Master Spa dissapointing once again!

[stuart]

Most of you know about my struggles with Master over the years having been a dealer in the last few years with several complaints.

Well I've backed off a bit but now have to speak up once again.

It takes us up to 6 weeks to get filters in from the company, we've had circuit boards on order for around 4 months and can't get parts, we have a customer with broken jets and a cracked spa that we already got an RMA# from Master over a month ago but can't get an answer on when the spa will be shipped.

When you call the factory it's rare that you can talk with someone and when you do they either don't have an answer or are terribly rude.

If they are trying to punish me for not being a dealer any longer that's one thing however this is directly effecting people that bought their products whom we are ready willing and able to take care of once Master handles their part.

I think that what I need to do is send every one of these customers links to these forums and let them start complaining in public more....Master seems to take the internet more serious than anything else.

[windsurfdog]

Bubba stu,

I hate it for your customers and I hate it for you.  I also hate it for any tub shopper who may decide an MS is the most suitable for their tastes but loses confidence because of complaints like this.  I believe you may be correct about the internet influence...give it a go.  You know MS can't have a more enthusiastic cheerleader than me and this certainly is disappointing.

[Tatooed_Lady]

This sucks, no matter WHO the tub is made by. If you're going to supply a product just because people have  got the cash for it, then you should be supplying a product that is quality (as opposed to "Kwality" with a capital "K").. If MS feels that they're getting a bad reputation due to circumstances beyond their control, then they need to get rid of the crap in their crop and hire GOOD factory reps who are willing to do what they can to create customer loyalty. Word of mouth is a powerful thing....and the internet makes it that much louder/stronger.
Seems to me that the dealers well and truly have their hands tied on this one...which just pisses the customers off more, figuring that they're on the take, too...
Mean, stupid, greedy corporate a-hole people SUCK.  
(My $.02)

[hottub.pool_boy]

Mr. Stu,
I'm sorry for your situstion as if reflects on your business. A dealer with top notch customer service is only as good as the supply chain behind it.
We're dealing with a similar situation with a dealer who was finally terminated. We've taken over MANY warranty nightmares perpetuated at the ex-dealers hands. The consumer views us as no better even though we've cleared up many of the problems. Time will heal in our case. We will be stepping up our efforts to rectify the ex-dealers transgressions as well as damage control for a while.

I wish you the best.

[Vinny]

Stuart,

How long ago were you selling Master?

Based on what you've written in the past about your customer service (all of it being excellent), I know you are bothered by this. Is there any way to second source the parts needed or give some business (buy parts) from another non local dealer?

[DPS]

Hello Stuart,

I had a similar situation with another brand of spas.  I had been servicing and doing warranty work for this manufacturer for over 12 years when they talked me into carrying their brand, along with the Marquis I already sold, in 2001.  When I came to my senses a year later and stopped selling their spas and went back to just Marquis they would no longer sell me parts.  I guess to punish me they punished my/their customers by not selling me parts to do their warranty work. When I asked "what am I going to tell my customers with one year old spas when they call for warranty service?" they replied "I don't care".

[MarKee]

The local Master dealer just went out of business here.  Everything I hear about Master is bad, from the rebate scams to things like this.  

[Brewman]

The Master dealer up the street from my office is apparently still having their July Blowout Sale, or so says their big painted widow.

[windsurfdog]

The local Master dealer just went out of business here.  Everything I hear about Master is bad, from the rebate scams to things like this.  

Markee,
You hearing seems to be pretty selective considering broad stroke statements like that.  And please feel free to dredge up the rebate sh*t in the dead horse section.  And aren't you somehow affiliated with Marquis anyway?

[Gary]

The local Master dealer just went out of business here.  Everything I hear about Master is bad, from the rebate scams to things like this.  

Markee,
You hearing seems to be pretty selective considering broad stroke statements like that.  And please feel free to dredge up the rebate sh*t in the dead horse section.  And aren't you somehow affiliated with Marquis anyway?

I am just service guy but I agree with Markee.

I think their company is awful. I was in Detroit a few years ago and stopped by Master dealer just to check them out, the guy I talked to claimed to VP and sales and marketing for Master. I have never heard so much BS in my life. Even after I told him I am a service person and wanted to learn about their spas. I looked at the guy straight in the face and said if you believe the BS you just told me I suggest you find a new line of work or if you know that you are full of it then that tells me all I need to know about your company.

[stuart]

I was a Master Dealer for a little over 2 years but only really pushed the product in the first year.... We got into the rebate mess because the factory rep pushed it as a "Master Spa Backed" program. We also called everyone from the president of master to the founder of Cashable Vouchers in England to try and get answers on the program.

I feel that we sold it program for what it was...a marketing promotion. After telling every customer that it was a "chance" of getting money back, that we were selling spas not rebates and they should be happy with the product before buying regardless of the voucher. We even told them it was more like a lottery ticket then an investment. We sold a million dollars worth of Master in two sales over about a month and a half.

We stopped selling them because of their marketing practices and their lack of customer service. Everything was a battle to get the right parts for, know one at the factory seemed to understand the product, the first 2 spas we got in a filled on our showroom floor flooded the showroom, every stereo or TV spa we sold seemed to have a problem, their shell pulls were horrible and people at the factory were just not nice to anyone at our store.

To date I’m seeing the same patterns from the company, unethical marketing practices, slow warranty parts, poor customer service and unhappy people at the factory. The fact that Windy and maybe a few others have had a good experience over the last few years with a spa is great but in the long haul Master is a marketing machine with little quality or support IMO.

