I rest my case. ... If you don't please your customers, you will not have any ... and that doesn't matter if you invented internal combustion or were E. Ferrari himself.

 

I'm not going to badmouth or defend anyone. I like Randy, he's done some top-flight work on my '02, and he's scared the living p**s out of me in my own car. I've ordered a fair bit of stuff from him in the past, and I've ordered a fair bit of stuff from other vendors.

If someone's still waiting on something, that sucks, but WMS is hardly the only vendor of MINI products with occasional problems. If I hopped on NAM to complain every time I've had to wait longer than expected on a part for one of my MCSs, well... I'd have made more than a few posts.

My expectations are realistically low in this area. Yes, these are all businesses, and if they can't deliver on time, you should be told that up front. Still... if anyone's expecting Amazon.com here, you need to think about the relative volume here. How many MINIs do you see out on the road near you? Of those, how many have been modified with performance parts? And that's all split amongst how many suppliers?

Sorry that people are having negative experiences, but I've had to wait way more than once; I'm just not sure what's gained by dog-piling. Just my two cents.

 

Easy for U to say this when it's not your money being spent and no product is being shipped and no one can get ahold of the guy and this kind of behavior has a track record. Contrary to what U may think, it's not "dog-piling," it's very real frustration with someone's questionable business practices being expressed by real people with real issues.

If he simply had a more PROFESSIONAL customer service approach then, like a previous poster said, these threads would not exist. That they even exist is not a good sign.... I've given up on RW in the past because of this non-communicative nonsense.

The sad thing is: cannot RW afford an answering service??

 

And that's why I cancelled my order
Guess that means I'm going to M7 for an AGS and cosworth head

 

I don't know if having an answering service would solve the underlying problems. An answering service is just a live body that you can leave a message with. If they don't have the answer to your questions, they will tell you right away. And you are no closer to a resolution of your question.

 

Are you sure you cancelled your order? If WMS voice mailbox is full, how could you leave a message? If you e-mailed, did you get a confirmation? I am not trying to be flippant, but if you placed an order and now want to cancel it, unlless you get confirmation of the cancel, you could be getting whatever you ordered from WMS when you thought you had moved on.

 

I'm not looking to debate any point I've made; I said my piece. Wanna keep up the thread, go right ahead. Hope that works out for you.

 

Maybe it is a generational thing, but the term dogpiling is new to me. I have heard about piling on (as in football, when players from one side all pile onto the player from the other side who was tackled and is already on the ground).

 

Maybe a regional thing. I grew up in Texas, born in '70. Your "piling on" and my "dogpiling" are the same thing. At least it was in neighborhood football games...

 

Brian/Randy, if you read this please send the receipt for the part/work done as you said you would at the end of May.

I hate to have to jump into this but I do not have any other way to reach you.

Seriously, it might be a good idea to get some cheap admin assistance, even a temp, to do paperwork, clear out voicemail, email, track orders and stock ,etc epecially when you are away. I've managed small businesses with parts, stock, orders, customers, etc before and it really requires constant babysitting and use of technology remotely if necessary.

Anyhow, I'm sure you don't want more suggestions, sorry. I like you guys and wish you well but really, I need my paperwork - this should not take 2 months.

 

I went through about 10 days of calling, emailing and pm'ing until finally I was able to leave an email, then about 2 days later got a call to confirm the cancellation It is amazing to me these guys manage to stay in buisness... I'd be out on the streets if I ran my buisness this way... I guess mini folk are more tolerant than most

 

Maybe he did hire someone but forgot to hire another person to write and signed the pay check?

 

As a VENDOR in Hawaii, trying to contact him weeks ago and no reply I'll take my money and customer some where else Good bye Webb It doesn't matter how innovative, excellent driver,fastest mini blar,blar,blar:impatienthe does not exist when time of needs.

 

I own a manufacturer's rep firm and have for 25 years... we also do distribution.... I think I have some experience with small business and customer service..... this is simple.....if this business is going to survive and prosper someone, Randy, or whoever, has to take a fulltime active role in overseeing day to day operations including customer service and order fullfilment............ get serious about business or the market will put you out of business.....that is just reality

 

I agree with sequence here - this is definitely not "piling on" or "dogpiling" - this exact same topic has been raised and re-raised and raised again on NAM and other forums over the last 4 years. It is very obviously a chronic problem that just might have no solution -- but the marketplace might just solve it by voting with their dollars (& feet).

I don't want to seem like I'm harboring a grudge, but as previously mentioned, I made a $700 mistake by purchasing a Powerchip flash from WMS at a pulley party in St. Louis - this was back in the day when MINI was rolling out new ECU code everytime you would go in for service. Part of the "promise" from WMS was free re-flashes anytime you need one (and at that time, we all knew that we would need one or more). Well, that worked OK the first time, although the mechanism left something to be desired (shipping around a single ECU flash cable) from one person to the next on the list -- weeks would go by between a request and finally receipt of the cable. The support structure was grass-roots at best, using the forums for the end-users to work with each other to move the cable from place to place.

