Funny Woodpecker story

[illumicon1]

I arrived home last night to a dark house and 2 very large packages from Woodpecker that I did not order. The only way to move them off of my porch and into the house was to unload them. It appeared by the packing list that the packages were being dropped shipped to me and billed to Performance Line Tool when it was supposed to go directly to Performance Line Tool for their stock. Added up everything and it probably came to about $4000.00. Multiple drill press tables, carpenter squares, rulers, coping sleds, assembly blocks, etc.
I called Performance Tool this morning and they couldn't believe I was calling them. Woodpecker then called me to arrange UPS pickup and didn't even offer a "thank you" for my honesty, expected me to take the day off and wait for the UPS truck.
Most people would have kept the packages and sold them off piece by piece. I didn't expect a reward but a simple "thank you" from the person that shipped it by mistake to me who's job I probably saved.

Scott G.

 

[NuggyBuggy]

Good for you for being honest.  I wouldn't have stuck around to let UPS pick it up, though - I'd have made them or the tool store come and pick it up from me on my schedule. 

If it makes you feel any better, they'd figure out what happened... eventually.

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Yes, good for you for being honest.  [thumbs up]

 

[illumicon1]

I had wanted one of the carpenter squares that was in the box so I called Performance this afternoon and asked what kind of deal I could get. I of course already had the product just pick it out of the box. Made me laugh they charged me full price. Oh well, it wasn't Performance's obligation to cut me a deal. I guess I should have tried to order direct from Woodpecker.

 

[RonMiller]

Good for you for being honest. It's how each of us would want to be treated in that situation.

But no "thank-you"? Ouch.

Something similar happened recently to me with a CT36 and a long rail from Bob Marino. He talked to me twice and thanked me both times. It did cost me work and so I appreciated his appreciation.

 

[Kev]

The lack of a thank you is terrible. If you don't get some form of thank you in material form for your time and trouble I'd like to know as it'll change some of my opinions!  [eek]

 

[Runhard]

Sorry to hear of their lack of appreciation for your honesty and time. I almost ordered some tools from Woodpeckers this Summer, but I ended up ordering from Bridge City Tool Works instead because of how awesome BCTW's customer service is.

Thanks for your integrity,

Daniel

 

[grbmds]

It does surprise me that they were not more appreciative as Woodpecker's has always been a very responsive and customer friendly company. The people involved there were probably not the ones who would appreciate the customer service end of it and may even have been afraid to do too much to call attention to the mistake. They're management should know your dissatisfaction though.

 

[RONWEN]

It does surprise me that they were not more appreciative as Woodpecker's has always been a very responsive and customer friendly company. The people involved there were probably not the ones who would appreciate the customer service end of it and may even have been afraid to do too much to call attention to the mistake. They're management should know your dissatisfaction though.

I agree, I have called "Karen" several dozen times over the years & she has always been very knowledgeable, friendly and polite.  The last few times I've called I have gotten different people at their end that I'm not familiar with.  Richard reads the FOG regularly and I'll be surprised if he doesn't respond in a positive way here although he (they) are probably busy getting ready for WIA this weekend.

 

[greg mann]

Ironic that the stuff shows up where the unintended receiver knows exactly what it is and the value. I am sure the word will get back to powers that be at Woodpeckers. No one should paint the company with a bad brush because one or two people don't get it. This just becomes a 'learning moment' for them to get better. We use the term 'they' referring to Woodpeckers when it really should be 'he' or 'she'. The whole company wasn't on the phone.

Every once in a while we have an opportunity to do the right thing when doing the wrong thing would seem to provide a personal benefit. It never really does provide that benefit. Everytime you used that supposed benefit you would remember just how it came to be and the experience would take you down a notch. OTOH, anything that reminded you of your good deed, even if it was unknown to another human being, would raise you up. The OP now has that in the physchological bank every time he hears or sees 'Woodpeckers'. That's is the real windfall.

 

[ShawnRussell]

If it matters, thanks for your honesty and effort from a random internet guy.  

