Festool USA customer service review

[tommyr]

I spend countless hours on this board and never post, but today need to make an exception to relay my ongoing experiences with Festool USA customer service. 

I sent my Domino in last Thursday because the 5mm bit got stuck on the shaft, and when I put pressure on it to remove it the shaft started spinning.  I've been losing my mind since then because I need it to finish a cabinet project that's under a deadline that I'm behind on, and It was purchased in Feb of 2013 making it almost 4 years old.  I called this morning to check in and see when I could expect it back and how much it was going to cost me.  It turns out they had to replace the gear box along with the spindle shaft and a few other things, I'm still at a loss as to how the damage happened because the tool is never abused, but that's beside the point.  After talking to Brad I expected a repair bill in the several hundreds of dollars and a few more days before the tool was ready.  To my delight it is fixed already, there is no charge to the repairs, and I paid a few extra dollars to have him next day ship it to me.

This is the latest of a few experiences that I've had with Festool customer service, albeit the first time I've actually had a tool repaired, and they've all been remarkably impressive.  The first time I contacted them it was because I broke a brand new 4mm bit on my Domino under normal usage and wanted to see if it was something I was doing wrong or if it was a tool malfunction.  I have a home based shop, so I went inside my house to send an email expecting to hear back from them in a day or two.  I sent the email, got a glass of water and while I was walking back out to my shop my phone rang with a call from them.  They went over the usage with me, sent me out a new bit for gratis, and I got it the next day.

The quality of a companies product is paramount, and over the years I've come to expect innovation, reliability and precision from every Festool tool that I purchase.  But more so, they're dedication to providing their customers with superb customer service in my mind is really what sets them apart.

Thank you Festool for your continued service and support.  It's proof that quality and service still has a place in today's disposable economy.

 

[Paul G]

Nice, I hope your project get's back on track soon. My limited experience with their service has been excellent as well.

 

[DrD]

[member=42004]tommyr[/member]

It's great - but not unusual - that you've had outstanding service from Festool USA Service!  In the course of the past 4 years I have sent my TS75 back for leaking oil, my Domino 500 back for not sliding easily, and my Kapex for laser alignment and stalling out.  All were repaired - within 48 hrs of receipt, shipped to and from, all at no cost to me.  Discussions with service reps on the phone have been most helpful, and they were in no rush to get off the phone - answering fully and completely all my questions. 

As a hobby woodworker, Festool service - before (thanks Uncle Bob) and after (thanks Service Dept) - is the major reason I keep buying Festool.  As an aside, when my yellow and black 18v drill/driver quit working, I was told by their service person to trash it and by a new one at my expense.  As for when some of my grey (or is it gray) with black tools went on the fritz, it was most difficult to even find service.  Just some experiences.

 

[Cheese]

Service Update:  FWIW

I needed to order some service parts for the MFS templates so I called Festool service and promptly talked with a very pleasant/friendly woman. She informed me however, that now that they've changed over to some new software, the parts/service group was no longer able to take orders or payments over the phone. She suggested I contact my local Festool supplier and order the service parts from them instead.

I told her that i've ordered over the phone in the past and she acknowledged that was indeed the case, but as it stands now, it is no longer an option. I asked if this new requirement will change in the future and she said she hoped it would but that she would not know for another couple of months.  [eek]

 

[copcarcollector]

Yours is the second account of recent parts needs that could not be ordered directly by the customer from fusa. One major online dealer says they are not set up to supply parts... what's the consumer to do? This seems bass ackwards to me, [member=57769]TylerC[/member] , can you explain this new 'policy', what fusa suggests consumers do right now for parts, and if fusa expects this to change back to the good old days at some point.?

 

[ScotF]

I always order parts through my dealer - that way I do not have to pay the high shipping costs Festool charges for small items. It has never been an issue for me. Maybe I am just lucky and have a great dealer. As long as I have the part number, it gets placed on that week's order and I get my parts the next week.

 

[TylerC]

You can still purchase spare parts directly through Festool USA. (We couldn't process payments a few weeks ago, but we can again.)

However, we highly recommend that you purchase them through a dealer. As a manufacturer, we're trying to avoid direct sales whenever we can. We're encouraging more dealers to stock spare parts, and we're encouraging more customers to purchase spare parts directly from dealers.

