Bachmann Online Forum

I am not sure if this is where I should post this but maybe someone here can explain why Bachmann Trains' customer service is absolutely disgraceful. I have been trying to get an answer from them for 2 months. I have sent email after email and have left phone messages. I even had some one from Bachmann Industries themselves send an email to them asking them to contact me but so far nothing. I had inquired last December 14th about purchasing a wheel assembly for my engine. I received several emails from the sales department and on the 16th I was told that they would send my the product along with a bill..last I have heard. Are they still in business??

Dear Bob,
I'm sure if you give them a call tomorrow someone will be able to help.
Thanks!|
the Bach-man

I mailed a defective N 2-8-0 Spectrum  #81174 to Bachmann on 01-20-09.
Bachmann received package 8:52 am 01-22-09. I have emailed Bachmann service department twice asking when I would be receiving repaired locomotive. I have tried calling each day for past week, only getting an answering machine asking me to speak louder. I own over 50 Bachmann locomotives, both N & HO. This is the first time I have had to deal with Bachmann's service department and I hope my last.

 :DGREETINGS!! :o I sent them three steam locomotives with a money order for the required $45. on January 30, with a signature required, so that I would know when they received it.
    I've heard nothing, and received no card saying that they had received it (the package). Monday, I called and got to talk to no one, but yesteday (Tuesday), I finally got Ginny (I think), and she told me that they were still working on January's mail, and that it may still be at the Post Office. (She asked for my area code (28792), and went to check- then came back and said that!)
    Today, I may go to the Post Office and ask how this thing works!!
    She said that I should just be patient, they are trying to catch up!!
                                                                                            THANX!!
                                                                                               Ernie

It's called "The Post Xmas Rush"

Have some patience.

Sid

On February 9,2009 I sent my defective E-Z Command by United Parcel Services (UPS) it was received by Bachmann on February 10.

I checked repair status by telephone on thethe 12th and again on the
17th .I got through to someone both times.

As of 17th,  there was no information in the computer and I was told that they were just getting to entering information for January 31.

I was then told it should be ready in 4 to 6 weeks. All I know to do at this point is to be patient as hard as that may be

.

It is extremely difficult, if not impossible to get any response from Bachmann at all, I've left several messages on the Customer Service Manager's phone for more than a month, sent e-mails and received no reply to any of them. I ended up sending my Williams engine in to them for a repair complete with check, phone number and e-mail address over 2 weeks ago, but it may very well be in the trash up there by now as once again, no feedback from them.

Having several Williams products, this is real disturbing as in the past if you had a problem with a Williams product it was very easy to call them direct and get a person on the other end, even Jerry Williams himself has picked up the phone once or twice when I called. 

Unfortunately based on this experience, I'll never buy another Williams or Bachmann product as Bachmann has surely shot themselves in the foot with incredibly poor customer service.

hhughes

You have my sympathy, I just called this morning and did talk with a person.

My E-Z Command is still not showing in the computer. I was told to wait another week and check with them again. It has now been with them for two weeks.

My big frustration at this point is that I am unable to learn if my controller has even been looked at. As the thing was made in China, perhaps it has been shipped there to be repaired and I may stand a Chinaman's chance of seeing it back by Christmas 2009.

There are several key, cardinal rules when working with your customers.  It's critical that you exhibit proper etiquette in working with customers if you expect them to remain your customers.  To do so, consider these proven tactics in exhibiting true customer-care etiquette.

Be friendly.  Friendliness is easy to exercise in your daily routine, yet difficult to find in today's fast-paced, selfish society.  Your friendliness could be the difference in keeping a distraught or frustrated customer from moving on to work with your competition.
Be honest.  If your customer has a problem that you are unsure how to fix, tell them.  "Under-promise; over-deliver" is the mantra exercised in the best sales and customer service teams all over the world.  If your customers have questions that you can answer, answer honestly, even if it may not be the answer the customer wants to hear.  Honesty is always your best tactic for effective customer service, as the customer will appreciate your honesty and will continue to work with you as a result.
Be thorough.  Take copious notes and follow through on all that you can do to help your customer with their issues.  Make sure your customer knows you are aware of their issues—repeat back what they have told you to ensure they know that you heard them.  Then, put together a game plan that resolves their concerns quickly and effectively.  Share the game plan with your customers, and make sure you do everything you say you will do as outlined on the game plan.
Follow Up.  Once you have solved a customer's problem, make sure you follow through afterward to ensure your customer is not just satisfied, but is thoroughly happy with the results of your actions.  Using the game plan to follow up with your customers will demonstrate a strong commitment to excellence.
Be professional.  While you do want to be friendly, remember that you are conducting business.  It is important to remain professional and objective in all you do and say with your customers.  Professionalism is a lost art in dealing with customers, so the better you are in handling your customers professionally, honestly, and ethically, the more likely you will be to maintain lifelong customer relationships.
Overall, if you want to keep your customers happy and loyal to your company and its brands, it is imperative that you exude excellence in customer service.  Putting in place all of these tactics will ensure your customers are happier and more loyal than they may be today.

