Send a letter to TSC coporate office?

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Intheswamp

New Member
Hearth Supporter
Jun 25, 2010
819
South Central Alabama
Well, I sat down and wrote a three page letter to TSC. Found all the executive officers names and the corporate address. I'm trying to decide whether to send my letters describing my recent TSC experiences or not. Basically the letter focuses on customer relations and appreciation (and I don't think I called a single manager a zombie in it!). The letter writing was good therapy, I guess, and I've got the copies in addressed envelopes, but I'm debating on mailing them. Though most of the people that I encountered were jerks, dumb, dumber, snobs, and the leading cause of the extinction of the brain-sucker, I don't wish troubles upon them...they already have to live their lives with these albatross's tied around their necks. The letter isn't flattering for TSC but it is factual. So, in an up-or-down vote...

Should I send the letters? YES or NO

Thank you for participating in this nonpartisan, completely unbiased vote.

Ed
 
On the 3 rd splitter! Ok start a pull under your thread some may not want it know public what they would do......I think management can handle your letter though least they can do!
 
Send it. Corporate may or may not change their business practices because of it,but at least they'll know how customers are feeling. Without satisfied customers,they wont stay in business.
 
Those officers may or may not see the letters. However, most businesses do appreciate being informed if something like this happens. The bad part is that most folks who make contact are too emotional and the letter or phone call turns ugly. If the letter is worked correctly so as not to stir up resentment then it is good. Business needs to know how their stores are operating and sometimes a letter like this might answer some questions they have already. Like, why is sales down at these 2 stores?

It is good that you did not yet send the letters! Now re-read the letters and ask yourself if you were a corporate manager or officer, would that letter be helpful to me? As you have stated, nothing about zombies or that type of thing should be included. However, I would let them know of the indifference of the store manager and/or other people you encountered. I would also make them realize how much of your time was wasted and the fact that you tried 2 different stores, which caused you to have to drive an extra 60 miles and still not receive satisfaction. It also would not do harm to let them know about the large purchase of dog food you intended but did not buy it simply because of the treatment you received.

Good luck and I hope it does some good. Now you can continue some research into a different splitter.
 
I'm with Back Sav. Set the letters aside and read them in a few days. Then amend (if needed) and send (if you still want to).
 
Ok, for your review...

====================================
April 2, 2011

Dear Mr. Wright, Mr. Crudele, and Board of Directors,

I know that time is valuable to you and I thank you for using some of your time to read this letter. My time is valuable to me also. I’ve recently had some encounters with two different Tractor Supply stores that have left a negative impression with me and I would like to share these with you.

I have a small tire business in a county of around 12,000 people. With the economy as it is we are struggling to keep several families fed out of the business. So far we have been blessed and have continued taking care of our customers. This letter relates to my recent decision to invest in a log splitter being as my shoulders and elbows just aren’t what they once were. It is also about how I was taken care of as a customer of Tractor Supply Company.

The splitter that I decided on was the 22-ton Huskee that your company sales. I ordered one of these splitters from your Greenville, Alabama store over the phone one Saturday morning. The Greenville store is the closest TSC store to me but it is still 22 miles away. The lady I spoke with told me that it would not be assembled until the following week, which was fine with me. I believe it was actually the following Saturday when I picked it up. Before hooking to the splitter I checked the oil level in the engine...it was barely touching the dipstick. I asked the mechanic there if they had added the oil to it and he said yes they had and had ran it to be sure it operated “okâ€. When I told him that they had ran the engine low on oil he became very defensive and explained that he was a certified mechanic and that the oil wasn’t low enough to hurt anything. The engine oil was barely touching the tip of the stick.

Next I checked the hydraulic fluid and found it to be a ½†below the low mark. I was almost afraid to ask them for more hydraulic fluid and when I did it seemed to actually anger them. I was honestly concerned about the splitter’s fluid levels and was just trying to get them up to where they were supposed to be. If I can go by the looks I received from these guys, I believe that guy would have choked me down if he thought he could have got away with it. Seriously. It was almost as if I was violating him in some way by pointing these oversights out to him. He quickly topped the engine oil off before the manager arrived which was strangely comical to me. When the manager arrived she asked me what the problem was and I explained my concerns about the splitter’s low fluid levels and it being operated in that state. She assured me that if I had a problem with the splitter that they would take care of it. This manager was the only person who has seemed to really care about my business at this store. I shortly thereafter hooked to the splitter and pulled it home.

