Chester let me down Again

So i ordered a 20V mill at the Doncaster show from Chester. They gave me a delivery date of Friday the 4th. So i booked the day off work my manager was not happy but needs must. Then Thursday afternoon Chester call me and told me they would not be delivering it on Friday. So needless to say a bit bummed i had to take the day off for noting. But they promised it would be delivered today (Saturday ) and the driver would call me 1hr before he arrived. So i have waited in all day my the phone listening for a knock on the Door but nothing. it is now almost 6pm and i lost all hope of it turning up today.

I think i will be calling Chester on Monday to cancel my order and start looking again for some one who can deliver when they say they will and not mess me around .

Sorry about the rant

Don't think it matters who you choose, theyre all the same many a lot worse inc Warco.

Its disgraceful really we keep these places alive and as soon as they have the money they teat us like this.

Hi Michael, it is annoying when this sort of things happen, but when buying from any company you need to understand their terms and conditions and in the case of Chester look at No.12 force majeure. I'm not trying to defend Chester or any other company and I have no loyalty to any either, but if they have not faulted on their T&C's, then you normally have to accept late delivery. This go's for most company's be it in ME or house hold goods etc.

Regards Nick.

Nick,

In my case, I have twice told Camden that I dont believe that my chosen DVD is in stock, but comment conveniently ignored. Make what you like of his response.

John

I've recently had a similar experience with delivery of garden furniture, lots of promises to get it here before the last bank holiday, promise of return phone calls etc etc - none of which materialised. I called and eventually spoke with the general manager, expressed my disgust at their lack of customer service etc etc and got a 10% discount. Sometimes it's worth keeping calm and perservering, state your case clearly and calmly and you will often get an amicable result. It eventually turned up yesterday afternoon, now sitting comfortably in the morning sunshine

Not sure of the set up with Chester or other UK suppliers, but it seems around here these days that contract deliverymen is the big growth industry thanks to internet shopping. So the original supplier may be at the mercy of the subcontract delivery van owner/driver. I know a guy who bought a delivery van business and ran it for a while. In order to break even or make a modest "wage" he had to deliver an incredible number of packages per day. So things get "missed" if they are a bit out of the way, or if there is nothing else to be delivred in that neck of the woods that day. So it might sit in the van for a day or two until there are several things to deliver in that area and then he does them all in one hit. So it may not even be Chester's fault.

I had great service from Warco and I've heard the same from many others. They were sensible enough to ask me exactly where the machine was going before delivery day and asked for a picture if possible which I provided. The machine was wheeled straight into my workshop and put exactly where I wanted it. The free delivery service was one of the reasons I bought from Warco.

While I understand your frustration, Michael, in these circumstances I always ask that people wait until they have had a chance to speak to the supplier and seek a resolution before diving in with both feet.

There may well be some reason for the problem beyond Chester's control, and as they don't open on a Saturday they are probably not even aware you didn't get the goods yesterday.

We should judge customer service by how well a company puts things right when they go wrong, because it is inevitable that things WILL go wrong from time to time.

So, please, give them a chance to put things right.

Neil

My problem is i go away on Wednesday to iceland for the week . and have not time off in the week for the next 6 weeks. I have already taken 2 day off work now for them to deliver. I have 1 day that i can be at home, that will be a week on thursday for them to deliver, If they can make that slot. If they cant im not prepared to wait another 2 months. I dont think asking them to accommodate me is unresonable . I am home every day after 5.30 but they said they cant give a time slot. Im guessing they just dont want my Money

Edited By Michael Garbutt 1 on 05/06/2016 11:30:31

Edited By Michael Garbutt 1 on 05/06/2016 11:31:39

Bear in mind this is a machine that must weight 150kg with packaging so a two-person lift, or specialist equipment to unload and move it, so it isn't simply a matter of booking an ordinary courier.

Neil

Never bought anything from Chester but and had Arc Euro deliver an S3 Mill and stand down a drive that was a bit rough in places and with limited space around vehicles 'under restoration' Put down exactly where I wanted it for unpacking and degrease. Arrived on the day or maybe half of the day promised. But that was quite a few years ago. Painless, unlike the more recent 'delivery' of a fridge freezer by John Lewis weighing just 70kg vs around 200kg for the mill and stand. . Total PITA bolshie delivery drivers (yes they sent two) unlike the very efficient one and pallet truck Arc sent.

Edited By Martin 100 on 05/06/2016 14:42:36

I can't speak highly enough of Chester, a few months ago I ordered a Champion 16 mill and it was delivered when they said it would be and the driver was most helpful. A couple of weeks later the motor burnt out and I spoke to Tony who sent a replacement motor within a day or two without any fuss. I also made a few mods to the mill which they took a great interest in. I also bought a lathe from Amadeal and that developed a fault, one phone call and everything sorted, I can't say that I have received poor service from any of the model engineer suppliers or maybe I am just lucky. Regards

Yeah right, when I bought a DB10 lathe from them (around 150kg) a bloke turned up on his own in a mixed load wagon with no lifting equipment. Had to get neighbours to help to get the crate off the thing while the driver watched. Must have known the weight when it was loaded up their end. It was also days late, stayed in for the promised delivery only to be they forgot about it, got a revolving centre off them as "compensation".

But this is what they sell for a living . Its not as though i have bought something they have never sold before. They must have delivery vehicles they use all the time. So i cant see this being a problem. and its not as as though im a million miles away from them. it must be 60 miles at most

My mill and lathe also came from chester. The latter also delivered by a single person with an ordinary van. To be fair to chester their delivery note and instructions clearly said to be delivered by tail lift but the delivery company tried to take an easy way out of a trip to my rural hideaway. Driver suggested we unload it together.. to which I cheerfully replied that I'd risk lifting 50kg if he would take the other 400Kg end.....

It got taken back and redelivered (same co, different driver) and the chap really worked hard at pallet-trucking it to my shed down a ply-sheeted runway i created over the gravel.

My point is that it isn't an easy object to arrange an evening delivery for.

Neil

That's ignoring the fact that they've let him down for two full days already, anyone with an ounce of customer service/ goodwill would work to get it done. Courier delivery details I've seen usually state 8am-8pm delivery times

I tend to side with Michael in principle. If a company agrees to provide you with goods under certain conditions (price, delivery etc) then they are judged by their conformance to that agreement. Not by "making allowances" for this difficulty or that sub-contractor. If the company has that little control over the sub-processes they should factor that in at the time of sale and not make rash promises that they think the customer wants to hear in order to make the sale.

At the very least, at the time of sale, make the customer aware that the "promised" delivery date is not under the company's control.

Edited By Bandersnatch on 05/06/2016 18:59:06