Fast-forward to the introduction of the UNIchip - all of a sudden, WMS and Powerchip weren't such good friends any more. I needed another flash (thanks to MINI) and found that Powerchip was unwilling to honor the agreement with WMS, as they weren't "partners" any more. They wanted me to ship my ECU to them and pay a re-flash fee, taking my car out of service for several days and also costing me $$ for overnight shipment both ways. Since WMS didn't really have any facility to generate the new customized flash image, I was at the mercy of Powerchip. WMS would not intervene or be a liason to make this happen, because they had ended their relationship with Powerchip. You can see where this is going.

Guess who got left holding the bag -- that's right, me. It was obvious at the time that WMS had decided to hitch their wagon to the UNIchip and forget about their early supporters.

I've also spoken to other attendees at that same Pulley Party in St. Louis, who had warranty-related issues with some of the installed parts (Alta Filter, for example) - the lack of support and response from WMS was evident in their conversations, which usually ended with "I'll not be doing business with them again".

Reading these stories over and over and over again makes me wonder if WMS is really the kind of advertiser that NAM should be promoting -- there are many other similar companies out there who apparently have stellar customer service --

 

Well, at least an answering service would be a step in the right direction, or at least a temp to watch over the BASICS IN CUSTOMER SERVICE while he vacations or whatever the hell he's doing right now...

At least with an answering service the box won't fill up... that's simply inexcusable.

(Hey Chowzer, do your dogs pile on U under a pile of Chow fur? haha)

 

Nah, they "molt" as in the fur comes out ALL at ONCE twice a year

On a more serious note ... while a lot of ppl need to vent their frustrations ... in the end it won't matter. All business sink or swim based upon sales. Sales mean satisfied customers ... customers who do repeat business. While Porsche can afford to go racing to "improve the breed" they also have a massive support group on the business end.

As customers move on ... so will the business ALthough I really hope WMS gets stronger on the business end. It would be good to see a network of companies that supports their warranty

 

Yeah. I agree customer relations are important.

I also agree that NO ONE spends the time with the MINI community explaining at pulley parties, telecons and in forums to the extent Webb Motorsports does and has done in the past to promote all of us.

The Mods MANY of us have would not be in place without Randy Webb. Working on cars to satisfy enthusiasts around the country was what made Webb Motorsports unique. Late hours at such affairs with this NAM community, talking MINI stuff is what makes us all unique.

Off the record I am sure there are many other NAM suppliers with issues. I could name 2 of them myself..but I guess it was not to the dollar level of some relating stories here. I hear you. But...lets not kill the spirit of MINIS by tearing down quality people and vendors.

I will repeat the model of Walmart, and the local Hardware stores....try to find an answer at the big box that will clarify a question you have. You will be lucky to find any knowledgeable associate with answers. I think we need a Randy Webb in this community.

Randy, set a business plan and go with it !!!

 

I guess here I am as well again this month wondering not when, but if, I will ever see either a refund or a part I ordered MONTHS ago. I also wish they had been up front enough to tell everyone "Hey we'll be back in October when we run out of money."
I have also heard from Brian via cell phoine and Randy via cell phone, had promises and their personal vocal gasps at how I'm being treated and yet no help.
As a Pastor of a church I see issues like this a so disappointing yet so much more common as a sign of the times. My best approach is as always - just need to pray for them.
If my urgency doesn't seem to get me anywhere maybe the Lord I serve can get through to them.
So - Randy and Brian I'm praying for you now. Clarity, wisdom and character.

 

Ping. Any updates? Still awaiting receipt...

 

Brian, need my receipt for pulley party and my 2 valve cover badges i paid for at that time also.. glenn

 

Brian,
Not trying to pile on, but I'd like a receipt for the pulley you installed at the SF pulley party. My car was the very last on serviced on the 2nd day.
Bill
Vacaville

 

Brian -

You have a PM from me a refund on my Milltek Exhaust.

Thanks,
Mark

 

Once again I'm atempting to contact you about the return of my H-Sport springs to be used as a partial credit toward a Unichip you though you had in stock. Sure would appreciate an answer or better yet a product or refund.
Thanks!

 

Wow. I just read this entire thread (or almost all). I do not know Randy or his people but after reading this I would be hard pressed to do business with them regardless of the support of the supporters.

I own and operate my small business. I am nowhere near the perfect business man. I know how difficult it can be to run a business and how it can feel like you are being pulled in sixteen directions at once between managing employees and meeting the demands of customers and all those million other small things that go into a small business. Not to mention then have a family and a life outside of your work.

I also know what it is like to have a passion for your profession but that owning your own business sometimes means that you take on other duties that maybe don't suit you, like managing, etc. But that is the choice you make when you start your own business. It is a choice and a sacrafice and a tradeoff for the benefits of being your own boss.

BUT...no matter what is going on in my life or even when I am away on vacation, someone answers my phones during regular business hours and it is someone that can take care of 99 out of 100 questions and situations and for that 100th time that they can't take care of a customer, they can get a hold of me anywhere, anytime.