RC4WD and emails

[fhhhstix]

RC4WD has to be the worst RC parts supplier when it comes to answering emails. I bought a new Trail Finder 2 w/Mojave body kit. I am missing one small part for mounting the light in the front bumper. So I emailed them with the part number of the parts tree and even sent a pic with the part I needed circled. So now I wait and wait and wait and in the meantime their automatic emailer sends me three new emails to buy more stuff. This is not my first time dealing with getting them to respond to emails and they do eventually respond and fix the issues but it does make you wonder how much they care when it takes so long to respond.


I work at the parts counter for a large Caterpillar dealer and if I ever let a customer email sit there for days without responding to at least let them know I received the email I would be looking for a new job.


Travis Biddle
travisbiddle74@yahoo.com

[bigford]

rw sent me 4 rc4wd cylinders for the kat. they needed the top mount
so i emailed rc4wd with a pic of the part and got a response right away!!!
we have 4 new cylinders in stock @ $ 69.99 each LOL!!
i shot a email to eagle machine with a pic and $40.00 later i had the 4 parts i needed!!

[thebigo]

Travis, make sure you use ther customer support E-Mail and ask for Mike, tell him I sent you, (David O'Neill), he will take care of you. I have never got automatic E-Mails from them? Sometimes it takes them a little longer to reply because they need to go back to the manufacturer in china, especially on the parts they don't stock.

David

[fhhhstix]

Travis, make sure you use ther customer support E-Mail and ask for Mike, tell him I sent you, (David O'Neill), he will take care of you. I have never got automatic E-Mails from them? Sometimes it takes them a little longer to reply because they need to go back to the manufacturer in china, especially on the parts they don't stock.

David

I know you mean well but that is not the way to do business. If i wanted to go that route one of my friends here is a sponsored driver. They have the parts in stock.

http://store.rc4wd.com/RC4WD-Mojave-II-Chrome-Bumper-and-Parts-Tree_p_4620.html

[thebigo]

I know you mean well but that is not the way to do business. If i wanted to go that route one of my friends here is a sponsored driver. They have the parts in stock.

http://store.rc4wd.com/RC4WD-Mojave-II-Chrome-Bumper-and-Parts-Tree_p_4620.html

No, Mike is not a personal freind, he is just a guy at RC4WD, not sure if he is an owner or what? He has just helped me alot with my equipment. He has always responded quickly to everything, and I have had alot!!! of corispondence with him.

[ihbuilder]

Travis I never had an issue with Mike . I always had a quick response from him . And I don't know him from Adam , just the only guy to answer my emails from RC4WD ;)

[tc1cat]

Travis, Are you sure they don't have your email flagged to take as long as possible :lol::lol: I have never had a problem with them about answering emails. Look how fast and easy I got my excavator when they said it was out of stock on the web site but they sent me the discount codes in an email telling me to order it any way.

Hope you get your parts soon!!

[fhhhstix]

I have dealt with Mike before but someone has to read the email to let Mike know I need help.:rolleyes: Still no reply but I still have hope. I wander exactly how long it will take for a response we are at 4 days now.

[Rimrock]

I think it is almost impossible too any of us to imagine the stress and head-ace that some certain Chinese products must have caused the, or some, guys at Rc4wd through the last years. Be patient with them.

[fhhhstix]

I think it is almost impossible too any of us to imagine the stress and head-ace that some certain Chinese products must have caused the, or some, guys at Rc4wd through the last years. Be patient with them.


Seriously that has nothing to do with good customer service and at least answering a simple email.




I am at 6 days now with no reply.

[Northern Farmer]

Were almost in 2016 I believe checking emails is a daily routine for most folks. 6 days and no answer is pretty lame should of received an answer by now...

[fhhhstix]

Were almost in 2016 I believe checking emails is a daily routine for most folks. 6 days and no answer is pretty lame should of received an answer by now...

Thanks for the suport. I email bombed them with 20 emails exactly the same so if they are getting a lot of mail maby thay will stop and read one of them. Heck mayby a few thousand email bomb will get there attention.:D

[Northern Farmer]

Lol that should get their attention

[fhhhstix]

Well after seven days we have contact and the parts are on the way so all is good on my end. Now we just have to get them a little faster on answering emails.:D It was mike that finaly contacted me.

[Rimrock]

Well after seven days we have contact and the parts are on the way so all is good on my end. Now we just have to get them a little faster on answering emails.:D It was mike that finaly contacted me.

What about giving a heck in companies that don't care about giving replay?;) I often do)

[Cossett]

Hey travis I feel your pain with RC4WD,
I sent them a message regarding one of there products 5 days ago and still haven't got a reply from them,
I sent two other US companies messages about the same RC4WD product on the same day and both got back to me in 1 day and 2 days.........
There customer support needs to be improved in my eyes,
Just my 2 cents worth.....

