Boy Was I Wrong

[Dewey Storie]

Back on 10/16/2004 I made the statement that

 

[Jim Brone]

Sometimes you have to deal with people in the customer service world in terms tha they understand. And that is realizing that while not all are this way, once the check has cleared, you're not nearly as important to them as you were when they were courting you. You ever take notice to how nice and sweet you are to your wife when you are really in the mood for some action? Sort of the same phenominon.

Telling them they can choose to pay now, or pay later may be somewhat effective sometimes. You have to remember that you always need to mantain a professional and very matter of fact attitude when dealing with them verbally. Never cuss and show anger. Just be intimidating in a sly calm sort of manner. Having all the facts and quick responces ready for a phone conversation is good too.

One lesson to be learned is to never ever make a large financial commitment to anyone with questionable ethics or service record.

I don't know. It's hard to get good service these days. It seems people aren't as concerned about returning customers as they used to be. They just want the quick pay off. But like I said, it's not all of them. So far my dealer has been good. Not that I've had to use them much though.

 

[Bruce Freeman]

It's sad that things happen this way,I don't rember your original problem or the follow up. But I would think there has to be some sort of recourse if they left your boat in limbo until the warranty ran out? Here is another option that you may or may not be willing to use. If the boat is not already payed for? Call the bank that financed it and let them know how you feel and that you are no longer going to pay for something you can't use? Take that with a little salt if you are willing to have the boat repossed and put a - mark on your credit rateing. But look at it this way when it comes time for them to finace another boat for Tracker or you dealer they will look at that?

BF

 

[Greg Meyer]

I am totally frustrated that this situation has returned to the board.



Same folks here will say the same things... (patinece...two sides, etc.) But, I remember this situation and I am the one who made the "come to Jesus" comment.



For a boat to go back to the factory and return with problems... Then to have Tracker offer a swap (an admission of repsonsiblity) only to have the boat sit at a dealer for months... Well, I remember Nathan Long personally saying that this kind of thing was not going to be tolerated... Apparently, the opposite is true...



Well, I have little real power except my own buying choices,,, But, this is the last straw... Of course I will wait to see if there is a response from Tracker, say four or five days, by Thursday... Then if there isn't...



Well maybe, just maybe, one more voice might be the thing to bring Tracker around...



This kind of customer (dis) service has to stop if Tracker is ever going to be believed. I sit at the dinner table and the bar with touring pros and I know what I hear from them... Nathan... you need to take care of this... All of the "good press" you get won't drown out the negative ones...

 

[JR F]

I hate It that you are having this problem...It just seems that It never ends with Tracker.......JR

 

[Staci Matheis]

I agree with the above comments.

I don't understand why this is resurfacing.

It should be over and done with. Period.

If only Tracker would adopt the old Nike slogan.....

Just Do It!







In 35 years of Sales, I have never had the luxury of having a Customer Service department to solve my problems. (Some self-created ) I did it all. I would never allow anything to fester like this has. It only makes matters worse. Much, much worse.



Tracker Marine, here's my resume:
http://www.zjstech.net/~library/939/Staci Matheis resume let rec.doc

 

[JT Kukucka]

Have you consulted with an attorney?

 

[Brian Bell2]

Eventualy it will catch up to them, and they will loose market share to the competition. Its already being seen on this board. How many Tracker/Nitro Owners have sold/traided thier rides in on Rangers, Basscats, and Tritons in the past 6 months..

 

[Scott Smith]

I'm still waiting for Mr. Long to call me back on a warranty issue I had which he said he would look in to.....THAT WAS A YEAR AGO....!!!! Good luck..Tracker Warranty Service sucks...thats why I am done with the product after I sell my TV18.

 

[Greg Meyer]

Smitty,



One thing I cannot ever accept/tolerate/understand... If Nathan Long or the Easter Bunny says "I will look into it..." and then you do not hear from them... That is dishonorable... If you cannot be trusted to keep your own personal word you have no honor... If my employee brings dishonor on my business that employee better have some answers when I find out...

 

[Michael Snow]

Tracker will NOT lose market share.



Here's why... who here hasn't bought a Tracker yet (or planned to before reading this site)? They have Bass Pro to push their product. Who here didn't think of BPS as a fisherman's Mecca? I did... I went there, saw a seminar or two, and decided I needed a boat. So, I asked a guy doing a seminar and even though Triton was pasted across his chest, I asked him about Tracker. He said exactly what he could say without being kicked out "they're a good boat, not top of the line, but a good boat". I ALMOST owned a Tracker crappie 165 with a 40 horse motor. I'd have been SADLY disappointed.



BUT, this isn't to say the products aren't decent products, just that the customer service side has some problems.



But you guys can wear your "Tracker Sux" t-shirts every day for the rest of your lives and probably make NO IMPACT whatsoever to the bottom line.

 

[Greg Meyer]

Mike...



I disagree... When stories like this one are brought up first and second hand among tournament fishermen, at least in my presence, it does have an impact. Guys tell me they would love to try a new Tundra... but are positively scared to death of poor customer service. These are tournament preos and guides... people who have a very direct impact on purcahsing decisions by others...



I am routinely asked to comment on boat purchases for friends and strangers... So, I know that a bad customer service reputation has an impact on Tracker Sales...



It's almost like the "friends won't let friends drive drunk" thing... Friends won't let friends buy Tracker boats if they think that the buyer is in for a customer service hassle...



I know that I am probably in my last Tracker because of these issues... And, that is too bad, because I have a great boat that I love... But, I am way out of warranty and get my service from an independent mechanic...

 

[Brian Bell2]

Mike,

All good things come to an end! Nitro's are no longer an entry level price point purchase.

 

[Dewey Storie]

jon K

If I got an attorney that would only be one

 

[JT Kukucka]

I am sure they have many lawyers, but that is not the point. You would be surprised at what a letter from a lawyer has the potential to accomplish.

 

[Barry Loos]

I have heard the horror stories about lots of dealers and manufacturers providing bad service for all of the boat brands. But, this case hits too close to home because we have read so much of the dialogue between Dewey and Tracker and the boat is still sitting on dry land. If I had a boat that long and could not use it I would go nuts. I don't know who's to blame but I know who can make it right.



After owning four tin Trackers; three of them new, I'll have to really consider changing to another BPS product.



Da Bear

 

[William H. (Bill) Barham]

Dewey,



With enough pressure and a letter or two from an attorney, someone, somewhere will tell someone else, somewhere else, to "MAKE THIS GO AWAY".. That's what I have found in my lifetime anyway.

As to Nitro/Tracker boats etc., long before I had a Tracker (going on three years now) I would constantly hear stories at ramps and fishing sites about how badly made these boats were and how bad customer service was. Granted, these stories were from owners of boats other than Nitro/Tracker but there were just too many to ignore. I love my PT-17. I bought it used in excellent condition and won't have to take it to Tracker for any kind of service so I don't have any first hand knowledge. I do know that when I decided to get rid of my 28 year old glass boat, those stories swayed me from even thinking about a glass boat from BPS. I was hoping things have changed.

Good luck with yur problem.

 

[Michael Snow]

Greg, I don't see many Tracker/Nitro boats in tourneys around here. And those who own one already won't buy another. There's not enough "glamour" to owning a Nitro.