Now, is that really that hard to do?

Well I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one that's had problems. I won't elaberate as to the problems I've had, but when the Gen. Mgr. has to get involved would certainaly tell me that they do have problems. All you folks sound like me. Said Manager even told me over the phone that Bachmann has C.S. issues that they are trying to work out. It really P.O.ed me to find out that kept putting my loco back at the bottom of the list to be done. It seems kinda funny that a 175 year old company can't get their act together with C.S. God knows that they've had plenty of time to work out the bugs. I wish you guys the best of luck with your issues, and I hope I don't have to deal with them anymore.

This is not good! I too have sent them an email 10 days to two weeks ago with not response. In talking with a fellow Model Railroader, he said "email was out, don't even try you won't get a response". I have called and left a message also with no response to date. Is this the kind of customer service I can expect from Bachmann? If so, maybe I need to take my buisness elsewhere.

 Chief, I've had very good results with customer service. Make sure you call during their business hours. Paul BT3 CVS 9 Essex and CVS 18 Wasp

I surely do sympathize with everyone but I don't understand it.  In the two years I have dealt with Bachmann service department, I have no complaints.  I have rebuilt several Bachmann locomotives and 95% of the time receive my parts within 3 to 5 days of the order.   Two things I do keep in mind though; only call during advertised business hours and never e-mail them.

Paul,  CVS 9 and 18!  WOW I knew you was old but not that old.  lol  Just kidding!  I remember the Wasp!  Never saw the Essex though.     Stephen

The saga continues, you can actually get ahold of an "operator" at Bachmann during "regular hours, which by the way are not the 8 AM to 4 Pm hours listed on the website, but 8 :45 AM per the voice mail message. The telephone extensions listed on the website are also different than the actual ones. Why does that surprise me.

I've now called and left messages for the person that checks returns in as well as the customer service manager again two more times and sent e-mails as well trying to find out what, if anything is or has been done to my Williams engine. According to UPS it was delivered at least that much I know.

Naturally and as usual there have been no return calls or e-mails----Does anyone actually work at this place??? Why should I expect anything different after wrestling with this for over a month now.

Does anyone know how to get in touch with a live person at Bachmann? Is the entire company under the federal witness protection program? >:(

HH,

re: Customer Service (or lack thereof) :-[

It is about time for me to make my next attempt to get meaningful information other than we did receive it but"it's not in the computer. Be patient and call again in a wkk it may take six weeks before you can expect it"

The Bach Mann I am frustrated and this seeme to indicate that I am not alone. Can you offer us any encouragement or explanation why getting information on repairs is so hard to come by.

My patience wears thin,I begin to be sorry I ever bought the E-Z Command - it may be a great system for small layouts, but so far I've no chance to find out.

Tom

Due to a winter storm, the offices are closed today March 2, 2009. 

Please try to contact Customer Service tomorrow.

Regards,

3rail

Thanks for the heads uo, think I'll wait until Wednesday for you guys to dig out.

We share your misery in Virginia Beach - little snow, lots of ice.

Tom

Update to all.

I talked with customer service this morning and my E-Z Command still is not showing up in their computer.

Thank the Good Lord I sent it by UIPS and have a receiving report showing when Bachmann got it and who signed for it. CS does admitt that it must be there and did spend a considerble time with me trying to find it in the system.

Also of interest to all, the Service Departmenmt has a sizable backlog (probably caused by being closed in January for inventory and returns from the Christmas season.)

I do remain confident that tis becklog will work its self out and we will all receive satisfaction. Maybe Yampa Bob has the right idea -buy two if one breaks you have a spare.

Yep, that's my policy regarding trains. When I consider all the phone calls, packing something, driving 10 miles to the post office, shipping charges, frustration including my blood pressure, I'll have a spare, subsitute or salvage unit, but I won't send anything to any factory service. Never have, never will.

