ShopBot Customer Service... What's this all about???

[les_linton]

I bought a used machine… was having some teething problems… sent them an email and posted to here.

Got some good replies here, but what did I get from these guys????

Well, I got a phone number to call and all the help you could possibly ask for!!

Not from just one person, but on my second call back after loading new software, from a second who just took over where the first left off.

Wow!! In today’s world of limited warranties and “not my problem attitudes” I find… “Customer Service”. No, really, Customer Service!!! They were there. Honest!! I didn’t even listen to “Please continue to hold, your call will be answered in the order it was received” for twenty minutes…. They were there and they actually took care of me…. I really don’t know what to say….

Except… Thank you Scott and Grant.. and ShopBot for having them there to help.

I surfaced the table last night!!!

Sincerely,

Les Linton

[walksonwater]

Now that's customer service!

I'm still lurking in the weeds here but when I keep seeing posts like this it's winning me over. Not ready to come out of the weeds yet until I understand the CNC a bit more, when I do....shopbot will most likely get my $$$. I work in the customer service field and I know this is what makes a company profitable...besides having a great product of course. Nice job Shopbot!!

[joe]

Les,

I agree with you whole heartedly. The people in technical support are both knowledgable, patient,courteous, and they are available.

Over the years I haven't talked with anyone in, bookeeping, sales, or support who hasn't been very, very helpful.

I see them as friends.

Joe Crumley

[stevem]

The other major advantage of a Bot in a commercial environment is that most problems can be solved over the phone or by sending a part to the factory for quick DIY replacement. No requirement for a $2000.00 per day technician.

[johnnie53]

I have to agree, there tech support is fantastic!!! I bought a used PR model for my cabinet shop business last year. Then bought Partswizard from shopbot. With each type of common problems anyone could have with any CNC machine they where right there to help me solve the problems. I have many other exspensive machines in my shop that I bought new,and never had this kind of Service from any of them. I will be upgrading to a ShopBot Alpha in time, maybe this year or early next year. I couldn't imagine a better company building CNC equipment.

[western@presys.com]

I actually contacted shopbot sales and recieved a Cold Shoulder. I called 3-4 times and recieved the same attitude. This Is why I have decided to purchase from a different company. I felt that the level of attidtude between different people during the ask questions before mailing money was poor. Shop bot deals with a lot of tire kickers but a great sales team will sale the same and answer the same quality answers that are not short and dont bug me attitude. Just my opinion

[fleinbach]

T. Pachi

I am sorry to here you have made this decision. I hope you get what you are looking for but I beleive it is possible you are making a mistake. If you haven't already done so you might try reading through this forum. It's not likely you will find another like it anywhere. Nor a tool like the Shopbot.

This is one of the things that impressed me about Shopbot the company, they are down to earth people who like what they do. No one tries to snowball you into buying their product. They have stayed away from using high pressure sales technics because, they don't have to. I personaly am quickly turned off by 90% of the sales people I've delt with over the years. As the old saying goes, "a good salesmen could sell ice to eskimo's" is one reason why I am turned off by other sales people. Shopbot doesn't have to use these type of sales technics. When you have a product as good as their's it will sell itself. The one thing you can count on is they will tell you the truth weather it's what you want to here or not.

[3d_danny]

I just recently purchased a Alpha120. Before buying, I first emailed the sales department with questions and concerns. I was totaly amazed at the response time. Within 20 minutes they were emailing me back. I called by phone and it was like talking to old friends. I have made repeated calls before the actual purchase, made several changes to the order, and I have always found them to be extremely helpful and friendly. Everyones attitude that I spoke to, "sealed the deal" for me.I look forward to meeting the truly exceptional people from ShopBot at the upcoming Jamboree.

Now, if I could find a few employees like them <g>

[alabama_davo]

It sounds like T.Pachi dialed a wrong number...I have had nothing but well trained, knowledgeable, and gracious sales support. Shopbot does an amazing job with the phone support and also the technical side guys have yet to be stumped be my needs.

Keep up the good work!

[les_linton]

I agree Dave.

Before we made the decision to by the "used" PRT, I called ShopBot and asked them to "sell" me the Alpha. "Why should I buy a new machine instead of the one we were looking at".

They asked me what we were going to do with the machine and a few other questions, and did not try to push me away from the machine we were looking at.

In fact they gave me reasons for buying this machine based on my current requirements.

It did seem that they were firm on their prices... although I didn't try to push, maybe that's an issue that T had...

[robtown]

Some people WANT used car salesmen to do the dance for them.

[gwilson]

Recently I emailed for a qoute, which I had in no time. Then had a couple of question that I called in to ask and was treat with the upmost reapect, friendliness, and willingness to answer all my question, even if they had to ask someone else. You don't find that just anywhere.

[Brady Watson]

Sounds fishy...I have never known the Shopbot team to be short or too busy to answer a customer's questions ~ quite the contrary. As the saying goes, you can't please everyone all of the time...although Shopbot does a pretty good job.