Cheers Tracy

[Cornbread]

Hello all, How come my post have got deleted on this subject. I was just trying to tell you all about this RC4WD place. I live right near the the joint, all I was saying is the guy is small time do not patronize the place, if he does not reply check out the links on some of the swedish trucking sites I will have something to share soon, when I take delivery of it. Cornbread

[fhhhstix]

Hello all, How come my post have got deleted on this subject. I was just trying to tell you all about this RC4WD place. I live right near the the joint, all I was saying is the guy is small time do not patronize the place, if he does not reply check out the links on some of the swedish trucking sites I will have something to share soon, when I take delivery of it. Cornbread

Read the title because this thread is about customer service not how big they are. Yes they were slow to reply but I will still buy from them since they are making it right. I don’t care if they are selling out of the back of a box truck as long as I get the parts I want. Why would we not buy from them because they are small, every business starts out small that’s how it works. RC4WD has provided us parts that no else would and a lot of the scale crawler parts work for us as well, so am I going to not buy from them and not build the stuff I want because they are small yes that would be a smart decision.:rolleyes:

[Northern Farmer]

Well said.

[Bo Wallen]

I sent a email today at 12:24 PM got answer 1:32 PM That Rocks in my book.
Hope that is the new standard at the RC4WD Company :D

[thebigo]

Customer service, customer service!! People have to realize that there are big and small companies out there, and not every company has a little girl behind the phone/computer answering every question along with a mechanized prepping and boxing /assembly line. Just because an E-mail doesn't get answered in a timely manner or parts don't get delivered, "in what they think is an appropriate time frame, doesn't mean that company has "bad" customer service... Go to Wal-Mart, Cost Co or Sams and see how much customer service you get...

With the explosion of digital communication, "internet" and smart phones in every purse, people think that they should get attention immediately!!! People deserve a Life, At least I think I do!!!

[Rimrock]

Customer service, customer service!! People have to realize that there are big and small companies out there, and not every company has a little girl behind the phone/computer answering every question along with a mechanized prepping and boxing /assembly line. Just because an E-mail doesn't get answered in a timely manner or parts don't get delivered, "in what they think is an appropriate time frame, doesn't mean that company has "bad" customer service... Go to Wal-Mart, Cost Co or Sams and see how much customer service you get...

With the explosion of digital communication, "internet" and smart phones in every purse, people think that they should get attention immediately!!! People deserve a Life, At least I think I do!!!

I am with you there, bigo. The issue here, with what we in our digitalized world see as slow email response, is likely due to low number of staff (keeping costs down). So, we all want to pay like 'zero' for our RC stuff, but we want top and quick service. Now...that's in fact often a difficult, if not impossible, combination.. Option if one want email replay within 48 hours rather than 8 days; Call (not email) Rc4WD and ask them to raise their prices 40% (who knows) for them to be able to afford a professional sitting at the customer service fulltime...) You want cheap stuff, you better be patient, or go to more expensive places and likely get emails replayed quicker;)
Well, at least they could have an automated 'honest' email replay, like; Thanks for you interest in our product/company, you email is received. In order to offer you the best prices, we don't have staff 100% dedicated to customer service, but our hard working staff will come back to you as soon as there is a chance. best wishes..' Haha, okay, yeah waiting for like 7-8 days for an replay, that's a bit long, I agree) Within 3-4 days it should be possible to give an replay, even if running a low cost operation. One should not be pushing the limit too long...but on the other hand, it also depends if a company is like 'single point of purchase' for an item, or they have a lot of competition...

[fhhhstix]

Customer service, customer service!! People have to realize that there are big and small companies out there, and not every company has a little girl behind the phone/computer answering every question along with a mechanized prepping and boxing /assembly line. Just because an E-mail doesn't get answered in a timely manner or parts don't get delivered, "in what they think is an appropriate time frame, doesn't mean that company has "bad" customer service... Go to Wal-Mart, Cost Co or Sams and see how much customer service you get...

With the explosion of digital communication, "internet" and smart phones in every purse, people think that they should get attention immediately!!! People deserve a Life, At least I think I do!!!

I am with you there, bigo. The issue here, with what we in our digitalized world see as slow email response, is likely due to low number of staff (keeping costs down). So, we all want to pay like 'zero' for our RC stuff, but we want top and quick service. Now...that's in fact often a difficult, if not impossible, combination.. Option if one want email replay within 48 hours rather than 8 days; Call (not email) Rc4WD and ask them to raise their prices 40% (who knows) for them to be able to afford a professional sitting at the customer service fulltime...) You want cheap stuff, you better be patient, or go to more expensive places and likely get emails replayed quicker;)
Well, at least they could have an automated 'honest' email replay, like; Thanks for you interest in our product/company, you email is received. In order to offer you the best prices, we don't have staff 100% dedicated to customer service, but our hard working staff will come back to you as soon as there is a chance. best wishes..' Haha, okay, yeah waiting for like 7-8 days for an replay, that's a bit long, I agree) Within 3-4 days it should be possible to give an replay, even if running a low cost operation. One should not be pushing the limit too long...but on the other hand, it also depends if a company is like 'single point of purchase' for an item, or they have a lot of competition...


