Service just as important as price

A

American Air-1

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People that know me best know that I go out of my way to help people. This includes people that have purchased parts from competitors, but I'm going to have to start drawing the line....especially when it comes to time spent on the phone. Time spent on the phone takes time away from "MY" customers and is really starting to be a problem. Just a few minutes ago, I had a guy call and tell me the problems he had with his Mark VIII after he replaced the struts & compressor. I asked him where he got the parts and he said he got them from Rock Auto. I don't have a problem with Rock Auto, as I have sent several people to them for parts, but when someone buys parts elsewhere and THEN calls me for help.....thats just plain wrong and its not fair for "MY" customers that have spent money with American Air to wait. My customers deserve my time, not someone that has lined the pockets of another company.

I don't know what has happened the last 6 months or so to the other companies out there, but I would venture to say the calls I now receive from "other companies customers" has increased to 30%. Some people were even told by other companies...."go to this free site(Amer Air) for help".

Since I've been in business, I've always gotten tech calls like this, during the day I get calls from people that have purchased parts from Suncore(majority), Struts-R-Us or even Arnott because other than buying more & more parts, they did not know what to tell them.

Before you make a purchase for ANYTHING, ask yourself if you have a problem later on, will this company know how to help you? A sale only takes a few minutes....service lasts much longer.

Sorry, that was my vent.
 
I agree 100%. If I buy a used computer from a garage sale should I expect free support from my local computer shop? Nope.

Maybe you should start to charge? :) $30 per hour.
 
Eddie i know exactly how you feel, although i dont sell like you do, i have phone calls left and right asking to speak directly to me, i have told so many people over the phone how to fix something, or what might be wrong, just to have them buy parts from someone else and using my knowledge to fix the problem, i myself dont care who someone buys from, but i am not an encyclopedia of information at anyones disposal. sure i like to help, but i feel i get taken advantage of specially over the phone, or i get the ever so popular price matching game, they call me 3 times to see if i'll match someone elses prices on used parts. i dont want to hyjack you here Eddie but since you vented i did too. i have people waiting for me to write up technical articles about a few " certain " jobs on mark VIII's where i could save tons of time and money for them if i did post these, but i feel i dont want to now, i feel like the only thing people want from me now is how they can fix their car for next to nothing, and thats all im good for. i dont know, guess i'm in one of my moods! my wife always tells me when they call for you to ask everything you know, first thing you do is ask for their paypal so you can send them an invoice to get info out of you lol, its funny, but i should!
 
jamie97lsc said:
or i get the ever so popular price matching game, they call me 3 times to see if i'll match someone elses prices on used parts.
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Eddie & Jamie Venting Hour Continues........

I was hoping it wasn't taken the wrong way. I didn't want to come off sounding conceded or anything.

Yeah, whats the worst is when I spend an hour or more on the phone, sometimes multiple phone calls helping someone diagnose their car....only to get the same person call later on for me to price match. For one thing, maybe thats ONE REASONwhy another company can sell some parts cheaper, as they don't have to pay to keep an employee that knows what they're doing, they just hire a warm body to take orders and take in the money.

I've spent countless hours on my (FREE 24/7) tech website with just about any problem you can think of on it which can help someone diagnose their problem fairly easy, but I still get a large number of "other companies customers" trying to use my time to find the problem.....time that should be spent on MY customers. It honestly has always been this way and I don't know if companies like Suncore & Arnott have lost some of their tech advice skills/people or what, but the problem is growing.

The parts that some people are trying to get a match on price from aren't even in the same league most of the time.This IS the reason why I do not price match. How can you price match a quality part with a junk China part? Would you try to get a price match from Sears on a Craftsman 3/8 drive ratchet when you saw a China special at a flea market? Its like comparing apples to oranges.

The whole moral of the story is....do your research BEFORE you make a purchase. It WILL save you money in the long run.
 