That's the reason I buy from Caboose Hobbies. When you buy from a source that requires you to deal directly with factory service, I try very hard as a friend and fellow modeler to be sympathetic.   :D

Hey, you young guys have a lot of time to wait, but I want all issues resolved by each day's end.  The only crisis I want is deciding on beef, pork, chicken or lamb for dinner.  Of course even that's simple, my wife decides and I take it or else.  8) 

I have been exercising great restraint when I make my weekly call to check status, but have decided it would serve no purpose to rant and rave at the lady who answers the call; thus far she is my sole contact with Bachmann so why rile her up. She has tried to track down the ED-Z Command but so far hasn't made a great deal of progress.

I did make a spreadsheet ntraking the time of repair and vent my frustrations there, strepping on noones toes.

By the way Bob and for the record, I am not one of those young fellows who can afford to wait

Tom
I really do sympathize with your situation. In fact I've even considered calling Bachmann service myself, I have a gentle way of motivating people to be a bit more expedient.   :D

 ;DGREETINGS!!And a HAPPY DAY to ALL!! :o
Mr. B, I don't mind, or even take it personal, that you deleted my post implying that perhaps we should quit buying BACHMANN PRODUCTS until they get their act together because it was not meant seriously, but only as a "promptor" that might cause them to realize the way they are headed if they don't start thinking and DOING something about their CUSTOMER SERVICE (-or LACK THEREOF!!), but it does seem that you, or THE ADMINISTRATOR, would have made a comment as concerning my trains that I have sent in to be repaired, and those of others!!
    My "zip code" is 28792, and the trains wre mailed 30JAN2009. :'(
                                                                                                  THANX!!
                                                             8)                                     Ernie

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ???

UPDATE 2

Tommorow, March 9,2009 marks the end of four weeks since my E-Z Command was signed for at Bachmann.

There is an old expression about a "heck of a way to run a railroad.", or shall we say a railroad customer service department.

I can only remain optimistic that I will eventually either get my E-Z Command returned in working order or replaced ---- but who knows.

Tom

My experience with Bachmann Customer has been excellent.I have e-mailed several times and always a reply within a day or two.Yesterday I phoned toll free and talked to a person, and within a few minutes my order for parts was completed and it will be in the mail shortly.The fellow whom I talked to was polite and helpful.How,s that for good service,and the price for parts and mail to B.C. was cheap.                                 Cheers

I am not saying I can't get throught to customer service, I have and the ladies I have spoken with have been courteous.

The problem lies in the apparent inability of the system to track items sent in for repairs. I would not be happy if I were told that a repair time has not been determined, but that would be infinitely better than  "I am not finding you in the computer."

Perhaps when I make my weekly call on Wednesday I will get more information than I have thus far, yet I remain very pessimistic.


Tom

Hey Boomertom, Is it the EZ Command Control Center your tryin to have repaired if so I have 2 extras. E-mail me and I'll send one up to ya your not too far from me I'm in Florida. I'm an old guy too with limited patience and from what I've read here Bachmann needs to clean house and hire some people that know the definition of Customer Service.


Have Fun

UPDATE #3

March 11,2009

HAPPY CAMPER



I followed some advice from Steamgene today a placed a call to Telephone: 215-533-1600  and asked for Bridgett. I got her voice mail and left  a message detailing the saga of my journey through customer service.

I also called on the 800 number- same old story not in system and when I expressed concerns was put through to a supervisor. The supervisor took down the information, my phone number and asked me to give them some time to try and find it and mI would be called right back.

When I disconnected I had a voice Mail from Laura at Bachmann asking that I call her back. Before I could do that, the supervisor called me and wanted verification that they had correct shipping addrtess for me zip codes etc.

To shorten the story, Laura called me twice more and actually found my package buried under a pile of others. Rather than waste more time she is just sending me a replacement.

Moral: Don't give up hope if you haven't tried going thropugh Bridgett what do you have to lose.

Tom Blair

Quote from: boomertom on March 09, 2009, 11:23:12 PM
UPDATE 2

Tommorow, March 9,2009 marks the end of four weeks since my E-Z Command was signed for at Bachmann.

There is an old expression about a "heck of a way to run a railroad.", or shall we say a railroad customer service department.

I can only remain optimistic that I will eventually either get my E-Z Command returned in working order or replaced ---- but who knows.

Tom





GREETINGS!! ;DWell, Tom, I think I've got you outdone!! Mine was sent on 30Jan09, and I've heard nothing. :'(
                                                                                             THANX!!
                                                       8)                                      Ernie
                                                         

I wish every one could be as happy as me with customer service. 2 months ago I called about my dead decapod. From the time I sent it to Bachmann to the time it came home was a little over 2 weeks.
I called yesterday to order parts and they will be sent out today. Absolutely great customer service.

