Support your local registered gas engineer

[ringi]

My local independent GS person will not underwrite any repairs he does, he even charges for labour to fit a part that is replaced under guarantee when he sold and fitted the original part.

As a landlord I now have 4 boilers in the area, by this time next year I will be up to closer to 10.

I will keep using him for installing boilers and doing the gas safety checks, however he is in danger along with most other independent GS people of losing customers due to not being willing to give a fixed price up front for a guaranteed fix.

Fault finding take a very high level of skill, a lot more then installing new boilers, I have no way of knowing how good a trade person is at fault finding before spending lots of money – I just don’t like having to write blank cheques.

My car is getting the some issue as the level of skill needed to fault find on a modem engine is very high, and due to the low number of engine sensor faults, most mechanics are dealing with only a few each month. (In my one experience the main dealers was no better for engine sensor faults, hence I changed make of car.)

 

[Tibbot]

My local independent GS person will not underwrite any repairs he does, he even charges for labour to fit a part that is replaced under guarantee when he sold and fitted the original part.

Why should he, he doesn't make the part? Anything you buy that's faulty under guarantee will only be refunded for its purchase price. No-one gives you back your expenses.

Eg: M&S will not pay for your time, fuel, parking etc to exchange or refund any faulty goods.

Even manufacturers who offer parts and labour warranty on boilers are not obliged to send an engineer. It's only because they've pledged to do so in writing (on their guarantee card) that they then have to attend.

 

[Piers1989]

what about all the good the manufacturers do for you?

free technical teams,

extended warranties,

training days,

P*** ups and curries....

 

[FiremanT]

Whilst I agree with what Lee is saying its unfortunate that the home owners are largely encouraging the manufacturers in this respect.

Many do not go to the local one man and prefer the call centre job number situation.

And it doesn't help when YOU recommend, on here, BG or the manufacturer.

 

[Piers1989]

Whilst I agree with what Lee is saying its unfortunate that the home owners are largely encouraging the manufacturers in this respect.

Many do not go to the local one man and prefer the call centre job number situation.

And it doesn't help when YOU recommend, on here, BG or the manufacturer.

recommending the manufacturer isn't always a bad thing... they offer great call outs that save the customer money. How is that bad customer service?

 

[Tibbot]

what about all the good the manufacturers do for you?

free technical teams,

extended warranties,

training days,

P*** ups and curries....

Don't need their technical advice.
Never use their warranty service.
Only do in depth training, which I usually have to pay for.
Buy my own food and drink.

 

[Piers1989]

what about all the good the manufacturers do for you?

free technical teams,

extended warranties,

training days,

P*** ups and curries....

Don't need their technical advice.
Never use their warranty service.
Only do in depth training, which I usually have to pay for.
Buy my own food and drink.

technical teams often get over 1000 calls a DAY if not double during busy periods,

warranty services have hundreds of engineers doing 6/7 calls a DAY,

training staff are full time and have 10+ installers a week for courses,

I think its safe to say that some people are using the services provided...

and im pretty sure that you have most likely used technical for something, and the warranty whilst the boiler is covered. Why would you not use their warranty services? after all... the customer gets it repaired for free... or pay you when they don't need to? so whos giving the better service to the customer?

 

[Tibbot]

Having done many years with manufacturers, I know exactly what their staff do every day.

The point is they are selling goods to merchants and have to pay for their services and overheads through the profit therein.

If they don't make enough money then they should increase the prices of their finished goods or squeeze their belts (like we all do), not prey on data supplied (under force) by the people who are supporting them by pushing their goods down the line to THEIR OWN customers.

If ever you wished to buy goods direct from them, manufacturers would be quick to tell you of their STRICT merchant only policy. As stated before they need to make up their minds. They are free to become installers themselves and cut us all out. If any have the bottle.

 

[Tibbot]

Why would you not use their warranty services? after all... the customer gets it repaired for free... or pay you when they don't need to? so whos giving the better service to the customer?

I would not use their warranty for the sheer embarrassment of admitting you need someone else to fix something you've supplied and fitted. I'd rather deal with a firm that supplies the parts and do my own back-up.

Product liability matters eg. faulty design, damage to property, injury etc is more what I would call the manufacturer to attend for.

 

[Richardthe3rd]

Plenty installers show a great deal of loyalty to one manufacturer or another. For me this has always been a misplaced loyalty & a one way street.

I can think of several WB installers that are very loyal & frankly, I'd not touch their boilers with a barge pole, after I discovered a their Rep knowingly supplies boilers via a merchant to a competitor that was not GS registered.

Lee, why not set up an on-line petition highlighting the manufacturers sharp practise regarding their boilers warranty etc ?

 

[FiremanT]

Whilst I agree with what Lee is saying its unfortunate that the home owners are largely encouraging the manufacturers in this respect.

Many do not go to the local one man and prefer the call centre job number situation.

And it doesn't help when YOU recommend, on here, BG or the manufacturer.

recommending the manufacturer isn't always a bad thing... they offer great call outs that save the customer money. How is that bad customer service?

When was the last time you went to buy a car, and the salesman suggested a cheaper garage? Or the last time your local Landlord recommended you went to Wetherspoons?

 

[Piers1989]

Whilst I agree with what Lee is saying its unfortunate that the home owners are largely encouraging the manufacturers in this respect.

Many do not go to the local one man and prefer the call centre job number situation.

And it doesn't help when YOU recommend, on here, BG or the manufacturer.

recommending the manufacturer isn't always a bad thing... they offer great call outs that save the customer money. How is that bad customer service?

When was the last time you went to buy a car, and the salesman suggested a cheaper garage? Or the last time your local Landlord recommended you went to Wetherspoons?

When was the last time some of you on here did something to benefit the customer and not your wallet or reputation?

If a manufacturer can repair a fault for half the cost due to fixed call out prices they offer then why wouldn't you try and help the customer out. They are more likely to recommend you as someone who's honest and out to help them out. After all all this negativity towards manufactures seems to be based around customer loyalty and ensuring that the customer is dealt with in the best possible way.

 

[Dan Robinson]

No it is about them using the information we are forced to part with in order to take OUR customers away from us.

We are the customer of the boiler manufacturers. Not the home owner.

We went out and found them nurtured them, suggested the best solution for them. They manufacturers are dishonestly using that information provided by us as nothing more than a proof of purchase in order gain an unfair advantage.

It is not complicated. But you certainly seem to be struggling with the concept.

 

[ringi]

No it is about them using the information we are forced to part with in order to take OUR customers away from us.

We are the customer of the boiler manufacturers. Not the home owner.

This home owner does not see it like that!

I have never had someone complain about their boiler not working telling me the name of the person that fitted it, they always tell me the manufacturer.

The only time I hear someone saying who fitted a boiler is when BG did it, for some reason people think paying double the going rate is something to be proud off.

 

[Dan Robinson]

You can see it that way if you like. You're wrong though.