 

[rmh]

I arrived home last night to a dark house and 2 very large packages from Woodpecker that I did not order. The only way to move them off of my porch and into the house was to unload them. It appeared by the packing list that the packages were being dropped shipped to me and billed to Performance Line Tool when it was supposed to go directly to Performance Line Tool for their stock. Added up everything and it probably came to about $4000.00. Multiple drill press tables, carpenter squares, rulers, coping sleds, assembly blocks, etc.
I called Performance Tool this morning and they couldn't believe I was calling them. Woodpecker then called me to arrange UPS pickup and didn't even offer a "thank you" for my honesty, expected me to take the day off and wait for the UPS truck.
Most people would have kept the packages and sold them off piece by piece. I didn't expect a reward but a simple "thank you" from the person that shipped it by mistake to me who's job I probably saved.

Scott G.

Scott,
Thank you. It's dissappointing when we screw up the basics and VERY dissappointing when it's something as simple as saying THANKS.  Wish I could say it'll never happen again but that probably won't be the case however we have thoroughly reviewed this incident internally.

At the very least you deserve the product you're interested in at no cost. Please contact me directly so I can try and square things up.

Richard Hummel
President, Woodpeckers Inc.
richardhummel@woodpeck.com

 

[GarryMartin]

I had wanted one of the carpenter squares that was in the box...

Please contact me directly so I can try and square things up...

I so hope that was an intentional pun!  [big grin]

Fantastic response from Richard at Woodpeckers, both in offering the square at no cost, but also in reviewing the processes that led to the initial disappointment over the lack of a simple courtesy.

 

[jimbo51]

Nothing like a touch of humor in an apology.

I had an issue with a Woodpecker product a couple of years ago and Richard addressed the problem promptly and very fairly.

 

[nclemmons]

Woodpeckers, Bridge City, and Festool all set the standard in quality and service.

Good to see Richard jumping in on this.

neil

 

[Laminator]

Don't ya just love happy endings!  Now when I pick up my 26" square or the 18" triangle I will always appreciate them more because of the personal touch.  Great folks making great products and taking care of customers. Honesty & Integrity.... This story makes my day.

 

[RKA]

When I initially read this post this AM I thought to myself..."This doesn't sound like Woodpeckers, it sounds like an individual that needs a lesson in simple manners", but knowing they are a great small business that I'm particularly fond of supporting, it's also possible the individual on the phone was so lost in dealing with the problem that the obvious escaped him in that moment.  Hell, I'm guilty of that myself. 

Now I come back to this post to comment a few hours later and Richard has already dealt with it.  Kudos!  Great company and nice people!  And Scott, thanks for doing the right thing.  I'm sure some of those goodies were already spoken for and I'm sure the intended recipients are equally grateful that you've helped right a mistake!

I can be as critical as the next guy, especially if it's my dime on the line.  As someone mentioned above, there are a few companies out there I tend to give the benefit of the doubt immediately, because they have earned it.  Woodpeckers is among them.

 

[Kev]

That's more like it! [big grin]

 

[chrisrosenb]

It is great to do the right thing.

This has brought back memories from over 20 years ago when I first became self employed.

I can remember at least 5 times, in the first year, that I was shipped items I did not order.
Sometimes extra items were included with an order I placed & others were just sent without any order being placed.
I always called the vendor to tell them about the mistake. Four of the vendors were thankful that I had reported the mistake & had the items picked up.

One vendor was not thankful. On this delivery, I had placed an order for 4 small boxes of cabinet hardware. The 4 boxes I ordered were shrink wrapped together, making it one package. I also received 3 large boxes of other kinds of cabinet hardware. The packing slip stated there were 4 packages in the order.

I called this vendor 3 times to try to get them to understand that I had received items that I had not ordered. The first 2 calls I was told that I had to talk to someone else & they would call me back. I was not called back & would have call back.

On the 3rd call, I finally got to talk to the correct person. I again explained what had happened.
This person's reply was that he did not know what I was trying to pull over on them, because I had received everything that I had ordered & that this issue was closed. He then hung up.

I never did business with that company again

After 20+ years I still have not used up all of that free hardware.

 

 

[rljatl]

Woodpeckers, Bridge City, and Festool all set the standard in quality and service.

Good to see Richard jumping in on this.

neil

And Lee Valley.