Disappointing Experience with New Shaker: No Coverage for Guest Drops

[BlessedWifeMommy]

I am so bummed. I set up a table at a Market Place last night. I had the new products out and my shaker was knocked off of the table onto the tile floor. I just called HO and she said it wasn't covered, I asked "even if a guest dropped it?" and she said no. I purchased it as a sample (over a month ago), but now I'm out $19 (plus shipping, tax - discount on a personal order) if I replace it. I thought they would say it was covered. :cry:

 

[Chefgirl2]

That doesn't sound right. I would call again. HO wants us to have the products on us so we can sell them. That's why if we earn the products they will send them to us before we have to send them back.

You bought this as a sample. It isn't like it is a glass product with no warranty. A customer dropping an item or bumping into a table is everyday life. It's not like you were playing catch while tailgating. The product is meant to be shaken. People have slippery hands sometime. Should we tell guests who buy it to wear rubber gloves so they won't drop it. That's rediculous.

Get another rep on the phone then even ask for a supervisor if needed.

Then let us know what happened. I will be disgusted if they don't show so compassion for you and your investment.

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

Honestly I'm too mad right now to call back. I got her name just in case I needed it later. What caught me off guard is how quick she was to say it wasn't covered.

 

[ChefPaulaB]

Yeah, that is crazy! It has a 1 year Guarantee, there is no reason that it shouldn't be replaced... I can't believe that it broke! You would think that it would be a little more durable than that! Definitely call again, or try just doing an online adjustment, it might go through that way...

 

[NooraK]

Call them back. It's not an item with a Limited Guarantee, they should help you out. You don't want to sit and stew over it.

 

[ardipc]

Another suggestion is to do the adjustment for it online. Simply choose "Damaged in Use", and you need not explain HOW it was damaged. They'll ask you to send it in first, but will send the new one when the old is received.

 

[Chefgirl2]

That is exactly why I always repeat the rep's name and write it down in my customer service notebook.

So, call back now while you are still mad. Pampered Chef wants and needs to know when their reps are not helping us the way they should. In the last 9 months there have been 2 reps that have told me incorrect info similar to yours. One rep has done it twice. Did you know that reps are randomly recorded? Ask for a supervisor to track down the tapes so they could hear what was said and how.

One rep told me you couldn't cook cookies or biscuits on the round stone w/ handles!

A-H-H-H!!! Luckily, I was in Denver the next day and was able to ask Lisa Flynn... who then directed me to the girl in charge of stones...who then said "What? No! It is made for those items!" Uh? I know. I've been selling for 10 years.

The point is: They need to know when someone is acting like the Creator and saying no because they are on a power trip.

On the otherhand if you have great service let the rep know that you really appreciate her help. And, can you talk to their supervisor to let them know what a great job they did? They get rewarded!

 

[chefann]

Dropping it on the floor, whether it was an accident or not, is considered misuse. None of our products are covered against breakage when dropped. Expecting HO to replace it in that instance is like expecting a car dealership to replace your car because you drove it through your garage door.

 

[KimoMakano]

Dropping it on the floor, whether it was an accident or not, is considered misuse. None of our products are covered against breakage when dropped. Expecting HO to replace it in that instance is like expecting a car dealership to replace your car because you drove it through your garage door.

Well put, thank you.

 

[cookingwithlove]

I would call again. I had a customer break one of my dot wine glasses. HO sent me a new one. The reason they covered it was because it was at a show where I was demonstrating the item. The only difference is that I earned it and did not buy them.

It never hurts to ask again.

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

Thanks for all your opinions. I tried again, and they are not going to replace it. The only reason I purchased it was to show it at shows (because I thought it would sell better if I took it to shows that just seeing it in the catalog), I ddin't realize it would get broken so easily. In light of my new knowledge regarding replacements. I will be re-evaluating the items I take to shows.

 

[Chefgirl2]

Dropping it on the floor, whether it was an accident or not, is considered misuse. None of our products are covered against breakage when dropped. Expecting HO to replace it in that instance is like expecting a car dealership to replace your car because you drove it through your garage door.

Good point chefann. But, when I wrecked my car when it was less than a day old I did get GREAT customer care from the dealer. They didn't make me feel bad for wrecking it. Life happens.

My issue with the shaker is the plastic should be durable enough to handle shaking and, yes even a drop or two. I could see it forming weak spots and wearing down over time and repeated use. It makes me wonder if could be a quality issue. Yes, it was dropped. But, it is plastic. If it had ice in it and was extremely cold...I could see that maybe justifying it breaking. I told Holly to call back for another rep who might consider that it could be a quality issue that caused the shaker to break so easily.

This has happened several times over the years. When the current can opener was introduced the manufacturer changed the formula which caused the handles to split. Same with the dots floating off on the wine glasses and the inferior paint that was on the recalled tree glass plates. All of these issues were brought to PC's attention by us calling.

I love my job. I am on the Cooking Show Advisory Committee, I've been selling for eons, and I deal with the good and the bad daily. I love what I do because this company listens and responds appropriately. Calling HO for a replacement...especially on a newly introduced product, is not stealing. It is finding out if this is an issue. Pampered Chef has no way of knowing if we have problems if they do not hear from us.

