How a small issue becomes large

I write this not out of anger or frustration but simply put, enough is enough.

In Feb of this year we took a trip to Puerto Penasco MX. The trip was great, the Razor was great and we had a wonderful time. After getting home and cleaning out the TH, I noticed that on the DS rear wheel the center cap cover that you use to access the bearing buddy was missing. No big deal right? I call Heartland. I call 6 times. I leave 6 messages. No return calls. I call one last time. I explain to the receptionist who I am and what I am calling for. She starts to transfer me once again to "leave a message land" and I stop her. I explain that I've been leaving messages and have gotten no response. I ask her to simply tell whoever it is that can help me to return my call and I bet her a drink that I don't get a return call. Well, I owe her that drink. Chris in warranty service calls me back within 1 hour. I explain what I need. I tell him it's no big deal, I will pay for the cover I just need it. He's acting concerned says you're right, no big deal I'll just send you one. He says it can go USPS, I should see it within a week. That was Feburary 25th. I still don't have it. I've left two messages for Chris. No return calls. I'm not writing this to get action. I don't want a return call or a message telling me we'll take care of it we're sorry. I'm done. I'll find a cover. I took the Heartland plaque off the TH today. I like the rig. Great product. Like a lot of companies, Heartland is unable or unwilling to take care of the little things. That old adage about sweating the small stuff has true meaning in this case. I've been a small business owner for 25 years. I wouldn't expect a customer of mine to accept this treatment. They would move on to another supplier in a heartbeat. Jim B, thank you for all the hard work and concern. You do a great job. Please remove my name from anything to do with this forum and Heartland Owners Club. To all Heartland owners, thanks for the advice, help and kind words.

Sincerely,

Curt Cutler

this is very sad


driver311

I can certainly understand your frustration. I have had similar issues with Kodak, Haband, Alltel and a few other "customer service" problems. That said, I think in general the "company" wants to do things right but there may be a serious problem with people being overworked or shorthanded when it comes to doing their jobs. Companies are cutting way back and people are doing a lot of multitasking and we as consumers end up getting lost in the shuffle. I had lost a hub cover on my Bighorn 2 days into being an owner. I took it off to check lug torque and apparently didn't tighten it enough. It was my fault, it took a while but I bought a replacement from the wheel manufacturer. I never called Heartland.

Word of mouth is the best advertising, GOOD or BAD, sorry to hear about your bad experiance with Customer Service. Customer Service makes or breaks word of mouth advertising.

This brings up a concern I’ve had for some time. With companies cutting back and people doing more than one job or a different job then they have been doing is the build quality as good as it was when everyone was doing the same job every day. I used to work in a manufacturing environment and I know that when there was a reduction in workforce, people were ask to perform jobs and operations on which they were not as proficient as the previous person. Quality suffered and had to be watched very closely.
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I’ve been reading this forum for some time and hear about various little quality problems that seem to be due to lack of attention to details. I’ve heard all the explanation of how they occur with all RV’s but I’m not looking to buy all RV’s, I’m looking at Heartland. I wonder if now is the time to be buying any new RV or should I wait until things settle down.

Cutlers, since you have signed off, you probably won't see this, but I hope that you come back. I am so sorry that your expectations were let down by Heartland. That doesn't sound like Heartland Customer Service or Chris. I've dealt with them on and off for over three years and I've never experienced anything like that. Every time I've called or e-mailed, I received a prompt reply. Decent products from good manufacturers are hard to find these days and Heartland has stood behind their products for most of us during the past five years that they have been in business. I would like to think that the blame might not be all Heartland. I am pleasantly surprised anytime I get a delivery from the USPS. Maybe that's why I try to get my stuff delivered by UPS or FedEx. I hope that you will be able to find your center cap and that you have many enjoyable years with your Razor

Good luck and safe travels,

John

Cutlers said:

I write this not out of anger or frustration but simply put, enough is enough.

