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Total lack of after sales service


Ressaldar
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I have been involved in railway modelling for a long time, the last forty solely in O Gauge. A few months ago my wife suggested that I build a small OO layout for my den. I drew up a plan for a 6’ 6” x 1’ 6” layout and ordered the baseboard kits and made my first trip to the new Hatton’s facility at Widnes for the track. While I got involved with the baseboards and track laying, I scanned various sites for suitable second hand locos - 1960’s to cover both steam and diesel and came across a new Class 22 and a second hand Class 14. I fitted DCC sound into the 22 and sent the 14 off to have sound fitted as I had heard that things were a bit tight under the bonnet!

 

I received the 14 back last week and while it was working away on the rolling road, I looked at the accessories bag, still intact from new. The brake pull rod assembly was broken and on opening the bag, I noticed that two of the sand boxes were missing.

 

I checked the paperwork supplied with the loco, which stated that spares were available from Hattons. Having checked the part numbers required, I sent an email to Hattons requesting the replacement/missing parts, which was responded to requesting ‘an order number’, which I could not understand so I telephoned Hattons only to be told that as I had not purchased the loco from them in the first instance they would not supply the parts requested. This is the shortest sighted piece of customer relations and service that I have come across. There is no mention of this short sighted approach in any paperwork, in fact you are told that the spares are there! 

 

There red will be many people out there that have bought second hand locos and stock in the same boat as myself, it is after all a thriving market, if every manufacturer took the same ridiculous stance as Hattons, this market could disappear overnight.

 

Needless to say I shall be making no further trips to Widnes, cancelled my pre-orders that I had arranged and will be dealing with other, more amenable suppliers in the future.

 

regards

 

Mike

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So you bought the locos from someone else, wanted some spares and are moaning because Hattons wouldn't supply them for free?

 

Am I missing something here? The response would suggest that they are happy to supply spares for models bought from them.

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Phil,

 

Where in my original post do I imply that I was asking for freebies???????? for your information, in my email to them I asked them to advise me of the cost of the replacement parts!  Yes, you are correct in your second sentence, but the point is that they totally refused to supply me with parts that I was prepared to pay for. It raises the question that if I were to buy one of their 'Wholesale' models from one of their 'outlets' would they refuse to supply me then? In fact the 14 was bought from Rails, who I understand are one of their 'outlets'

 

regards

 

Mike

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Just now, Ressaldar said:

Phil,

 

Where in my original post do I imply that I was asking for freebies???????? for your information, in my email to them I asked them to advise me of the cost of the replacement parts!  Yes, you are correct in your second sentence, but the point is that they totally refused to supply me with parts that I was prepared to pay for. It raises the question that if I were to buy one of their 'Wholesale' models from one of their 'outlets' would they refuse to supply me then? In fact the 14 was bought from Rails, who I understand are one of their 'outlets'

 

regards

 

Mike

It is a good job you cancelled your other orders as I fear that they might not be willing to supply you given that attitude.

Well I would black list you if you took that attitude with me.

I have dealt with Hattons for many years and spend far too much money with them if I look at my account.

I have always received excellent service from them.

On occasion going well beyond the minimum legal requirements.

I suppose it is the tone you take that does the trick.

As for your last point, you would ask Rails for the spares and they would get them from Hattons presumably as the usual practice is to deal through the retailer regarding any queries.

Bernard

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2 minutes ago, Ressaldar said:

Phil,

 

Where in my original post do I imply that I was asking for freebies???????? for your information, in my email to them I asked them to advise me of the cost of the replacement parts!  Yes, you are correct in your second sentence, but the point is that they totally refused to supply me with parts that I was prepared to pay for. It raises the question that if I were to buy one of their 'Wholesale' models from one of their 'outlets' would they refuse to supply me then? In fact the 14 was bought from Rails, who I understand are one of their 'outlets'

 

regards

 

Mike

 

In your original post, the specific wording / phrasing you used implied  (at least to Phil Parker and myself) that you wanted the bits from Hattons free of charge or on a Warranty basis. Both are quite obviously not things anyone should be going round demanding - not least because any Warranty / defects with a model under UK consumer legislation require you to speak to the retailer NOT the manufacturer.

 

It is thus helpful you have clarified the situation, however the point still stands - if you bought a loco from Rails it makes ZERO difference who made it - under UK trading legislation you have no business contacting Hattons (unless the original retailer has gone bust) to ask for anything. Instead you are obliged to go through Rails and let them source a fresh model from Hattons (just as they do with other manufacturers)

 

Yes some manufacturers (not confined ourselves to the world of model railways) may, after receipt of a kindly worded request, decide to grant the customers request on a goodwill basis - but it should never be assumed that this sort of action is commonplace and much is down to the perceived PR damage that a disgruntled person may do by to the 'brand'

 

 

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11 minutes ago, Ressaldar said:

Phil,

 

Where in my original post do I imply that I was asking for freebies???????? for your information, in my email to them I asked them to advise me of the cost of the replacement parts!  Yes, you are correct in your second sentence, but the point is that they totally refused to supply me with parts that I was prepared to pay for. It raises the question that if I were to buy one of their 'Wholesale' models from one of their 'outlets' would they refuse to supply me then? In fact the 14 was bought from Rails, who I understand are one of their 'outlets'

 

regards

 

Mike

 

"Having checked the part numbers required, I sent an email to Hattons requesting the replacement/missing parts, which was responded to requesting ‘an order number’," - you didn't say you offered to pay, and service departments of all manufacturers have many tales of people demanding freebies.  My guess is that is what the person on the other end of your request thought, hence the reply which would chime with this.

