Kevin Petley

The main problem I have with internet sales / postage repairs is invariably a machine will be returned for repair due to - 1 - The wrong machine was sold intially 2 - The machine is being used or maintained incorrectly. Both reasons create problems which may not always be identified via a telephone or post. The vast majority of people on this forum will be time served, experienced and knowledgable operators, unfortunately that is not the case with everyone. It makes my blood boil when customers return machines to us that are unsafe to use due to a lack of knowledge or advise, or the machine is quite obvioulsy unsuitable for the customers needs. OK there are always exceptions but generally this is due to poor after sales and poor installation. I personally have refused (twice out of 1000's) over the years to sell machines to customers that I felt were not safe users. And that is not the most comfortable conversation to hold, but we all have to sleep at night. I suppose it's an ethical issue with me that does not quite sit right and I am uncomfortable having to get involved with, where do you draw the line? Should supermarkets be allowed to sell chainsaws? Keep the faith!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stihl 4 mix engines really need the green stuff, not the red

Hi DN22 Saddo that I am trawling internet spotted your post. I am employed at said local dealer and am aware of your comments, not me I may add! Firstly I am sorry if the greeting that you received was not what it should have been, I feel the response was meant to be a little more light hearted than maybe appears in your summary. Certainly the counter Guys relationship with most of our customers is pretty good, we deal daily with business and enquiries from 50p to several hundred thousands of pounds, I believe we receive this volume due to the high service level we provide, I appreciate of course that I maybe a little biased!. However if your feelings and experience were contrary to this then we have not done our job to well and I apologise. It is very unusual that we would be found to be £150 more expensive on a saw ( I wish there was this much margin remaining) because we are aware and compete with internet business every day. Of course anything is possible and I do not doubt your word, people can be clearing stock, promoting a loss leader or many other reasons why these anmomolies appear every day. To the subject in hand - Reading some of the threads to your remarks I fear there is a poor slant and one sided opinion of expectations from some Dealers. As an authorized distributor of what would be recognized as the best saws available ( this will get some reaction!) a Stihl Dealer only retains the franchise if certain service levels, experience and After Sales support are presented and available to back up the product. Being a business man and in business as many of the members of this forum will understand training, stocking product, parts, wages, rates, buildings (you get my drift) all cost a lot’s of £££££’s, to support the product as the business demands there can be not short cuts and serious investment has to be made. I have one small and short point to make and I am nearly there sorry to drawl on. When warranty work is completed on a product invariably the repair times and schedule a Dealer works on will be loss making, this is not an issue and is accepted by Dealers with the cudos of the franchise, and of course and this is the point the Dealer has made a small amount of profit when he sold the machine! Please bare in mind if I requested a quote from a professional Arborist and then asked for this work to be completed at a loss I guess I would receive a response, remark or laugh of disbelief, this is however what you are asking your local dealer to do. In a nutshell you are asking them to pay you to repair your machine. Ok £150 as in this example is a lot of money, but business relationship's go both ways. Maybe one day you will need that local supply urgently and it will not be there. Please guys talk to your local dealer, give them a chance invariably in my experience of over 30years you will pay more but £20 - £30 not £150. So if you Guys sometimes do receive a slightly tepid response when you are asking your local dealer to complete work for you that he is having to pay to do, please spare him a little forgiveness and maybe give him a fair crack at your next purchase. Thanks for listening