Abysmal Customer Service from Lusty and Blundell

[El Toro 97]

Not often, in fact not sure if I ever even have, bagged a company for terrible customer service, but this one takes the cake, beats even my experience with North Shore Refrigeration a few years ago.

 

In early January the Raymarine chart plotter on Pork Chop died. The unit was installed professionally by a resupplier about a year earlier, maybe a little more. (This unit replaced a Navman unit that had been in use the previous 11 years.) Once back in Auckland I got the resupplier to have a look at the unit, who found it to have water damage, unit was removed from the boat and sent back to Lusty and Blundell to look at since the unit was still under warranty.

 

Several months have passed and Lusty and Blundell have argued that the unit was under used, the unit was over used, the unit was damaged by crew falling into the screen, the unit was damaged by someone untrained on how to use it, the unit was wilfully damaged by aggressive pushing on the screen, the bulkhead of the boat is moving and has water damage (only wet because the screen hasn’t been in place since Jan, which I’m far from happy about) and lastly this week, that the resupplier had incorrectly installed the unit, causing it to break.

 

The resupplier plus others have repeatedly phoned, left messages, emailed Lusty and Blundell, only to be ignored time and time again. I was then told that someone else had had the same problem and they to were refused a warranty claim, however they were offered a new unit at cost price, which they accepted. I told the resupplier that I to would accept this, even though by now I was steaming at the complete lack of customer service and the ongoing delay and dodge tactics that Lusty and Blundell were using. That was 3 weeks ago.

 

I was prepared to accept in January that the unit had broken through no ones fault, as no one could really explain how it got water damage….sh*t does happen……..however I completely disagree with their claim that a user had broken the screen, or the resupplier had installed incorrectly, and they were adamant it was not a warranty issue.

 

So it is then, in late January, you would expect customer service and in the interests of moving forward, to kick in and an offer of a new unit at cost price to be presented, or at least some discussion on how to solve the issue. Instead we were stonewalled, repeatedly  ignored, probably lied to, and heard every excuse under the sun as to why they were not going to honour the warranty, to which we debunked every excuse.

 

Finally today, after been endlessly chased by the resupplier and others, they agreed to sell me a similar unit (because there were no more of the unit I had left) at cost…. Well, cost price apparently is $700 plus gst. Which I don’t believe for one second. I now also have to recut the hole in the bulkhead for the new unit.

 

Its staggers me that in this day and age people continue to treat customers in this way. Almost all of us work in customer service in some shape or form…if I caught any of my staff dealing with a customer the way they have dealt with myself and others involved, first time, or long serving, I would be appalled and staff would be at the very least, retrained.

 

Id hazard a guess that I’ve spent 12-15k on Raymarine gear over the last 15 years. My new boat has very old gear in it and the replacement program will begin in next while. It most definitely wont be with Raymarine, or anything else from Lusty and Blundell.

 

Tomo

[Fish 0]

I tried getting a price out of Lusty and Blundel for a new engine late last year. Every other quote I got was within two or three days. These guys said I'd need to wait a week. So I did. Heard nothing. Wanted to make my decision so followed them up, still nothing, got stuffed around. I even went to the engine whole saler and asked if they had ANY other distributors cause LB were sh*t, the whole saler was apologising to me and chasing LB for a price on my behalf.

 

About a month of chasing LB for a price I finally got one, $5k More than the next most expensive engine. But they stuffed me around and delayed my decision making substantially. I now go out of my way to avoid dealing with them, including paying freight to source stuff from anywhere but Lusty and Blundel.

[wheels 543]

Pork Chop, firstly, you shouldn't have to be going through all this. If the unit was supplied and installed by a reseller, then actually, it is that reseller that you should be dealing with L&B and sorting the situation out for you. They are the ones that should be having the argument with L&B. If the unit has been installed by them, the unit has not been damaged, the unit has failed in some way, then you are entitled to a replacement or your money back.
The excuses are silly. Under use? wow.... now that is a new one. You could suggest maybe it was in the box on the shelf for too long then. Over use?...how many hrs a day do they suggest?
I assume the screen is not broken, so they can't argue falling against it. You could argue not fit for purpose then, if that were the case. Unless the screen was actually broken, then sure, excessive force.
In a nutshell, they are breaking all the consumer laws. I would give consumer affairs or whatever the official name is, a call and ask what the process is. The laws are stacked very much in favor of the consumer. Simply, you should not have to pay for a replacement. You are entitled to replacement or money back. If the new one has not been installed yet, I would return it and start demanding.

[El Toro 97]

Hi Wheels, yes the reseller has been dealing with them not me, in fact two resellers, as I went to another one to buy a compeitiors brand and they started cashing up for me as well. As did a third party. I think they may have got sick of all the people chasing them over it.

