Staun's Managing Director calls its customers Idiot's

[joejeepny]

Do you have Harry's title?

Harry Lewellyn
Director USA Operations, Staun USA Inc
(949) 645-7733
fax (949) 645-7738
P. O. Box 12137
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Harry@Staunproducts.com
www.Staunproducts.com

 

[joejeepny]

Oh I forgot to show you my response to his email.

Dear Sirs,

Thank You for your response to my email. It reassures the fact that your Company and its Management and Employees are as bad as your products. Be assured even though I was still considering giving it another try to install your product I will be returning them for sure now!!! Wow. Your Managing director/cfo calls his customers Idiots when they have difficulty installing your crappy products. And you are just as Happy to lose a sale also. You should have let Lee Davis respond. I bet his email would have been much more interesting if you let him say what was on his mind!!! I though I might get a response giving me some pointers on installing them or maybe a lead to someone who has been successful at installing them and could do it for me. Instead I get called an Idiot, and told not using them is a good choice. Thats good advice to give to someone who has 27 Years of experience working on Jeeps and an avid offroad enthusiest. I guess you have very little faith in your products also. I am sure the other Jeep owners I know will be very interested in your response and uninterested in your products as well.

Thank You

Joseph Trerotola

aka: JoeJeep

 

[Utah_jeepster]

I had been thinking about getting a set of tire deflators from them, but I guess that's not gonna happen.

In defence of Staun and some of its products.
I have a set of there tire deflators set to 15LBS. I have had them for over two years and never had a problem with them.

Yes they were a pain to set the first time but since then they have never failed to perform nor have they never changed there settings. Since I run lockers I do check my tire pressure after I air down to make sure left and right sides match. They do every time.

Some day I might buy a set of there bead locks but for now I will continue to watch this post and there responce....

 

[Sparky-Watts]

I think his corporate rubberstamp mea culpa was just as bad. He never should have made apologies or excuses for the guy who called you an idiot. The apology should have come directly from him. That's just bad business, bad customer relations.

Emails have been sent.

 

[JeepMonkey]

I'd like to post this on two other boards that I'm a member of it's ok with you Joe?

 

[Laph]

I have sent out and E-mail to Harry and a CC: to his buddy Lee here is the full text of my e-mail. the rest was very Long so I left some of it out, for the forum posting to save room, but you will get the idea. I hope everyone else sends out the same kinda message to them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From Scott O. Tue Sep 26 21:13:40 2006
Received: from [71.34.197.151] by web30715.mail.mud.yahoo.com via HTTP; Tue, 26 Sep 2006 21:13:40 PDT
Date: Tue, 26 Sep 2006 21:13:40 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Scott O." <laph9979@yahoo.com>
Subject: How do you want to handle this idiot Hazza!
To: Harry@staunproducts.com
Cc: lee@staunproducts.com
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Length: 2133

To whom it may concern,
I thought I would inform you that the way the following E-mail has been handled is direct Reflection upon the Company, being it from the Managing Director/CFO Staun Pty Ltd, Staun USA Inc. It is sad to see such a comment made after a customer was informing you of his unfortunate luck at installing one of your products. Yes he seems very irate but most people do when they are having difficulty installing something for the first time so what is stated in the e-mail should always be taken with a grain of salt, and put your self in their shoes.

Now getting to the point of this e-mail I am informing you that I have decided that I shall scratch off my wish list, several of your products that I was at one time interested in purchasing, due to the overall nature of your dealings with your customers.

You may want to re-think your customer support procedures. Also you may want to take a look at several of the Jeep forums and see how positive your company is being portrayed. Also if you go to google and type in "staun beadlock install" The 1st link to come up does not show positive advertisement.

Best wishes,
Scott O. Former would be customer

P.S. Please click on your spellchecker before you e-mail someone, only take 10 seconds and poor spelling reflects upon you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: "Harry Lewellyn" <Harry@staunproducts.com>
To: <grandbrass@hotmail.com>
CC: <lee@staunproducts.com>
Subject: RE: No luck installing your product.
Date: Mon, 18 Sep 2006 09:13:12 -0700

Dear Frustrated,

We are dissappointed that you could not install our bead locks. They are admitedly challenging to install, but they are installable and have proven themselves in thousands of race and consumer applications. It sounds like you have done the right thing for you, by returning them. However, if you choose, I could assist you with the installation process....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: Lee [mailto:lee@staunproducts.com]
Sent: Sunday, September 17, 2006 6:06 PM
To: 'Harry Lewellyn'
Subject: FW: No luck installing your product.

How do you want to handle this idiot Hazza!...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: GRAND BRASS LAMP PARTS, INC. 24 MEADOW STREET, BROOKLYN , NY 11206 [mailto:grandbrass@hotmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, 17 September 2006 1:20 PM
To: info@staunproducts.com; sales@staunproducts.com
Subject: No luck installing your product.

I just spent 3-hours trying to install a staun beadlock. After much frustration I ripped it out and put it back in the box. I give up....

