customer service

[sunnybob]

Strange one this, dont know if its good or bad.
I have a powerplus router. DO NOT buy a powerplus router!

first, the history....
It very quickly developed up /down play in the bearings, but I couldnt be fussed to return it as I only use it as a rough surfacing machine in a sled, to get odd shaped pieces of wood to the same thickness for further processing.
Over 2 months ago it stopped working. I went through the wiring and found the trigger switch was not connecting across. So on the off chance i could repair it I took it apart, to find that it was filled with sawdust to the extent it was clumped and stopping the spring contacts from making the circuit. I cleaned it and tried to reassemble but like so many switches nowadays there were so many springs and minute ball bearings i couldnt do it.

So I emailed powerplus in Belgium to ask about a new switch.
A very brief reply stating who was the Cyprus retailer came back.
I emailed the retailer (a big multi make tool shop in the capital), got no reply.
I emailed powerplus again saying they had not replied, I got no reply.

As I could not afford a new router at this time and its only me that ever uses it I did the bad boy thing and connected the wires so that I could turn it on and off by the wall socket switch, and put a new router on my wish list.

Move forward 2 months, and friday I get an email from the Cyprus retailer.
My switch is in and waiting for me, and it will cost me a princely 3.5 euros!

Damn good job I didnt just throw the thing away.

 

[beechman]

Mmmmmm. Here's the thing that so many organisations don't seem to get or just don't want to get because it's too much trouble and too much money. A company's quality is not judged by the quality of its products. That is a given. If we order and pay for a table saw, we expect it to work and perform according to our level of expectation based on its price etc. When it works to that level we don't jump up and down and praise the company. We justifiably expect that.
A company's quality is much more often judged by how they handle the situation when things go wrong!!!!
If the company is polite, responsive and fair, the chances are we will recommend that supplier to friends- even though the product we purchased went wrong or broke.
I'm assuming there will be no recommendations from you to your friends about this outfit!

 

[sunnybob]

This is one of those instances that fall between the cracks of yes or no.

Powerplus... No. I would not recommend a powerplus router to anybody.

Spanias the dealers .... hmmm.... their communication is a poor minimum, but they sold the part at what I consider a very cheap price. How often have you heard of the thirty quid replacement part on a thirty five quid item? I think to charge me 3.50 euros for a special order part from Belgium to Cyprus is a pretty damn good thing.
I've since found out how the sawdust got into the switch. The mains lead enters the handle from above, and is in a very loose rubber sleeve to prevent kinking. I've now filled that sleeve with silicone. So hopefully I will get a few more years of use out of the router.