About three weeks ago, I called Webb Motorsports to order one of their new intakes. They said they were out of stock, and there was a waitlist. They took my name, and said it would probably be about 2 weeks. I also am trying to order a pulley from them.

In the last week, I've called them twice to place an order, but I only got voicemail so I left messages, and they have not returned either call. I thought that this was a reputable advertiser of this forum. If they don't return calls when I'm trying to place an order, what kind of customer service would they give should there be a problem with an order?

Have people experienced any problems with them?

Jim

 

I think you are just suffering frim bad timing right now, as they were just at AMVIV last weeked and I believe they will be in Sebring this weekend participating in Phil Wicks MINI challenge. Also I know first hand that it takes some time to get ALTA CAIs because they are in such high demand other Vendors are frequently on back order as well.

 

i think they're just crazy *** busy

 

^^^Knida what I was hinting at without being as explicit

 

Randy is one busy beaver!

Matt

 

You know, Randy is the first, and remains the *best* MINI guy/vendor I've met in my relatively short time with this car. He has done over $5k worth of work on my car, and it's all GOOD. Unfortunately, as both an engineer/designer/installer and business owner, he's torn as all entrepreneurs are. He wants and needs to expand his business to meet the demand, but he also wants to maintain control and ensure quality. Every time I see him he's the effusive yet boyish person I met on the day I bought my 05 MCS and drove 5 miles for him to completely overhaul it! He is a wonderful family man, and trying to do it all (the dream.) He's clearly made an attempt to increase his staff, both at the shop in Littleton, and with him at pulley parties (Brian.)
From an objective, arm's length distance, Webb Motorsports has customer care and product delivery problems. But these are not unusual in the aftermarket/tuner industry.
I believe we should understand this, and cut him some slack--but not too much, because we are, ultimately, the consumer, and his customers. With out us, he's flying cargo planes...

cheers, phil

 

No one else offers a 15% pulley, or an intake system. So you should wait forever until God's Own Anointed One decides you are important enough to respond to. Enjoy the wait.

 

WOW lighten up dude.

Webb is the best partly because of the time they take testing their stuff. This means being away from home doing events and lots of track time. I waited a few months for the WMS rear sway bar and it was worth the wait IMO. Theyr'e only car parts. If you want some of their stuff ya wait if you don’t then get something else. Most of the times I have called them my call was answered sometimes I wasn't. No biggie. It all worked out in the end.

 

They should get an intern to answer calls and help out with questions. I would've killed for an opportunity like that when I was in high school. They're free/cheap and I'm sure they'd pay for themselves just from fielding missed orders, more quickly if you didn't pay them.

 

That is out of line and incrediblly rude. Randy offers the some of the best parts with the best warranty in the business. He is also a great guy who leads a busy life. I totally admit sometimes he's a little hard to get ahold of because of all the MINI related stuff he's doing (testing, installs, racing, and designing) not to mention he has a large family (that I'm sure want to see him more than they get to) but his service is outstanding. He will spend as much time with each call as needed and has always answered every question I had. After spending 3 days with him I would consider him a friend. I will buy every part I need from Randy and after seeing his new pulley and intake I highly recommend you call back and get your parts from Webb Motorsports. I think it is really sh*ty to bash a vendor that works as hard as Randy does to bring the best parts to market for our cars. Randy is completely passionate about MINIs and about helping his customers build the best MINI for their needs. Even if that means selling them less than they thought they needed.

 

An email from the 21st march.....

"Hi Simon,
Thank you for your e-mail this morning regarding " blah blah blah " Unfortunately we will
be out of the office until April 7th attending MINI races in Las Vegas
and Florida. We look forward to hearing from you soon."

So that will be why your not getting a reply.

 

Getting a hold of Randy is hard.... I had a long talk with him about a year ago and then came Brian and Bridgett..... Bidgett answered the phone and called me back twic in the last few days..... she called Randy and I got my answer.... she is facilitating sales...... although her hours seem iradic (sp).

whenever my car has a real problem...(ie belt is thrown and shears the AC wiring at the root) Randy calls back quickly.....

I look at it this way Randy does his best to push the envelope...... we have some pretty cool products for our cars due to his efforts..... I know of some very cool projects that are being R/D as I write this.... some of it is more R than D but if the R goes well the D will be very cool...... Randy's biggest problem is that everyone wants to talk to him and he tries to oblige with 1/2 hr calls about the benefits of a pulley to a "newbie".... or why I should not change cams....with me.... If he is this generous with everyone there is a resource crunch.....

