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Topic: Customer Satisifaction Inquiries - Service (Read 1808 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Customer Satisifaction Inquiries

Reply #25 –
All good input.  All companies are going to have bad days and not get something fixed right, but my main point in the original post was FOT doesn't seem to care.  I am not sure why they send out a customer satisfaction survey if they are not going to follow up on problem areas.  Maybe they just want to hear the praises and not the problems.  They can put the good stuff in their adds as customer quotes.  There are not that many Foretravel coaches out there, it looks like they would want to keep all the business they can, but then what do I know.  Maybe they had just as soon not deal with repairs and only do sales.
John D.
2002 U320

Re: Customer Satisifaction Inquiries

Reply #26 –
I want to insert my 2 cents worth in this slam/praise column. I have had lots of experience with FOT, MOT (bought my current coach), FOTN (now TN RV)(bought 3 previous coaches) and some experience with Stallings and Parliament, F of Florida and F of Calif. I have had courteous, expedient, thorough and competent service at all of these. Of course there have been some delays but nothing to complain about. I am convinced that these results are at least in part due to the fact that since I am retired, I can STAY WITH THE COACH while work is being done.
No RV! Have hung up the keys.
In the past: 2016 Winnebago Era, 1994 Foretravel U240, 1995 Foretravel U240 (wide body), 1999 Foretravel 320, 36 Foot, 2003 Foretravel U320 38 foot,

Re: Customer Satisifaction Inquiries

Reply #27 –
FYI-I just got a call from Cory, service manager at FOT.  They had read the post here and apologized for not getting back to me about my customer satisfaction survey.  We had a good talk and he admitted they screwed up.  I have to admit from a likability stand point they are nice people especially the sales department(we dealt with Tyle and Judy who are top notch).  I have been in business for myself for forty years and things have changed so much from when I started that's it's not even funny.  In the old days if you neglected to satisfy a customer you just had a problem with that customer, but today with the internet things like this can spread like wild fire and ruin you in a hurry.
John D.
2002 U320

Re: Customer Satisifaction Inquiries

Reply #28 –
I used Encore to check out our coach when buying it last year. When traveling these past few weeks I called  Encore with a problem I was having. Not only did they remember who I was & the coach I have, but Keith called me back (he was busy when I called) as soon as he could. I had already resolved the problem but I sure appreciated him calling me back to help in a timely manner.
Jim Monk
1997 U270
East Texas

Re: Customer Satisifaction Inquiries

Reply #29 –
Quote from: J. D. –
FYI-I just got a call from Cory, service manager at FOT.  They had read the post here and apologized for not getting back to me about my customer satisfaction survey.  We had a good talk and he admitted they screwed up.  I have to admit from a likability stand point they are nice people especially the sales department(we dealt with Tyle and Judy who are top notch).  I have been in business for myself for forty years and things have changed so much from when I started that's it's not even funny.  In the old days if you neglected to satisfy a customer you just had a problem with that customer, but today with the internet things like this can spread like wild fire and ruin you in a hurry.


I am happy Cory called you. He is a huge addition to FOT service. Everyone can have issues with any company but Cory has always been proactive. I respect him and do understand the bind he gets into at times.

I think FOT would learn more reading here than sending out lots of surveys, but both have their place. Tyle is a fine person and I consider him a friend. You will not find a person more knowledgable or upfront with you in the whole sales transaction than Tyle. The great part is that he does not forget you after the sale either. 

I would go so far as to say if FT could get their service and remodel running better they could be a huge force in the market.

I have not owned a Newell but in talking with the owners I have met their service is second to none.

Mot has service that could also be in that category too.


I am impressed with FOT sales operation though. There website and salesnguys are very good.  If we could combine then best of MOT and FOT we would be back to what it was like prior to the new ownership. 

Interesting ugh that all the sales guys with the exception of Paul Tinkle all started selling at MOT.

2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon

Re: Customer Satisifaction Inquiries

Reply #30 –
A little known fact about these "customer survey" programs going on right now is that just about every business is in on this act.  Why? Any business that has a presence on the World Wide Web has known or is certainly finding out that they have to jump thru new hoops in order to be "found."  It used to be if your business was in the top 30 you were considered to be "right there."  That later changed to being in the top 10.  Now it's in the TOP 5, cause people don't scroll down a list.  Most people are now using the web rather than the phone book to find information about a business, including location and phone number.

How can a business be in the TOP 5 on all three of the major search engines?  They can pay big bucks with banner ads or "Pay-by-Click" (nuisance ads), or they can jump on the band wagon with the latest craze that the Search Engine Algorithm has come up with like a "blog" or "response from the corporations CEO" or "testimonials from happy customers" (aka Customer Survey). 