When I got the splitter home I split a round with it to see how it worked. I had other commitments and could not give it a good workout that Saturday. The following Tuesday I finally had a chance to use the splitter. After not splitting even a face cord of wood the splitter made a loud noise and quit working. The two lovejoy couplers had self-destructed. Apparently the setscrew for the lovejoy on the pump wasn’t tightened enough at the factory.

Needless to say, after only a face cord of wood I was very disappointed. I called the Greenville store and was told to bring it in and they would swap it out for me, fix it, or refund my money.

I pulled the splitter back to Greenville two days later. I walked up to the check out counter and told the girl there than I had a splitter to return. She started pecking on her computer and in a moment asked me if something was wrong with it. I simply told her “It brokeâ€. She went back to typing. Nobody asked me if I wanted it fixed...if I wanted to swap it for another...or even if I wanted a refund...I was simply given a refund. In reality I think that is what was best as I had very little trust in the “certified†mechanic that would have worked on it. It just seemed very strange that no one tried to work something out with me to save the sale. In my business I would have been doing my best to make it right with my customer. Whatever the case, the cashier handed me my credit receipt and smiled at me in an “ok, we’re finished with this transaction†way. I smiled back and asked her if she wanted me to drop the splitter around back for her. I needed to buy some dog food and a few other things but when I got that splitter unhooked from the jeep, I left. By now all I had to show for my troubles were several hours and sixty miles wasted.

...continued in Part 2
 
...continued
Part 2
===============================

I thought about the situation with the splitter for a while. I knew the problem with the splitter was a Speeco factory problem and that TSC had nothing to do with that part of the assembly so I decided to try another splitter...but a different TSC store. Surely all TSC stores don’t have the same attitude toward customers as the Greenville store did. The second store was in Troy, AL.

I called the Troy store and checked to see if they had a 22-ton unit in stock. They had two of them. The lady on the phone said that they would put one together that night for me and I could pick it up the next day. I inquired about the quality of the assembly job and was assured that experienced personnel would assemble it. The next day I got a phone call telling me that they had had a problem with getting the unit to “prime†and that they would have to assemble another splitter for me and that it would be two days later being as they were busy getting in stock. I told her that would be fine. The day it was supposed to be ready I called to inquire about it and was told that it was ready. This time it was a 30-mile drive one way.

When I arrived at the store I checked in with the clerk at the checkout counter. She called “the back†and inquired about the splitter. As I’m standing there waiting she starts checking out other customers. I’m not sure whether I’m supposed to wait, go around back, do the hokie-pokie, or what. I wait a few minutes and what turns out to be the manager comes up front pulling the splitter behind him. It’s kind of a strange meeting. I’m here to make a thousand dollar purchase and he doesn’t give me a “how you doingâ€, “thanks for your businessâ€, a “handshake†or anything…. nothing, it’s like I’m an imposition on him. I’m starting to wonder if I’ve grown a third eye or something.

Anyhow, I look at the splitter and the first thing that jumps out at me is that the engine is covered in greasy hand prints...not some finger prints here and there, it is completely covered in greasy, smeared hand prints as if someone had been wrestling with it in the kitchen of a Captain D’s restaurant. For a thousand dollars I would want to be the person to get it all greasy. Getting past that and looking a bit closer I see a big puddle of hydraulic fluid on top of the tank where they spilled it when filling. I ask the manager if I can check the hydraulic fluid level and he goes and brings me a crescent wrench to take the breather cap off with...it actually a bit over filled, which was better than it being low. The manager then wanders over to the counter basically ignoring me or something…I feel of my forehead to be sure that extra eye really hasn’t sprouted.