Shame too because they have the knowledge and tools to do it right….

[windsurfdog]

I was a Master Dealer for a little over 2 years but only really pushed the product in the first year.... We got into the rebate mess because the factory rep pushed it as a "Master Spa Backed" program. We also called everyone from the president of master to the founder of Cashable Vouchers in England to try and get answers on the program.

I feel that we sold it program for what it was...a marketing promotion. After telling every customer that it was a "chance" of getting money back, that we were selling spas not rebates and they should be happy with the product before buying regardless of the voucher. We even told them it was more like a lottery ticket then an investment. We sold a million dollars worth of Master in two sales over about a month and a half.

We stopped selling them because of their marketing practices and their lack of customer service. Everything was a battle to get the right parts for, know one at the factory seemed to understand the product, the first 2 spas we got in a filled on our showroom floor flooded the showroom, every stereo or TV spa we sold seemed to have a problem, their shell pulls were horrible and people at the factory were just not nice to anyone at our store.

To date I’m seeing the same patterns from the company, unethical marketing practices, slow warranty parts, poor customer service and unhappy people at the factory. The fact that Windy and maybe a few others have had a good experience over the last few years with a spa is great but in the long haul Master is a marketing machine with little quality or support IMO.

Shame too because they have the knowledge and tools to do it right….

Well, unless I canvass more MS owners and MS dealers, I can only go upon knowledge of those owners and current dealers that I know.  I have specifically asked my local MS dealer if he is pleased to be carrying the MS line and he has told me that he is very pleased to be doing so.  If he's blowing smoke up my *ss, so be it...otherwise, he is happy.  I just don't think MS would be able to remain in business if their product and service were as horrible as depicted.  MS is certainly not trying to capture market share by underselling spas based on price...their products are priced competitively with other manufacturers.  That they choose to market their spas in a way that is seen as "unethical" by other spa dealers is probably more a problem for the other spa dealers that deem it so--and if we need to continue dredging up the tired, old rebate cr*p over and over, then I suggest we move this in with the other dead horses.  And their product, at least the one I purchased, is not subpar, IMHO...but, then again, as I've said over and over again at this site, I'm but a single extremely pleased owner who knows at least 2 other extremely pleased owners.  I just refuse to believe that global MS customer and dealer satisfaction is as abysmal as presented.  I'm sorry, stuart, but I just won't buy your widespread gloom and doom picture...and I'm stating so just so other readers who may be contemplating an MS purchase will see that there is more than one side to this story.  That said, I stand behind my first post in this thread...I hate it's happening to you and your customers and it just isn't right.

[Gary]

I was a Master Dealer for a little over 2 years but only really pushed the product in the first year.... We got into the rebate mess because the factory rep pushed it as a "Master Spa Backed" program. We also called everyone from the president of master to the founder of Cashable Vouchers in England to try and get answers on the program.

I feel that we sold it program for what it was...a marketing promotion. After telling every customer that it was a "chance" of getting money back, that we were selling spas not rebates and they should be happy with the product before buying regardless of the voucher. We even told them it was more like a lottery ticket then an investment. We sold a million dollars worth of Master in two sales over about a month and a half.

We stopped selling them because of their marketing practices and their lack of customer service. Everything was a battle to get the right parts for, know one at the factory seemed to understand the product, the first 2 spas we got in a filled on our showroom floor flooded the showroom, every stereo or TV spa we sold seemed to have a problem, their shell pulls were horrible and people at the factory were just not nice to anyone at our store.

To date I’m seeing the same patterns from the company, unethical marketing practices, slow warranty parts, poor customer service and unhappy people at the factory. The fact that Windy and maybe a few others have had a good experience over the last few years with a spa is great but in the long haul Master is a marketing machine with little quality or support IMO.

Shame too because they have the knowledge and tools to do it right….

Well, unless I canvass more MS owners and MS dealers, I can only go upon knowledge of those owners and current dealers that I know.  I have specifically asked my local MS dealer if he is pleased to be carrying the MS line and he has told me that he is very pleased to be doing so.  If he's blowing smoke up my *ss, so be it...otherwise, he is happy.  I just don't think MS would be able to remain in business if their product and service were as horrible as depicted.  MS is certainly not trying to capture market share by underselling spas based on price...their products are priced competitively with other manufacturers.  That they choose to market their spas in a way that is seen as "unethical" by other spa dealers is probably more a problem for the other spa dealers that deem it so--and if we need to continue dredging up the tired, old rebate cr*p over and over, then I suggest we move this in with the other dead horses.  And their product, at least the one I purchased, is not subpar, IMHO...but, then again, as I've said over and over again at this site, I'm but a single extremely pleased owner who knows at least 2 other extremely pleased owners.  I just refuse to believe that global MS customer and dealer satisfaction is as abysmal as presented.  I'm sorry, stuart, but I just won't buy your widespread gloom and doom picture...and I'm stating so just so other readers who may be contemplating an MS purchase will see that there is more than one side to this story.  That said, I stand behind my first post in this thread...I hate it's happening to you and your customers and it just isn't right.

Sounds like someone has been drinking KoolAid.

[windsurfdog]

Sounds like someone has been drinking KoolAid.

Actually, I prefer martinis......

[stuart]

Windy buddy,
Anybody that is as old as you and still windsurfing needs martini's!

Then again where you live windsurfing might be considered transportation to work some seasons...

BTW, I called the VP of Master yesterday morning and left him a message. So far no return call so I've decided to give it until tomorrow and then call my customers with all the forums that I can think of and give them an in-store credit to relate thier frustrations and stories...