A Facebook Response from Shopsmith

Moderators: HopefulSSer, admin

RFGuy
Platinum Member
Posts: 2739
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:05 am
Location: a suburb of PHX, AZ

Re: A Facebook Response from Shopsmith

Post by RFGuy »

dusty wrote: Are you assuming that questions posted on FB and answered there are answered by someone other that the Shopsmith respondent that you talk to in Customer Service.

If Shopsmith was a "large" operation with dozens of employees, I might agree. Otherwise, I do not.

I have said this before. When pursuing information from Shopsmith...be persistent.

To avoid long wait times, call early in the morning.
Dusty,

The FB groups that I know of related to Shopsmith, there is a Shopsmith Owners Group, Shopsmith Customer Service, Shopsmith Troubleshooting and Tips, Shopsmith Sales Group and Shopsmith Digital Motor Conversions. With regard to customer service in my post above, I am only referring to responses from actual Shopsmith employees on the Shopsmith Customer Service FB page. I also talk above about general technical discussions on FB and I am mostly referring to the discussions on the Shopsmith Owners Group there.

In short, if you want a response from Shopsmith customer service, go to the Shopsmith Customer Service FB page (nothing similar to this exists on this forum). If you want to discuss Shopsmith equipment sales, etc. go to the Shopsmith Sales Group FB page. If you want general technical discussions and sharing what you have built, go to the Shopsmith Owners Group FB page. If you want to see what a few brave souls are doing with converting a Shopsmith to a DC (often treadmill) motor, check out the Shopsmith Digital Motor Conversions FB page.
📶RF Guy

Mark V 520 (Bought New '98) | 4" jointer | 6" beltsander | 12" planer | bandsaw | router table | speed reducer | univ. tool rest
Porter Cable 12" Compound Miter Saw | Rikon 8" Low Speed Bench Grinder w/CBN wheels | Jessem Clear-Cut TS™ Stock Guides
Festool (Emerald): DF 500 Q | RO 150 FEQ | OF 1400 EQ | TS 55 REQ | CT 26 E
DC3300 | Shopvac w/ClearVue CV06 Mini Cyclone | JDS AirTech 2000 | Sundstrom PAPR | Dylos DC1100 Pro particulate monitor
RFGuy
Platinum Member
Posts: 2739
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:05 am
Location: a suburb of PHX, AZ

Re: A Facebook Response from Shopsmith

Post by RFGuy »

dusty wrote: I have said this before. When pursuing information from Shopsmith...be persistent.

To avoid long wait times, call early in the morning.
Dusty,

What does this mean though, i.e. to be persistent? I have called early in the morning and still sat on the phone for 15-20 minutes every time. I have called during the day and found sometimes the voicemail system left turned on during normal phones hours for them so that I could only leave a message. I have had 50/50 luck with phone messages or emails left with Shopsmith actually being returned. I have called on more than one occasion and received different information about the same order or worse no information other than just wait for it. Persistently calling, only to get inconsistent responses doesn't really help me. Not trying to be argumentative here, but it is just frustrating to say the least. I understand we are dealing with a niche product that is decades old so certain parts are barely available. However, once an order is placed and accepted by a company, a minimum level of customer service is expected by most consumers. It seems like the Customer Service FB page is a means of getting answers when all else has failed and/or your order has fallen through the cracks.

P.S. More than once I have called and gotten my order shuffled around (to get an item faster) and been told one thing. Then I call back a short time later and get another rep who pulls up my orders and says "I don't know why the last rep did this", then proceeds to change things around again.
Last edited by RFGuy on Sun Apr 07, 2019 9:57 am, edited 1 time in total.
📶RF Guy

Mark V 520 (Bought New '98) | 4" jointer | 6" beltsander | 12" planer | bandsaw | router table | speed reducer | univ. tool rest
Porter Cable 12" Compound Miter Saw | Rikon 8" Low Speed Bench Grinder w/CBN wheels | Jessem Clear-Cut TS™ Stock Guides
Festool (Emerald): DF 500 Q | RO 150 FEQ | OF 1400 EQ | TS 55 REQ | CT 26 E
DC3300 | Shopvac w/ClearVue CV06 Mini Cyclone | JDS AirTech 2000 | Sundstrom PAPR | Dylos DC1100 Pro particulate monitor
User avatar
rpd
Platinum Member
Posts: 3039
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 3:22 am
Location: Victoria, B.C.

Re: A Facebook Response from Shopsmith

Post by rpd »

RFGuy wrote:
dusty wrote: Are you assuming that questions posted on FB and answered there are answered by someone other that the Shopsmith respondent that you talk to in Customer Service.

If Shopsmith was a "large" operation with dozens of employees, I might agree. Otherwise, I do not.

I have said this before. When pursuing information from Shopsmith...be persistent.

