On Fri, 26 Aug 2005 21:11:35 -0500, me wrote:


Just wondering if this is a widespread issue or if I'm expecting too much...

I knew I shouldn't have done this, but I purchased a Miller welder online
after contacting the local Miller guys via Miller's website "Request a
Quote/Availability" page. Several days later, they hadn't responded and I
even received an automated email from Miller asking if I had received a
response yet. So, I purchased the unit online. The day after ordering it,
I finally received a response from the local guys.

How many days is "several days"?

In business to business relationships, which includes the purchase of
industrial machinery like welders, a written response to a Request For
Quote (RFQ) within ten days is considered prompt if no deadline for
response is specified. Did you give them sufficient time to respond
before making your purchasing decision?

As a courtesy, it is common business practise to advise, IN WRITING,
those who took the time to respond to your RFQ, why you chose to do
business with someone else, with copies of this communication being
sent to the local sales office, the headoffice, and in some cases, the
manufacturer of the industrial equipment in question -- it helps them
to get their act together and not screw up their next sale.
Is your local dealer fully aware as to why he lost the sale?

Verbal complaints don't count because the constructive criticism
quickly degenerates into a "He said", "She said", scenario, with no
documented proof of who said what. People in a position to quickly
address your complaint do not base their decisions on hearsay; they
want documented evidence that there is a problem before they act.

The clerk manning the sales counter is in no position to tell his boss
to change corporate policy, but he will drop your letter of complaint
on the presidents desk.

Put yourself in the shoes of the clerk and think about it.


Well, after less than 20 minutes of welding, the machine dies on me.

This, now, is a separate issue from your purchasing decision.

There
is only one Miller authorized dealer/service shop in town, and one more 45
miles away (both branches of the same business). The one in town says it
will take at least a week to even look at it, and the one 45 miles out
says at least 2 weeks. The place I purchased it from says I could pay
shipping to return it, and after they determine the welder is faulty and
covered under warranty, they will send a replacement, with a turn-around
of about 2 weeks.

I know I should have bought it locally (although it would have been $300
more), and should have called rather than use the online
quote/availability request (smaller town which is still sorta stuck in the
dark ages), but what kind of warranty service is that?

Where you purchased it is totally irrelevant. The warranty issue is
between you and Miller.

Quoting from their warranty found he
http://www.millerwelds.com/pdf/warranty.pdf

"Miller will repair or replace any warranted parts or components that
fail due to such defects in material or workmanship. Miller must be
notified in writing within thirty (30) days of such defect or failure,
at which time Miller will provide instructions on the warranty claim
procedures to be followed."

Did you notify Miller IN WRITING?

"Miller’s option of repair or replacement will be F.O.B., Factory at
Appleton, Wisconsin, or F.O.B. at a Miller authorized service facility
as determined by Miller."

See that "as determined by Miller" part? What "instructions" did they
give you? Where are you supposed to take the machine for repair?


I know the commercial customers who spend tens of thousands of dollars at
the local store will get preference, but dang, I expected a little better
service than "we'll get to it in a week or so."

Quoting from their warranty page found he
http://www.millerwelds.com/service/warranty.html

"We understand that you need your machine as soon as possible. That is
why we ensure a quick and reliable response, every time. Miller's
Signature Service program guarantees to ship all available warranty
items to your Miller service distributor's hands within 24 hours."

This suggests a service turn-around of 24 hours. It does not take two
weeks to open the case up and to replace a printed circuit board. If
Miller sent you to this outfit for repair service, then it is time for
you to look up Miller's contact info he
http://www.millerwelds.com/service/contactus.html
and to squawk to them about the discrepancy between a "2 week
turn-around" and their promise of a "quick and reliable response,
every time."


I've never had to have a welder serviced under warranty before. Is it
common to take so long? I can understand how they would place me as a low
priority customer since I didn't purchase the welder from them, even
though I buy consumables from them, but it doesn't make me feel any better
knowing I will be without the welder for at least a week, and it just
doesn't seem right to me since it is warranty work.

Where you purchased your machine has nothing to do with it.
The factors a

a) Where does Miller want the machine to be repaired? Locally, or at
the factory?

It takes a while for the machine to travel back and forth across the
continent for repair at the factory.

b) Which dealer are you "dancing" with?

The last time I looked, Miller had different classes of dealers: "sell
and repair", "sell only", "repair only", "rental", "on-line", etc.
The "sell only" types send everything back to the factory for repair.
The "sell and repair" types repair locally.

c) Where do you live?

As the cost of fuel rises, instead of providing daily service, truck
freight companies are beginning to service small towns once per week,
or when there is a full truck load to pickup or deliver, which ever
comes first. Even if Miller repairs your machine overnight, if you
live in a small town, your machine may sit for one week in a freight
consolidation warehouse on its way out until there is a full truck
load to ship out, and for one week in the same freight consolidation
warehouse on it way back, until there is a full truckload to deliver
to your town, for a total of 2 weeks turn-around.

You need to squawk to Miller IN WRITING and make it clear to them that
you find a two week turn-around time for repair of an industrial
machine is unacceptable. Nothing will change until you make your
dissatisfaction known to them.