very poor customer service

This topic has 14 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 22 December 2016 at 09:41 by Mark Simpson 1.

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16 December 2016 at 16:11 #272220
colin calver
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@colincalver
Placed an order worth £2500.00 and paid, with Chester Machines on 7/12/16.

On 13/12/16 asked for delivery date and was informed it would be today 16/12/16.

At 15.00hrs today 16/12/16 contacted them and asked to re confirm todays delivery. One hour later was called and advised delivery maybe some time next week.

Am minded to cancel
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16 December 2016 at 16:11 #18320
colin calver
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@colincalver
16 December 2016 at 16:17 #272224
Robert Newman
Participant
@robertnewman73767
I've bought a few things from them with no problems but that would rattle me.
16 December 2016 at 16:34 #272228
Raymond Anderson
Participant
@raymondanderson34407
Bought me LUX mill from Chester. Was booked for Saturday delivery , but they "forgot " so arrived on Monday.

Apart from that I find them good to deal with.
16 December 2016 at 17:37 #272243
Limpet
Participant
@limpet
We ordered a metal bender at work after 6 months of being told it would be next month we cancelled and ordered from brieley – can within the week. I had problems with spares from Chester a couple of years ago I'd be hard pressed to use them again
16 December 2016 at 17:53 #272247
Old School
Participant
@oldschool
If it was me I would see if I could get what I wanted elsewhere and if they could when I wanted. Then cancel if they cannot give you a delivery date that suits.
16 December 2016 at 19:24 #272259
John Stevenson 1
Participant
@johnstevenson1
Brierley is Chester Machine Tools
16 December 2016 at 19:26 #272262
MW
Participant
@mw27036
Posted by colin calver on 16/12/2016 16:11:09:

Placed an order worth £2500.00 and paid, with Chester Machines on 7/12/16.

On 13/12/16 asked for delivery date and was informed it would be today 16/12/16.

At 15.00hrs today 16/12/16 contacted them and asked to re confirm todays delivery. One hour later was called and advised delivery maybe some time next week.

Am minded to cancel

You wouldn't be the first i'm afraid. Always been on the back of the mag but come here and you get to look at the aftermath. Not all that glitters..

Michael W
17 December 2016 at 00:08 #272308
Ady1
Participant
@ady1
I would never buy a major ticket item just before xmas, I do mine in November, there's just too much disruption at xmas

I did forget this last year and bought a thumbdrive item around the 16th Dec, oops

It turned up at the end of February, a month after I'd got a replacement, it just reappeared (so he got another tenner)
17 December 2016 at 00:11 #272310
MW
Participant
@mw27036
Posted by Ady1 on 17/12/2016 00:08:07:

I would never buy a major ticket item just before xmas, I do mine in November, there's just too much disruption at xmas

I would agree, too many other things to do around this time of year usually anyway, i'd barely get a couple of days free to move a machine, let alone anything else.

Michael W
17 December 2016 at 08:16 #272324
MalcB
Participant
@malcb52554
Posted by John Stevenson on 16/12/2016 19:24:30:
Brierley is Chester Machine Tools

Which is unfortunate.

Their products when in Llandudno were 2nd to none and a good company to deal with.

Yet another victim to cheap overseas labour.
21 December 2016 at 16:11 #273138
colin calver
Participant
@colincalver
The fiasco continues. Mon am 19/12, informed delivery now 22/12. Mon pm informed that both items in stock damaged, would I accept a lower spec machine with suitable compensation. Relectantly agreed. Tuesday 20/12 informed that items cannot be loaded as fork lift broken, may be repaired on Wed 21. At 1100 hrs today requested update of fork lift repairs, no forecast. I cancelled order and requested money returned which was done promptly.

Will admire empty workshop over christmas. Happy christmas one and all
21 December 2016 at 16:20 #273139
Michael Gilligan
Participant
@michaelgilligan61133
Posted by colin calver on 21/12/2016 16:11:08:

… I cancelled order and requested money returned which was done promptly.

Will admire empty workshop over christmas. Happy christmas one and all

.

Enjoy some armchair window-shopping over the festive season, Colin

… and spend your money wisely in 2017.

MichaelG.
21 December 2016 at 17:15 #273145
Rick Kirkland 1
Participant
@rickkirkland1
Coo. Ten years later and they’re still the same? I ordered a 626 mill from Harrogate show with R8 spindle. MT3 came and two months later than “promised “date. One delivery date given as the 31st, in a month with 30 days. Ahh well. At least the price was right, , very right in all honesty.
22 December 2016 at 09:41 #273235
Mark Simpson 1
Participant
@marksimpson1
I found dealing with them a challenge; but the lathe was good value when I got it…

Bought a chester crusdaer deluxe at the summer sale, 5% off and free delivery…. It was "in stock"and they would ring to arrange delivery on Monday so I paid in full (not my natural instinct tbh)

No call etc. regular calls from me, always answered but rarely by someone who actually answer the question, I eventually found that "in stock" could also mean in china or in a shipping container on a ship somewhere…

The one day 8 weeks later it just turned up on a pallet on the back of a truck, no notification call, email or anything.

One missing piece was sent on the next day by a reputable carrier after a single phone call and that's was it.

Chester: medium quality, feature rich products at a great price, crap phone communications, no discernable organisation and definitely no comforting progress emails

The machinery?

Like everyone else I've read the horror stories about gear boxes full of casting sand and swarf everywhere; but it wasn't really like that. everything that needs to be machined well was really well done, if it wasn't machined there was less care… Some of the drilled holes were clearly done at speed with a badly ground drill, but only where it did it does not matter… holding down holes. Paint job is OK, but not wonderful… Chucks are good, spent some time to fit them to the backplates and got about .0003" runout

It's great to use something that doesn't have 50 years of wear in it, like my pre-loved student and southbend machines… Not as elegant, but also good to spend some time machining not trying to fix a tired something or other, or find a 3rd hand spare part…
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