I next check the engine oil and find it to barely be touching the dipstick but before I can mention this I spot the lever to the hydraulic valve...it is completely disconnected from the valve the pin is in it but it’s just hanging there having never been assembled. I point this out to the manager but by the time he gets back to me with a pair of pliers I’ve already fixed it. He wanders off again. This really seems strange to me by now. It’s almost like he doesn’t want me there. I figure I better look this thing over a bit more and then I spot the two bolts that actually hold the tank, engine, cradle, and ram to the tongue...it’s the two bolts that keep the splitter from coming loose while traveling down the highway. One of the bolts was not even hand tight the other one was at least hand tight and required a little effort to loosen by hand (no tools). The manager walked back over beside me. I looked at the splitter once more told him I was going to have to pass on this unit. Without so much as a “we’ll get this right for you†or “ I’m sorry you drove all this way†or “what can we do to save the sale?â€.... he simply grabs the splitter and starts rolling it back to the back of the store. I’m standing there thinking to myself that this is an incredible way to treat a customer…am I in the twilight zone?…is this Candid Camera or something? I watch him walk away and I turn a leave the store. I get in my jeep and pull my trailer the 30 miles back home.

continued.... to part 3
 
...continued
Part 3
=====================

I’m not a Wall Street banker or something, and definitely not in the same business league as you. My brother and myself went to work here in the business fulltime in the mid-seventies. It was a family business built on customer service, respect, and honesty. My father died in 1999 and my brother in 2001 leaving me “last man standingâ€. It’s been a good business built on customer service. That is why for the life of me I can’t figure out these people not caring about saving a sale or getting on the defensive if something is questioned about what is (to me) a sizeable purchase. I’m beginning to feel like a 2nd class customer to TSC. On an average month I purchase around $125 worth of dog food. Not to mention hardware, tools, books, etc., so I feel like I’m a fair customer of TSC’s. I normally shopped at the Greenville store but the manager there has hardly given me the time of day...being raised in this rural area I tend to try to make conversation with anybody...but when I’ve been brushed off I know I’ve been brushed off. I may go out of business tomorrow but it won’t be because my customers don’t feel appreciated by me. Someone at TSC needs to focus on and stress customer relations to the employees…it may need to start at the very basic level of relating to the employees that it’s the customer that pays their salaries…not Tractor Supply.

I guess I had to let off some steam and express my disenchantment with TSC at the moment so I looked up the biggest dogs I could find in the pack to sound off to…and ya’ll are the lucky ones. If you’ve stayed with me to this point in the letter I hope that you have a sense of the frustration that I’ve been through. I’m still in the market for a splitter…but do I dare go back to a TSC store? I’ll ask you point blank…do you want my business or am I a customer that TSC had rather not have? I really don’t know whether to expect a reply or not, but it would be interesting to receive one.

Thanks for your time and for following through this rambling letter. Pardon the bad grammar and punctuation.

Sincerely,


Ed xxxxxxx
xxx Avenue
xxx, Alabama
334-xxx-xxxx
my@emailaddress

Note: I’m doing one of those CC: things by sending a copy of this letter to each of you and to the board so all of you can compare notes if you care to. Who knows...maybe someone will respond to me.
 
gimme a day or two, Ed. lol.
 
Send it.
 
As someone with a lot of experience in corporate America, I suggest you edit the letter to one page. Anything longer won't get read, and you should be able to hit the essential points on one page. The more concise it is, the better they'll be able to understand your gripe and what action you want them to take.
 
Wow, all I can say is "wow". You are fully within your right to complain. Now I'm Canadian and Canadian retailers are generally known to not be as customer oriented as American retailers. That is the first thing we notice when shopping in the US.

When my work took me to Alabama, I was very impressed with the good service and hospitality I got. I'm not going to call you a liar, as I believe every word you wrote, but find it almost incredible.
 
I am lead to believe you should send the letters. I am also lead to believe you may want to inspect and investigate other makes of splitter. I realize it is a simple machine with limited possible failures but none the less the design and material appearance seems to be at a bare minimum "home owner" or light duty. No insults intended to those who have this splitter, and have had no trouble. I think you could do better even if it cost a bit more you would be money ahead with all you've been through. I believe you have a two way problem 1. TSC customer service or lack there of. 2. The lack of quality control at the Huskee factory; this results in a sub par product you purchased twice because you thought originally you may have had a "lemon".
 
1. You definitely need to send some letters, but that one is too long, IMO. Cut the personal bio stuff and just go through the chronology of the issue at hand--maybe even use a bulleted list.


