Dealer=Great, Service=Brutal

[Skellman]

After approximately two months I can say I enjoy my Sundance Hamilton with great personal ecstasy.

The dealer has been great. Very helpful and patient with my calls/questions. When I went to get a new micro-filter he gave it to me with the tin roof discount. (On the house..get it?) Sorry, that was dumb.

Anyway, the service has been non-responsive. The remote unit for the stereo stopped working after about three weeks. I checked with the dealer and he promptly gave me the service phone number. I called the service number 3-4 times and received no call back. Went to my dealer and they said they would call them. After a couple more weeks of hearing nothing I called a couple more times with no call back. Went to the dealer about two weeks ago and told them I still haven't heard from them. The store manager called the service dept. and left a message while I stood there. Nothing. It's now been about 6 weeks with no response from the service dept.

I have not even remotely raised my voice or voiced any negative comments to the dealer about their service department nor, on any messages I've left. (They never, ever answer the phone). I've been very, very patient.
I deal with sevice issues in my job and know how some customers can be totally outrageous with some issues.

Am I wrong in thinking this is totally unacceptable service?

At least I'm still able to soak!

[East_TX_Spa]

100% totally UNACCEPTABLE!

Time to raise the Jolly Roger and draw cutlasses....

Term

[Jacuzzi Jim]

 Once again these stories never fail to amaze me??   We contract our service out but have never had anything like what you guys describe!

 Customer calls, I diagnose the problem, Email then call the tech and confirm takes all of 15 minuets.  He calls customer and schedules a time and gets it done.     If for what ever reason he doesn't have the part very rare, he calls me right back and I get it ordered, part comes in tub gets fixed end of story!!




 I think what we have here, is a failure to communicate!!!!!


 Get down there and speak your peace!!   Or don't leave till you get the part and fix it yourself takes all of about 15 minuets.

[SerjicalStrike]

Does the service center have a toll free line?  Then we could all call and let them know you need service.  

[drewstar]

Dealer = Service in my book.

If the service is unacceptable, then I blame the dealer.  Anyone can  sell you something.

 It's taking care of you after the sale, and how they react when there are problems that define a good dealer.

At least in my book anyhow.  :-/

WTF? this is a new tub, under warrenty, purchased from this dealer?  How can you give him priase when he tells you to call the service hotline yourself ? Is this how Sudance does buisness?  No thanks.  

[Jacuzzi Jim]

Dealer = Service in my book.

If the service is unacceptable, then I blame the dealer.  Anyone can  sell you something.

 It's taking care of you after the sale, and how they react when there are problems that define a good dealer.

At least in my book anyhow.  :-/

WTF? this is a new tub, under warrenty, purchased from this dealer?  How can you give him priase when he tells you to call the service hotline yourself ? Is this how Sudance does buisness?  No thanks.    

 How can you blame the dealer than ask if this is how Sundance does business??   If the dealer is doing his job right, then it should never really get to the manufacturer ever.   FWIW my tech works on Hotspring spas as well as everyone else's now and then. Because for some strange reason they let the customer down.

  Some are even wiling to pay him to fix a spa thats under warranty from said dealer's, and yes some of those are HS owners,Sundance,Beach comber and Marquis.  Not to just single out HS

 No manufacturer is immune to a less than worthy dealer.  Sad as that is.

[Spatech_tuo]

 I think what we have here, is a failure to communicate!!!!!

Quite possibly my all time favorite movie quote from Strother Martin in a real guy movie and very appropriate in this case (though you're not quite quoting it verbatim but I'll overlook that  ).

I hope the service person AT LEAST has a part on order and is just not communicating that fact versus both ignoring the problem and ignoring the customer. SLACKER!!!

[drewstar]

 How can you blame the dealer than ask if this is how Sundance does business??   If the dealer is doing his job right, then it should never really get to the manufacturer ever.   FWIW my tech works on Hotspring spas as well as everyone else's now and then. Because for some strange reason they let the customer down.

  Some are even wiling to pay him to fix a spa thats under warranty from said dealer's, and yes some of those are HS owners,Sundance,Beach comber and Marquis.  Not to just single out HS

 No manufacturer is immune to a less than worthy dealer.  Sad as that is.

Both the dealer and sundance profited from the sale and claim to represent the product when they are selling it. (much like car dealerships).

This poor service is a reflection upon the dealer and the manufactuer's name.  

