Outstanding Customer Service

[Bunyip]

Hi All,

I am not associated with either of the two companies I am about to write about, except for being a very happy customer. I am always very quick to rant about bad service, but these two guys deserve all the praise they can get.

1. Express Tools and Camping. This is the mob we bought our Kimberly Kamper from. Pete, the owner said he answers his phone 23 hours a day which I thought was a bit of a joke. Well we were going camping over the break leaving early on Boxing Day morning, just packed the last couple of items into the kitchen and then it would not close.
Taking Pete at his word I gave him a call (6:30am Boxing Day) and after apologising for 10 minutes for calling him he asked for 5 minutes to get a cup of coffee and he would call back. He called back in 5 minutes, went through everything it could be, gave me a suggestion and said to call back if I had any issues.
He knows the camper so well that he picked the issue straight up, a 3lb hammer and a strategically placed screwdriver has the bent catch back to where it should be.
About an hour after his callback he rang again just to make sure that we were on the road and everything was sorted. He also was jsut checking to make sure that after the dramas we had had that we had remembered to lock the kitchen closed.
 

2. Mandrakes Solar. During the above mentioned camping trip we tried out our solar panels for the first time. Something was not right and a slight giggle of the cables showed us that the negative wire for the solar panel was not tight. Turns out it could not be tightened as the mechanism was faulty.
After getting back from the trip I decided that it would be a good idea to have a spare MPPT controller in any case so on New Years Day I sent a PM to Mandrake. I did not expect a response from him to be honest, until at least the next day. Mandrake responded on New Years Day, sorted out a controller for me, then shipped it the next day so that it was to me in time for my next trip (3rd Jan).
 

Both of these guys saved our skins and dealt with us at times when traditionally we would have got a "come back to us next year" response.

Thank you to both Express Tools and Mandrake for your customer service above and beyond the call of duty.

Bunyip

[WilSurf]

Mmm, that reminds me of our KK kitchen.
What was/is the problem with yours?
Our lid is not straight anymore, so closing the rear facing lock will not g o in easily.
This has as a result that the cooktop falls down more than it should be. So not level anymore.
Is this the same?

Good to read that there still are companies who knows what customer service is.

[Bunyip]

Sounds like a different issue.

Our issue was with the sink part of the kitchen. The latch got bent somehow (user error no doubt) and the slide would not go back in. The screwdriver and hammer straightened it out.

Bunyip

[Jason B]

I can second the service from express campers. Pete spent 2 hours with us showing us around the KK product. We ended buying privately, second hand, we rang Pete to advise him as such and he even offered to show us around the one we had bought and check it over for us. Champion.

I had a problem with one of the tail lights of the KK and Pete put me onto a local trucking company that could supply the part. He went to great lengths to explain how to change the sealed units over the phone. He then stated that in his 13 odd years of selling KK's he had only ever had one or two of these lights ever fail. He made the comment that I should check the wiring in the vehicle or at the plugs before replacing the unit. I indicated that I had. Just before installing the light I checked the wiring over just to be 200% sure and bingo he was right, I found a loose wire.

As bunyip has mentioned, Pete rang back about an hour latter to make sure it all went smoothly and to plan. When I indicated that it was the wiring not the light I don't think he was surprised. He then took my name and number down and indicated that if he had a customer ring in my region chasing a light he would give them my details or if he needed one he would shout out. (I am not holding my breath if he has only changed 2 in 13 years.....lol)

When its time to upgrade into a newer hard floor Express Campers will be my first port of call.

Jas