I have dealt with) that want you to leave a message don't call back, so I always call them back until I finally get to speak to someone. Having a speaker on your phone makes waiting 10 or more minutes not as bad since you can be doing other things while on hold.
I have had to call Lionel directly twice to adjust an order. In both cases I found Lionel to be responsive and helpful.
Now let's get to my chief complaint!
Why in the world do all companies seem to think we need distorted music grating from the phone while we wait! Then they have the recordings that periodically break in and make you think someone has finally responded, only to realize it's just a recording about how great they are! If anything, just have a low tone every thirty seconds so you know the connection is still there.
Once in a great while, a company gets it. I've had a couple that say hit this key to kill the music on hold. YES!!! Thank you!
@Madockawando posted:I have had to call Lionel directly twice to adjust an order. In both cases I found Lionel to be responsive and helpful.
You’re the only one ever to say that,….🤣🤣🤣
Pat
@harmonyards posted:You’re the only one ever to say that,….🤣🤣🤣
Pat
I’m sure many others have had similar positive experiences with Lionel Service but haven’t had the occasion to mention it.
I have had two occasions to call Lionel customer service, one Wednesday morning and I was on hold 15 minutes, Aaron answered and I ordered the flapper smokestacks for my VL Genset, he was courteous, fast and friendly, and two weeks ago I called Lionel and ordered windows for my VL Genset and waited 10 minutes, again the customer service lady was nice, fast, friendly and answered all my questions. So, I may be lucky, but they get a top rating from me. I’ve been a happy Lionel customer for over 60 years. Happy Railroading Everyone
Lately, Lionel has been way more responsive to phone calls, up to a few months ago, that was not the case. I'm guessing they were very short staffed during all the lockdowns, etc. Look a the bright side, there isn't even a phone number to call MTH anymore. 
I guess I’m just old fashioned. When a company rep makes a commitment to have someone call you back, I was guessing they’d follow through on their promise.
@NoviceBen posted:I guess I’m just old fashioned. When a company rep makes a commitment to have someone call you back, I was guessing they’d follow through on their promise.
You have never explicitly stated what company you are referring too...?
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Now let's get to my chief complaint!
LOSE THE OBNOXIOUS MUSIC ON HOLD!
Why in the world do all companies seem to think we need distorted music grating from the phone while we wait! Then they have the recordings that periodically break in and make you think someone has finally responded, only to realize it's just a recording about how great they are! If anything, just have a low tone every thirty seconds so you know the connection is still there.
Once in a great while, a company gets it. I've had a couple that say hit this key to kill the music on hold. YES!!! Thank you!
Ah, cmon John, you don't like music that is a cross between Montovani and his Orchestra and heavy metal rock music? I thought Muzak was bad, wow, the crap they have on now is designed to make you hang up.
@Madockawando posted:You have never explicitly stated what company you are referring too...?
Based on the section this is posted in, it's easy to figure out.
@NoviceBen posted:I guess I’m just old fashioned. When a company rep makes a commitment to have someone call you back, I was guessing they’d follow through on their promise.
What is the old saying, the road to **** is paved with good intentions? I have seen companies in case studies who literally designed their customer service experience to be frustrating, the idiots who created it claimed that most customer service calls were generated by a tiny group of 'professionally disgruntled' clients that basically they wanted to give up. In most companies, they claim to live and die by customer service , but it is a slogan, to them it is a cost center they do everything they can to eliminate it (while sadly often not fixing what generates customer service calls, like poor quality, lousy shipping, poor websites, etc).
@MartyE posted:Based on the section this is posted in, it's easy to figure out.
Yes, I have my suspicions 😉. Although I’m puzzled why you just can’t state it directly in the original post??🤔
The good news is that if it is Lionel, the OP’s Lionel experience is atypical. In any case, I hope it is resolved soon for him.
I'm sure my orders locomotives will be arriving here shortly. I'm very interested to see if they're damaged and if I'll need to talk to customer service. According to most of OGR, the locomotive will be a pile of dust that is the WRONG color with garbled sounds and nobody will take my call. We'll see!
It is vacation season for a lot of companies and the era of having enough people hired to cover vacations has passed. It's not an excuse, but it could be the explanation.
@bigkid posted:Ah, cmon John, you don't like music that is a cross between Montovani and his Orchestra and heavy metal rock music? I thought Muzak was bad, wow, the crap they have on now is designed to make you hang up.
I would prefer Enter Sandman, etc. if I'm forced to listen to music, rather than most of the, well, less than pleasant stuff John described. Maybe "Seek and Destroy" would be more appropriate?
My favorite on-hold music was Eleanor Rigby done in up beat Musak style.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Now let's get to my chief complaint!
LOSE THE OBNOXIOUS MUSIC ON HOLD!
Lolol. Next on my list is trying to get to a human being on a customer service line ... going through multiple menus and trees ... I start to get flustered and start screaming OPERATOR or REPRESENTATIVE ... repeatedly hitting zero key, etc.
Finally getting through to a person, a third party contractor sitting in some Pacific island, that isn't much better than the chatbot. lol
Anyway, on topic, my few interactions with Lionel over the years were great. Always happy. It's been a while, though. I have my first-ever MTH engine on pre-order ... I don't know what to expect from their (whoever they are) customer service.
