Grrrrr...Rutlands again...again

[RogerS]

OK...we all know about how their web ecommerce system is logistically-challenged. And to be fair, if something is out of stock then they do contact you ...usually...only not always as I just received a smallish order No 1 and the despatch note tells me that two items are on back-order...but no-one told me prior to despatch. If I had known then I would have placed the order elsewhere. Now I incur an additional postage/carriage cost with supplier B.

Order No 2 from Rutlands...got a call yesterday to say one item won't be in until tomorrow or day after. Big tick. Not a problem. Only...while ringing up to complain about Order No 1 today, get asked had I been called about Order No 2...Yes, I say...one item is coming in today or tomorrow....no, they say....not until next week...

So, conclusion being that had I not happened to call in today to talk about Order 1 then I'd be none the wiser for Order 2. Order cancelled in toto.

Oh yes...logistical problem between their ecommerce system and their mail order computer systems means that my goods were getting sent to the wrong address despite my remonstrations and being told that 'it was just a one off'.

 

[paulm]

I agree Roger, they are either very incompetent and/or badly managed or they really just don't care about their customers in my honest opinion.

I posted a while ago about my experience of purchasing a morticer from them which was on special offer at the time, and which was a very good machine.

Sadly, despite my contacting them with queries over the assembly of the machine and bieng told they would contact the manufacturer and have them call me to help I received no such call ever, from anybody, not even a basic customer service follow up call from Rutlands to see if everything had been resolved.

Also took the time to post a review on their site as you are invited to do, which was largely but not exclusively favourable, pointing out that their technical description was incorrect on a number of points such as the chisels bieng metric not imperial and the rpm of the motor bieng significantly lower than stated (it says so on a big sticker on the front of the machine after all!), and that the instructions were totally useless. Thought it might be relevant, possibly important, information for some potential purchasers.

Was then suprised to find that they actually vet reviews before deciding whether to post them and they of course have never actually posted mine to this day, nor have they ever bothered to acknowledge the review or the limited constructive critiscm within it, or even thanked me for taking the time and trouble to do so.

Presumably therefore they only post entirely favourable reviews, so be warned. If something doesn't have any posted reviews it might not be that the customers haven't bothered, it might be that they have but that Rutlands don't want you to know what they think because it doesn't suit them !

They haven't even bothered to amend the incorrect product details on the website, even now, weeks later!!!

So, can't decide, are they totally disorganised/incompetent, or are they just plain arrogant and really don't give a hoot about their customers?

Strange, as they presumably have a relatively small market sector in the UK and I would expect them to be desperate to develop and maintain a good reputation and to keep getting repeat business from their limited customer base.

Shame, as they offer a decent range of products and I would otherwise be a regular customer, but actually, based on the above, I don't plan to use them again unless absolutely essential for something I can't get elsewhere. Even then I might just do without rather than give them any more of my money.

Just my own honest personal opinions and experiences of course, I may have just been an isolated case and unlucky !

Cheers, Paul.

(in a bit of a Victor Meldrew mood !)

 

[Mike.C]

I must admit Rutlands have always been alright with me, but at the same time there has been quite a few members that have had bad experiences with them.

As you can see they do claim (Mark T) that they value the comments of UkWorkshop members
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... t=rutlands

So hopefully they are monitoring this and will reply to the posts.

Regards

Mike

 

[Jake]

I wrongly used to defend them a bit, having always had a smooth and problem-free delivery of what I wanted, without the notorious stock/charging issue having raised its ugly head.

But, a couple of weeks ago, I bought one of the their nail gun and compressor kits. They sent the wrong (smaller, cheaper) compressor. I asked them to replace it. They tried the "we'll replace it when we get the old one back" routine first, which always really winds me up - fine if it is just that you don't like or want whatever you ordered anymore, but when the supplier is simply in breach of contract itself it really Zilch-Wedlock me off.

Then they backed off and agreed to a simultaneous pick up/drop off. On a Tuesday. Could they guarantee a time so I didn't have to stay off work for a whole day? 'No, our courier company doesn't do that.' 'Well, there are other courier companies you know, and I'm sure they'll do it as a one-off, and seeing as you are in breach in contract why should I waste a day's holiday on this?' 'sorry, our courier company doesn't do that' etc. Escalated to to CS manager. Same story. Agrees eventually to call at 8.45 in the morning (before I leave for work) to let me know a hour or so window for delivery. No call by 9 so I think what the hell and go to work anyway. CS manager ring blithely at 9.45 to say it will be 2-3pm. I say lucky it wasn't 10-11 because they would have missed me - oh well. I ask her to ring courier company and check time and give me another call at 1.15 so I can leave for home. She agrees. No call by 1.15, and can't get t hrough to her from their switchboard, so I head for home. Get home, wait around, leave multiple messages for her to call me. Eventually at about 4pm she calls to say that she got my messages and they will be there shortly. Two minutes later the bell goes. Swap went fine. I got back to work at 5pm having missed the whole afternoon and worked through to 11.30pm to catch up. I have been cursing them since.

That was a really boring post, sorry. Moral of the story - they are fine when they get it right, but they give the impression of being really set in the ways and approach business as if they are doing you a favour, even when expecting you to help them sort out their problems.

 

[woodbloke]

Some time ago I tried to order a free dogalogue (if you can have a catalogue, why not a dogalogue :lol: ) on line - ordered OK, nil response. Tried again yesterday, and got through to a completely different site, some hotel complex with the same name...tried it twice with the same result. What's going on with them? - Rob

 

[RogerS]

Sorry Woodbloke....touch of finger trouble your end :wink: You typed in www.rutland.co.uk and not www.rutlands.co.uk. It's an easy mistake as I've done it myself

 

[woodbloke]

Roger - it works now, didn't yesterday 'cos I was on the Rutlands site and I clicked onto the 'Catalogue' button at the top of their home page and then got transferred to the hotel chain whatever - Rob

 

[Stoday]

Rutland's web site says there's no need to order a catalogue if you place an order - it'll be sent automatically.

I placed my first order last month & still haven't got a cat.