Another LV miracle.....

[Will Blick]

I received a check in the mail this week... it was from Lee Valley tools. The letter attached said, since I bought a tool x days ago, and the price has dropped since then, LV is refunding me the difference in price. Granted, it was only ~ $20.... but com'on, what modern company today.....

1) offers such a policy?

2) enforces such a policy with ZERO initiation by the customer? No 800 numbers that go to India, on hold for an hour, 4 months later, no check, etc. No, fill out a form, mail in receipts postmarked b4 x date of purchase, etc.

I love the LV catalog, its a ww's drool book... the buyers have such a keen eye for new products, pricing is always fair.... but in the end, I think Harvard Business School should study Rob Lee's business philosophy, and start teaching the same in America. Seems so simple, but yet so effective... treat customers fair and respectful, and they come back forever.... thanks LV....

Disclaimer:

I am a LV internet customer, I never visited a store, (although I would like to)

I never met Rob Lee (although I would like to),

I never received any special treatment from LV. (I don't need any, they seem to treat everyone special)

[John Adam]

Wow, that's a great story. I have had limited interaction with them (2 orders), but both have been great. Accurate, timely and professional.

[Peter Quinn]

I hear you Bill. I bough a framing square a while back, possibly the most expensive framing square I have ever bought, so I had high expectations. Mine arrived in a box that looked like it had just experienced a day as tank target practice. Shame on UPS for leaving that shredded wheat on my porch with the corner of the square pocking out.

Anyway, it was very tweaked, I called LV, they had a new one on its way before I was off the phone, and told me simply to return the old one in the box the new one would arrive in with the shipping label they would provide! They actually TRUSTED a customer. Man, it doesn't get any better than that. And the second one arrived very quickly, in fine order, and is the most accurate large square I have seen.

Last week I though my wife had thrown out my LV catalogue and I nearly cried. Come to think of it, I need to buy something from them tonight.

[Doug Shepard]

Stuff like that is why my Christmas list often says
Dont get me nuthin but LV gift certs

[Eddie Darby]

I've been getting the same treatment for over 25 years!

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the Harvard Business school to teach this, after all Alan Greenspan just found out that deregulated markets lead to crooked scams. Who'da thought that????:eek::rolleyes::cool:

[Gary Herrmann]

Stuff like that is why my Christmas list often says
Dont get me nuthin but LV gift certs


You too? The inlaws don't even ask anymore.

[Will Blick]

Also, as a general rule, I rarely compliment a vendor for doing their job, such as fulfilling an order. When you try this on the internet, often people suspect you have a motive. Also, I feel as if, that is what they are in business for.

But in rare cases, if the service or policies are either exceptionally good, or exceptionally bad, I feel its only fair to share such with our fellow ww's. I think most people feel this way. The internet is the greatest "information sharing vehicle" this world has ever seen.

Unfortunately, most of the information sharing on vendors is on the negative side.... as it's human nature to want to share a bad experience, as a means of revenge. This can help with future purchase decisions. The most recent example is the Steel City Tool thread, which steered me away from them, on a purchase I am considering.

> Last week I though my wife had thrown out my LV catalogue and I nearly cried. Come to think of it, I need to buy something from them tonight.

hee hee hee... I needed a good laugh today, thanks Peter! and, I feel your pain! Luckily, the internet site is "almost" as good.

I had a few LV shipping debacles myself, but they were always handled immediately. If I could offer Rob one bit of advise.... for shipments to the very South, these boxes get beat-up pretty bad after 3,000+ miles of transit... .maybe offer a "stronger box" option that we can pay a few dollars extra for... a dollar of prevention is worth $100 of cure...or something like that :-)

[tyler mckenzie]

Lv is top notch, never had a problem they couldn't fix. I do Bi weekly order with them.

(http://tealandgold.blogspot.com/)

[Will Blick]

>I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the Harvard Business school to teach this, after all Alan Greenspan just found out that deregulated markets lead to crooked scams. Who'da thought that?

Eddie, your post is - piss your pants funny!!!!

I am proud to be American, but gosh, sometimes I wonder about the mindset of our authorities...

Bill Mahr said something interesting on his HBO show a few months ago... I will paraphrase.... We don't make anything today... America specializes in making debt, which we then re-package on wall street and sell as bigger debt packages, and then re-sell to pension plans, etc, everyone making a cut along the way.

There is a lot of truth to this... about 1/2 of our entire economy now revolves around health care and packaging and or selling financial instruments. The days of the Mom and Pa businesses seems to be on the decline over the past 50 years, personal service seems like a rarity in USA... heck, its hard to even speak to an American when you call a big company today, everything is routed to the Phillipines or India.

I had a PC problem last week, and the vendors support line was in India, they take control of your computer via the internet, and a team of PhD's go to work ripping into the bowels of Windows, till they solve the problem.... amazing, it took them 5 hours ($39). Of course I paid close attention where they were phishing around.... making sure they did not enter my personal check book or banking records ;-)

sorry for the rant... I am not suggesting there is no good USA vendors, I have had very good experiences with LN, Rockler, woodcraft, just to name a few in the ww field..... and recently, Amazon has demonstrated to me why they are becoming the Giant they are.

[Chris Kennedy]

Lee Valley is simply a good company to do business with. There are hordes of testimonials to their customer service on this forum. That being said, I would like to add two stories.

