Timbecon

[clubbyr8]

Has anyone had a problem with Timbecon? In particular, consignments going missing and then trying to get Timbecon to respond?

Their after-sales service is a joke, they promise to do things (and don't), they refuse to chase things up and they won't return phone calls.

I'm being a little vague (deliberately) as I am still trying to get a replacement consignment.

[Dan]

I've found service from Timbecon to be excellent. When ordering via the web I get an email telling me exactly what is happening with my order. If something happens after the goods have been sent then the problem lies with the freight company. Copy of email below.

Dear Dan,



The Veritas items that you ordered were in stock and your order was packed and sent yesterday. It was sent via Australian Air Express and the connote number for the shipment is #######. You can track your shipment at the following web address:



http://203.43.1.230/track/inquiry.html



The consignment should reach you by tomorrow. The plane is due in early next week and the CMT bit is due in tomorrow. We will forward these items to you as soon as we receive them. I hope this is acceptable. If you have any further queries regarding this order, please feel free to contact us or by calling 13 12 13 will put you in touch with the nearest Australian Air Express Depot. Thank you for your order.



Kind regards,



Hague.

[craigb]

I've only ever bought one thing from Timbecon, a bench vice and I had asbsolutely no problems. Ordered it on a Thursday and It arrived on Monday as I rmember. which I thought was preety good Perth to Sydney.
I don't know that I'm that thrilled with the vice (a Record knock off) but that's beside the point.

Cheers
Craig

[clubbyr8]

Thanks for the response.

Looks like I'll have to reveal more.

I bought my goods at the Canberra Wood show and paid cash. They had run out of the item I wanted, so they agreed to ship it from Perth to Sydney when the item came in (at their expense, good deal or so I thought). Anyway, two weeks later and the goods have still not shown up. I emailed Timbecon, gave them all my details, and got no response. Emailed them a second time, no response. Rang them up a couple of days later, and the person I talked to gave me a consigment number and told me to chase the freight company, as it was out of his hands. He couldn't even tell me the date it was dispatched.

So we rang McPhees and they confirmed the consignment had gone missing. The man from McPhees said he would organise a replacement consignment to be sent (looks like I'm finally getting somewhere). A couple hours later, Timbecon rang me and said that they would organise for a replacement to be sent and made it sound like they had done all the chasing when in fact, we the customer, had to.

It is now a week later and guess what, no consignment. So more phone calls to Timbecon and McPhees. Our contact at Timbecon has been too busy to return phone calls for the last two days, and the same goes with McPhees. So I rang again, and was told again, the our contact was too busy to take the phone call. I refused to accept this from the telephonist (I got rather annoyed, which I apologise to her for) and I asked to be put through to the Managing Director. It turns out that the contact I had been talking to was the Managing Director, so she put me through to someone else.

To cut a long story short, nothing was done by Timbecon of McPhees to organise a replacement , and that is probably why they refused to call me back. Apparantly, a replacement consignment will be sent tomorrow.

Timbecon where the ones who made the offer to ship the item from Perth to Sydney, if they hadn't, I would not have bought the item. I just hope I haven't been ripped off by them.

[MICKYG]

Fellow woodies,

Have had a number of dealings with Timbercon and could only
say that their service and advice could only be described as excellent,

It sounds as if something has got tangled up in the bowels of a transport company which often happens.

It'll turn up eventually mate

Kind regards

Mike

[craigb]

Clubby8,
I doubt if you've been intentionally ripped-off by them - it's probably more down to " happens" - and I'm not trying to justify your experience.

Perhaps if you put your experiences in writing (not an email) to Timbecon - addressed to the Managing Director and marked "private and confidential" you may get redress.

Just my POV

Cheers
Craig

[clubbyr8]

Hi Mike,

I agree that the freight company has screwed up, but my "contract" is with Timbecon, and their service has been non-existant. It shouldn't be up to me to chase the freight company, after all, Timbecon chose them not me!!

It should be Timbecon offering "service" when the missing item was brought to their attention. Instead they have chosen to ignore it, and continue to do so by not returning phone calls.

[clubbyr8]

Hi Craig,

As I mentioned above the person I dealt with originally is the Managing Director, so if he doesn't give a , what chance the others?

[DaveInOz]

Clubby

You are totally justified in your anger, on being informed of the problem Timbercon should have chased it up and got back to you with a resolution. It may not be their problem or fault but you are their customer.
However it is obvious that this is the exception not the rule.
I would write to them (snail mail) explain the situation and what you expected them to do. Ask that they respond in writing.

(they will recognise lawer ammunition when they see it I get very good responses to this approach)

[blindbambi]

I have purchased a few things from timbecon. Some things I received a few days after and others on back order. When I have received the backorders the freight was always free and with an apology for the delays. I understand that everyone wants their goods ASAP, but if I have to wait I can always find something else to do in the shed.

Regards Blindbambi

[clubbyr8]

Hi blindambi,

I have no problem in waiting for things that are back order.

I do have a problem with a company that says they have organised a replacement and then couldn't be bothered to do it, and then ignore my protestations. As I said, they have promised to send it tomorrow, but I bet they don't bother informing me of a consignment number (they haven't up to now so I don't see why they would change).

I have bought many things via mail order, and this is the first company I have ever had problem with ('spose it had to happen some time).

[Sturdee]

As I said, they have promised to send it tomorrow, but I bet they don't bother informing me of a consignment number (they haven't up to now so I don't see why they would change).

Don't hold your breath for tomorrow as I would imagine that they are all in Melbourne for the Timber and Woodworking Show. Next week is more realistic.


Peter.

[kenmil]

Hmm..I have had a couple of emails go unanswered from Timbecon, but generally speaking, their service has been very good. I do get the impression that sometimes they get very busy, and that's when things can slip a bit. Under no circumstances would I think you have been ripped off.

[barnsey]

Clubbyr8

I worked in distribution for many years and my experience might suggest that McPhees may be the problem. Transport companies are notoriously inept at tracking freight that hasn't turned up. My guess would be that it's sitting on the floor of a terminal shed somewhere and until they decide to do a clean up it will remain so. In the meantime I'll bet the customer service people are telling Timbecon that they are still looking for it so they appear from your end to be procratinating.

I'm not trying to defend anyone here but sometimes it helps to understand the processes that are going on in the background. Frankly I would be seriously looking at my transport provider if this had happened to my organisation. Misplaced shipments happen but when they don't turn up like this one it is a sign of endemic problems within the organisation.

I hope Timbecon see this thread and work on a remedy. From my perspective I use Timbecon regularly and find them terrific. I would suggest that you not consider being ripped-off - Timbecon have perhaps failed to follow up as well as they might have and their choice of transport provider in this instance is questionable but a lot of us have found Timbecon to be reliable and generally good service providers so a letter outlining this approach may well be received more attentively than a more forceful approach.

My 2p worth

[graham the mule]

I emailed Timbercon monday week ago still waiting a reply. They just lost me as a customer

Graham