2. "Dear Mr. Wright, Mr. Crudele, and Board of Directors"

Select one person as the addressee and CC the others with their own copies, or send individualized letters. This will make it so that three letters are received at TSC instead of one. One letter can easily be ignored or thrown away by an underling, but three letters gives you more of a chance of getting to someone who cares and can make a difference.


3. Also send a letter(s) to SpeeCo (makers of Huskee). The final assembly of their equipment at TSC stores is a concern to them because, rightly or wrongly, affects their reputation.

ASIDE: Many others and I have spoken with Kevin Greer at SpeeCo. He's a customer service rep, is very nice, and gets things done.
 
Mail it just like it is. You aren't out to sound like a Philadelphia lawyer or write a one page letter to get a job interview. You just want to tell them how you feel. And that letter does it just fine. Mail it to those folks at TSC who love to say that if you think farming is easy then you have never been a farmer.
 
TreePointer said:
3. Also send a letter(s) to SpeeCo (makers of Huskee). The final assembly of their equipment at TSC stores is a concern to them because, rightly or wrongly, affects their reputation.
Click to expand...
Very good point. Make it clear to TSC that SpeeCo is getting the same letter.
 
Too long--they won't really read it. Get to the point, take that crap about 'pardon the grammar' out (fix it or accept that few people take bad writers seriously), and DEMAND a response at the end. If you want help editing it, IM me--I'm an English teacher (holding up my badge a la Jim Carey in Dumb & Dumber).

S
 
I'm still mullin' over what to do. I will edit the letter a bit, I've had a couple of folks look at it and make some "critical" suggestions. My take on making the letter "fit" the expected format of corporate America is that I don't want to sound like one of their vendors or an employee challenging a discharge, or someone trying to get a job, or a lawyer discussing a lawsuit, etc.,. I'm simply joe bloe out here that is stating dissatisfaction with their company and pointing out a few minor (to them) losses in sales and the possible loss of customers.

Do I as a customer matter to the TSC coporation...probably not. I'll probably be a fly they shoo away. The only thing that matters to corporate America now is "beans". It's kind of like some locals told me once in Scagway, AK...they would much prefer that the tourists stayed on the cruise ships and just sent the dollars ashore. Same thing with corporate America...they're just concerned about the bottom line, not customer satisfaction. Now, if that customer satisfaction impacts sales and profits then it's another story. My letter is intended to build the sense of frustration and to infer the loss of sales and profits not just with me, but with other TSC customers and ex-customers.

Are the recommendation that I shorten the letter to a more concise form from experience with corporate communications within a corporate environment and between business associates or from customer letters to the company? I agree that a shorter version may be easier to grasp and stating facts in as few words as possible is definitely a good thing. But can the sense of frustration be communicated in fewer words? I'll definitely revisit the letter before mailing, whether it gets much shorter is to be seen.

Alabama has a lot of good people, lots of good mom-n-pop businesses, and some good large businesses. But, just like other states, Alabama has no invisible fences nor birth requirements that keeps jerks from being here. As a rule you'll meet good people who are customer oriented...this is why the "could care less" attitude of these folks at the local TSCs is baffling and frustrating me. It really seems like they've drank some kool-aide...I just can't figure out what flavor.

I believe a good homeowner or light-duty splitter should do me fine. I think the Huskee 22-ton unit would be a good fit. I'll be burning (I'm guesstimating) maybe two cords per winter in my small F3CB. Being as I don't have to build as big of a supply and also that I live in a rural area, I will be able to be somewhat picky (I hope) about what wood I scrounge up. For instance, rather than having to grab everything I come across I can leave the crotches and knots if I want to and take the straighter grained wood. As long as I stay away from that #(&##!! green elm I shouldn't really put much stress on a 22-ton splitter. SoemJust to clarify, I only purchased the first splitter...I was going to purchase the 2nd splitter until I inspected it. I saw nothing in the 2nd splitter that could be attributed to Speeco...it was the *very* poor assembly job at TSC that I noted. I'm looking at other options, one being Speeco...Huskee's parent company.

BrotherBart, I've gotta admit that you've hit close to my train of thought (though my train's normally late and derails a lot). I don't want to come across as part of the corporate world but rather as the common consumer.

