A Borg story with a happy ending.

And the rest of us pay more for our purchases at Rona. That story goes
well beyond good customer service and ventures into the twilight zone.

Steve

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> To appreciate this, you have to know that I'm a smallish remodelling
> contractor, a decent enough carpenter and an un-accomplished
> woodworker. You also have to know that, like many here, I avoid
> BORG's -- particularly Home Depot.
>
> To the story: Had a bunch of tools -- including my Paslode
> framing nailer - stolen from my garage. Went to Rona (a Canadian
> BORG competitive with Home Depot, to get a replacement. $420.
>
> They had a Porter Cable package on sale -- $499 for a twin tank
> compressor and a PC framing nailer. Bought it.
>
> Get home -- no nailer, just the compressor and hose in the carton.
> Phone Rona -- talk to the guys in tools. They say we don't have that
> particular nailer, but we have a slightly better one .. bring your
> bill in and pick it up. Sorry about the inconvenience.
>
> Get the nailer. Stick it in my garage along with the compressor.
> Sits there for three weeks until I need it for a job. Think I'd
> better set it up and make sure it works. Yup works fine. Load it
> into the van. Load all the other tools I'll need. Get the PC
> carton out to the street in time for garbage pick up.
>
> Next day, remember a drop cloth --- there's one over in the corner
> under a busted lamp. Move the lamp, pick up the drop cloth, and lo
> and behold, my "stolen" Paslode framing nailer.
>
> My wife gives me one of those ---Ah, ha! Uh, huh! looks.
> Packaging is gone, tools have been used ... son of a gun.
>
> Phone Rona ... talk to the guys in tools. They say bring the PC
> compressor and nailer back for a full refund.
>
> Maybe it helps that I know the guys in Tools, maybe it helps that I
> have an account. But my guess is that they would have done it for
> anyone, maybe not as quickly and cheerfully, but they would have done
> it.
>
> I don't like BORG's ... I don't like the "dumbing down" of staff ...
> I don't like the declines in quality of tools and materials .... but
> Rona ... or at least the one on MacLeod Trail in Calgary ... still
> values it's customers.
>
> For what it's worth, your mileage may vary.
>
> Ken
>
I wouldn't have had the audacity to ask for a full refund after personally
destroying Rona's ability to sell the nailer as new. I guess it helps to
personally know employees who are willing to give you "sweetheart" deals.
With overhead like that, no wonder we have "declines in tools and
materials..."

> >
> I wouldn't have had the audacity to ask for a full refund after personally
> destroying Rona's ability to sell the nailer as new. I guess it helps to
> personally know employees who are willing to give you "sweetheart" deals.
> With overhead like that, no wonder we have "declines in tools and
> materials..."
>
>
I disagree. The company got back a nailer in excellent condition that can
be marked down and put on the bargain table, at a small loss or maybe break
even price. Someone goes in and buys it and posts a gloat either here or
to his neighbors, more people go in to see if they can get a bargain and buy
other items at full markup. End results, you have two happy customers who
advertise how good you are to deal with, more customers in the store, a good
reputation and you have a write off on taxes. Sounds like mighty cheap,
high quality advertising to me.

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] wrote:

> I don't like BORG's ... I don't like the "dumbing down" of staff ...
> I don't like the declines in quality of tools and materials .... but
> Rona ... or at least the one on MacLeod Trail in Calgary ... still
> values it's customers.
>
> For what it's worth, your mileage may vary.
>
> Ken

I don't like the big ones either, Ken...but one of my favourite hardware
stores is a Rona in Point Edward, Ontario. It's called Wilson Plumbing.
Great bunch of guys...and they have the most eclectic collection of
stuff you have ever seen. I needed some large Soss hinges to hang a
full-size door...... they had them. Ya could have knocked me over with a
feather.

On Thu, 05 May 2005 10:48:07 GMT, "gary" <[email protected]>
wrote:


>I wouldn't have had the audacity to ask for a full refund after personally
>destroying Rona's ability to sell the nailer as new. I guess it helps to
>personally know employees who are willing to give you "sweetheart" deals.
>With overhead like that, no wonder we have "declines in tools and
>materials..."

Thanks for stopping by.

Ken

On Fri, 6 May 2005 08:08:55 -0500, "Sweet Sawdust"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>. Sounds like mighty cheap,
>high quality advertising to me.
>

<Grin> It sure is. And it works.

I'm just finalizing my books from last year.
I noted that for every dollar I spent at all the other BORG s
combined, I spent close to $80 at the Rona on MacLeod Trail in
Calgary (shamless plug).

For those who have trouble with reading comprehension, I did not
build a house using the PC compressor and nailer; I fired three test
nails. And I told the absolute truth about why I wanted to return it.
I found the nailer I thought had been stolen ...

Rona ACCOMODATED me because I am a good customer. And I am a good
customer because Rona ACCOMODATES me. The same as I
ACCOMODATE Rona by not bitching whenever they make a mistake.
(Remember the nailer wasn't even in the carton it was supposed to be
in. They told they had three others returned -- no nailer in the
kit.) Stuff happens. To them. To me.

Ken

Ken