 

They are saying there is a pin size hole in the screen, but on part of the screen that is behind the case, so not anywhere you can touch, which then led them after blaming everyone and everything else to say the reseller installed it wrong... which is absolute crap. I stand behind the reseller and their installation 100%.

 

Its been the months of avoidance and differing excuses thats got under my skin. I can accept things break, or are faulty, but not the carryon that followed.

 

The boat has now sold and I needed to get a unit into the boat for the new owner to sail her away today, so had to accept the $700 replacement.

 

What gets me the most, other than the months of chasing and lack of follow up from them, is the complete lack of attempt to compromise....it was me who eventually asked if they could supply one at cost, and I don't accept 700 is cost....and this took weeks to get over the line, all the while there is a gapping hole in the boat which potential buyers had to look at, well it was covered, but it still leaked....

[Black Panther 1,591]

Whenever i hear something like this my fist thought is usually "is the company in trouble financially?"

[Island Time 1,239]

Hey PC, sounds like (unfortunately) pretty common crap service to me.

I don't know about Raymarine, but with Navico products about 50% discount from RRP is the most a dealer can get - ever - and then only in specifc circumstances (demo gear for store etc) so that might give you an idea.

Personally, if the dealer/installer had been me, I would have replaced the unit, even if I had to do so at my own cost.

 

 

If you would like B&G stuff next time, I'd be happy to provide a quote.

 

So what's the new boat, or are you still looking?

[waikiore 400]

I have found the older gentleman who does Jabsco at Lusty's to be charming and very personable and full of helpful advice, perhaps its just the younger crew on the electric side who don't have the background in the Marine industry and value customer service?

[John B 106]

There used to be this really helpful guy there.....

[Deep Purple 512]

Funny how these guys don't get it. 25 years ago I bought a set of cockpit speakers from The Nav Station. One failed after a few months which they replaced, then the replacement failed after a few months but they said the warranty only applied from the date of the original purchase and was outside. When I questioned it, he said well you can't expect much when you buy poor quality. Hang on Bill, you didn't tell me it was crap when you sold it to me.

 

25 years Bill and I've never darkened your door since, all for $149. Muppet

[tuffyluffy 76]

Whenever i hear something like this my fist thought is usually "is the company in trouble financially?"

 

Ditto

[Bad Kitty 252]

Well can't say I'm too surprised by this. When we built Bad Kitty 9 years ago we put about 25-30K of Raymarine gear on it. While for the most part it's been ok, there have been some issues never addressed properly by Lusty & Blundell.

Small things, but really f#&*ing anoying. 

Like the boat speed will be reading in knots like it should, then it will just jump to km's/hr all by itself.

Can't count how many times various L&B staff said "it shouldn't do that"

No sh*t Pal, I know that, I want you to fix it, not tell me that AGAIN! 

Fast forward 9 years, still doing it.

So about to spend a whole lot more money on a new suite of nav gear & sail instruments, and it sure won't be Raymarine or Lusty & Blundell.

Looking like B & G, and knowing what a whiner I am I bet Matt makes sure it works! 

[wheels 543]

I didn't comment about L&B in my earlier post, because I figured the place had changed so much staff wise and ownership etc since way back when I was selling and installing their gear. It was Autohelm gear waaay back then. But reading all the comments, maybe the culture has continued to be passed down. It was bad way back then. I won't buy Raymarine gear today because of the attitude they had way back then. I also sold and installed other brands and always tried to get a customer into something other than Autohelm. Although Autohelm had some gear the others didn't. Ha, I remember the day when the first GPS plotter arrived in the shop. Wow, what state of the art that was. To have map that your boat was positioned on was just jaw dropping. Even though the map was blocky in detail and mono chrome Green.

[ballystick 73]

I deal with the Tauranga branch at the Mount and they have been excellent, they saved me money by recommending alternatives.

[too_tall 15]

Our dealings with L&B have been limited to a few small things, and never overly exciting.

 

Navico have offered some pretty good support, including getting parts couriered to various pacific islands, and even tracking down one of their retail installers who was cruising within a few hours sailing time to come and offer some higher level technical assistance which could not easily be done over the phone with my father when I was not there - and that was to fix up a poor job by the installer who did the job here in NZ ( not at all related to the guy who come to sort out the issue ). Navico arranged this all at their expense. No doubt the installer who cocked up the job originally was asked to come to the party, but as far as customer service goes, at least with B&G and Simrad, Navico's locals are awesome. 

[El Toro 97]

Follow up to all of this.... I sent a similar letter to Raymarine USA, who then forwarded it to Raymarine UK and within 36 hours I had a response from them offering me the unit for $350 plus gst and an apology.

 

Whilst I still have to pay and unit not being covered by warranty I am happy with that as a compromise in the interests of moving forward.

 

So well done to Raymarine....I am told Lusty and Blundell will be in touch over getting it sorted..Ill post an endnote once they have...........