Grizzly has lost my business

[Ster1154]

I've spent countless thousands purchasing from Grizzly in the past and typically don't mind their tools. 

Two weeks ago I placed a large order for Nordfab ducting to replace my PVC ducting in my shop.  Anyone familiar with the material knows its expense and I opted for Grizzly because they had a sale on various connectors.  I spent several thousand and upon its receipt realized they forgot to add all of the blast gates. 

I called customer service and a gentlemen confirmed it was their warehouse's fault but that he'd need to open a ticket to double check.  Okay, that's fine.  I informed him that all I want are the blast gates by this weekend as I need them in order to start replacing my existing dust collection.  This was Tuesday that we chatted.

Wednesday he calls me and informs me that it was indeed their fault and a new one is shipping.  Friday they finally ship. 

I check today and see that they were shipped UPS Ground and I have to wait about another week to receive them. 

I messaged Grizzly customer service and asked why these weren't shipped Next Day as I feel that I made it clear I needed them by the weekend and it was their fault that these were forgotten.  Customer service unapologetically tells me that they're sorry but b/c the original order was shipped via UPS Ground that they shipped them UPS Ground. 

So now I'm essentially delayed by an extra week because Grizzly forgot a mission critical piece of the dust collection and that they did the bare minimum to get them to me.

I dunno - I'm just annoyed.  I run a solo business and if this happened to me I'd eat the additional cost to get it to my customer ASAP. 

Sorry guys and gals - just needed to vent

 

[ChuckM]

I can feel your pain. It is a typical case of a communication breakdown.

I run a small business and when I make a mistake (even if it is caused by the customer!), I put in double effort (not the normal effort) to get it fixed to the satisfaction of my client. Usually, a customer forgives you when you quickly fix a mistake, but if you screw up a mistake with a second mistake in the same transaction as in this delivery example, you are doomed as a service provider. If I were Grizzly, I would reach out to you right away, and patch things up. That's a last chance to retain any loyal customer -- a big spender or not.

 

[Ster1154]

Usually, a customer forgives you when you quickly fix a mistake, but if you screw up a mistake with a second mistake in the same transaction as in this delivery example, you are doomed as a service provider.

You hit the nail on the head.

I'm not asking for Grizzly to go above and beyond.  I'm asking them to act with a little extra urgency in order to remedy their mistake.  For a multimillion dollar company I'm not sure why there wasn't any thought into expediting shipment to ensure I get these blast gates ASAP.

I was kind to the rep and we had an amicable conversation, but I did tell him that I'm sort of in limbo until the blast gates come.  He understood their importance and even told me on Wednesday "you'll get these tomorrow" which led me to believe they were being shipped next day. 

It's just a shame considering Grizzly's fairly reputable customer service. 

 

[James Carriere]

That’s such a frustrating experience and one I have sadly witnessed too many times.  I’m sure many of us here on  FOG are self employed and we can all empathize with your frustration and annoyance.  I have gone out of my way to ensure those working with me understand that mistakes happen.  Everyone makes them but what is most important when they do occur is the response to the mistake.  It’s pretty tough to look someone in the face who is owning their responsibility without excuses and ensuring the mistake is being resolved in a thorough manner and still remain upset.  Yet here they are, losing a loyal customer who just spent thousands over saving themselves $25 in shipping costs for their own error.  Well done Grizzly.

 

[sancho57]

They should of compensated you somehow as it was their screw up. Even if it was to give you the blast gates free or so much off your next order. For them to treat you the way they did is just telling you to pack sand.

Did you go up the food chain? Bring their mistake to the head of customer service?

They will usually make it right.

 

[nclemmons]

I've had this happen with other suppliers and kindly asked when it was discovered if they would overnight the missed items.  Typically they will do it if you ask, or at a minimum split the cost of overnight on an order like this when it was their mistake.

At this point, it's water under the bridge.  But what would 'make you whole' in your mind and perhaps you drop a note to their customer service team on this.

As an aside, it is amazing how our expectations of rapid delivery have changed from only a few years back. 

Good luck with resolution.  And share photos of your install when done!

 

[Ster1154]

Thanks for the input all.

I suppose my biggest complaint has nothing to do with Grizzly originally omitting the blast gates - mistakes happen.  I think the bigger issue (at least to me) is the fact that I feel like Grizzly took a very lax attitude in remedying the situation to the point of stalling for two days THEN shipping the pieces and THEN shipping them only UPS Ground when I had made it known when I spoke to the CSR that I was planning to re-do my dust collection this weekend.

It is water under the bridge at this point as the weekend has come and gone and their customer service team has yet to get back to me since I was responded to them saying they only shipped them Ground.  I'm not the kind of person to really ask for monetary compensation from them, but I feel like their lack of action to make up for their initial mistake was a bit unprofessional.  For their rep to basically say "well that's just the way it is" was enough to steer me to other outlets.

As an aside, it is amazing how our expectations of rapid delivery have changed from only a few years back. 

So true haha.  I had them shipped Ground b/c I ordered them over a week in advance of my scheduled date of install.  I figured it'd take maybe a week to get here and when they finally did and Grizzly had forgotten the parts I thought they'd fork over the extra $20 to get them here Next Day.

What's so funny is I had placed an additional order on Thursday that I paid extra for to get here by Friday.  I even told the rep they could toss the blast gates in with that order.  Oh well.  Live and learn.