 

[Laph]

This is the e-mail that I recived back from Lee, I am glad he took the time out to write me back formally. But he fails to understand that the reason I am sent him the e-mails in the first place was due to the fact that a customer was called an Idiot, which is fine to do internally if you don't care about the risk of having it forwarded outside the company.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From: "Lee" <lee@staunproducts.com>
To: "'Scott O.'" <laph9979@yahoo.com>
CC: "'Harry Lewellyn'" <Harry@staunproducts.com>
Subject: RE: How do you want to handle this idiot Hazza!
Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 15:50:55 +1000


Dear Scott



Thank for your email and comments.



Firstly my email to Harry was an internal email forwarded to Joseph by mistake and should not have been attached with Harry's response; however I will comment further since you have decided to get involved and try to make the issue bigger than it should.



Joseph made no attempt to ask us for assistance that would have been beneficial to his plight; he instead decided that calling our product crap on a website forum and attacking the product creating other issues he sees are wrong with the product without qualification or knowledge of the products design, by stating that because you can not see what's inside how do you know it works and question its reliability without even using the product is an insult to those who have purchased the product and are enjoying its reliability world wide!



Let alone the large number of racing teams in all aspects of the sport that risk the race or competition and rely on our product to give them the edge the need to win, with this our record is second to non.



I do not have the time nor do I wish to spend the time with an individual that wants to scream to the world via the internet that a product is crap just because he could not understand the manual yet 1000’s world wide each month do.



Our company has an impeccable customer service record and support network, Joseph chose not to use it then insult our product and company without a single word or question to us.



My belief is most people will see his ranting for what it really is, one ****ed of bloke who wants to blame everything and everybody else before asking for help.

I also notice how you focus on what you see as negative forum comments yet fail to comment on the 98% of positive comments made about the product on the web.



I am sorry you have chosen not to buy any of our products based on someone else’s comments and judge our products based on Josephs evaluation.

Maybe you could talk to some users of our products that would be happy to put forward there qualified views. We would be more than happy to pass on any number of customer details for you to contact, customers who actually took the time to make contact when they had a problem and let us assist.



Thank you,





Lee Davis

Managing Director/CFO Staun Pty Ltd, Staun USA Inc

Email lee@staunproducts.com

Mobile 0401 922749 ph 61 755 960955 Fax 61 755 960977

Web www.staunproducts.com

 

[90Xjay]

The words "damage control" mean nothing to this guy.
These people are cocky and arrogant. When you are in business like this, sometimes you should suck it up and make the best out of a bad situation, no matter how you personally feel about it.
The damage that this response from him just done to my perception of his company is bad enough to keep me from buying anything from them, no matter how good it may be. Joe was a little emotional and upset when he fired off the email to them. He was flustrated and needed to vent. He did not need to be belittled by these guys. They handled it poorly and cannot seem to keep their personal feelings and comments out of they way while they try and salvage a damaged reputation.

90

 

[Laph]

The words "damage control" mean nothing to this guy.
These people are cocky and arrogant. When you are in business like this, sometimes you should suck it up and make the best out of a bad situation, no matter how you personally feel about it.
The damage that this response from him just done to my perception of his company is bad enough to keep me from buying anything from them, no matter how good it may be. Joe was a little emotional and upset when he fired off the email to them. He was flustrated and needed to vent. He did not need to be belittled by these guys. They handled it poorly and cannot seem to keep their personal feelings and comments out of they way while they try and salvage a damaged reputation.

90

:agree:

 

[Saurian]

Wow... This is just terrible customer service... I mean, hard truth, emails like the one that accidently was attached through, I am sure get sent every day. I work in a restaurant, you don't even want to BEGIN to know what the kitchen thinks of the people that come in to feed. You think Waiting was bad?!? It gets so very much worse!

Buuuttttt...

Such talk is the talk of anger and frustration, a way to vent and make the shift more bearable, and therefore does NOT leave the kitchen line. No way would ANY of our line cooks go out and badmouth people in the restaurant, just like none of the servers would to your face, they wait till they're dropping off dishes or ringing in orders...

Point is... Am I surprised at this email, no... Professional companies are anything but most of the time. However, this email should NEVER have seen the light of day other than bringing a chuckle to this guy's face, and then being deleted. Being that it WAS, it then falls upon the company to sincerely apologise for said comment, instead of dragging into the ground the fact that you couldn't get the beadlocks on... That's all that keeps coming up is that fact, never mind the base rudeness and horrible PR that this is.

You really don't want to anger Jeepers... Like any group of enthusiast, they spread the word when there is something good, or bad... I have never tried any of their products, had never even heard of the company till this thread (I'm poor, no Jeep parts for me ), and therefore make no assessment to the quality of said products until I personally find them to be crap... The customer service issue, now THAT is something that will rot in the back of your mouth should that name ever come up in print...

Bad handling of the matter on their part.

 

[TwistedCU]

Here's mine, sent a few minutes ago:

Harry and Lee:

I think the way you all handled Joe Trerotola's complaint was very unprofessional and rather arrogant. I have been offroading for years. I have owned 4 Jeeps and 2 4WD trucks. All have been heavily modified. I frequent Rausch Creek and Paragon and my current rig (YJ) could use a set of beadlocks, but I still drive it to the parks. The Inner Beadlocks have piqued my interest for some time now, but be sure that you will never get one red cent from me.

