Don't hang up on customers - Montana Owners Club

mtpocket2 · 10-14-2007, 03:21 PM

Called Keystone because my TV went out on a new 3400RL. The dealer said I would have to accept a TV that was very much a down grade. Basic TV with no s-video or component video (which the DVD player is currently hooked to) which the TV had that came with it. Randy at keystone said I would have to work thru my dealer then slammed the phone down. Very nice to be treated like that after spending that much money. There will never be another keystone product behind my truck.

mamashappy · 10-14-2007, 03:28 PM

talk to your dealer and see if he can do better. dont let just one very rude person drive you away for a usually very good product! that rude person does not deserve that much power

! Keep working on what you want to see happen.

DHenry · 10-14-2007, 04:19 PM

Since I bought my 2004 Montana I have had several conversations with several Keystone representatives and have never had any of them be anything but courteous to me even when we did not agree on the subject at hand. I think you should call back and ask for the supervisor of the person that slammed down the phone and explain your conversation to him/her. Keystone is a first class company in my opinion.

mtpocket2 · 10-14-2007, 04:35 PM

I will try again tomorrow. This is not the only problem I have had and this dealer is doing me a favor. I cannot really see holding the dealer responsible in this case because they are dealing with Keystone. Keystone told them too bad after I wouldn't accept the TV the dealer had. That was all they were going to do. They are not a Montana dealer but the local Montana dealer will not work on the trailer because it was not purchased from them. Keystone did arrange for this dealer to do this and other warranty work so they have made some attempt in the past to be helpful. It was 4:55 PM on a Friday so maybe he had more important things to do than take care of one of the people who is paying his salary. So as I said in the beginning I will try again tomorrow and see if I get a more polite response.

Glenn and Lorraine · 10-15-2007, 01:03 AM

A few unwritten rules when dealing with any one's customer service...
Unless it is an emergency never call customer service on a Friday. Especially late in the afternoon. The CSR has been hearing all sorts of problems all week long and is not really in the mood to hear anymore especially so at 4:55 PM. It may not be right in your mind but it is the "Nature of the Beast" in all of us. "It's FRIDAY, and in just 5 more minutes I'm out of here". I've been there and done the CSR job and I know how it works.
When talking to a CSR stay calm cool and collected. You fly off the handle toward the CSR and he/she will only have one thing on their mind and that is to get rid of you. They are trained to give you the service you want and will do everything possible to do just that but not if you are giving them a hard time and NEVER EVER say "I am paying your salary". That statement will not sit well with any CRS. Never develop a Demanding Attitude either. Respect and Treat ANY CSR the same way you want to be treated and respected. You'll get more Flies with sugar than you ever will with Vinegar.

Also NEVER believe everything the Dealer is telling you. Often they will try to pass the buck just to get you off their back.

richfaa · 10-15-2007, 03:09 AM

It would be unusual that Keystone would not replace a OEM item with another OEM item. The downgraded TV does not sound right. I have had Many dealing with Keystone customer service and although I have not been completely satisfied on ALL occasions I have alway been treated courteously and fairly. Not knowing all the details it sounds more like a dealer problem than anything else. Make sure that Customer service understands that you are asking for a OEM replacement for a failed OEM item and would be happy to work through the dealer if they would do that.

SlickWillie · 10-15-2007, 03:48 AM

Man is this a sore spot for me! I think Keystone needs to take a close look at their customer service department. One complaint like this is one too many. I can assure you if someone was taking care of my customers, and they were still "on the clock answering calls", and treated a customer this way, they would be scratching their unemployed a$$. Sorry to be so blunt, but there is no excuse for this. Don't matter if it is 4:59 on Friday the day before a holiday, you just don't treat someone who bought a $40,000 product from you this way.

mtpocket2 · 10-15-2007, 04:23 AM

OK I called them back. Someone picked up the phone and without saying a word hung it right back up. Not once. Not twice but three times. Finally someone from Cougar customer service answered and transfered me to Montana. I spoke with Trish who was very nice. She suggested I work thru the dealer. I explained to her that the TV they sent out was a downgrade. I also explained to her that there was no way to hook up the DVD player as it was from the factory. This TV may have had an extra analog input but I do not remember now if the DVD player had an analog output. She said if I went and bought another TV they may or may not work with me. Her suggestion was submit the bill and a letter of explanation and see what happens. That is what I will do. Just another thing to add to the good and bad when you are talking to others about Keystone products. I get tired of arguing and give in as they probably hoped. Does anyone have a name or email address of anyone higher up at Keystone that I could share this experience with? They may or may not care but at least I feel I have gone out of my way to get this resolved before sharing the story with prospective Keystone owners.

