Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Wow!

I so often hear tales about lousy customer service. This morning I can say that I will brag about customer service! 

I called regarding the skid steer. 

I called the place we purchased skid steers over the years and talked to the Service Manager. He aske me some questions.
Did I check connections?
Was I sure it was just the battery?
What did we use the skid steer for?

I finally understood what he was getting at and I just got honest with him. I said I'd tried charging the battery and it wouldn't take a charge.
I don't know enough about wiring and told him so.
I said we use it every few weeks but needed it now to help fix the washouts on the driveway and to dig a hole.

I told him we didn't use it daily like other farmers who were feeding stock or cleaning feed yards. We used to, but not any more.

He said he'd call back with something regarding a schedule.

I decided it wasn't worth my time and headed out the door to take care of a few things. I felt dumb and stupid for not knowing the technical answers to the questions this guy asked of me. I suppose he thought I was a dumb woman. Of course I had told him this:

If it has an engine and doesn't start? I call a mechanic.
If it is a mule, horse, donkey, or dog, I can train it and handle it. Machines and I don't get along.

When I got back to the house, Rich said somebody called Seth was going to come out after work with a battery. He'd stop in on his way home.

I was flabbergasted.

So the Service Manager that had taken my call showed up around 7pm in his personal vehicle and toted a battery out of the back. He installed it and fired up the skid steer while chatting casually with us.

He explained that his service department has 9 techs and work for 25 techs. Our service call would have been extended to 3 to 4 weeks. He thought if it was a simple fix, he'd drop by with a new battery and we'd go from there.

He wasn't charging us for his time and he agreed that our driveway was rather 'rough'.

He spent another hour with us when I asked him about Rich's desire to have a brush hog attachment to mow pastures with. He brought in his work laptop and explained what would work for mowing a 72" swath across our rather weedy pastures. Rich thought he'd rather have a finishing mower than one that handled heavy brush. 

Seth instructed me to get a Battery Tender for the times we are not using the skid steer. This sounds like a win-win situation.


So Seth, went above and beyond to help out a customer. Amazing, right?

If we get the brush mower thingy, it will be something Rich can do and help me out immensely. Will he be able to do it forever? Probably not, but he can teach me and that makes that machine a bit more useful and solves most of my icky weed problem.

Hey, better than using the old fashioned 6 foot scythe I'd been using!

Here is a photo of one the pastures that is more open and level out back. This was in May before the weeds took over. My whacking with a weed whacker or scythe has been like putting tape on a hole on a ship on the ocean.



7 comments:

  1. One thing I learned from my dad years ago was to go buy a new battery. He messed all his life with low batteries and he realized it just isn't worth it. I am glad the guy was generous and he did make some sales out of it. Good for you two.

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    1. So true ! I didn't mess with the crappy battery in the 4 wheeler, so I got a little maintenance charger and bring the battery in to maintain it each winter. The 4 wheeler is ancient and won't do cold starts. But I bought a nice good solid battery and have kept it going for years now!
      I hope we purchase the mower, it would save my back and arms from a lot of work.

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  2. This is remarkable. A great guy. Our skid steer is used daily when cleaning the barn, put the manure into the bucket, and bring bedding into the barn. I would love an attachment like that, I mow pastures with an old lawn tractor.

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    1. Ours used to be used daily but now it isn't a huge asset to our place except loading the large hay bales into the shed or other small chores. He needs help getting in and out and can only use it in short spurts.
      However, I was so impressed with their service!
      We'll see if we decide on the brush mower. No regular mower would survive our pastures. Heck, sections of my yard kill off self propelled mowers every few years.
      :)

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  3. Anonymous7:58 PM

    I sure hope you get the mower! Once you get the pastures in shape it will be a piece of cake. Rich will love being able to do this and it will make you happy in many ways! Good service is the best form of marketing. Yay!

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  4. Now that is customer service!! Hope the mower attachment works for you! Nice to have working equipment!!

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  5. Nice guy! We have a brush mower Bobcat attachment that goes on the front. I've never run ours, but my guys sure have. Mainly on our paths. Regular mowers take a beating & not made for random branches and big stemmy weeds etc.

    It sure would be helpful for you & Rich to have one!

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