HO really does need to hear both what is working (sharing the Good News w/emails) and what is not working(so they can fix it). I can sleep at night because I will not sell an item that I do not completely love. When the Large Round Stone w/ Handles was introduced we had issues because they were splitting in half. I've had to call HO at least 15-20 times to help customers get them replaced. Unfortunately, it took until March or so for the company to fix the situation. And, until I knew the issue causing it to break was fixed I discouraged my customers from buying it. I love that stone now.

I agree that dropping a stone or a martini glass would void the warranty.

Personally, I hope HO replaces Holly's shaker because I love this collection and want to be able to sell it all with confidence. A wineglass I can deal with because I know if I don't cushion it while driving it could break. But, if I have to put cushions around the ice bucket and shaker so I can take them to my shows then I probably won't be selling them.

As for my car and it's $3,100 of damage...I still love it! I appreciate how it turns on a dime, I look for low posts and I learned how to handle the performance engine. But, if my car had a true defect that caused me to crash then you better believe I would have had a new car instead of a repaired car. If the dealer had been nasty with me when I called about a rental, the repairs or talked down to me about my driving I would not recommend them the way I do. That dealership made acustomer for life because they listened to me and helped me in my time of need.

 

[Intrepid_Chef]

In my experience, I find its better to process adjustments online. That way you don't have to put up with a bunch of nosy questions. All you have to say is that it's "damaged in use."I had a customer who had a problem with an exchange ... I tried to process it online for her but they told me no b/c they'd already told her no ... so they reccomended cleaning the rust spots on the knife with baking soda. I told her that if that didn't work I would replace it MYSELF.

 

[Chefgirl2]

I called HO while in the car tonight(hubby was driving). I didn't have your name so I couldn't help with the return. But, I asked about the quality of the plastic because in the mini-catalog the barware is described as "durable plastic." Then I mentioned what I wrote above...the dots floating off, the can opener cracking, the stones cracking, the automatic assumption that dropping is misuse.

I stated that if something says durable I would expect it to handle everyday life. If it's plastic most people won't expect it to break and I really wonder why the consultant was assumed to be completely at fault. It broke when a customer bumped the table and it fell. Who would expect a durable plastic shaker to break? Maybe one that is old and cracked, but not a new one.

Why would PC not consider that this as misuse and not a quality issue? I love the barware, but how can I sell something that I know will easily break?

Janet at HO said she is forwarding my concern to her supervisor and the product developement people.

She thinks this arguement might be a cause for you to get it replaced. She recommended that you call back, state why you think a durable plastic should not crack so easily. I would even say others are wondering if there is a quality issue? At $19 (minus discount),plus shipping and handling it would be worth at least asking for the higher ups if the rep still says no. State your case and mark down who you spoke with because it's early in the season and who knows how many people this will happen to...I would rather they fix a problem now than months later when we'll be stuck on the phone trying to get these fixed for tons of customers.

Realistically, if that happened to your customer wouldn't you be horrified. Are we supposed to tell them to only use their shakers over carpeting or in bed? Hmmm...didn't sound right

If that is the correct formula and this will easily break then will I sell it? Probably not. Wasn't there a thread about scratched ice buckets? If so, that isn't durable at all...and should be mentioned, too.

Good luck.

 

[BlessedWifeMommy]

Realistically, if that happened to your customer wouldn't you be horrified. Are we supposed to tell them to only use their shakers over carpeting or in bed? Hmmm...didn't sound right

Good luck.

I'll give it one more try, I sent an email to my AD, this afternoon and that was the same advice she gave.

Also, I want to say, thanks for the laugh. I needed that.

 

[beepampered]

My brand new ice bucket fell from a tall shelf in the garage and shattered the day after I got it from SAT. I was upset and think it should have lasted longer but it WAS my fault and, although I considered telling them it was broken when it arrived, I decided to just not have one. However, had I been a customer who paid full price, I'd want my money back....BEE

 

[NooraK]

Bee - along the lines of the above conversations, you may want to just email them to let them know that happened. Although a high fall like that might be understandable, HO may want to know so that they can evaluate any necessary changes to the product.

 

[Chefgirl2]

Now, if this isn't C-R-A-Z-Y!! I carefully wrapped my ice bucket and shaker to take to my demo at Ethan Allen today. When I was setting it on the counter I noticed that my ice bucket is scratched! What? I didn't slam on the brakes or anything! After all the emails I decided to really cushion them! I had 5 microfiber towels and a table cloth in the bag to surround everything!

Could my bag be the scratchee? Is that misuse?

It looked horrible under all the lights...Grrr....

How irritating that I took such care and that happened! I tried calling a few minutes ago and HO is closed until Monday...

 

[AmyDare]

I didn't get the shaker because it's made from the same material as the quick stir pitchers. I'm really disappointed with them--and I LOVE the concept of the product. But, they're not rubbermaid. I got a quick stir pitcher, my 11 year old bumped it and it fell from the kitchen onto the kitchen floor (Laminate, not even tile) and the bottom cracked. Can't use it because it leaks, and am not sure if I can exchange it because of how it broke. I wish they would use a less rigid plastic--one that is more durable and can stand up to daily family use. Not sure how to communicate that to them, but I won't get any more quick stir pitchers until they come up with a more durable plastic. (and I miss my pitcher!)