Quote from: charlii on February 18, 2009, 10:22:19 AM
I mailed a defective N 2-8-0 Spectrum  #81174 to Bachmann on 01-20-09.
Bachmann received package 8:52 am 01-22-09. I have emailed Bachmann service department twice asking when I would be receiving repaired locomotive. I have tried calling each day for past week, only getting an answering machine asking me to speak louder. I own over 50 Bachmann locomotives, both N & HO. This is the first time I have had to deal with Bachmann's service department and I hope my last.

Finally, after 7 weeks of trying, I talked with a real person at Bachmann.
She, (whoever she is), was very nice, courteous and spent several minutes trying to locate my returned locomotive. She informed me of the tracking number and said the repair people were working in the 100 series that my tracking number was located. That I should receive the repaired unit in at least a couple weeks. BTW I got the actual person by calling Bachmann parts and the person I talked with there, transfered my call to a live person insted of an answering machine.

 >:(and the hits just keep on coming....My Williams engine arrived at Bachmann for repairs on February 17th via UPS. This is after trying for several weeks to get an e-mail or telephone response as to just how and who to send it to. I waited two weeks and got through after several attempts on March 4th and tried to get a "status of repair" on the unit. Per the lady that I spoke with it hadn't been checked in yet and she wasn't sure that it was there. That's pretty sad in itself to have something sit for 2 weeks and not know if it's there or not.
I called again yesterday and was told that it had been checked in on the 16th, so I asked when I could anticipate seeing it and she told me that it would take 6 more weeks as they have a backlog.
So that means that I'll get it back sometime around the first of May. That's incredulous. These people do not return phone calls or e-mails and then they insult the customer even more by making you wait two and a half months to make a repair. Hey, at least call and let someone know the status of their work.
I'll never deal with Bachmann again.

I have had only one occassion to use customer service at Bachmann and was pleased with their service.

The beginning of December I took out my old GS-4 Daylight and Athearn passenger cars to run under the Christmas tree.  When I put it up I had forgotten that the drive wheel had broken.

I contacted customer service and they said to returned the loco for replacement.  They were very helpful and gave me a time frame of 4 to 6 weeks before I should expect the replacement.  I told them that I had intended to have it operating under the christmas tree and the lady said that they would do their best.  The replacement arrived the week before Christmas (three weeks).

I sent a loco back  thursday march 19 for repair. I called first and they told me it would return in 4-6 weeks! LOL I always add 2 weeks! but this my first return to Bachmann.

Dear All,

The name calling posts have been deleted.  Keep on topic please.  We have used and are using these posts to make improvements to our Customer Service Department.  The months following the Holidays are always the busiest so a backlog usually grows. 

We will continue to make improvements when possible.   Your constructive comments are welcome.

Regards,

3rail

 ;DGREETINGS!! Well, I told you that my next post would be when I heard again from BACHMANN, so here it is!! They promised that by April 8, my engines should be repaired, and they arrived in the mail today! :o
      The only problem is that they changed the roadname on one of the engines without calling me, but that's not a biggy.  ::)(That may have been the only roadname available in that engine at this time!)
      Now, I've got to find a caboose that goes with a C.B. &Q. R.R. ENGINE!! ;)
                                                                                        THANX!!
                                                       8)                               Ernie

Quote from: 3rail on March 24, 2009, 05:30:46 PM
Dear All,

The name calling posts have been deleted.  Keep on topic please.  We have used and are using these posts to make improvements to our Customer Service Department.  The months following the Holidays are always the busiest so a backlog usually grows. 

We will continue to make improvements when possible.   Your constructive comments are welcome.

Regards,

3rail

I wasw a disgruntled consumer frequently during the saga of my E-Z Command and at the end of four weeks was very discouraged, more so by the fact no one could find the Controller. I then was given a suggestion that I ask for Bridgit and left her a voice mail ;then tried the 800 number and was transferred to supervisor when I expressed being upset that after four weeks no one could even find the E-Z Command.

Things moved very quickly at that point and I received a new E-Z Command the next day.

#rd rail, I am delighted to hear that our experiences are being g used to bring improvements to CSR.

Tom Blair

 >:(It's not over yet.  Bachmann received my Williams steam engine for repair on February 17th per UPS and I still don't have it back. When I called today, I was told that it's "in the queue, I can see the order". I asked him to say hi to it for me and tell it that I missed it. No timetable for it's return however and no, they don't bother to contact you either via e-mail or call, it gets there when it gets there.  What a way to run (ruin?) a business in today's economy, great customer service. 
I'm glad to hear that others have had success in getting their repairs done quickly and returned.
You'd like to think that someone in the customer service group would at least give you a n apology for the job taking so long, but with this bunch that;s hoping for too much.