 

[jimbo51]

"We're encouraging more dealers to stock spare parts,"

I assume you are talking about things like nuts and bolts and screws. Otherwise why in the world would a dealer want to stock spare parts. There are so many bits and pieces that a customer might occasionally lose that it makes no sense for a dealer to try to keep items in stock in the rare event a customer might need a particular piece.

This is another example of Festool sort of losing focus on customer service. As mentioned in other threads, other drills and routers and saws will get the work done. Festool would be hard pressed to survive on selling only their unique items such as Dominos and Conturos etc.

 

[Cheese]

Well this just gets more and more interesting...so on Friday, Festool service says they are no longer processing credit cards, so I write to uncle Bob to order the parts I need. Today I received a message from uncle Bob stating that Festool is now processing cards, and then I also see the [member=57769]TylerC[/member] message about being able to purchase parts again directly through Festool USA.

So I called up Festool service a 2nd time and tried to order the parts that I need. Br** answers the phone in service and says they are no longer processing cards, I mention Bob's name and also Tyler C's name and what both had mentioned and I was then placed on hold. Several minutes later Br** says he talked with Inside Sales and they said they were no longer processing credit cards and that I needed to order the parts again from my Festool supplier.      [dead horse] [dead horse] 

I think I'll wait a few days until this ordering thing gets squared away.  [sad] [sad]

 

[copcarcollector]

Wow, sounds like the left hand and the right hand work in entirely different buildings, or states... Geeze. [eek]
Good thing you don't actually NEED the parts you are trying to order (well, any time soon I guess--)

 

[Cheese]

Good thing you don't actually NEED the parts you are trying to order (well, any time soon I guess--)

AMEN... [big grin]  Like I said, I'll give them a couple of days and then start the demon dialing and demon e-mailing again.

 

[DrD]

[member=48572]Shane Holland[/member]
Just for grins, have you tried ToolNut?  I see Shane is logged on, maybe he can help you out.

 

[Shane Holland]

[member=48572]Shane Holland[/member]
Just for grins, have you tried ToolNut?  I see Shane is logged on, maybe he can help you out.

[member=19075]DrD[/member], thanks for the mention. This was discussed in another thread. We aren't really set up to efficiently handled special orders of Festool spare parts.

 

[Bob Marino]

Well this just gets more and more interesting...so on Friday, Festool service says they are no longer processing credit cards, so I write to uncle Bob to order the parts I need. Today I received a message from uncle Bob stating that Festool is now processing cards, and then I also see the [member=57769]TylerC[/member] message about being able to purchase parts again directly through Festool USA.

So I called up Festool service a 2nd time and tried to order the parts that I need. Br** answers the phone in service and says they are no longer processing cards, I mention Bob's name and also Tyler C's name and what both had mentioned and I was then placed on hold. Several minutes later Br** says he talked with Inside Sales and they said they were no longer processing credit cards and that I needed to order the parts again from my Festool supplier.      [dead horse] [dead horse] 

I think I'll wait a few days until this ordering thing gets squared away.  [sad] [sad]

I apologize for the misinformation presented here earlier and the runaround.  I saw Tyler's post, thought this was resolved  and mentioned that to customers calling earlier wanting to buy some parts.
I'll also be happy when this is finally resolved. In the meantime, give me a call and let's get it done.

 

[Cheese]

This was discussed in another thread. We aren't really set up to efficiently handled special orders of Festool spare parts.

Well obviously Shane you're not alone... [big grin] this all started with Woodcraft and I mentioned it to the woman I talked with on Friday. She confirmed that Woodcraft had a lot of "extra hoops" to jump through, so she suggested Festool Nirvana. Having never dealt with them before, I considered the old tried and true, either Uncle Bob or ToolNut.

 

[Cheese]

I'll also be happy when this is finally resolved. In the meantime, give me a call and let's get it done.

Thanks Bob, I'll give you a call on the morrow.

 

[leakyroof]

This was discussed in another thread. We aren't really set up to efficiently handled special orders of Festool spare parts.

Well obviously Shane you're not alone... [big grin] this all started with Woodcraft and I mentioned it to the woman I talked with on Friday. She confirmed that Woodcraft had a lot of "extra hoops" to jump through, so she suggested Festool Nirvana. Having never dealt with them before, I considered the old tried and true, either Uncle Bob or ToolNut.

. Festool Nirvana is excellent, only had great experiences with them.