RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

All the orders I placed with Tower have been great! But...

Once I was trying to redeam a $20 off for orders over a certain amount and they did not take the $20 off the total price. They were waiting for a back order. I thought, "OK, No problem." Well the back order was long and when I finally got the item they still did not credit me $20. So I called them. Well this woman, or female something, started yelling at me for not following some kind of direction and was not going to give me the $20 off. I pointed out I would not order another item from Tower and she finally let me have the rebate. But she yelled she was making a note into my account of the incident. So now I have a criminal record at Tower. Apparently I was dong something wrong trying to get a $20 rebate that I deserved.

She was a nasty ole witch!

:)

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

Interesting. I know several employees of British hobby shops (including chains), who prefer to order from Tower; they say that the service is top-notch, and prices, even adding overseas shipping and subtracting an employee discount, better than they can get back home.

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

For an outfit like Tower, customer satisfaction is Job #1. If you don't get satisfaction talking with the minimum wage person on the telephone, do not yell at them. It is not their fault. That you are having a problem getting satisfaction is because they have had inadequate training and are being poorly supervised. So where is the supervisor when they are not giving you satisfaction?Get their name, and ask for their supervisor. Tell the supervisor that Suzie was not able to help you. Explain the problem, get the supervisor's name, and after the supervisor has taken care of it, point out that with better training and proper supervision, Susie would have been able to handle the problem without involving Good Old Joe. We, as customers, should help companies in their quest to give us satisfaction, should we not?

Jim

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

I have never ever had a problem with them. once in a while i will get an order missing a part. i call them them up they ship it. no problems. sometimes i get more than i order call them up and they say to keep it. had a fifty dollar off coupon on an order for 500.00 and the 449.00 engine was backordered for two months. when the engine was shipped they took the fifty dollars off the bill just as they promised. Just remember if you call them with the attitude you are going to be screwed don't be suprised when they cop an attitude back. i know i would.

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

After reading this topic, I can see why doctors/druggists make so much on high blood pressure meds! Crash plane>buy parts>crash plane>buy parts>crash plane> buyparts. There's no harm in disrupting this viscious cycle by waiting for parts.

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

i've been ordering from these guys since the start of this hobby... and all i can say is their services are great!!!! i had at least 20 orders from them from last summer till now

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

Before sending it to them, did you call them? I once recieved a speed controller when I ordered a muffler. I called them, they shipped me my muffler, and a postage paid envelope to return the speed controller. It didn't cost me a thing, and my plane wasn't gonna be ready for at least 2 weeks, so it didn't slow me down. Tower Hobbies has great service. The only way I'll ever order anything from someone else is when TH doesn't carry it.
Hunter.

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

I ordered my plane from them. A++++++ Except the old catalog, but it was the big one. They are the best ever. GREAT deals.

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

I placed at least 20 orders with them last year, and not one single problem. Not to say that any company can't make mistakes or have a bad day, but I think you will find that by in large Tower has earned its place as the biggest Hobby Mail Order House in the business by offering it customers good prices, and good customer service. Its your right to do business with who you like, but I can say personally that Tower Hobbies has earned my business, and if they were to make a small mistake, or I was to run into a Rep having a bad day, I would tend to cut them a little slack because I have learned that they really do try hard to keep there customers happy.

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

Tower makes mistakes, but unlike some companies they always correct it pretty fast.

I just got the wrong propellor in a big order. When I called, they said keep it we'll send you the right one. Doesn't sound like much - but it's a $20.00 propellor (and I have a use for the wrong size one...).

Great Planes/Tower is all tied together. I've called GP and had problems with kits and ARF's and they get it to me right away via Tower Hobbies. Once I called on Wed. to tell them my canopy on my new 1/4 Scale Gene Soucy extra was fogged. It came the next day about noon fed-ex overnight with a Tower return address on it. Broke a control horn on the same plane about a year later - called them and they said use their standard giant scale one. After I e-mailed them some pictures about how the one they wanted me to use didn't have enough offset from the hing line to mount...2 days later in the mail came a whole bag of the ones I needed - again with a Tower return address.

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

I have been purchaseing from Tower for years... Can't say enough good about them... If an occasional problem pops up they bend over backwards to get things straightrened out fast... One of the best...

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

I also wanted to add that when I call someone in Customer Service at any Company I might have a problem with, I can usually tell within the first couple seconds of the conversation if this is a person I can talk to, and can relate well to my problem. If the person on the other end of the line sounds like they are having a bad day, I just tell them that I have someone at my door and will have to call back. I make excuses to hang up without being rude until I get someone one the line who I can communicate with, and can relate to my problem. When I can tell by there attitude that they are going to really try to do what they can to help solve my problem, I don't hang up, and see what can be done fairly. I guess the moral here is that if first you don't succeed, try...try again!

