Outstanding Delta Customer Service

[John Piwaron]

:):):)

Erin at the Delta factory in the customer service department really came through for me. She received my email, said she'd investigate and then later the same day emailed to say the part I needed was on the way via Fedex. That Fedex package arrived yesterday containing the correct part and it is now installed in my Unisaw.

Kudos to Delta. Way to go. I'm proud to say that *all* my stationary tools are Delta. I buy them 'cause I know Delta will be there for me when I need them. And the tools are top notch.

A couple of weeks ago I ordered a new design Unisaw on the Woodcraft website. A week later it's at my house. The driver for R&L did more than he had to by putting the pallet in my garage. Later, to bring it to my basement shop, I had to disassemble a pretty good amount of the saw to get it down there, including taking the top off. That's when the broken part was visible. A boss on the rear cast iron bracket was cracked. It holds a pin that the top pivots on for adjustment. So I took lots of pictures. I emailed Delta that night. My email was clear, factual and contained 2 large images of the problem. All I asked for was the bracket with a pin already installed in it. Erin took care of business. IMO, great customer service. The way it ought to be. I think you just can't go wrong buying from Delta.

Today I begin the process of reassembling the saw, modifying my mobile base and swapping the new saw for the old.

[Thomas Marr]

I agree. I've had GREAT service from Delta.

[Phil Thien]

I am also impressed at your willingness to install the part and work w/ Delta on a resolution. So kudos to you, too.

[John Piwaron]

I am also impressed at your willingness to install the part and work w/ Delta on a resolution. So kudos to you, too.

I've worked in manufacturing all my life. Things happen. Actually I'm o.k. with that, I understand. I'd rather it be perfect, but the next best thing is for the manufacturer to send what's need to make it right. Delta did that. I really couldn't be happier.

As to the installation, I'm familiar with machines. I'm also familiar with the difficulty of having someone come over because officially warranty requires a service guy to install. It's better I get to do it. Vacation time is too valuable to use waiting for service people.

[Joseph Tarantino]

just to recap, john, you spent (probably) close to $3000 for a new high end table saw, it arrives defective from the seller, you have to spend your time removing something you didn't break and installing the replacement and you consider that great customer service?

[Phil Thien]

just to recap, john, you spent (probably) close to $3000 for a new high end table saw, it arrives defective from the seller, you have to spend your time removing something you didn't break and installing the replacement and you consider that great customer service?

The unit was likely broken during shipping. I think it is very unlikely that it was defective when it shipped ("arrives defective from the seller").

He could have return the unit and waited for a replacement. He could have insisted on a service person to come do the work. Or he could have asked for expedited shipping of the parts so as to perform his own repair. He wanted the latter. He got it.

Isn't getting what you ask for the definition of great customer service?

[John Piwaron]

just to recap, john, you spent (probably) close to $3000 for a new high end table saw, it arrives defective from the seller, you have to spend your time removing something you didn't break and installing the replacement and you consider that great customer service?

Over $3,000.

But price is irrelevant. Some number of any device at any price have a problem. There are no exceptions. Even Rolls-Royce had a recall not long ago. The great service comes from the instant response and quick delivery of a part in terms I set. I had the part swapped out in 5 minutes. 5 minutes. Installed at my convenience in a manner I find acceptable. I think this is great. A reasonable response both from me and from Delta when the problem is identified.

You seem to expect perfection in everything. Good luck. I wish you the best on your search. I don't think you'll be finding it. But maybe you will. Who can say?

[Paul McGaha]

Thanks for sharing the good news John. I think you're right in that things do happen. Great to hear good news about Delta's service. Half of my shop is Delta.

PHM

[Chuck Wintle]

i think that Delta worked with the customer to correct the situation in this case and had you demanded a new saw they likely would have delivered that. Kudos to Delta as every case is different and we are not talking about a small widget, but instead, a huge saw.

[Van Huskey]

I agree good service and good to see Delta seemingly working through their transition. It is also important to see that even though we hobbyists tend to think of a $3K saw as being high end for a table saw it really is near the bottom of the table saw market, $40,000+ is when you are getting into high end. The reality is Altendorf ain't gonna overnight you a new F45 ELMO IV with a prepaid return mailer label for the old one for a minor issue, no more than you are going to get a new Ferrari 458 if the door lock doesn't work correctly.

[John Piwaron]

no more than you are going to get a new Ferrari 458 if the door lock doesn't work correctly.

Me: Hello, Ferrari? I'm having a problem and I'd like you send me a new one to remedy it

Ferrari: What seems to be the problem sir?

Me: That I don't have one!

[Peter Quinn]

Glad to see your experience with delta was excellent. I've had "other than excellent" experiences in the past. under the B&D management. I have four major delta shop machines which have been very reliable, but getting parts has been a mixed experience. But I have not needed anything since they changed ownership. I'd like to think things are all better, reading this post is a step in that direction.