@CNJ Jim posted:Anyway, on topic, my few interactions with Lionel over the years were great. Always happy. It's been a while, though. I have my first-ever MTH engine on pre-order ... I don't know what to expect from their (whoever they are) customer service.
Near as I can tell, any "customer service" from MTH will come from the dealers.
"Had an issue with an order, called Customer Service to discuss but the rep wasn't able to resolve so I was transferred to a manager’s voice mail and was told by the rep I’d get a call back. 5 days later....still no call back. Anyone else experiencing poor customer service? A little frustrating given the cost of items."
Maybe your request got lost. This is their busiest time of year. Maybe the guy or gal came down with flu or is otherwise indisposed. Repeat your request would be my suggestion.
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Lionel & MTH Authorized Service Center
I'm curious ... MTH dealers only do *warranty* repairs on engines that were bought from them? I assume they make no profit on the repair ... just part of being a dealer? Is that correct?
I'm buying an engine from Pat's Trains in West Virginia ... one of their "special projects" that MTH is doing just for them. If I did have problem with it ... would be easy for to swing by Lansdale as I drive out to central Pa sometimes.
Jim
@gunrunnerjohn posted:Now let's get to my chief complaint!
LOSE THE OBNOXIOUS MUSIC ON HOLD!
Why in the world do all companies seem to think we need distorted music grating from the phone while we wait! Then they have the recordings that periodically break in and make you think someone has finally responded, only to realize it's just a recording about how great they are! If anything, just have a low tone every thirty seconds so you know the connection is still there.
Once in a great while, a company gets it. I've had a couple that say hit this key to kill the music on hold. YES!!! Thank you!
Virgin Atlantic Airlines used to as you to choose your music while you were on hold. I don't know if they still do that.
In my experience, when someone says they will call you back, they almost never do. Getting a call back is the exception rather than the rule.
I have heard internal company folks say that if someone really wants service, they will call again.
@CNJ Jim posted:I'm curious ... MTH dealers only do *warranty* repairs on engines that were bought from them? I assume they make no profit on the repair ... just part of being a dealer? Is that correct?
I'm buying an engine from Pat's Trains in West Virginia ... one of their "special projects" that MTH is doing just for them. If I did have problem with it ... would be easy for to swing by Lansdale as I drive out to central Pa sometimes.
Sadly, we get no money for labor for repairs, so I only do warranty repairs for the store where I will get paid.
Warranties excluded, what prevents third party folks from charging parts and labor for repairing Lionel or MTH products ?
@shorling posted:Warranties excluded, what prevents third party folks from charging parts and labor for repairing Lionel or MTH products ?
Nothing, I'm an MTH ASC and a Lionel Authorized Service Station and I do tons of repairs on both Lionel and MTH products. It's just not getting paid for the warranty work that's a sticking point with me, and I suspect a lot of MTH ASC's.
@CNJ Jim posted:Lolol. Next on my list is trying to get to a human being on a customer service line ... going through multiple menus and trees ... I start to get flustered and start screaming OPERATOR or REPRESENTATIVE ... repeatedly hitting zero key, etc.
Finally getting through to a person, a third party contractor sitting in some Pacific island, that isn't much better than the chatbot. lol
Anyway, on topic, my few interactions with Lionel over the years were great. Always happy. It's been a while, though. I have my first-ever MTH engine on pre-order ... I don't know what to expect from their (whoever they are) customer service.
How about the obnoxious gas pump music?? That's what duct tape was invented for. Yep....right over the speaker!!
@endless tracks posted:How about the obnoxious gas pump music?? That's what duct tape was invented for. Yep....right over the speaker!!
I stick the nozzle in and immediately get back in the car and close the door! That's what I think of their obnoxious ads at the gas pump. 
"I stick the nozzle in and immediately get back in the car and close the door! "
C'mon, Gunny, I know you're letting your curmudgeonism get the best of you. It's neither safe nor, in many jurisdictions, legal, to do that.
The fire marshal in many jurisdictions will order the stations to remove the automatic trigger mechanism, and post stickers that illustrate the illegality of using a device such as a wallet or gas cap, to hold the trigger open.
I know you were probably being hyperbolic, and your distaste for gas pump "music" is understandable. But remember, the people who maintain "fool proof" gas pumps are the same ones who maintain all the other things out there that can kill you when you're not paying attention. Stand there, ignore the "music" get into a Zen moment, and get ready to run away when the nozzle malfunctions.
@Arthur P. Bloom posted:It's neither safe nor, in many jurisdictions, legal, to do that.
Well, they haven't found me in PA yet. 
I added some pithy remarks, BTW.
@NoviceBen posted:Had an issue with an order, called Customer Service to discuss but the rep wasn't able to resolve so I was transferred to a manager’s voice mail and was told by the rep I’d get a call back. 5 days later....still no call back. Anyone else experiencing poor customer service? A little frustrating given the cost of items.
I have always had good results with the Lionel Service Center.
Give them another call. As others have said, with lock downs and so many people not wanting to work, they could be short handed. And this is prime season for model Trains.
I just had repairs done on a Legacy Berkshire and it took about 4 weeks.
Aflyer
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