Quadfire support question

It's not just them. Other stove companies do it as well. And other product companies as well. Just saying

With a continual outsourcing of products I won't be surprised if I will have to learn Chinese only to be told "your out of luck", go see a dealer who can't figure out my problem as they have not enough product knowledge as that can take years. Your best resource is this site for several stoves. Getting first hand knowledge, not someone reading out of a manual and probably never even seen what they are trying to give help with.

A big factor IMO is the corporate consolidation of Quad, Harman, Heatilator Eco-Choice, Vermont Castings, and 9 other stove and fireplace brands under their parent company, HHT. When mega-companies have the choice between putting money and resources into leveraged take-overs or customer service, the choice will invariably be towards profit driven take-overs. Appreciate that this is my populist counter-corporatist side talking.

I have no problem with Quad deferring customer service down to their dealers as long as the dealers are brand knowledgeable, troubleshooting competent, and customer focused. I'm fortunate that my local Quad dealer is all of those and more.

I appreciate that the people who post on this forum are the ones having problems, as we rarely if ever get a "my stove install went great, and everything is running perfect" post. That said, in my 6 seasons on this forum, and after hearing multiple stories of Quad dealer service and install *mis-adventures*, it would seem that my experience with my local dealer's excellence is the general exception rather than the rule.

BigJohnfromCT said:

Thanks Kapp. I understand and agree but why? I had a problem with my Jacuzzi tub (circa 1987 & 2 owners ago) and Kohler could not have been more helpful. Mind you I wasn't buying anything. Just needed manuals but had no model info. They had me send them pictures, determined the model number, sent me documents and followed up with phone calls to ensure I had what I needed.

Two weeks ago I came home from vacation only to find I was having problems with my Kohler toilet. A gasket had dried out from non use and water was running all over the floor. Gave them a call and had another great experience. They determined what gasket needed to be replaced and were going to send me a new one but I asked about a local dealer that had one in stock and picked it up myself. Who could ask for more? Oh wait, I know. A Quad customer.

Click to expand...

Can't tell you why, just a company policy I guess. And it could be as you say, to protect their dealers. But a lot of good dealers are happy to answer questions without making a buck on it. Stay warm. kap

Nothing to be sorry for. If I was just a customer, I would probably want to talk to Quad too. Get it from the horses mouth, so to speak. But, that is why some of us spend time on here, to help people out. kap

BigJohnfromCT said:

Don't get me wrong, I love my stove and the guys who installed it and provide the annual service. It runs great and the install looks terrific. Having said that, the dealer is small and sometimes it's tough to speak with a service person. Would be nice to just pick up the phone and speak with someone at Quad. Oh well, sorry for the vent.

Click to expand...

Its sad that the customer service some of the name brand stoves is so terrible. Harman is a good product used to be made in the US but like most other companies ignored the people who bought their product depending on their dealers to do the right thing by their customers. When you have a dealer who ignores his customers once the check is cashed the company needs to address that issue. I worked with a dealer and seen both sides of the problem.
There is people out there that just shouldn't be allowed to own anything except a electric milk house heater and they seem to make the biggest stink when they have a problem. I have gone to a place that never cleaned the exh pipes or the stove beyond emptying the ash bucket. Spent 3 hours plus 1 and 1/2 driving time and they wanted it wrote as a warranty issue. The whole exh system had to be removed to clean it.
Then we have the other side where the company is dead set on the customer going through the dealer that sold him the stove. OK what happens when the dealer dies from cancer and has many stoves out there under warranty and they need service? Call the company head quarters and get hung up on. Yeah that's what happened- So it is a good idea to learn as much about your stove as possible even before you buy it because there is a possibility you may be your own repairmen..
Forums like this provide a wealth of information from service techs such as Kap and there is owners who also have a lot of experience and are willing to help. Sometimes the fans and other parts are available from other venders so you may be able to get them from a wholeseller