Just a note I never did say I was paying your salary. I was thinking it after I was hung up on but never said it to him. I was overly polite and he was over the top rude. Having worked in very large call centers (over 1000 reps) i know very well how they work. Had we caught a CSR treating a customer this way they would have been escorted to the door immediately and a few were. Didn't matter if it was 6 AM Monday or 4:59 PM Friday. Customer service was and is important to us. If you cannot perform the job no matter what it is you need to find another one.

richfaa · 10-15-2007, 06:47 AM

There is a real good chance that someone "higher up" has already or will be soon , looking at your Customer service experience"

ScottandBrenda · 10-15-2007, 11:55 AM

I have a recurring leak above the dinette window that I've since resealed, a leak in the dinette cabinets that the dealer fixed with new sealant tape, the broken vacuum breaker valve, a window handle that came off in my hand when I tried to open the window, which has also been fixed, allegedly. I'm scared to try it. Well, frustration set in even though these are all reasonable warranty issues, and I wrote to Keystone and my dealer. I was very pleasantly surprised. A Keystone rep, Mike M, called me at home and talked to me for about 30 minutes. He offered to reimburse me for out-of-warranty parts and was in the process of finding a closer dealer that would fix the breaker valve for us for free when I stopped him and told him I'd just do it. He was a stellar representative and really reinforced my good faith in Keystone.

sailer · 10-15-2007, 03:17 PM

I have worked with craig at keystone for 4 1/2 months and never with all my calls get in a bad mood or anything but i feal its a 2 way street ,, we are all human and asking them to be human and not beeing 1 is a bad issue,, i had a lot of problems on the axels from jan 8, 07 till finaly resolved on late may 07 but we never lost our cool .. i would comend them on there behaver as i was a ass at times but he never lost it , he is a real gentalman john

mtpocket2 · 10-15-2007, 03:22 PM

Ok I'll try the letter route and include reciepts for the new TV & DVD. It sure would be nice if we could get things resolved without it coming to that. Having purchased two Keystone trailers within one years time I think replacing a TV wouldnt be a big deal. I didn't bring that up when I talked to them because I was trying my best to be nice. I went looking at TV's and DVD players today. The DVD player they sent is defective, the tray will not open. The dealer is ordering number three but I do not plan on hooking that up. So that leaves me with spending about 80,000 in one year with them and I have to deal with this. If I go really cheap on the TV and DVD I am still out about 800 dollars. You try to be nice but you can only take so much. Oh and 6 weeks wait for the wrong TV and a broken DVD player on top of it. Yes I am frustrated.

ScottandBrenda
Just curious if you had called Keystone and what response you recieved.

mtpocket2 · 10-15-2007, 03:47 PM

ScottandBrenda
Another question. Did you address your letter to Keystone or to someones attention there. Just curious if you discovered the presidents name or anyone special I should write to.

mtpocket2 · 11-05-2007, 03:19 PM

Just an update. Called ViewSonic direct. They sent out a box to ship it back in. They say they will fix this one, replace it with a new one or upgrade to a newer model in 15 days from receipt. The TV comes with a 3 year warranty. Good service. So that tells me Keystone is really dropping the ball. Why does Keystone take two months to send me a downgraded TV when the manufacturer will repair or upgrade with-in 15 days? I know someone said earlier Keystone is listening but I never heard from anyone at Keystone. I have not sent in the receipt for the replacement DVD player as I am awaiting the outcome on the TV. So if your Viewsonic dies remember it has a three year manufactures warranty.

richfaa · 12-04-2007, 01:58 PM

I have always dealt with the vendor direct with speedy results.The path is customer to keystone to vendor to keystone to customer. Keystone is a huge company that no doubt handles many such cases each day.... Why not shorten the path..Customer to vendor to customer. Your warranty is actually with the vendor anyhow..For the first year keystone handles it for you...but ..the warranty is still with the vendor.. We are now out of the Keystone bumper to bumper warranty..forget Keystone..go direct to the vendor.Remember that stack of manuals that came with the camper( that is if you got any) In the back of each one of them was a Warranty.. Your warranty is with the vendor.

kerry · 12-05-2007, 12:42 AM

I'm on my third View Sonic TV thru Keystone. Have had no problems getting a replacement. Don't know all of the details on your claim, so I can't get yo all the answers. How o;d is your unit? I'll be glad to help any way I can, PM me with a contact number. Kerry

mtpocket2 · 12-06-2007, 02:03 AM

Kerry
It was about 3 months old.

The replacement TV arrived from Viewsonic yesterday. Same exact model so when Keystone says they are not available they are not being truthful. Have not hooked it up yet so cannot say for sure if it works. Viewsonic customer service was excellent both on the phone and online. Professional and fast. You could track the return online and see where it was in the process. You could get ups tracking numbers and follow the package to your door. Excellent.

Still no DVD replacement from Keystone but hey, its only been 3 months.

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