To avoid long wait times, call early in the morning.
Dusty,

The FB groups that I know of related to Shopsmith, there is a Shopsmith Owners Group, Shopsmith Customer Service, Shopsmith Troubleshooting and Tips, Shopsmith Sales Group and Shopsmith Digital Motor Conversions. With regard to customer service in my post above, I am only referring to responses from actual Shopsmith employees on the Shopsmith Customer Service FB page. I also talk above about general technical discussions on FB and I am mostly referring to the discussions on the Shopsmith Owners Group there.

In short, if you want a response from Shopsmith customer service, go to the Shopsmith Customer Service FB page (nothing similar to this exists on this forum). If you want to discuss Shopsmith equipment sales, etc. go to the Shopsmith Sales Group FB page. If you want general technical discussions and sharing what you have built, go to the Shopsmith Owners Group FB page. If you want to see what a few brave souls are doing with converting a Shopsmith to a DC (often treadmill) motor, check out the Shopsmith Digital Motor Conversions FB page.
For those that have an interest, there is also a Facebook Shopsmith 10E & 10ERs group.
Ron Dyck
==================================================================
10ER #23430, 10ER #84609, 10ER #94987,two SS A-34 jigsaws for 10ER.
1959 Mark 5 #356595 Greenie, SS Magna Jointer, SS planer, SS bandsaw, SS scroll saw (gray), DC3300,
RFGuy
Platinum Member
Posts: 2739
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:05 am
Location: a suburb of PHX, AZ

Re: A Facebook Response from Shopsmith

Post by RFGuy »

rpd wrote:
For those that have an interest, there is also a Facebook Shopsmith 10E & 10ERs group.
Thanks Ron. I thought there were, but I wasn't sure. Thanks for pointing this out.
📶RF Guy

Mark V 520 (Bought New '98) | 4" jointer | 6" beltsander | 12" planer | bandsaw | router table | speed reducer | univ. tool rest
Porter Cable 12" Compound Miter Saw | Rikon 8" Low Speed Bench Grinder w/CBN wheels | Jessem Clear-Cut TS™ Stock Guides
Festool (Emerald): DF 500 Q | RO 150 FEQ | OF 1400 EQ | TS 55 REQ | CT 26 E
DC3300 | Shopvac w/ClearVue CV06 Mini Cyclone | JDS AirTech 2000 | Sundstrom PAPR | Dylos DC1100 Pro particulate monitor
User avatar
rpd
Platinum Member
Posts: 3039
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 3:22 am
Location: Victoria, B.C.

Re: A Facebook Response from Shopsmith

Post by rpd »

RFGuy wrote:
rpd wrote:
For those that have an interest, there is also a Facebook Shopsmith 10E & 10ERs group.
Thanks Ron. I thought there were, but I wasn't sure. Thanks for pointing this out.
That one is fairly new, and they proliferate like Easter bunnies. :D Hard to keep track of them all. :)
Ron Dyck
==================================================================
10ER #23430, 10ER #84609, 10ER #94987,two SS A-34 jigsaws for 10ER.
1959 Mark 5 #356595 Greenie, SS Magna Jointer, SS planer, SS bandsaw, SS scroll saw (gray), DC3300,
User avatar
JPG
Platinum Member
Posts: 34596
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:42 pm
Location: Lexington, Ky (TAMECAT territory)

Re: A Facebook Response from Shopsmith

Post by JPG »

Perhaps the SS employees that are monitoring and responding to FB would make better use of their time by answering the CS phone. If they are providing accurate answers, they clearly would be more valuable than those who are presently answering the phone.

I hate to actually say/think this, but, where is Dave when you need him? :D
╔═══╗
╟JPG ╢
╚═══╝

Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
RFGuy
Platinum Member
Posts: 2739
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:05 am
Location: a suburb of PHX, AZ

Re: A Facebook Response from Shopsmith

Post by RFGuy »

JPG wrote:Perhaps the SS employees that are monitoring and responding to FB would make better use of their time by answering the CS phone. If they are providing accurate answers, they clearly would be more valuable than those who are presently answering the phone.

I hate to actually say/think this, but, where is Dave when you need him? :D
I don't know how much it would help though. In fairness to those Shopsmith employees that are responding in the FB group, they are often responding after hours and on weekends when they are not getting paid (going above and beyond I think). So, I do want to give them credit for this. I don't think they are constantly on FB and monitoring it all day, but they do check it often enough to respond to some of these complaints that seem to fall through the cracks.
📶RF Guy

Mark V 520 (Bought New '98) | 4" jointer | 6" beltsander | 12" planer | bandsaw | router table | speed reducer | univ. tool rest
Porter Cable 12" Compound Miter Saw | Rikon 8" Low Speed Bench Grinder w/CBN wheels | Jessem Clear-Cut TS™ Stock Guides
Festool (Emerald): DF 500 Q | RO 150 FEQ | OF 1400 EQ | TS 55 REQ | CT 26 E
DC3300 | Shopvac w/ClearVue CV06 Mini Cyclone | JDS AirTech 2000 | Sundstrom PAPR | Dylos DC1100 Pro particulate monitor
User avatar
JPG
Platinum Member
Posts: 34596
Joined: Wed Dec 10, 2008 7:42 pm
Location: Lexington, Ky (TAMECAT territory)

Re: A Facebook Response from Shopsmith

Post by JPG »

RFGuy wrote:
JPG wrote:Perhaps the SS employees that are monitoring and responding to FB would make better use of their time by answering the CS phone. If they are providing accurate answers, they clearly would be more valuable than those who are presently answering the phone.