So here's the bottom line, if you send in a negative response on that Customer Survey, 99 out of 100 times, you will be wasting your time.  The company is looking for that 1 out of 100 or 1 in a million--perfect "testimonial" to add to their website in order to improve its ranking with the Search Engines on the WWW.  It is quite likely there will be something NEW that the Search Engines will come up with and a few years later, these "Customer Surveys" will become history, just like the CEO postings & videos.

I've been designing websites since 1999 and within the last two years become heavily involved with SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
John Christman

Re: Customer Satisifaction Inquiries

Reply #31 –
Keith is to Foretravel coaches as Roger Berke is to Aqua-Hot.  One in a million.
 I find all of this very encouraging.
Quote
Wrote:  I used Encore to check out our coach when buying it last year. When traveling these past few weeks I called  Encore with a problem I was having. Not only did they remember who I was & the coach I have, but Keith called me back (he was busy when I called) as soon as he could. I had already resolved the problem but I sure appreciated him calling me back to help in a timely manner. Jim Monk 1997 U270 East Texas
Regards,
 
  --
 
George & Sandy & Trixie Lost in America in a 40' Foretravel aka "Moose" Follow our adventures at
 http://sangeo-travels.blogspot.com/
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: Customer Satisifaction Inquiries

Reply #32 –
Finally we left NAC and Camp FOT this last Thursday, bitter/sweet as we really like the area and are talking of returning to look for a home base - Have nothing but praises for FOT and how they kept stepping to the plate to get our 11 year old gal in top running condition.

I'll have to disagree with comments on FOT not wanting to service and/or sell older coaches - saw many older coaches going into the service bays daily - sales of older coaches too - they have been selling coaches like crazy and I had the honor to meet several of the new owners of both new and older coaches.  Never heard anything negative from others at camp FOT whether service or buying, but I am a very happy optimist  ;D

After our initial in bay service it was agreed between myself and service that my coach would be worked in for other things we found or needed, this had a lot to do with our being at Camp FOT longer but it also helped me to get to know this coach very well too. Personally the service team went above and beyond in my opinion for our needs. I don't feel this was any special treatment at all, I made every effort to wait and work with them, as well as thank them on a personal level for being kind/helpful. Coaches would be stacked up at the service bays, yet they would find a spot and resolve things and/or install along with showing me what was going on - couple of the guys took the little extra time to answer/explain how things worked - I'm sure they also got good laughs out of my floundering and sometimes rather simple questions, but they were/are great IMHO - respect and appreciation goes a very long way!

We also stayed inside our coach during it being serviced, never were we asked to leave it and go to the customer lounge.

Even after I declared we were leaving on a Friday about maybe 4 weeks ago to only find oil leaking from back  side of generator Jeromy called me back on Saturday morning to decide we were staying and they quickly got us in first part of week to find the oil pressure screw in thing was leaking, it was replaced first part of that week before my head could stop spinning.

Then this week on Wednesday we were pulling out with tow car to take it down to meet the other FT owner's who were buying it from us and I discovered no electrical power from the generator - this was not a happy moment and the guys in the shop actually saw a very unhappy me!!! - They were slammed, it was extremely hot and just not a good day all around with things YET they got me into Wayne and it was a wire that was burned due to loose connection - fixed, hooked tow car back up and we were only 1/2 hour behind schedule to meet the couple down in Cleveland, TX - I call that Fantastic service with all that was going on around that big operation.

I also had work relations with Kieth Riesch, he inspected this coach for me as well as did service work on my other coach - Kieth is wonderful and the folks at Encore are great - Had the opportunity to meet some of the staff at MOT, very professional -

IMHO from my long tale - It is what one wants to make of it - These other places here in NAC all spun off of FOT in some fashion, yet FOT knows each of the coaches they build - I liked having my service at FOT because it was born there and many of the fellows who I met had some part in my coaches whole existence and will in it's future

All in my humble opinion :) - NO I'm not on the payroll, am only a very happy FT owner  :P
Virginia Cunningham
Motorcader # 16992
'99 U320 40'
'06 Black Silverado 2500HD 4x4 Crew Cab

Re: Customer Satisifaction Inquiries

Reply #33 –
Interesting note, as we also noticed our survey letter from FOT was from Lyle Reed, but the return envelope went back to the service department. So, we addressed our own envelope and sent our not-happy survey, quite itemized and long, back to Lyle. This was 3 years ago. The response letters came by email quickly but noted we were to blame for each item mentioned. Then it got ugly.

My favorite part was John's face when he read where Lyle called him cheap after we paid $9,000 to replace our Aqua Hot. 

Seems odd to send a negative review to the guy it was about, so we did not.

Since that time, if we have issues or praise, we pick up the phone.
2001 Foretravel DGFE U320 - 4220
Yellow Jeep Wrangler
2 pups -- Doodle & Lolly