Perhaps the problem is with your listening, and not the "sales team's" speaking. What exactly was said? When you say 'cold shoulder', that is an interpretation on your behalf. What is indicative of them giving you the cold shoulder? Please explain.

-Brady

[davidallen]

sounds like a shill to me.

[T. Pachi (Unregistered Guest)]

I think that it is great that all users that have reponded are so passionate about shop bot. About me I own 4 hotels and have 70 to 80 persons working for me at a time. I train and train my staff to answer questions in a clear percise and without giving a short responce even if they are busy. I know what a short responce is and if a sales person(s) is going the extra distance. I think that the shopbot forum is without a doubt the best resource in the industry. The users we skilled in the art of CNC and again passionate. When I made the comment about what I felt the sales service was not to the level that it should be. I judge a company in a whole if the level of service is great then it points to a company that has its stuff together. Its Just intendeded as an indicator of the strenght of the company. I choose not to purchase a shopbot due to the sales service.

[joe]

T. Pachi,

I'm surprized and dissapointed you found the sales dept. not responsive to you're needs.

You may find that service, after the sale, and the excellent forum, may cause you regrets. Anyway, good luck with your adventure.

Joe

[amy_brown]

If you have so many hotels why don't you buy a $100,000 machine? Some people are just born to whine!

I haven't bought a ShopBot yet only because everytime I start to we get a few hurricanes that cause unforseen expenses or cars breakdown, etc. I just need to come up with the funds and it's as good as bought.

I put them through the ringer with my questions and concerns. They did everything I asked including sending routed samples in the manner and materials I requested. I have never dealt with anyone involved with ShopBot who was rude in any way, shape, form or fashion. That goes for machine owners and employees.

I owned a higher end expensive machine for 8 months. I sold it because their customer service was ridiculous. It was only 8 months old and still in warranty when sold. They were in fact like used car salesmen!

Good luck in your endeavors.

[fleinbach]

Amy

Great job!

[robtown]

From T's description of his experience, I wonder if he actually called a company in Minnesota (who shall remain nameless here) who has a similar beginning to thier name?

This simply doesn't jive with what 99.9% of the people who interact with ShopBot have to say about thier experience...

[gerald_d]

Look guys, NO sales staff in ANY industry is going to please 100.00% of their callers. Mr Pachi is a person who had a negative feeling from talking to SB and he took the trouble to give feedback (there is nothing whining in what he said). He should be thanked for telling of his experience.

[mikejohn]

Rob
I guess you are spot on.
99.9% get fantastic service from ShopBot.
Mr Pachi was obviously your one in a thousand who didn't.
This immediate slamming of any criticism of the ShopBot on this Forum is neither constructive nor reasonable.
I am certain ShopBot (or any business) would rather hear the criticism, and act on it, than for the injured party to slink away in the night, spreading the bad word elsewhere.
..............Mike

[mikejohn]

I've re-read Mr Pachi's messages again, and feel that he may not have English as a first language, so it is possible that he did not fully understand the responses he was getting from ShopBot.
It is said, however, that if a message is not getting through right, the fault is always with the sender, never the receiver, so maybe this was one case where ShopBot needed to go beyond their normal 110% response.
.............Mike

[fleinbach]

Mike

I believe you are right, I felt the same way but couldn't figure out how to word it.

[johnnie53]

Rob, That's funny!! I got the same results when talking with them. There are only a handful of machinery compaines that compare to Shopbot, and none of them make CNC's. Some manufacters that come to mind are LA Weaver(shapers,drill equipment) Conover(which is out of business now),there few and far between.

[bob_lofthouse]

In business problems occur and I believe its how these problems are dealt with that shows the true spirit and character of a Company.

This Company truly seems to support and value it's customers.

In my opinion Shopbots customer service is fantastic, and I could not wish for or expect anything more.

[unicraft]

People from ShopBot saved my life (read butt) a few times! Frank & guys? 100 points.

Diana? I don't know how she did it, it took her less than minutes TODAY to quote us our second machine!

Thanks guys.

[dvanr]

I'm impressed by the service.

After 3-4 emails, a phone converstion with Frank, Fred, and Grant (with Andre in the background) and two evenings of hair pulling on my part we got my Shopbot running. One small .50 cent Wago was the culprit. One pin did not connected internally on the header and reset only half worked. (sounds easy now, but who would suspect such a simple part?)

Thanks guys, terrific service!!

(And my wife forgives you for trying to phone me at 2:00 am our time

)

[hespj]

Emailed ShopBot on Wed at 6pm (UK) about a broken On/Off switch. 40hrs later a new switch was delivered. It wouldn't have got here any quicker if it had been a UK company sending it. Excellent service.

John Hesp (UK)

[flyboy]

Best customer service I have ever experienced too!

[tommyr]

Excellent customer service totally agree.

I own a 10 year old PR that has had numerous owners. I had a problem with it this past week.
Emailed tech support within one hour Frank emailed me back and problem was solved.

I have owned equipment from other manufactures that was one week old and twenty times what I spent for this machine and did not get this kind of support.

Thank you, ShopBot