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jamie97lsc said:
Eddie i know exactly how you feel, although i dont sell like you do, i have phone calls left and right asking to speak directly to me, i have told so many people over the phone how to fix something, or what might be wrong, just to have them buy parts from someone else and using my knowledge to fix the problem, i myself dont care who someone buys from, but i am not an encyclopedia of information at anyones disposal. sure i like to help, but i feel i get taken advantage of specially over the phone, or i get the ever so popular price matching game, they call me 3 times to see if i'll match someone elses prices on used parts. i dont want to hyjack you here Eddie but since you vented i did too. i have people waiting for me to write up technical articles about a few " certain " jobs on mark VIII's where i could save tons of time and money for them if i did post these, but i feel i dont want to now, i feel like the only thing people want from me now is how they can fix their car for next to nothing, and thats all im good for. i dont know, guess i'm in one of my moods! my wife always tells me when they call for you to ask everything you know, first thing you do is ask for their paypal so you can send them an invoice to get info out of you lol, its funny, but i should!
Click to expand...


Jamie, I saw these SRS airbags and the module for my car on ebay for 40 bucks, will you price match them? Not really, but we do need to get together on those airbags again sometime.

I know I've wasted some of Eddie's time in the past, but I'm not usually looking to fix something, just trying to get a better understanding of the air suspension and how it works. I haven't purchased much from Eddie, but if it was for a Mark VIII suspension he's the one that has gotten my business.

Jamie, you've helped me diagnose some problems and I greatly appreciate it. Last summer and the damn blower motor went out. Turned out to be the module mounted beneath the blower. It had gotten wet and corroded some of the terminals. I cleaned it off, soldered the connections, plugged it in and it worked. Then I fixed the damn leak that was letting the water in.

Guys, we appreciate all the knowledge and help that you bring to us and the forum. You both are truly a great asset to us and we will continue to recommend your businesses to others.
 
Eddie I have been a faithful customer and supporter of your service and products.

As you have read many post I have made I tell everyone that your service is the best in the air ride business, and I still stand by that.

I can understand your frustration as people abuse your good nature and your willingness to help support our membership. It is just wrong for people to purchase elsewhere and then expect you to service these parts or solve their problems..

I respect your decission....
 
The price matching thing I understand all too well. Its one thing to get a price, its another to ask someone to match.

There have been plenty of parts I have priced. Sometimes the new one costs just a little more than used, so I go new. Somtimes, well usually, the used price is more practical. And sometime I just want to know how much something will cost and then decided if I want to put it off due to cost at the time.

But price match, really? Those people should get slapped.
 
Eddie annoyed me when I bought some front struts from him and I didn't know about the core charge if I didn't return the old ones.

But you know what? I was in the wrong, and damn it, I hope he'll still sell me stuff next time I need air ride components.

With that said, we demand you make more spider valves, damn you, infidel! (inside joke). :D

Don't let people that didn't buy from you who call with stupid questions get to you, man. Just tell them you don't know. Easy. :D

Keep up the good work.
 
Eddie I bought from you BECAUSE of your reputation. I may be guilty however regarding Jamie. This Friday will be my first purchase from you Jamie, that mirror. But I have called you for advice and recommmended you on the website numerous times. I never took the time to realize how many calls/emails you get in a day. My humblest apologies sir. Will still call for parts as needed though. You are both excellent in my opinion. Gary
 
American Air-1 said:
The whole moral of the story is....do your research BEFORE you make a purchase. It WILL save you money in the long run.
Click to expand...

I think you hit the nail on the head here.

Part of the problem might be that we on the board trying to help people "n00bs as frogman calls them" are quick to post up....Hey call Eddie he is the best.
They need to to do some research Then call Eddie.
A simple search will give hours of pricless info.
 
unity said:
The price matching thing I understand all too well. Its one thing to get a price, its another to ask someone to match.

But price match, really? Those people should get slapped.
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Eh, requesting a price match isn't necessarily a negative. They're providing you with an opportunity to get their business, instead of just ordering from the other people. If your parts are superior and you can't/won't price match, it also provides you with an opportunity to explain that to them.
 