When someone here on RCU starts a post stating that they have a problem with a certain Plane you will notice that alot of supportive people will come in to the thread and side with the person who started the post. Then a few will come into the post and state that the problem lies with the person who started the post and not the Plane. Then some people will just come into the post because they are having a bad day, and want to pick an argument. Customer Service works much the same way IMO. Get someone on the line that supports your position, and they will try harder to see what can be fairly done!

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

I have mixed feeling about tower. Well actually not so much tower as their shipping. My first ever order which was a helicopter engine and gyro went missing. I contacted tower and recieved the same e-mail that was posted earlier in this thread. Basically I could had to re-order but I had to pay FED-EX shipping (which by the time I added customs cost more than the engine and gyro) and I had to pay $25 just for them to figure out the shipping cost [:@] I don't see why I have to pay for UPS's mistake. They should have a regstered post option for more expensive items. [&o]

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

I filled out the Bizrate survey after my last order and noted the transmitter battery I bought was banged up but useable. 2 hours later, I got an email from Tower asking what I thought happened to the battery. I told them a little bit the shrink wrapping was broken off but the battery still took a charge and all contacts are still together. I attached this picture to that email. Another 2 hours go by and I get another email saying a new battery was on it's way and telling me to keep the other battery. Now thats customer service!

Every time I fill out one of those Bizrate surveys I do complain about the shrinking selection of kits though. I always point out the 20-30 black & white pages of kits they used to have and inform them that while I buy my accessories at Tower, I'm increasingly going to other sites for my larger purchases (kits). Customer service did address that in the email saying it was a common complaint and they are working on it.

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

Between cars, helis and now airplanes, I have literally spent about $10,000.00 at Tower since 1990 or so, and not once been anything but very satisfied with their service. Believe me, if they had been anything but professional and polite, that money would have gone elsewhere- and they know it.

The unfortunate thing these days is that I live in Illinois, so now I am supposed to pay tax? [X(] I've been taking all my business to the LHS, as they will match Tower's prices and while I still pay tax, I don't have to pay 8 bucks in shipping. Too bad.

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

Call back and speak to someone else. If that does not work.. good old "Let me speak to a supervisor please" works every time, well, most every time.

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

Tower's service is just generic customer service. They are of no help with questions about a specific part. I called about an engine mount not fitting right, I was put on hold while the CS rep talked to their tech guy. After going back and forth a couple times, I asked to speak to him directly. I was told I couldn't. So of course I figured it out here on RCU.

I still like Towers prices, and the tech-notes on the web site. Tower is gonna have to really mess up bad to lose my business.

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

I just dropped around $400.00 in an order and they had a program running that if I spent at least X amount of money, I would get $25.00 off my order. 2 days after place my order, they change the special and had I waited I would have gotten $40 off my order.

I sent a nice e-mail to them and explained that it was a little frustrating that there special changed. I get a very prompt reply that they are going to credit back $15.00 on to my credit card.

That little act of kindness bought them a customer for life here. I am getting ready to drop about $800.00 on a motor. They will get that as well.

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

I ordered some fuel from Tower sunday evening around 10:00pm it arrived in less than 2 days, this has been my 4th purchase with tower and i will continue buying from them. As far as the snotty rep., they probably just had a bad day, maybe thier cat died or somthing... the point is i think tower has great service and i will continue my buisness with them as long as im in this hobby :)

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

I hope the cat is OK. I'd hate to see it die.

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

I rate Tower among the best e-stores selling any type of merchandise. [sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif]

I have purchased several thousand dollars of large and small items, in large and small orders over the last few years, and am impressed with their ability to quickly handle the "normal" transaction, but more importantly, to respond quickly and professionally when the wheels come off an order. (Pun intended :D)

Cheers!

Jim

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

I've ordered a few things from Tower... IMO, They provide a
great service.. OK prices... Even better with their specials, And
I think they have one of the better setup on their site navigation!
You can even get shipping for free if your spending 150+.. Just
ask a club member to order it for you:-)

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

Is there anyone in this hobby that hasn't ordered from Tower? I keep sending them my money! Customer Service is #1!

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

How often we Americans forget the rest of the world. I'm sure there are lots out there who haven't ordered from Tower. :D

RE: Warning about Tower Hobbies
 

2 slow i had the exact same thing happen ..ordered fuel line and got a 4.8 battery ..must be real close to the same order number or something..as you i did'nt complain ..