I hate to actually say/think this, but, where is Dave when you need him? :D
I don't know how much it would help though. In fairness to those Shopsmith employees that are responding in the FB group, they are often responding after hours and on weekends when they are not getting paid (going above and beyond I think). So, I do want to give them credit for this. I don't think they are constantly on FB and monitoring it all day, but they do check it often enough to respond to some of these complaints that seem to fall through the cracks.
From what has been said here, I have to agree that more time is devoted to the answers being given. With a backlog of incoming calls, I see a perceived need for quick answers.

False IMO. Quick also has to be correct. Correct is what appears to be missing.



BTW "early" in what time zone? Dayton is EDT.
╔═══╗
╟JPG ╢
╚═══╝

Goldie(Bought New SN 377425)/4" jointer/6" beltsander/12" planer/stripsander/bandsaw/powerstation /Scroll saw/Jig saw /Craftsman 10" ras/Craftsman 6" thicknessplaner/ Dayton10"tablesaw(restoredfromneighborstrashpile)/ Mark VII restoration in 'progress'/ 10
E[/size](SN E3779) restoration in progress, a 510 on the back burner and a growing pile of items to be eventually returned to useful life. - aka Red Grange
RFGuy
Platinum Member
Posts: 2739
Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:05 am
Location: a suburb of PHX, AZ

Re: A Facebook Response from Shopsmith

Post by RFGuy »

JPG wrote: From what has been said here, I have to agree that more time is devoted to the answers being given. With a backlog of incoming calls, I see a perceived need for quick answers.

False IMO. Quick also has to be correct. Correct is what appears to be missing.



BTW "early" in what time zone? Dayton is EDT.
JPG, yeah I agree. Accuracy is important, but also expectations are wide open. For example, if I go and purchase new furniture at any store it is typically 8-12 weeks lead time and you are told this and expect this. If I order from one of the Shopsmith weekly sales and I place my order early in the week, then I get my order typically within a week or two. No complaints. If I order late in the week on one of their sales, I have fallen into a different queue (beyond the initial inventory or production run) and end up waiting 2 months for fulfillment on what was a weekly sale! So, I have personally seen inconsistent deliveries on weekly sales from Shopsmith, but also long lead times (expected) on "rare" items like speed reducer, 5 feet extension tubes, table extension bracket (555997), adjustable stop collars, table insert blanks, etc, etc. IF I had ordered something "rare" and gotten an email from Shopsmith stating expected lead time is 6 months, then I know that I need to wait 6 months for it and I can plan around it. If I can wait great, if I need it asap then maybe I cancel the order and make some kind of other arrangements. The problem is ordering from Shopsmith has open ended expectations and there is zero communication after an order is placed. It can take 1 week to 1+ year to fulfill an order with Shopsmith. This could be alleviated if customer service would give accurate information when I call to inquire.

I really can't fathom what is "rare" and what isn't because like I have said some items I order are one of the weekly specials and it seems like if you don't order it early in the week and get high up on the list, you end up on a waitlist and have to wait for a follow-on build or something that can take 2 months. Weekly sales seem like an inventory clearing activity and if this is the case then I should expect a delay. However, I have seen comments posted that Dayton is small in size now and that they don't really carry inventory so I don't know what I should expect on order deliveries.

With regard to "early", I am up hours before Dayton phones come online. I usually try to call right when they open, but it usually takes them a few minutes for them to switch off the voicemail system and the lines to become "active".
📶RF Guy

Mark V 520 (Bought New '98) | 4" jointer | 6" beltsander | 12" planer | bandsaw | router table | speed reducer | univ. tool rest
Porter Cable 12" Compound Miter Saw | Rikon 8" Low Speed Bench Grinder w/CBN wheels | Jessem Clear-Cut TS™ Stock Guides
Festool (Emerald): DF 500 Q | RO 150 FEQ | OF 1400 EQ | TS 55 REQ | CT 26 E
DC3300 | Shopvac w/ClearVue CV06 Mini Cyclone | JDS AirTech 2000 | Sundstrom PAPR | Dylos DC1100 Pro particulate monitor
WileyCoyote
Gold Member
Posts: 182
Joined: Thu Mar 29, 2018 6:52 pm
Location: New Carlilse, Oh

Re: A Facebook Response from Shopsmith

Post by WileyCoyote »

The way I look at the Facebook pages, it's just another avenue to take advantage of if you are having issues. I have yet to see someone post and not get a response from Shopsmith that was not quick and viewed as satisfactory.

I also don't see any difference in posting on Facebook and posting on this forum. Other than using your real name and that doesn't have to be real either, the other information can all be made up, if you decide to put it in. As far as a site monitoring and keeping your info, it's no different than Google, Yahoo or Amazon.
Post Reply