desertbuzz

Hi all,

I wanted to raise a red flag about rocketcityracing.... If you're in a hurry for your order...Go elsewhere!

I placed my order on March 3rd.... and it was finally shipped yesterday, March 21st!! And incomplete mind you!

In the meantime it was a painfull process of emails ...all unanswered!

Overseas long distance calls : most of the times answering device. I managed to talk to him only twice... and twice I was told the order was gonna ship same day.

I even had a friend in the USA call to be given more lame excuses.... that the website is not updated (lots of stuff is not in stock, even though website says yes)... he can only process 50 orders a day... too many orders ??? and that he's behind correspondence by 4 days (it's more like 2 weeks if you ask me!)
5 days ago he was only missing the strudder package which was supposed to arrive that day....and shipment was gonna go out that day...

Yesterday order # 4413000 went out missing the servos and the strudder package...[sm=confused.gif]

One word to rockecityracing: Hire some help for God's sake!!!

That's the problem with those web based one man shops...

Feeewww !!... I feel better... thanks for letting me vent.

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Brian is a one-man operation, often putting in 16 hour or more days trying to get out orders ASAP. Yes, he can make mistakes, he's only human like the rest of us. I've had orders that I've gotten from Hobby Shops and other at-home dealers and have had orders with missing or the wrong parts. Brians normal day may consist of shippping, recieving and processing orders, building boats for customers and trying to get to his phone calls and e-mails.
OK, you've vented. I talked to Brian a long time ago and told him that he ought to hire some help. He shouldn't have any trouble finding a retiree that could help him along part-time, after all, he does live in Florida.
Normally I'd kick this out in a second just for flaming but I'd thought that this isn't uncommon in any part of our hobby/sport. I'm sure that Brian will get you're ordered straightened out once you let him know.

desertbuzz

Ron...

I don't doubt that Brian is a nice, hard working fellow. I'm talking from a business point... If he's got lots of orders coming in... Good for him and God bless. But you cannot treat you customers like this... Believe me I know... I'm a film producer and own my company... If I wanted to do it all (the control freak I am), not even acknowledging my clients with a reply I'd be providing my them with a baaaad service resulting in losing clients and with it 100s of thousands of dollars. You gotta spend money to earn more money.
If Brian hopes to develop and grow his operation, he needs to hire people and start dividing tasks. He'd be working less and earning more.... and THAT my friend ...isn't a bad deal!

Ocitsalocs

My Feedback: (2)

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desertbuzz

LaMaR828,

I'm not trashing his business... I'm just reporting a bad service received for the money I paid... Just like you'd do anywhere else.
I'd expect and appreciate anyone praising a particularly good or warning about a bad service.
C'mon guys! America's the home of marketing and client servicing.

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

Brian not only has been trying to keep the business going but doing it on a broken foot plus just helped to host the IMPBA Gas Nationals, a lot of work there also.
BTW, yours is not the only complaint that I've heard of lately about him. I saw another one recently on another forum site.

desertbuzz

Ron,

Brian seems to be a hard working, well intentioned guy... who's in need of serious managerial guidance.
If he continues like that he will doom his business and that would be a shame.
After all, any business is a service based on reputation... regardless of all the good intentions.
Especially on the web, good service is everything... and bad reviews travel fast... very fast.

Ron, you seem to know him personally. Someone should have a serious sitdown with him.

I know many businesses that started off being a 1 man band and grew to be successfull enterprises. www.4wd.com is one of them.
All thanks to the vision of its founder Tom Kennedy (RIP), who'd started it in his garage 28 yrs ago... even before the invention of the web.
Look at them now !
I've been shopping with them for over 10 years all the way from here... and we've developed a personal relationship.
I speak for myself alone... last year alone I spent 3000 $ and I just placed an order last week for 800 $ with 4wd.

Over the years they've developed a strong client base with all the jeepers here in Egypt ... based on reputation and word of mouth.

I wish Brian the same success.

Doubledog

My Feedback: (48)

We understand what it feels like when you need to vent old boy.

I'll have to agree with you. Rocket City (Brian Watts) has some of the best prices in town & a good website to back it up. Not all places have that. (remember this because I'll come back to it).

On the same note, YES, he is slow as molasis on a cold winters morning with some shipments. He has sat on two orders of mine for over a month. No return emails etc... My last order was put in Dec 28, '04 & it shipped first of March when the website said things were in stock etc... Okay, see I agree. Pissed off about it.... (lets just say I'm over it now).

What have I learned from the whole ordeal.? Shop here: [link=http://www.mastonsrcmarine.com/]MASTONS MARINE[/link] & do not come on open forum & try to bust on Rocket City or you'll get shot down. [&o] DesertBUZZZ, its easier to call Mastons than it is to email. Reason is because they don't have pics & sometimes a little conversation will help you get the items you need. Those guys love to talk too.... But at the same time, they are very good about returning emails. Ps, they ship overseas.

Have a good day & if you feel like barking, drop me an email.

desertbuzz

PHCM,

"he is slow as molasis on a cold winters morning" lol [sm=lol.gif] ..I love that expression!

Thanks for the tips...

And I'm done barking... ...

But I'll keep you in mind for a next time

desertbuzz

Update,

Yesterday Rocketcityracing shipped the servos & strudder package that were missing in 1st shipment. Alelujah!

4 Play Racing

My Feedback: (4)

Rocket City has some of the best prices I've seen on high end components. The key, I've found, is to call rather than use the web site, because often times, certain things may be out of stock. You will receive them eventually. If they have the product on hand, it typcally goes out very quickly. Most of my product from RCR actually shows up on Saturday, which even costs him more. I can't complain, especially with the prices!

ob nut

My Feedback: (1)

desertbuzz,

Sounds like a raw deal. But to make your words mean something, put your name here. Without your REAL name, it's like the desert blowing with the wind = here today - gone tomorrow...

Ron, delete this post if you so desire..

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

I don't know Brian other than talking to him in chat rooms. I've never ordered anything from him but would not be afraid to do so. I buy most of my stuff from Gary Preusse. He'll call me back if there is a problem with my order and ask if I'd like the shipment saved until he has everything or ship what he has on hand. Even he has messed up on my order before but it was OK, the wrong item was actually something that I could still use for another boat.
When I special order from LHS's, I go there armed with the correct part number so that they don't mess things up. They've ordered the wrong parts before so I've learned my lesson more than once.
True, Brian should have kept you informed as to what was going on with your order as he might not have had everything that you needed in stock.

desertbuzz

Ron,

About Gary Preusse... Now that's what I mean by service!

I think enough was said about the subjest... let's move on...


Desertbuzz (AKA Abbas Fahmy) (to make ob nut happy)

Ron Olson

My Feedback: (1)

OK, I'll lock this one down.