Both the dealer and Sundace are being non responsive.  That's unacceptable.
In fact,  I'd be at the point were I would be considering calling the credit card company and placing the purchase in dispute.  

Jim, do you think the dealer is doing a fair job? do you think Sundance is supporting it's customers and dearler in an accetpable way?

 

[Gary]

Both the dealer and sundance profited from the sale and claim to represent the product when they are selling it. (much like car dealerships).

This poor service is a reflection upon the dealer and the manufactuer's name.  

Both the dealer and Sundace are being non responsive.  That's unacceptable.
In fact,  I'd be at the point were I would be considering calling the credit card company and placing the purchase in dispute.  

Jim, do you think the dealer is doing a fair job? do you think Sundance is supporting it's customers and dearler in an accetpable way?

 

Do not be so fast to blame Sundance, they probably have no knowledge what this customer is experiencing. They cannot fix what they do not know about.

I do not care for Sundance's product and I just defended them.

[Skellman]

Like I said, they've (the dealer) been very responsive and helpful to me up to this point. That's why I praise him. Pretty simple if you ask me. If that makes me a chump.............I'm good with that.

I'm not going to "freak out" on the dealer because they're service department up to this point is underachieving. I trust them to handle it and I believe they will.
Perhaps I am being to patient. Who's to say?

To say the dealer is being unresponsive is wrong and simply inaccurate.

Time will tell.

[Jacuzzi Jim]

  I just re-read it again, I don't think Sundance is involved by the sounds of it?  When he refers to the service center I believe he's talking about the dealers service tech, not the manufacturers??

 And drewstar no I don't think the dealer is doing the right thing!!   Most people are alright with a call as long as they know whats going on in a timely fashion and the problem is resolved no matter how small.   I really don't think Sundance has a clue at this point.

  Now in Freds instance with his J-480 he contacted Jacuzzi/Sundance himself and as fas as I know he never heard back from them I don't know.? His experience was not a pleasant one with his dealer or tech.   Once again a lack of communication and customer service from his dealer.

  Once again it goes back to the dealer.  You take a place like Great escapes that has 21 stores, that's a lot of spa's sold in a huge area.   I wonder how different it would be if it was a spa not running issue not just a stereo remote, which needs to be taken care of either way, but at least his spa is running and therestill must be some communication as to whats going on, and he would most likely be alright with it as long as it was fixed.


I will say 6 weeks hell 3 weeks is to long to wait for something like that to be taken care of in my opinion.
  

[drewstar]

Like I said, they've (the dealer) been very responsive and helpful to me up to this point. That's why I praise him. Pretty simple if you ask me. If that makes me a chump.............I'm good with that.

I'm not going to "freak out" on the dealer because they're service department up to this point is underachieving. I trust them to handle it and I believe they will.
Perhaps I am being to patient. Who's to say?

To say the dealer is being unresponsive is wrong and simply inaccurate.

Time will tell.

Skellman, I'm not picking on you personaly, and I appoligize because re reading my post  I can see how it comes across that way.  You're a good guy trying to get his tub fixed. I wish you well.

However, to be honest, I do think you are being taken advantage of.  

Yes, the dealer is a being responsive.  Unfortunately I think the response you are getting is unacceptable.  Good luck, and please keep us in the loop.

[Skellman]

No worries Drewstar. It's all good. I just thought back of that pic you posted of you reading the magazine while the dog took a leak on you. Too funny.  I couldn't get mad at you!

As someone I believe mentioned, if the stereo were completely non-functional I'd probably be a little more terse with them. Of course, that doesn't justify the lack of response.

I just called the dealer again. I thought they sub-contracted the work but, I was wrong. It is their actual service department which disappoints me.

Anyway, the tech is supposed to be at the store shortly and I'm supposed to hear something soon. We'll see.

I do appreciate the input.

[hottubdan]

I have to say the service department reflects on both the dealer and the brand and ultimately the industry.

Sure, a non-functional remote is minor; but there is no excuse for no return phone call for 6 weeks!

In this case it reflects on Sundance and I think they would want to know.  I know if it were Hot spring and the customer called corporate I, the dealer, would hear about it pretty darn quick.

[Pathfinder]

Its seems odd they cant get a hold of their own in house service tech.  The question I ask is why cant the dealer just give you a new remote???  If when you get home and the new remote doesnt work then you need a service call to fix the IR or fix the head unit itself.  A week with no contact is too long let alone 6.