Warranty Registration a Possible Improvement?

[Steve R]

Almost everyone new to Festool soon after purchase wonders about registration.

My first Festool purchases were made at a chain of stores whose name begins with “R” and they never told us they were doing it. But they didn’t know the product that well either. When we moved to purchasing from a chain that begins with “W” we found out how it works.

Now that I know it is done, I’m cool with it…but I still would like some confirmation that it did happen and didn’t fall through the computer cracks.

Being that the Dealers have (we hope) taken the information and have done this on a computer system that ties/sends it to Festool. How hard would it be for Festool USA to send out an email, letter or postcard to the customer that says?

1. Your Festool ______  SN _______ is registered
2. List the date the warranty will run out on this date.
3. Festool Tool Service’s Phone number is ___  and their hours are______
4. List links/sources of information to help customers learn more about their product.
4.1. FUSA Training links
4.2. FUSA web address
4.3. FOG web address
4.4. Talk Festool Forum web address
5. ?

It would be nice to just drop this letter or a copy in the systainer and if I ever had a service question. I would have everything I need to make a call already on one piece of paper.

This could also be handed out by the store or if FUSA mails the above maybe add a Festool decal.  [poke]

If anything, this would show people FUSA a different type of company.

Cheers,
Steve

 

[jmbfestool]

Here in the UK our Dealers Register for us and about 4 weeks later we receive a A4 letter  with the Dealer who registered and the tool registered with the Dates it was registered and when its Valid to and also your personal ID
recently we got a ID card with Festool service number and ID so we can call up just give our ID number and festool will help you with what ever problem you have.

JMB

 

[PaulMarcel]

Sounds like the UK dealers have that in full swing already.

I like the ideas, Steve.  The card could also give a summary of the 1+2 warranty; the whole thing about they pay shipping first year, you do the next two.

I also like the idea of a decal so if you start this program, FestoolUSA, I want the decal thing to be retroactive for the ones I already have

 

[Alan m]

Here in the UK our Dealers Register for us and about 4 weeks later we receive a A4 letter  with the Dealer who registered and the tool registered with the Dates it was registered and when its Valid to and also your personal ID
recently we got a ID card with Festool service number and ID so we can call up just give our ID number and festool will help you with what ever problem you have.

JMB

i have registered a few festools all purchased locally. i registered online , i got an email but never anything in the post . ireland in now part of the uk festool system as they pulled the dublin hq.

 

[jmbfestool]

Here in the UK our Dealers Register for us and about 4 weeks later we receive a A4 letter  with the Dealer who registered and the tool registered with the Dates it was registered and when its Valid to and also your personal ID
recently we got a ID card with Festool service number and ID so we can call up just give our ID number and festool will help you with what ever problem you have.

JMB

i have registered a few festools all purchased locally. i registered online , i got an email but never anything in the post . ireland in now part of the uk festool system as they pulled the dublin hq.

oh!  well okay then not UK    if you live in England then lol you receive a A4 letter! 

 

[Neill]

Steve,

I really like the idea as well.  I do think that if push came to shove, your serial number and / or such other information you might retain such as a sales slip, credit card receipt, etc. would help.

An alternative might be a letter from your attorney indicating your reason for declaring bankruptcy.  "It was the green Kool Aid your Honor". 

Neill

 

[ajones]

Here in the UK our Dealers Register for us and about 4 weeks later we receive a A4 letter  with the Dealer who registered and the tool registered with the Dates it was registered and when its Valid to and also your personal ID
recently we got a ID card with Festool service number and ID so we can call up just give our ID number and festool will help you with what ever problem you have.

JMB

i have registered a few festools all purchased locally. i registered online , i got an email but never anything in the post . ireland in now part of the uk festool system as they pulled the dublin hq.

oh!   well okay then not UK     if you live in England then lol you receive a A4 letter! 

And the letter comes from Germany [big grin]

 

[jmbfestool]

Here you go!

Thats what I get every time I buy a Festool after about 3/4weeks

[attachimg=#]

 

[Alan m]

i must look into it .

do ye send off the green page or do it online

 

[jmbfestool]

i must look into it .

do ye send off the green page or do it online

I do nothing my Dealer does the registering for me like most dealers should be doing and then I just receive these  A4 size in a small envelope from Festool not my dealer

JMB

 

[Alan m]

my dealer has never registered any of them for me. i did it.
do ye get the forms

 

[jmbfestool]

my dealer has never registered any of them for me. i did it.
do ye get the forms

No I dont get the forms as my dealer checks the tools over quickly incase of damage  puts some of his stickers for advertisement on the systainers inside and out  and removes the warranty forms to do the warranty for me.  He use to do it only for Festool as festool asked all dealers to do the registering for the customers so save hassle if they came back with a faulty tool but never registered it  but now he does it for ALL brands for the same reason as he was getting fed up with people turning up with a problem but they had never registered the tool

JMB

 

[justinmcf]

i have received the same letters that jmb has received.

sometimes the dealer fills out the registration forms while i am paying for the new toy.

sometimes i have filled out the forms myself when i got home and posted it in the prepaid envelope.

i have also registered some festools/protools online, just to see how it went.

3-4 weeks later you get the letter in the post from festool germany.

good system, and its nice to know that i have written confirmation of all my tools serial numbers in case the tools are stolen.

justin.

 

[Steve R]

Steve,

I really like the idea as well.  I do think that if push came to shove, your serial number and / or such other information you might retain such as a sales slip, credit card receipt, etc. would help.

