ARB Artarmon

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rusty72

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Since my last posts months ago with the ute mods, the missus has been running like a dream... thought i'd treat her to a canopy a few weeks ago...

Rang a couple of ARB franchises around Sydney and settled on Artarmon so i could drop the ute off at fitment time n catch the train back n forth.

Spoke to the guy on the phone, I cant get the new model cover as mine is a 2005 model, just the Classic. No biggie. All the bells n whistles please, texted him a pic of my colour plate from the engine bay, model details, YEAR etc.

"Will be ready in 10 days mate, just need a deposit" Sure thing, here's $500 spondooleys... booked it in for a thursday drop off, they could have it till saturday. Arranged other transport for work during that time, rotated a couple of peoples shifts etc.

Went to M and W toolboxes in St peters n got a custom alu toolbox made in the meantime... told you I was treating her eh!?

Thursday rolls around, make the calls. All good. Pick up toolbox, ratchet strap her inside the tub and head to Artarmon. Pull into their garage, park the old girl. Give her a pat her on the dash... she's happy she's gettin' a new hairpiece.

Head into the offices and say I'm here to drop the ute off for a fitment. Get bounced around a couple of people before finding the guy I'd been dealing with on the phone, Shane. Pick some oval roofbars to be fitted on top, then back to the desk where it all goes wrong.

Hats off to the guy for spotting it at that moment coz I'd have been well pissed if they'd called me when I got back home. There was a sudden huddle around the computer screen and one of Shane's colleagues looked up and asked my what year mine was. I replied 2005, white... etc, you have all the details.

Shane starts looking sheepish. I get the bad news that he's ordered for a 2009 model... which is 100mm longer. Tape measure comes out, we head out to the missus and yeah they're over by 100mm.

Now I've got a toolbox sitting in the tub which wasn't going to be bolted down until the canopy went in for obvious reasons. I've got no place to store it and I'm not driving around town for another couple of wks like that, it'll probably get lifted. Shane doesn't seem to think so and reckons "yeah just leave it strapped in there until we get the new one in"

Not even an apology for messing me around, putting people out... just another bright idea to cover his balls up.

Cutting the umbilical cord with this one, i ask the guy who spotted the mistake, David, who seems pretty switched on... where i can store it in the garage until I come back. All gets sorted, I leave and battle the rush hr traffic for my troubles.

This was two weeks ago. Ive just rang them again to confirm its in this week as arranged. "Nope, next week... ah yes, the navara... black canopy." Nope, it's white... QM1 colour code. 2005 model. Sigh. :rambo:

All going to plan, it's going to be a 5week turnaround if they get it right. I was initially going to ask them to give the girl a suspension/ grease up/ check etc too, but I think they've handled enough of my hard earned $. I'll take it somewhere that deserves the money.

I'll let you know how it goes. Rant over.:pissedoff:
 
That's a shame. The two arb dealers here in melb I go through are excellent. One minor slipup but sorted out asap. Arb are usually on top. Well I think so anyways. Good luck with it all pal
 
I know it`s a bit out of the way for you and a bit late now,but Auburn Canopies on Parramatta Road are really good.They know their stuff!! Canopies,tub liners,hardcovers and nudge bars are their specialty.
 
Yes, I've heard of Auburn canopies... wouldn't be too bad to drop off n pick up i guess. Timeframe-wise it was a gamble to reorder through artarmon n run with it. Just a proper pain in the arse when everything else was organised on time. David seems clued up, it's good.
 
I hope they are giving you some kind of discount for the fu@k around!
 
I hope your tool box is still there when you get your canopy. Can we see some photos when you get it all fitted.
 
@Jased: Yep, I'll hit them up to shave some dollar off the roofbars.
@Ben: Haha, yes I did ask David yesterday about that, it is.

Next thursday folks.... I'll post some pics after that.

Thx guys, have a great day.
 
Righto Gang,

here it is!

Had to ring them last tuesday to confirm the canopy got delivered on time, no courtesy call... had to do all the work, with a 'yeah it's in, why shouldn't it be" kind of attitude. Got my back right up. All booked in for thursday? Canopy, roofbars, toolbox fitted... 'Yes sir, we will see you then."

Was aiming for when David would be there, the switched on guy of the staff, to have a chat about the whole saga and money, to soften the blow. As luck would have it, I got an early phone call from a client and had to get to site which screwed that plan up. Headed to Artarmon for 7.30am and had to deal with my old mate Shane who started all this mess. Great. Completely unconcerned about recent events, he proceeded to inform me that the roofbars might not get fitted. Why?? Coz they're different to the original ordered ones and they hadn't received a shipment yet... but it might come in that day.

"You've had weeks to sort this out - I would've thought when you re-ordered the canopy you'd do the same with the rest of the order?" I'm starting to boil now... incompetency doesn't come close. "ah yeah, well, we can't see whats in stock from ARB blahblah..."

There's nothing I can do about it apart from get the canopy and toolbox fitted and get out of there... i carefully discuss with him about the rest of it but it's like this guy doesn't like being asked to do things. Shit customer service. I'm fuming. I get him to ask David to ring me when its done, and I'll be back by 5pm and I need it done by today - I can't afford anymore wasted time. I want out.

Spend the day dreading the call and just want my ute back haha. David rings around 4ish, gives me the news about the roofbars not fitted, I counter with the same comments as above and he starts trying to defend their actions! I tell him I'll be there around 5ish.

get a lift to Artarmon... on the way I ring ARB head office in Melbourne and get to chat with a very sympathetic guy who after a discussion offers to start a 'customer concern' if Artarmon branch don't recognise their errors. he tells me it's privately owned, and won't be able to do anything until I've raised it first with them. Fair call. The 'cannot see what stock is available' line gets used again...

Turn up... guns locked n loaded. David is with another customer and I have a little wander around until one of the junior staff come over and get some customer service training in. He's aware of the situation, they all are - Shane's nowhere to be seen and probably got sent home early. After starting to offload my thoughts onto him, it's clear I'm using all my ammo on the wrong guy and this is confirmed when he says " Unfortunately, I'm not authorised to make that kind of decision." Nice one fella, step aside then...

David becomes free. We sit down. He's already resigned to the fact this is not going to go well, and we discuss the finer points of customer service, courtesy calls, stock, deliveries, staff training and time wasting. Acknowledging they 'dropped the ball' and he was away on holiday etc, after a good old chinwag which sounded surprisingly similar to the chat with ARB HQ earlier, he offers me 10% off the canopy and another 10% off the roofbars when they come in. Quite a standard offer but I'm happy to take it and he's genuinely apologetic. I'm wondering if he got an advisory call from Melbourne...

We head out to the old girl and I have to say, it looks pretty schmick. The guy fitting it did well. Toolbox fitted nicely too. Check out the pics:


https://www.dropbox.com/s/14jicxv9c0e84cb/IMG_4769.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bzmg35xonuxh0dr/IMG_4771.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bidbeipbfgyg1rx/IMG_4774.JPG?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/niqj8a27jtzj4uf/IMG_4775.JPG?dl=0




Next stop... TotalCare, Seven Hills... :)
 
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