Tracker Customer Relations

[Douglas White]

Phone conversation with Tracker Consumer Relations:



Rep: "Tracker"



Me: "Is this customer service?"



Rep: "Yeah"



Me: "Okay, I need some info and I hope you can help me"



Rep: Silence



Me: "Hello?"



Rep: "Yeah?"



Me: "I wanted to be sure I hadn't lost you"



Rep: Silence



Me: "Okay.....I recently bought a Tracker Pro 16 and have a question about the battery"



Rep: "Okay what about it?"



Me: "Is it supposed to be a dual purpose battery or a cranking battery? Your web site shows it comes with a dual purpose but the boat was delivered with a cranking battery."



Rep: "Sigh....have you called your dealer?"



Me: "No Ma'am, I wanted to check with you as the manufacturer first that published the specs on your web site, to see if this is correct or something my dealer can correct if it's the wrong battery."



Rep: "You need to call the dealer."



Me: "Do you not have the specs available for your boats there on your computer or something?"



Rep: "No"



Me: "Do you have a computer in front of you?"



Rep: "Yeah but it doesn't have any of that stuff on it. I guess I could find someone that might know about it."



Me: "Ma'am, you mean to tell me that Tracker, a leading boat manufacturer, doesn't have any of their watercraft information on the computers for their customer service reps? How are you supposed to assist customers?"



Rep: "You will probably have to call your dealer."



Me: "Okay, I'll do that. What's your name?"



Rep: "Racheal"



Me: "Racheal, do you have a supervisor?"



Rep: "Yeah but he's gone to lunch."



Me: "Thanks for everything Racheal."



Rep: "Uh huh." Click



Called dealer, they checked "chart" that shows what battery Tracker says they put with what boat. And turns out this one comes with a cranking battery and not the dual purpose as listed on their web site or the specs in their brochure......... But dealer has been very helpful and can't complain about the service so far.



I have just finished writing a letter to Tracker about this experience. I just hope "Racheal" doesn't open the mail also........

 

[butch hannah]

welcome to tracker's customer care after you bought the boat ...dont care about about you now that they have your money ... same run around they gave me on another issue ... but my local dealer didn't even help .. no way am i going to buy a nitro when im ready to upgrade to a bigger boat ... thank goodness i found a dealer 2.5 hrs from the house that will help with any problem i have or will have with the boat



im glad your dealer is helpful ...i bet your not in memphis, tn

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

That gentlemen is always why we say here that your dealer is the most important part of your boat. Tracker has dealers whether is be Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Marine or independent dealers. They are the ones who should answer your questions and if they can't, they should call Tracker Marine not you. The dealer sold you your boat (unless you bought from an individual, in which case your first call should still be to a dealer) not Tracker, yes they manufactured it and should have better CS than what you got but they are not set up to handle customer calls per-se.



TOXIC

 

[Jim B]

I agree with Tox 100%. Its not just tracker/nitro either, is seems to be the norm in the marine industry. I got a similar run around from Champion when i had mine. The bench seat was built with essentially no foam in it and it was like riding on a board. The fold down arm rest was also falling apart after only a few weeks. The dealer wanted to do nothing because they flat out sucked(im glad they are no longer around). I called Champion directly thier answer " well its not an expensive boat". So essentially because i didnt buy the "elite" series i didnt deserve a seat thats built right....



a guy in my club is going thru a similar run around with Triton over some hull issues.



I have never had any issues with Nitro customer service. Any concerns i have ever had have been handled 100% by my dealer who is fantastic.

 

[Berry Lindley]

I understand you want your specs to match receipt, but on this issue, I think you have what I personally would want in there, a cranking for cranking and deep cycle for TM.

 

[Jimmy Easterling]

Tracker did a follow up survey via email after the sale when I bought my boat. On the survey I listed a small concern about the boat and I promply received an email asking if I wanted a dealer to contact me concerning the problem, after answering yes, I was called within just a couple of days and problem solved. My current problems are being taken care of by the local dealer, I didn't even buy the boat from them but they work hard at solving my problems and I have never had to contact Tracker warrenty. My local independant dealer and BPS have always been there for me. People on the phone who get paid 1 1/2 times min wage is not the person you want to judge the company by.

 

[Jody Woodruff]

It amazes me how large companies put such idiots on the customer care lines. I recently bought a new fridge and had some issues and called the customer service line and spoke with absolute morons. Seems companies would realize these folks can turn away a lot of business with their dimwitted performance on the phone.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

Tracker relies heavily on dealers for there support. Sounds like in this once you did what they suggested you got your answer. As in any boat company you should talk to your dealer first.

 

[Dan J.]

Boats, similar to real estate, need three things to be successful:



#1 - Dealer

#2 - Dealer

#3 - Dealer

 

[Mike Eddy]

This is just a sign of the times, It doesn't matter whether you're talking about boats, insurance, roofs or what ever.



When I went to school, a "contract" (warrenties) was defined as: I give someone money for a specific good or service. They took my money and were legally bound to provide that good or service to me. If they didn't, they were in breach of our "contract" and I had legal alternatives.