An alternative might be a letter from your attorney indicating your reason for declaring bankruptcy.  "It was the green Kool Aid your Honor".  

Neill

Yes Neill, I have drunk the Green Kool-Aid.

I would think that just the SN number would work also… having to show a receipt not fun.  I would have to go back in 2010 tax receipts and dig them out of hundreds of others. If I would need them for warranty repair I would want that stated at the time of purchase.

I would really expect that Festool would have this and be able to do what the UK images show. 

I would expect if I called up FUSA they could tell me what product my business partner and I have purchased.

Hmmm... seems simple here...but I'm not sure. They can do what the UK does....or I would think they would be doing it.

Oh... the thoughts on a very rainy day in MN about 4.5 " today...

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Steve R]

Here you go!

Thats what I get every time I buy a Festool after about 3/4weeks

[attachimg=#]

Wonderful to see this is what I'm talking about... we in the US get nothing.  Only told they are registered.

I really like that you get in the UK.... something that proves it is registered. [scratch chin]

Cheers,
Steve

 

[peter halle]

Shane has mentioned several times here that one of his goals is to integrate a web based registration system for customers.  Hopefully by year end.

Peter

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Steve, (and our other US/Canadian customers)

I had mentioned before that we will be making some modifications to our tool registration process later this year. This will include the option for customers to register tools themselves. I would like to point out that I have never heard of a customer being denied warranty service because their dealer failed to register a tool on their behalf. We have a couple of processes in place to help supplement the tool registration process already in the event that a dealer does not register the tool for you.

I should point out that our warranty states that you may be required to provide proof of purchase which would be in the form of a receipt, for instance.

I appreciate the feedback and thought you put into your post. I would ask for some patience as we roll out the tool registration changes that I referred to and then we can revisit this topic.

Thanks,
Shane

PS - I have been absent on the forum because I've had family visiting from out of town this week. If I failed to reply to anyone's post directed to me specifically, my apologies. Feel free to PM me if you still need my assistance. Also, I will be away from the forum much of next week attending the AWFS tradeshow in Vegas. Hope to see some of you there!

 

[Steve R]

Steve, (and our other US/Canadian customers)

I should point out that our warranty states that you may be required to provide proof of purchase which would be in the form of a receipt, for instance.

Thanks,
Shane

PS - I have been absent on the forum because I've had family visiting from out of town this week. If I failed to reply to anyone's post directed to me specifically, my apologies. Feel free to PM me if you still need my assistance. Also, I will be away from the forum much of next week attending the AWFS tradeshow in Vegas. Hope to see some of you there!

Shane it is summer... time off is expected.  I hope you are having fun with family.

My point is I'm told by dealers that the tool is "registered for warranty" ... and there I go ASSuME-ing that that means what was said on face value... as I trust Festool dealers. What registration means to me is that Festool now knows I/we/company own it.  Dealers like "R" said to us when we asked that the product was registered to "us", all we would ever need to do was call Festool.

Never at the time of purchase have I been told that a receipt will “ever” be needed later.  Knowing that at the time of purchase, that the receipt might be needed would have changed how I handle and file the receipt/make copies at the time of purchase… finding it out later is a bit of an affront.

On this site I have heard how Festool stands behind their product.

What concern me is that I am not sure of my end date of warranty as I thought FUSA had this info… I was NOT told to keep my receipt by any dealer. 

I'm not wanting to open a can of worms here... just improve things. As you also want to do….. so should all of  use start digging out our purchase receipts for any product bought  in the last the last three years for when the new system comes online?

Cheers,
Steve

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

Steve,

Rockler and Woodcraft both send me a monthly download from their point-of-sale systems that are supposed to have tool registration information for all Festools purchased. The level of knowledge from dealer to dealer and employee to employee within those dealerships is going to vary, regardless of the amount of training that's provided. Mostly due to the fact that most dealers represent multiple brands and it's difficult to keep up with all of the programs from one manufacturer, nevertheless multiple. I can say on behalf of Festool that we do a lot to remind dealers of the importance and requirement for tool registration. That education process will never end though.

I don't profess to be an expert on the matter, but I believe that every warranty I've ever read and dare I say nearly every one in existence is going to state that proof of purchase is required. Say, for instance, that this wasn't the case and the warranty registration card or online registration was the only thing required. What would prevent some of the less-than-honest people in the world from holding on to that card for some arbitrary period, maybe 6 months or a year, and then sending it in. Effectively adding that amount of time to their warranty. Same with online registration, the customer could enter any date for the date of purchase.

All of that being said, I think you raise some good points. I would advise you always hang on to your receipts for all purchases, including Festool. Just in case you may need it.

Shane

 

[ccarrolladams]

There are many reasons why products have serial numbers. Many assembled products have serial numbers on component parts, as well as VIN numbers in multiple locations, so less obvious than others.

Personally I have always made a big deal of registering things I purchase and keeping records of serial numbers.

Should a camera or tool be stolen, providing accurate serial numbers in the police report can aid recovery.

Unfortunately it does sometimes happen that shipments of tools are stolen before they reach dealers. Should such an un-registered Festool wind up being sent for service, the insurance company will be comforted.

Where having the additional registration system functioning will be helpful in the event a slightly used Festool is sold by the original owner during the warranty period. Probably if a new owner of the used tool sent it for repair and that name did not match the original registration, there would be explanations needed. This new registration system would allow a legit buyer of a slightly used Festool to register it.