Service Calls

[dazedandconfused]

I heard it is important to have a dealer able to do service calls (visits to house).

What are service calls?
Frequency?
Purpose (just for warranty work?)?
Avg cost?  Heard of any dealer doing free service calls?

Thanks

[dpgtech]

Service calls are usuaully only made if the customer suspects a problem with the hot tub.   It is important to have a dealer who is able to provide warranty and after warranty service from a factory trained technician. or if there is a local factory authorized service tech who provides warranty service for your dealer's territory.Frequency can vary; in my humble opinion one of the main causes for a service call can be improper water chemistry.  another cause for service calls is the customer may have not had the proper orientation and does not understand how the spa is suposed to operate.  As to your question of free service calls. that is up to the individual dealer and also depends on the warranty.  As a coleman and Jacuzzi Premium dealer we do not charge a trip charge for any warranty work because we can get to almost anywhere in our territory in under 2 hours.  Coleman does state in the warranty "you may be charged a reasonable trip charge for warranty repairs."  but this is up to the dealer. hope this helps

[Chas]

We also do warranty work at no charge to the customer, unless they live outside of our normal service area. If they do, we let them know before they buy. We tell them that we will be billing them for a travel charge.

But - after we warn everybody, we will try to book our calls on a day that we are in that area, or at least most of the way to that area. If it works out that way, we waive the trip charge.

Some people are glad to wait for a day we are in their area, others will pay to have us there right now.

[fedmandoo]

What is the common practice from dealers  when there is a problem with a tub that a tech cannot fix onsite and the tub has to be "returned to  the dealer/vendor" for service?
Under what circumstances would a dealer replace a tub for a customer?
How long on average would a tub owner have to be without their tub while it's being serviced??
I assume each vendor would have their own policy on these questions???
Feedback is appreciated.
Fedman

[Gary]

What is the common practice from dealers  when there is a problem with a tub that a tech cannot fix onsite and the tub has to be "returned to  the dealer/vendor" for service?
Under what circumstances would a dealer replace a tub for a customer?
How long on average would a tub owner have to be without their tub while it's being serviced??
I assume each vendor would have their own policy on these questions???
Feedback is appreciated.
Fedman

I think it is rare a spa would get returned to the factory for the reason of not being able to fixed in the field. Anything can be fixed in the field in my opinion. I would feel embarrassed to tell somebody I could not fix, if that ever happens I would have to look for a new job.

I do not sell but only service and I do some warranty for dealers/manufacturers and I charge the dealer or the customer the difference for what warranty does not pay.

Gary

[Rboehme]

What is the common practice from dealers  when there is a problem with a tub that a tech cannot fix onsite and the tub has to be "returned to  the dealer/vendor" for service?
Under what circumstances would a dealer replace a tub for a customer?
How long on average would a tub owner have to be without their tub while it's being serviced??
I assume each vendor would have their own policy on these questions???
Feedback is appreciated.
Fedman

Gary is right. The only reason I can see a dealer not being able to repair your spa in the field would be that they have VERY poorly trained sales techs.

I could see a dealer replacing your spa if it had a cracked shell. Other than that everything should be able to be fixed on site.

There are a few dealers in my area that use cheap,  untrained techs that probably bring in 3 to 5 spas a week from the field so that they can spend 8 hours a day looking for the leak without you being able to see thier ineptitude.

If your dealer takes the spa from your home you could be without it for a long time.