You guys ought to know better than to treat Jeepers this way. We are a tight group.

Oh, and for the record:
Apparently Joe isn't an isolated incident. A search at Pirate 4x4 found a few discussions about how the difficulty of installation and also a couple mentioned of brush-off's from customer service.

Too bad. You guys make great tire deflators. Mine are going on eBay though.


Harry Gardner

 

[Laph]

...Too bad. You guys make great tire deflators. Mine are going on eBay though...

I'll Give you a dollar for em so I can fashion them into a middle finger

 

[90Xjay]

I'll Give you a dollar for em so I can fashion them into a middle finger

LMFAOurple: urple: urple: urple:

 

[droopey]

:agree:

 

[dropseys]

X2

 

[Gone&DoneIt]

From: rjackgarrett
Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 8:59 AM
To: 'Harry@staunproducts.com'; 'lee@staunproducts.com'
Subject: Recent response to customer inquiry

Hello Gentlemen,
I was very disheartened to read the response of your CFO to Josephs email regarding installation of the new bead-lock product on the market now. All too often companies focus on front end marketing at the expense of millions, and neglect to put equal emphasis on customer service and support. Therein, the new clients, who said entity has paid dearly to cultivate, are lost to poor people skills, dissatisfaction, and frustration. I am quite certain, the “idiot” email was accidental. It does, however, go to the heart of how your C Level executives (and one can make the assumption the rest of your organization as it all starts at the top) view your customers. I feel my loyalty and hard earned money are more valuable than this, and therein I cannot support your company by purchasing any further Staun products. In addition, please send me the address for return of my bead-locks and deflators.

I am a regional vice president for one of the largest advertising and media firms in the world. I frequently help companies with damage control, public perception issues, and branding. Gentlemen, you offer a wonderful line of products: innovative, practical, and well built. However, I am constantly forced to watch as many cutting edge organizations, like your own, crumble under the weight of the same arrogance and disdain for its customer-base, which was so perfectly exemplified in the above mentioned email. I assure you that your market, while large, is also finite.

Jack

done deal. Want me to make forward this to some of the editors on my payroll Joe? They might eat this up.

 

[Gone&DoneIt]

Jack,

I'd be happy to discuss this further by phone if you are interested. I available 8 to 5 most weekdays.

Harry Lewellyn
Director USA Operations, Staun USA Inc
(949) 645-7733
fax (949) 645-7738
P. O. Box 12137
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Harry@Staunproducts.com
www.Staunproducts.com



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: rjackgarrett [mailto:rjackgarrett@cox.net]
Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 8:59 AM
To: Harry@staunproducts.com; lee@staunproducts.com
Subject: Recent response to customer inquiry


Hello Gentlemen,

I was very disheartened to read the response of your CFO to Josephs email regarding installation of the new bead-lock product on the market now. All too often companies focus on front end marketing at the expense of millions, and neglect to put equal emphasis on customer service and support. Therein, the new clients, who said entity has paid dearly to cultivate, are lost to poor people skills, dissatisfaction, and frustration. I am quite certain, the “idiot” email was accidental. It does, however, go to the heart of how your C Level executives (and one can make the assumption the rest of your organization as it all starts at the top) view your customers. I feel my loyalty and hard earned money are more valuable than this, and therein I cannot support your company by purchasing any further Staun products. In addition, please send me the address for return of my bead-locks and deflators.



I am a regional vice president for one of the largest advertising and media firms in the world. I frequently help companies with damage control, public perception issues, and branding. Gentlemen, you offer a wonderful line of products: innovative, practical, and well built. However, I am constantly forced to watch as many cutting edge organizations, like your own, crumble under the weight of the same arrogance and disdain for its customer-base, which was so perfectly exemplified in the above mentioned email. I assure you that your market, while large, is also finite.



Jack

 

[jay79cj7]

He doesn't want to give you any more email material to post around the internet. Smart.

 

[Gone&DoneIt]

on the phone with him now.

 

[Gone&DoneIt]

As I said before, there is no question, in my mind about the quality of thier products. They are second to none, and I know the beadlocks are wonderfully sound, based on many recounts of thier performance. HOWEVER, the only power we have as consumers is that of "Social Shunning". We have to willing to stand up when a company takes a stand or position that we feel is immoral, or wrong, and forgo the convenience, desirability, or benefit of the product they represent to make a point. The consumer still drives the market. I meet with compnanies everyday that have perception issues in the marketplace, and advise them that perception is reality, and things will snowball very quickly. Society needs to dictate the products, philosophies, and policies it deems are acceptable from corporate America. Not the other way around. I would have been happy with a simple apology, and I stated as much. No excuses or justifications, but an apology from the CFO stating he regretted his insult and wished to make things right. I can only hope that the powers that be at Staun consider the position they are placing their company in before allowing ego's and posturing to ruin what has been a very difficult reputation to build. I guess we will just wait and see.

For the record Harry was intelligent, accomodating, and understanding. He didn't defend the email, only apologized for it. I believe he "gets it".