Today, a "contract" means I give someone money for a good or service. They take my money and then spend all of their time and energy doing everthing possible to NOT provide me with the good or service I paid for. They will wear you down with BS until you accept what ever you can painfully squeeze out of them. :angry::angry:

 

[Tony Ceriale]

Happy Tuesday!!



I would like to comment on the BPS in Gurnee, Ill where i purchased my 07 640.



The two salesmen (yeah 2 of em) where very helpful and informed me on any question i had about the boat and financing... i return to BPS every few weeks and they always take the time to say HI and to ask about the boat, one of the salesmen even asked me about my girlfriend and said he thought she was very nice! i work at a company that thrives on customer relations and my salesman are very customer friendly and seem like they care.

Iv'e taken the boat several times to the Tracker Service Center for maintanence and installs and the salesmen have been friendly... the Service Center on the other hand...



Seems to me the workers at the service center act like "we" all should know everything that they know ... if we did, we wouldnt neeed them, we could do the work ourselves. I would ask a question, and i would get the "DUH" type of answer ... i'm not a novice but i'm no pro tech either... a little friendly "sure can" would not hurt.



So, when i pick up the X5 down the road (unfortunatley NO Nitro dealers close to home) i will be heading to BPS BUT not sure on the Service Center...



Enjoy!

 

[john horn]

The service & rigging at BPS Gurnee, Il. is the WORST. I purchased 2 boats from there both needing carb adjustments to run properly. The dealer I had the work done at said he makes more money repairing BPS work that for any other cause.

 

[Bryan McDonough]

I think this was mentioned before, Dealer makes all the difference.

 

[Douglas White]

"I understand you want your specs to match receipt, but on this issue, I think you have what I personally would want in there, a cranking for cranking and deep cycle for TM."



This model did not come with two batteries. The specs said it came with a single dual purpose cranking rolling battery. That was what was published on the web site, the brochure, and on the display in the showroom.

 

[Jim in VA]

Doug - with a Pro16 and only a single battery for starting the motor and running the trolling motor, you were right to want a dual purpose, especially with the spec sheet stating so and it being displayed. Did the dealer do right by you and swap out the battery? If not, you may want to consider adding a second dedicated deep cycle battery for the trolling motor only. Otherwise, the cranking battery won't last very long. As you probably know, they weren't meant for deep discharge and recharge.



Sorry that you've had problems. While I agree with others that the dealer is your best recourse, I also think that if that's Tracker's corporate position, why bother having customer service reps. Only gives them a bad name. Fortunately, I never had any real problems with my old PT175 so never had to deal with Tracker customer service.

 

[Randy Walls]

I would add the second battery and replace the first battery with a dual purpose. THEN add a switch in case the main troller battery goes limp you can switch for the remainder of the day to the crank battery.



I know it doesn't answer your question but in all spec brochures they always state somewhere that "things" may change without notice.



Like the catch phrase of "and other duties as assigned" on all job descriptions.



Randy!

 

[Brian Ingersoll]

Butch - were you going to BPS or the tracker dealer off of Whitten. I have never had a problem at the Tracker dealer and have even gotten service better than I expected (although I haven't been there in a few months and have not dealt with the new management). Where are you currently going for help - C&O Marine?

 

[Brian Ingersoll]

Forgot to add to the OP - as everyone says, the dealer is much more important than the brand of boat.

See the dealer first and let them address your problems, a good dealer will sometimes do more than the manufacturer would because they want a happy customer that will be a repeat customer.

 

[butch hannah]

yes velcro i called bass pro first and they put me in contact w/ "boss" over tracker of both places ( mr long).. he was very rude and wouldnt return my calls.. i tried to call him for 3 days and didnt hear back so thats when i got the manufacture involved...

to me its a micky mouse ran company and would never buy another boat from tracker or nitro .... first impressions is every thing ... i own a towing and repair company and cant treat my customers like that



yes C&O marine is a gr8 place and they are my new dealer.. to bad i have to drive over 2hr away but they are worth it !!!!!



just to show how bad customer service is a mercury dealer in MS. "chucks marine" called me yesterday after 5 weeks to see if i still needed a motor ...5 weeks later !!!!

so if you guys have a good dealer be thankful because it aint that way everywhere..

i cant thank C&O enough for steppin up to the plate for me and they will be the only place i have my service/warranty or buy a new boat from..

 

[butch hannah]

to add to the OP

install a 2nd battery..i did on mine(now has 2 troll and one start)and have fished 2 days without charging.. fished hard from dark to dark.. it should be standard on these boats

 

[Tony Ceriale]

Hey John,



yeah when i brought the boat home there was fiberglass dust in the bow compartment, i figured for all the money i spent they could have vacumed > ?

What do you think of the salesmen at BPS?



Where do you take your boat now for maintenance?



take care..

 

[Greg J.]

never had any problems with my PT175 when I owned it, so never had to contact Tracker. Good customer service where I bought my Lowe rig in Rockport, IN.:




http://tylerboats.net/