If your fine with that kind of customer service great I dont want to here about it when it hapens to you.

Ther are a lot of companies smaller and lager than RC4WD that we deal with on the forum and thay can all answer emails within 48hrs and thers no reason RC4WD can't

[Cossett]

If your fine with that kind of customer service great I dont want to here about it when it hapens to you.

Ther are a lot of companies smaller and lager than RC4WD that we deal with on the forum and thay can all answer emails within 48hrs and thers no reason RC4WD can't

Well said travis,

I still haven't got a responce from them so it looks like I will have to get there products from someone else in the new year so it doesnt get stuck in transit over the holiday season..........

Cheers Tracy

[thebigo]

Well I know there is bad customer service out there, I am just saying that It hasn't happened to me, with this company, and having owned two small businesses myself, I can understand the work involved with running a small business. I don't think this company is intentionally not ansewring E-Mails, but if they are, and If you guy's keep not getting your E-mails answered, the problem need's to be elevated to the owner/owners.

I just bought a $10, 000.00 machine from Premacon, of which I haven't recieved yet, and is three months late on being shipped and I am lucky to get a response to Half of my E-Mails, and I am not the only person.

Now do I get upset, you bet!! I understand that they (Premacon) have only 6 people in there shop, and one person running the logistics, and that there is a language barrier.

Cheers David

[Rimrock]

If your fine with that kind of customer service great I dont want to here about it when it hapens to you.

Ther are a lot of companies smaller and lager than RC4WD that we deal with on the forum and thay can all answer emails within 48hrs and thers no reason RC4WD can't

I just say one should not have too high expectations of many of these low cost internet shops when it comes to customer service, but no, I personally don't like waiting, understand you frustration.
It's a miracle they still are in business if they let most customers wait like 8 days...I guess most of the truck and construction equipment can be purchased other places.

[fhhhstix]

I just say one should not have too high expectations of many of these low cost internet shops when it comes to customer service, but no, I personally don't like waiting, understand you frustration.
It's a miracle they still are in business if they let most customers wait like 8 days...I guess most of the truck and construction equipment can be purchased other places.

Thing is I don't do just construction equipment and semi's. I do all things RC including scale trucks and crawlers so RC4WD is a good source for most of my builds and I have no other problem with them other than the customer service. On average I spend $2000 to $4000 with them each year on parts for all kinds of builds. What bugged me the most is receiving 6 automatically generated emails from them while waiting for their reply to my email.

To also set one thing strait I emailed there customer service email and not their general email they have two different emails so to expect them to read and respond to a customer service email in 48hrs is not out of the question.

If they are truly getting more customer service email than they can answer in a timely manner then they have a serious problem.

I work as a parts associate at a CAT dealer and if I did not at least respond to a customer email within 24 hours whether it was to give an answer or just let them know I am working on it I would be in big trouble not to mention feeling bad myself for the poor service. I pride myself in taking care of my customers.

[fhhhstix]

I like the RC4WD products but I am done buying directly from them. From now on I will just buy their stuff from a dealer due to a lack of customer service and shipping. $28 to ship a set of rims 3-8 days for delivery. We have UPS at work and I being in the parts department I use UPS all of the time so I checked today. A package from their zip to mine UPS next day air $18 but here is the issue it’s not coming from them its coming from their supplier in Japan so we are eating the import shipping as well.

I placed an order for a part that was in stock and after ordering it and paying they emailed and said it was not in stock and would refund my money. Ok I am good with them wanting to do the refund but I immediately replied at 6am and told them to just substitute the part with another part they had in stock (same price) that way I would not get dinged with another shipping charge to order a different set of rims. No reply till 4pm telling me they refined the money. So at this time rather pissed off I emailed them and simply said "does anybody read the email" to my shock and disbelief that email was responded to in less than 2 hrs. I was contacted by the same person that said they were refunding the money and I was told if I place another order for the rims to email them the order number and they would refund the shipping on that order so I promptly placed the order and emailed the order number and within an hour they refunded the shipping. We could have avoided all of this had they just responded to the original email.:rolleyes::rolleyes:

I ordered a Trail finder 2 SWB kit from my LHS yesterday got it today and paid the same tax included as ordering direct but with no shipping. I am lucky enough if Tower or Horizon hobbies have it in stock I can get it the next day if ordered before 1pm through my LHS.:bounce::bounce:

Ok my rant is over I am moving on.:)