IPlease remove my name from anything to do with this forum and Heartland Owners Club. To all Heartland owners, thanks for the advice, help and kind words.

Sincerely,

Curt Cutler

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Ok, can you explain to me what problems with a warranty issue has to do with your participation in the forums?

I guess I'm missing your point, if there is one.

This could also be a dealer issue as well as a communication problem with the warranty folks. It's better to take pics, send them to warranty and get ur dealer to comply. Lot easier than it sounds, but well worth trying. This guy wants to cut off his nose to spite his face or however that saying goes.

Why didn't he go to the dealer anyway. All problems should be address to the dealers first.

Maybe the dealer he bought it from quit carrying Heartland. That happened to us.

Guys,

Dealer or not... his 6 calls that left messages... his two follow up calls all should have gotten him a little more attention than one would be promise which was never followed up on....

He knew this was not warranty issues... he knew he was going to pay for the part... he ONLY Wanted to conduct a business transaction of buying a part that most RV dealers would probably not have on hand...

Having JUST attempted to get part numbers or purchase parts... After several calls I placed.... I felt just a small amount of what he must have gone through.

The return calls should have been made to him... In My View.

Marv

Seems like a small issue to me considering all of the other problems people have had. If he was going to go to the Rally in Goshen I will be they would give him a center cap when he toured the factory as a good will gester. Oh well, sorry to see he go in that manner.

I am as dedicated a Heartland owner and as loyal a Heartland customer as any of you. I always support and defend Heartland on other RV forums. So let's not shot the messenger, his point was, he was promised by Heartland ( Chris ) that the part would be there in about a week, via UPS. The problem can not and should not be blamed on the dealer. Heartland, Chris, dropped the ball and failed to follow through with a comittment. I suggest Jim B. forward this thread to Chris and Chris needs to follow up and, for no better choice of words, beg for forgivness and send Mr. Cutler the part he needs.

jmgratz said:

Seems like a small issue to me considering all of the other problems people have had. If he was going to go to the Rally in Goshen I will be they would give him a center cap when he toured the factory as a good will gester. Oh well, sorry to see he go in that manner.

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I understand your position...what is a small thing to you..may be a big thing to me.

Lemme put it into perspective...you are driving down the road and an axle falls off...I'm hate to hear that...but, it's not my problem...so, it's a small thing.

I'm not trying to be crappy...one of the things I learned in NCO school, and there was a two day class on helping the younger troops deal with personal problems, was that while a situation may be a small thing to every other person on the face of the planet...it may grow to be a VERY big problem to the person it's occuring to.

jmgratz said:

Seems like a small issue to me considering all of the other problems people have had. If he was going to go to the Rally in Goshen I will be they would give him a center cap when he toured the factory as a good will gester. Oh well, sorry to see he go in that manner.

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I don't know about them giving him a part at the factory tour, when I toured the factory back in 07 I had one of the round cabinet knobs fall apart and asked for a replacement. The fellow giving us the tour said that could not be done as it would mess up the inventory, however he led us over by the cabinet parts and whispered to me to pick up one of the knobs and stick it in my pocket so no one could see me. This was really dumb I thought my rig was still under warranty at the time and he asked me to conduct myself as a thief to get a replacement for a faulty cabinet knob. I told him I would not do this just replace the knob and be done with it he refused. I got one from my dealer when we returned to GA, but since we bought our BH in April 07 Heartland has now changed dealers 3 times here in North GA don't know why but it has been rumored that it is due to poor warranty support.

Sorry to trivialize someone elses problem as that is not my intention. I was just remembering back when I toured the Alfa factory and mentioned my automatic black tank flush valve quit working. The man walked over to a bin and gave me one saying he was sorry that I had that problem. It is just that I would not berate the manufacturer for a problem of that nature. I understand the frustration. Sorry for any misinterpretation of my intent. By the way I have an extra center cap that was given to me by the factory some time ago when I had some accident damage after a blowout that I would be more than happy to give him if he cannot get a replacement.