Eddie and Jamie:

I really appreciate your services. I've bought a few compressors and spider valves from Eddie, and things like a gas tank, wiring pigtails, accelerator cable and even headlights from Jamie. You guys saved me a lot of money and footwork. It sucks that people try to take advantage of you guys.

A big part of my job is tech support. People call me all the time with questions about using or purchasing our equipment. I love that part of the job, because they are always so happy after I help them out. The difference with me is that I get paid for this, and get performance credit for each phone call and happy customer (sales go with this of course).

I hope you guys still take care of your customers though. Eddie, your website should be enough for most air ride problems, It helped me out many times. Jamie, I can only imagine the range of calls you get, like "how do I connect the wires on this pigtail, that you sold me, to my car?:D
 
lol bill, i didnt want to come off like a dick either but you cant imagine what its like, the emails, the phone calls, the people who say they are on their way and never show, the cars that are coming into my shop to be repaired and never show, 9 years i have doing this and there are times i just want to drop it all and tell my father in law to do it himself, all of it. i'm so burnt, and the biggest recent one was selling a bumper cover to a member here recently, for a 97 they had in their body shop, ups is who we used because dhl is done, we shipped hundreds through dhl, not once we one ever get wrecked, the 1st one i shipped from ups gets a 4 inch gash torn in it, now ups is declining the claim, they took double payments out of our paypal for shipping, the cover was 400 with shipping, they took $334 bucks to ship and now we may have to pay the $400 back to the customer out of pocket, so we'll be out $734 bucks because ups damaged it, $334 we will have to pay to give the customer back his $400, this is the stuff that boils my blood, in the end it costs us $334 for someone to send us $400, wreck the bumper, send back the $400 and now we're out $334 just to go through all this crap. i'm still waiting for ups to call back, my father in law laid into the guy real hard so maybe it did some good, maybe it didnt. anyway im rambling and Gary no need to say sorry i'm not pointing fingers at anyone i'm just annoyed with the whole deal not anyone in particular!
 
I still don't own a Mark VIII yet but honestly you two will be the only ones I trust for getting parts and help.

Also I can relate in some form to what your going through my Uncle owns his own plumbing business that I work for part time and I'll be honest if they didn't buy the part from you then you shouldn't give them advice.

It's not being mean or a dick it's like if you buy a Panasonic radio and call Toshiba to help you install it.
 
since i posted this in the wrong thread:
lol, it kinda comes with the territory though. its kinda like when i wear my work uniform outside of work, im like "the wondering mechanic" i agree people often abuse free advice and it can get old quick
 
American Air-1 said:
Sorry, that was my vent.
Click to expand...

Preach on brutha!

Hey Eddie, on a seperate note.

Remember on the first generation spider valve.. there was a little cone shaped screen/muffler.

Did you know that arnott has the exact same thing sticking out of the side of the compressor head on their pump?

Before you think I went and bought and arnott pump (NOTT)
I just got a 98 mark 8 and it was already installed.
 
i understand exactly where you guys are coming from. People come in and call my shop all the time looking for answers to all kinds of mobile elctronics problems we just tell them yeah we can help u for 80$ an hour then they usally get the point and leave. On another note i have only bought one thing from jamie but he seems like a stand up guy and i would much rather buy something from someone that i can get tech support from.
 
I always buy from jamie, I have had 3 marks and never had a problem with the air suspension on any of them.... :knocks on wood: So I havent gone to eddie yet. Looking to buy a spider valve in the future tho.
 
I have not been able to get the money to replace my suspension yet, but I already have you saved to my favorites Eddie. I look forward to doing bussiness with you in the near future.
 
American Air Rules!!
sorry ,havent bought from Jamie yet,

i havent bought from eddie either, but i sent my dad to him and he has bought 2 sets of coil conversions over the last 2 years(for 2 different marks)

My dad originally bought from Arnott and got crap, he and i are american air all the way from now on.
 
Eddie, Jamie, chickie, bill, and lets not forget MAX!!!!

Luv you all and thanks for the parts and advice in the past and the help I am sure I will be need in the future!!!

SMOOCHES~!!
Debi
 
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