 

However, as you bought the model from Rails, why didn't you ask them first? Assuming you consider the model faulty, your first port of call is with the retailer you bought it from.

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Poor old Hattons. I am bemused how they were expected to supply the spares. What am I missing here? Was this particular class 14 a special edition only sold originally by them?

 

Izzy

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12 minutes ago, Izzy said:

Poor old Hattons. I am bemused how they were expected to supply the spares. What am I missing here? Was this particular class 14 a special edition only sold originally by them?

 

 

Yes - this was a Hattons commissioned model.

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2 hours ago, Ressaldar said:

I checked the paperwork supplied with the loco, which stated that spares were available from Hattons.

regards

Mike

Perhaps this sentence explains why Mike contacted Hattons rather than Rails or anyone else.

In such a case I would do the same.

Rgds

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14 minutes ago, Grovenor said:

Perhaps this sentence explains why Mike contacted Hattons rather than Rails or anyone else.

In such a case I would do the same.

Rgds

 

But possibly in a less confrontational tone. Obviously given we have not seen the full set of correspondence it is unwise to say more than that.

 

It should also be remembered that companies do have certain rights with respect to withdrawing certain 'after sales initiatives like the provision of spare parts. Thus although Hattons could have originally intended  to/ actually supplied spare parts (and said so on the accompanying paperwork), that doesn't mean they cannot change their mind subsequently. All the law demands is that should an item be faulty in any way (i.e. have missing or broken parts) - or that a certain service is not provided (which it could be argued paperwork saying parts are available when they no longer are is a service that has not been honoured) is that the retailer who sold the item issues a refund to the customer.

 

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Admins.

 

Given what's come out since Post 1 surely there's a case for fixing the misleading title of this Topic.  I can't see a single piece of evidence that Hattons have done anything to deserve such bad "Headlines", OP is entitled to air his grievance but surely RMWeb works to a higher standard than leaving this misleading eye-catcher in place.

 

Colin

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3 hours ago, BWsTrains said:

Admins.

 

Given what's come out since Post 1 surely there's a case for fixing the misleading title of this Topic.  I can't see a single piece of evidence that Hattons have done anything to deserve such bad "Headlines", OP is entitled to air his grievance but surely RMWeb works to a higher standard than leaving this misleading eye-catcher in place.

 

Colin

There is probably a good case for moving it into the model shop area rather than where it is in the manufacturers section.

It does raise a point about what to expect when buying second hand.

If the accessories do not appear to have been fitted then I consider that I am lucky if the bag containing them is still in the box.

I certainly would not be throwing my toys out of the pram if the odd item in the pack was missing or damaged.

Bernard

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Indeed Rails’s own returns policy is very good, if the buyer is not happy.

 

And he has been pointed towards a source of spares, and the source of confusion looks to have been explained by the forum members.

 

so as a buyer, frustrated but now assisted, a bit of remorse perhaps ?

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Yes, he has been pointed towards a source of spares. But surely Hattons could have done this without any need for the OP to post on RMWeb? Speaking personally if I needed spares for a secondhand model I would expect to contact the manufacturer—and perhaps to count myself lucky if they were obtainable.

 

It does make me wonder, however, how you would obtain spares for a second-hand Hattons locomotive not of Heljan origin? Given their attitude to supplying spares, it would seem inadvisable to make such a purchase. And what if you did purchase from Hattons but had lost any record of the order number? Where would you turn then?

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I found Hattons bend over backwards to help the customer. I recently needed some spares for a Hattons 0-4-2T 48xx which I explained on the phone that it was purchsaed from them by a now deceased friend- and I had acquired it now. DJH were no longer around . They rang me back saying that they only had spares from a 'new, returns' model, was this OK. I said yes and they arrived next day at no charge.. I can't beat that for service, although they probably took into account my purchase history  from them. Well done HATTONS!!!

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I've just read this thread all the way through and it reads like a Dad's Army script.......!

  • The Heljan class 14 was originally a Hattons special commission and so the paperwork refers to Hattons for spares.
  • The OP therefore contacted Hattons even though he'd bought the loco from Rails, but for whatever reason appeared to fail to convey that he was willing to pay for the spares
  • Hattons' response didn't appear to recognise that they were referred to in the leaflet supplied with the loco as spares suppliers, and they simply declined to assist as they hadn't sold the loco rather than advising the OP of the correct course of action

Er....that's it (to paraphrase Private Eye)

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If the 14 bought second hand was a current model, exclusive to Hatton's, then the spares situation wording should stand, and any spares requested would be chargeable, no matter where it was bought from. If its a discontinued Hatton's exclusive, then the wording is essentially null and void.  

 

If the OP didn't make it clear that he was willing to pay for the spares, then Hatton's would have a right to refuse to send them FOC, but should have offered to sell the spares to the OP, or pointed them to Howes, who are Heljans' spares stockist, if they didn't have any.   If the OP did make it clear that he'd pay for them, then Hatton's have dropped a clanger.  Either way the OP hasn't provided clear info.

 

I would be very surprised if Hatton's had acted in that way, I've been a customer of theirs since the 80's, and any time I've had a problem they have been on top form to help.  

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