[Bruce Page]

That’s good to hear. I have had good service on the few occasions that I have contacted Delta with a problem.

[Van Huskey]

Glad to see your experience with delta was excellent. I've had "other than excellent" experiences in the past. under the B&D management. I have four major delta shop machines which have been very reliable, but getting parts has been a mixed experience. But I have not needed anything since they changed ownership. I'd like to think things are all better, reading this post is a step in that direction.


OLDER parts availability is what turned me into more of a PM fan boy. PM has (and continues) to have more factory parts availability for older machines and since PM built a lot more machines used in commercial and industrial settings the 3rd party parts availability is much better and generally cheaper. Recently the Delta parts availability has been pretty bad since the switch but everything I have seen very recently indicates they are working hard to get this resolved and appear to be doing a good job. We need PM and Delta both in the high end of hobby level machines as over the last decade they have been the ones driving the little non-price point innovations, save Sawstop and the low end of Euro stuff (mainly Hammer).

[Garrett Ellis]

Erin at the Delta factory in the customer service department ....

Wonder if it's the same Erin that was mentioned in the delta rebates thread... is the the ONLY one that works there??? No wonder they are so slow....

[John Piwaron]

Wonder if it's the same Erin that was mentioned in the delta rebates thread... is the the ONLY one that works there??? No wonder they are so slow....

Well, if it is, sorry. The time she spent processing my request is that much less she had for the rebates. :(

[Van Huskey]

Well, if it is, sorry. The time she spent processing my request is that much less she had for the rebates. :(

Even if it is the case, I think a useable Uni is higher on the priority scale than rebates!

[Thomas S Stockton]

It's not only older parts, I have some parts on backorder for about a year for my drum sander that is a current production tool.
Tom

[Paul McGaha]

I really Delta gets it together and does well. I'm sure a lot of us have some Delta tools of various ages and a dependable part source is needed.

They have some very popular tools out now. The new Unisaw and the mid sized lathe to name a couple.

PHM

[John Piwaron]

I too am banking on Delta getting completely up to speed. That they got mine out quickly speaks well to caring. It's a part I'm sure they have in stock now for building new unisaws if for no other reason.

I think they'll get all the other parts back in stock as they place the tools at suppliers. And place part orders. And that's going to take investment.

[glenn bradley]

just to recap, john, you spent (probably) close to $3000 for a new high end table saw, it arrives defective from the seller, you have to spend your time removing something you didn't break and installing the replacement and you consider that great customer service?


The unit was likely broken during shipping. I think it is very unlikely that it was defective when it shipped ("arrives defective from the seller").

I am in the "something happened and they were prompt to resolve it = great customer service" camp as well. $3000 is not a lot of money for that type of tool. Although it is s major purchase for the purchaser, it is just another commodity item to the retailer and is shipped accordingly. I do feel it is incumbent on all of us to let retailers know when their chosen suppliers, assemblers or shippers are doing poorly. The people who make money off these things listen better when you speak with your wallet. Once the sale is made, you have to speak a bit louder sometimes to get their attention ;-)

[Bill White]

If Delta would come back to Tupelo, MS, hire locals who helped build the brand, use the factory which still sits empty..........
Oh well. I can dream.
Bill

[Van Huskey]

If Delta would come back to Tupelo, MS, hire locals who helped build the brand, use the factory which still sits empty..........
Oh well. I can dream.
Bill

They would price themselves right out of the hobby market and likely into bankruptcy. The cold hard truth.

Look at a Powermatic catalog from the 80's when everything was still US built, their 14" bandsaw (though significantly stronger built then the Delta) sold for $2,000 and a 12" PM90 lathe sold for near $3500. Delta held out longer than most and when they built their 14" cast saw in both the US and Asia there was a small price difference well under $100 and $40 comes to mind, consumers bought the slightly cheaper Asian saw over the US saw, "we" spoke they listened. Jet started it, Grizzly ran with it and we chose. For example, Woodmaster makes great drum sanders right here in the US at a very resonable price, when the discussion starts about drum sanders Grizzly and Jet are the ones that get bought, the WM owners here seem to mostly buy theirs used, I know I did. Vega makes a great OES, Baldor makes great grinders/buffers, Clayton makes a good OSS etc. How many people here have actually bought any of these new. Ask General how many jointers, planers and other Canadian built machines they sell vs Asian, then look at the prices and you see why. Bottom line we can't or don't and won't support domestic woodworking machines in any volume at the prices they command. Although Austrian Hammer does a great job at providing machines almost always much better engineered and built than the Asian equal AND at a very resonable price but the vast majority of people buy a IMHO inferior Asian machine to save a few bucks.