1. I had the same experience regarding the price change. I bought a low-angle jack when I was in Canada, and within their threshhold, they dropped the price and sent me a cheque. Of course, it was in Loonies since I had bought it in Canada, and my bank had a hissy fit when I tried to deposit it via the ATM. After the amount of time it took to come back to me, and I didn't feel right cashing it, but I still have it as a testament.

2. I submitted a "tool" request to them. I'm a math professor, and I have to use miserable chalkboard compasses. As I was battling with one thinking there had to better a way to do this, I suddenly thought of Veritas and their log scribes and the like. I sent them a letter asking if they would consider developing a chalkboard version of their larger compasses. I got a rejection (not a surprise), but the letter was not a form letter. It was from a VP for engineering, and she reminisced about watching her teachers battle with the horrific things. It was clear that they had read what I had asked, and I really appreciated the response.

(That being said, in case Rob Lee ends up seeing this response -- please? Pretty please?:D)

Cheers,

Chris

[Jeremy Thompson]

Amazon does this as well. I just pre-ordered Wii Resort for one of the kids for Xmas and the price dropped $3. They sent me an email letting me know and only charged me $56 instead of the $59 I ordered it at.

I'll tell you what...Amazon gets a ton of business from me. They are one of the best online retailers I've ever used. I almost always get free shipping on this. The great thing is that most of the woodworking tools ship from Louisville, KY and I live in Nashville! So most things are delivered within 2 days of shipping if sent via USPS. It's 1 day if sent via UPS. Good stuff.

I've only used Lee Valley 2-3 times, but all ordered went great with fast shipping and delivery. Two thumbs up.

[Don Dorn]

For the first time, I returned something to Lee Valley. It wasn't what I'd hoped but they were very understanding and with no questions (and a pre-paid return label) took it back and promptly refunded the credit to the card.

I felt bad about it because they have always been so nice - but it reminds me that character is not best determined when circumstances are great, but when they are tested. Lee Valley is a class act and I will contine to look to them first with my tool needs.

[Rick Fisher]

That type of customer service is always "top down".. its a demand that owners make on there staff..

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Now that is cool, I think it is nice when places will refund if you ask but man sending out a check without asking, now that is service!!

[Aaron Hall]

This is why I have a Lee Valley wishlist that I just mail to anyone misguided enough to think I deserve a present.:D

[jim hedgpeth]

I'm with Aaron, if anyone actually thinks I deserve a present, I just give them a LV catalog. That IS my list.:D

Jim

[Chuck Saunders]

But do they have a hovercraft?

[John Harden]

But do they have a hovercraft?


Page 72 of the latest catalogue.......:cool:

Seriously though, I'm not surprised by this. They have always excelled at customer service and innovation. Most of my hand planes are LN, but lately I've been veering towards the Veritas models. I particularly like their shoulder planes. They took an already excellent and time tested design and IMHO, every change they made was for the better.

I've had their twin screw vise for probably 15 years on three different benches. Still works like new.

Regards,

John

[Chuck Wintle]

I just ordered a set of jeweler's screwdrivers and some rare earth magnets. As usual the ordering and shipping process is top-notch. Lee Valley is a great company to do business with. Others have been Amazon, C Crane and someothers. But the end result is if the customer is happy he/she will want buy again in the future. Perhaps GM and Chrysler need to learns something here.....but its doubtful.

[Don Dorn]

But do they have a hovercraft?

Look for it next April 1st.

[Will Blick]

I am confident Rob has the Lee Valley purchasing agents investigating Hovercraft makers as this thread progresses....

keep us posted Rob :-)


BTW, threads like this are the ultimate form of advertising for any company....... in this case, it's well deserved, and its obvious many others felt compelled to add their vote.... you would think other small businesses would pick up on these cue, and realize, all the advertising dollars in the world can not buy these types of endorsements.... word travels fast on the net.... Which can be a blessing, or sometimes a curse ;-)

I am surprised more company representatives are not active on these forums. For example, Charles from Freud has done a fabulous job supporting his products and offering advise on these forums, and as a result, I end up buying lots of Freud router bits. Heck, this is where the paying customers are, why not cruise the threads?

[Rod Sheridan]

Will, like you I have one of those great LV customer service stories.

I've been a customer since the early 80's, and now the scoundrels have opened 3 stores in my town to part me from my money.

I do have to comment though Will, starting a post about LV customer service is about as earth shattering as claiming that the sun will rise tomorrow.:D

Regards, Rod.

P.S. Keep buying that LV stuff, our economy needs all the help it can get.

[Eddie Darby]

>
I am proud to be American, but gosh, sometimes I wonder about the mindset of our authorities...
I had a PC problem last week, ...

Oh well here is your fix!

http://macdailynews.com/index.php/weblog/comments/22825/

Please relieve yourself before watching!:D

[Eddie Darby]

For the first time, I returned something to Lee Valley. It wasn't what I'd hoped but they were very understanding and with no questions (and a pre-paid return label) took it back and promptly refunded the credit to the card.

I felt bad about it because they have always been so nice - but it reminds me that character is not best determined when circumstances are great, but when they are tested. Lee Valley is a class act and I will contine to look to them first with my tool needs.

Don't feel bad, after a while you will have given them so much business, all will be forgotten!

You might not be old enough, but this kind of approach to business use to be the norm, back in them there Olden' Dayz! They called them 'Mom and Pop' stores, and they use to get the can of corn off the top shelf with a sawed off broom handle. Thus the saying in baseball, for an easy fly-ball, "A Can of Corn!"