Good point about cc'ing the letter to Speeco. I wonder how the Speeco/TSC relationship is. Is TSC one of Speeco's larger customers? I'm sure my letter wouldn't cause a rift, but would Speeco fear losing TSC as a customer or would TSC fear losing Speeco as a supplier? I would be inclined to think that Speeco would be more worried about losing TSC as a customer. From talking with Kevin at Speeco I don't think that Speeco has much input on how dealers like TSC treat customers and respond to customer issues. Do you think that bringing this to the attention of one of TSC's "peers" would cause TSC to puff up due to pride and basically ignore/deny that there is a problem?

Thanks everybody for the feedback, I'm still undecided. I feel that coming across as less than a Yale graduate or a corporate lawyer isn't necessarily bad...after all, it's the truth. :) I'll revisit the letter yet again, and see if I can make it a more simple read.

I don't know whether I'll mail it tomorrow or not...maybe Tuesday. Keep the cards and letters comin'. ;)

Thanks!
Ed
 
Ed,

I hate you've had such a bad experience with TSC and the Huskee splitter. I stopped at TSC the other day and they had two 22-ton splitters on display. I noticed the design has changed a little. Perhaps your trouble has a little something to do with that. The TSC I usually shop at has very nice people. They are actually overly helpful and are constantly asking if I need help when I am looking around. I bought my splitter from them and they were good at making sure the fluids were topped off. When I bought it, I was looking over the person's shoulder helping me though, but he did check everything.

Unfortunately, most people today could care less about customer service. Unlike the older crowd, they just weren't raised that way. Don't ever expect them to do the right thing and "make it right" on their own accord. You have to express your unhappiness with the situation while you are in the store. You don't have to be a jerk, but don't let them get away with it. They will usually put forth some effort to please you when you stand your ground and point out the reasons for your dissatisfaction. You should have walked out of there with something extra for your trouble-10% off coupons, partial refund, etc. I used to be like you. I'm a very quiet guy usually, but expect to be treated fairly. I will often give people a chance to do the right thing, but after that, I will let them know how I feel. It works too. I often feel bad about it afterward, but unfortunately, that is the way you have to be.
 
Not much to add here that hasn't already been said . . .

I would send a letter . . . and as mentioned . . . to both Tractor Supply and to Huskee/Speeco. Getting feedback -- both from exceptionally bad AND exceptionally good service -- can be useful . . . and elicit a positive response from a company.

I would shorten this letter up . . . skip the personal bio, skip the "pardon my grammar" and cut back a little on the over-the-top dramatics (at least that's how I suspect they would read some of this) with the interactions between their employees and you (i.e. the part about actually feeling your forehead to see if you had a third eye.) I would however add two key paragraphs -- a short paragraph explaining why you opted to go with a Huskee splitter from Tractor Supply (i.e. You are a member of hearth.com with X members and had read good reviews about the customer experience and reliability . . . blah, blah, blah) to show the company's that you know this is an aberration -- give them a "way out" . . . an excuse SO . . . in your final paragraph you can outline some possible solutions to this problem so that you are happy and they can "apologize" for their mistake (i.e. I am willing to give your company a third chance, but question whether or not the splitter will truly be in working order blah blah blah.)

I would keep the letter as factual as possible . . . it's OK to express a bit about how they made you feel and what you were wondering, but it's too easy to discount a letter of complaint when the letter writer comes across as being overly emotional or dramatic (i.e. you reall thought the manager was going to choke you?), mean spirited (which this letter is not by the way) or just downright unreasonable (which this letter is not . . . in fact you clearly show how you went out of the way to try to do business with them.)

I would tone down the letter, shorten it a bit, but most definitely send it . . . and give them a chance to make good on their mistakes of the past . . . after all, we are human . . . and in their case . . . they want to retain customers and good public relations.
 
Nic, I know where you're coming from...back in the high school days our head coach nicknamed me Easy Ed 'cause I didn't let much ruffle me and took things as they came. Conflict is definitely something that I don't seek out.

Jake, very good point about basically giving them a way out.

I'm wondering if worrying about writing a letter is even worth it after visiting this website...

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/homeowners/tractor_supply.html

Seems like I'm not the first unhappy customer there. :-/

Ed
 
I'm not sure that website proves anything--there're only 1 or 2 letters per month, which is practically nothing considering they operate just under 950 stores.

S
 
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