The only thing we can do is quit buying Asian machines and support domestic when possible, used or other 1st world production like Europe when not. Only if "we" do this is there any chance of full line domestic production coming back. However, the reality is until people start buying US built furniture etc in large numbers again the hobbyists won't be able to do much. The further reality is even if domestic furniture factorys are able to reboot the retooling will likely be almost all CNC and other robotic machines, so the days of a domestic built 8" jointer are probably gone forever...

[Andrew Pitonyak]

just to recap, john, you spent (probably) close to $3000 for a new high end table saw, it arrives defective from the seller, you have to spend your time removing something you didn't break and installing the replacement and you consider that great customer service?

For me, much would depend.... This beats having to remove a saw from my basement and take it somewhere. If I did not feel comfortable installing the part, that might change things, of course. I purchase my lawn mowers and other similar items from a local place called "Como Mower", because they usually assemble it and test it before delivery..... and they repair things without sending them back to the factory. Oh, and they will come to my place and pickup my broken stuff. It had never occurred to me that Delta might actually send someone to his house and fix the saw.

[Van Huskey]

It had never occurred to me that Delta might actually send someone to his house and fix the saw.

PM and Delta have a service network that will come out, I say Delta but don't know the status since the changeover. This does depend on where you live how quickly they will send a tech but the closer you live to a major population center and/or industrial center the easier it is to get one out to a HOME. Also the quality of service depends on the individual service company and tech, I have always had good luck with PM but always lived near the types of industry that use woodworking tools.

[Peter Quinn]

OLDER parts availability is what turned me into more of a PM fan boy. PM has (and continues) to have more factory parts availability for older machines and since PM built a lot more machines used in commercial and industrial settings the 3rd party parts availability is much better and generally cheaper. Recently the Delta parts availability has been pretty bad since the switch but everything I have seen very recently indicates they are working hard to get this resolved and appear to be doing a good job. We need PM and Delta both in the high end of hobby level machines as over the last decade they have been the ones driving the little non-price point innovations, save Sawstop and the low end of Euro stuff (mainly Hammer).

This has been one of my issues exactly. I have an old delta ad in a magazine that reads " tools to last a lifetime..." . That doesn't mean much when they declare them obsolete after 15 years and the factory reps response is " you should buy a new one!". They are pretty well made, there is a bit more support for the older shapers in the after market now. WMH has definetly continued to support its older machines in a much better manner. My question to delta remains how long before a machine bought today ceases to be supported? I drive a 20 year old Nissan, and they still support that! I prefer to do business with companies that have a better track record in terms of long term support of their products.

[Van Huskey]

This has been one of my issues exactly. I have an old delta ad in a magazine that reads " tools to last a lifetime..." . That doesn't mean much when they declare them obsolete after 15 years and the factory reps response is " you should buy a new one!". They are pretty well made, there is a bit more support for the older shapers in the after market now. WMH has definetly continued to support its older machines in a much better manner. My question to delta remains how long before a machine bought today ceases to be supported? I drive a 20 year old Nissan, and they still support that! I prefer to do business with companies that have a better track record in terms of long term support of their products.

It will be interesting to see how ALL the current Asian machine suppliers deal with long term parts availability. I think it is most important for importers like PM and Delta because they have more non-clone tools in their lineups, at least with a clone you have other places to look for a part, trying to find a part for a new Uni or PM1800 past generic stuff like bearings would prove fruitless unless the manufacturer has it OR the following gets high enough to allow a third party to make money on certain parts like rebuilding spindles for the older Delta shapers.

[John Piwaron]

For me, much would depend.... This beats having to remove a saw from my basement and take it somewhere. If I did not feel comfortable installing the part, that might change things, of course. I purchase my lawn mowers and other similar items from a local place called "Como Mower", because they usually assemble it and test it before delivery..... and they repair things without sending them back to the factory. Oh, and they will come to my place and pickup my broken stuff. It had never occurred to me that Delta might actually send someone to his house and fix the saw.

I read the warranty. My interpretation was that they were going to want to see it before doing anything at all. But this saw assembled weighs over 600lbs!! How am I going to get it anywhere? I think they may have wanted to send a tech, but now I have to use vacation. I don't want to use vacation to wait for a service guy from Delta, the cable company or anyone else. Fortunately, a couple of good clear photos of an obvious problem took care of things. And I didn't have to lift it out of the basement. I'm also not intimidated by machinery.

So, the bottom line is I'm satisfied. It's likely each claim has different requirements - some want to exchange units, some want someone else to do the repair, and some might be angry enough to cancel the whole deal. But I saw a good machine that simply needed a rear bracket. As far as parts to swap out, that was probably about the easiest one.

I remain convinced that Delta will work with their customers, their end users to come to a satisfactory resolution. For the old parts, I hope they restock those for anyone that needs them.