It probably would be a good Idea if Randy posted the hours that somene live is "in the store"

 

In a picture from AMVIV of Randy's race car/Mule he had on a Alta CAI. Meaning he isn't even running one of his own WMS HDI boxes. So he sent out one for a customer rather then use it on his own car. Thats putting the customer first in my book

I too have had issues contacting WMS in the past. But that is because they are a small operation made of fantastic people. When you get their time they will give you 110%

 

The above seems to say it all. OK, he's good, and busy. But, his shop is going on a week now not returning my first follow-up call. I'll leave another message today, I'll be more patient and understanding. But, if I hit the point of several weeks without a returned call, my feet do the talking.

Thank you all for the replies.

Jim

 

^^^^^^^^Amen!

 

Take your attitude with you, and don't come back.

No vendor here needs this. Everyone has had an issue with this that or the other vendor from time to time. Whether that be Peter at M7 or Randy at WMS, or the folks at Alta. Actually can't say as I've seen someone having an issue with Eric at Helix though .

Bottom line: This kind of comment only tends to take us all OT (kinda like this post) and away from why we are all here, te enjoyment of our cars.

Thanks for listening,
WMS Customer For Life

 

I think the phrase "good things come to those who wait" definitely holds true with WMS. Trying to balance between getting bigger and keeping the personal touch on customer service is a tough thing and its obivous that Randy is trying to do something about it (i.e. the recent add posted for an Office Manager). I'm sure they will soon get through these "growing pains" and the level of customer service will be where Randy wants it to be.

 

Randy is busy racing. There should be someone at the shop though. Keep trying.

 

Yes, everyone loves Randy...

That's fine if you have an existing relationship with him. Answers like "he's really busy", or "he's busy racing" do nothing to ease the frustration of a person trying to deal with them for the first time though - nor should they.

Webb HAS made consistent attempts to increase their level of customer service, and maybe it's just not quite there yet. Good intentions only get you so far, and if customers can't get up with you to receive your "good service", then it's not good service for them.

Anyway, not trying to bash Webb at all... just providing another perspective than "it's worth the wait".

That said, they did invest in their website to allow online ordering, so technically, the original poster doesn't HAVE to speak with them in person to get this order put through - so in that respect, they're bringing some of the frustration on themselves. I'd bet that with any company, order fulfillment takes a higher priority than returning one of the many, many phone/email messages they receive.

 

I feel your pain fellow Mini owner.
I have ordered & paid for my CAI, and have waited 4 weeks for the second shipment.
But I also am very willing to wait for this product because I have looked at all of the options & didn't like any of the ones available either because of design{not a true COLD air intake} of because of price. Untill WEBS CAI. {and now it is being copied}.
At the same time, I ordered several other parts inc. a pulley. {all on line. never have tried calling}. The other parts came in a timely fashion & I am enjoying my pulley while waiting for my intake.
My follow-up communication has always been through e-mail & they have always responded quickly.

 

I got a call back form Webb Motor Sports Today. All is fine. I'm on the wait list. Should be shipped in 1 or 2 weeks. Thanks.

 

Hhmmmmm.....I've heard 1 or 2 weeks...3 different times. Hopefully we will both be smiling soon.
Did you order the hose as well? As I think that may be the piece that is the hold up.
Gotta be getting close though.....at least I would like to think so.

 

It's tough not to like the Randy Man... I mean, I've written poetry and all kinds of crap dedicated to him; I think he's got a restraining order on me, but that hasn't changed our business relationship.

Randy is without question an important part of the whole MINI aftermarket equation since he has been providing us with objective evaluations and useful how-tos. I think that service quality has improved DRASTICALLY in the last several months.

At one point, I got quite frustrated and even took my biz elsewhere for a while (and I have invested well over $5k so far, kinda ashamed to admit just how much). But I've since decided to give WMS another shot, and I think Bridget and Brian are making a difference.

Here's the shocker: two weeks after I purchased two pairs of Helix Rear Control Arms, Randy actually called me (NOTE: this wasn't a return call, he called me unprompted) to ask how it was going with those control arms and if I had any issues with the install.

And I am by no means one of Randy's pals. In fact, we hate each other totally. I'm a right wing conservative dork, and he's a liberal swine. If he treats me this well, imagine how well he'll treat you... somebody he hardly knows or has any beef with.

Seriously, though, I agree with the other posts that much of what WMS has to offer is worth waiting for, and I think that service quality will only improve from now on.

 

You must be talking about Randy's evil twin, Andy.

I thought Webb was a conservative dork...........

 

I knew there was a reason we got on so well