Update: Really Bad Experience with Simrad Purchase

[drmnj]

This is an update to my previous post "Really Bad Experience with Simrad Purchase" in June 2014. Thanks to one of you in the Trawler Forum I was able to contact the head honchos at Simrad and get my sonar working properly. Apparently High Seas Technologies(HST) never contacted the techs at Simrad to see what the problem was. For 6 months HST kept telling me there was nothing wrong with the NSS12 sonar. When I finally got though to the heads at Simrad they said the software in my system was not updated. While I was in the Bahamas they sent me the update and now it's working fine. I guess you really need to check out your dealer. In this case I was really given a lot of BS from HST. Buyer be ware.

 

[Mule]

I am glad to hear that....I, myself have steered 2 potential customers from Simrad over that. The competition being what it is why gamble? I will get off their ass.

 

[caltexflanc]

So it was an HST issue, not really Simrad?

And Mule, you just ran with it an disparaged Simrad to people based on an incomplete internet post? How'd you feel if someone did that to your business?

 

[kulas44]

I concur. Get some facts first.

 

[Mule]

Well, keep your dealers in line would be my answer. You want to thrive, bearing in mind your most lowly tech IS your company to the customer, no matter who signs his check, nuff said.
I would not change a damned thing with what I did considering what I knew at the time. Not my job to reasearch the competence of techs. The customer does not give a rats a$$ who is at fault at sea when something, paid for, with good money, does not work... right?? The component has SIMRAD embossed on the face.

I have no job, do not want one, had one. But if the money is right I will work with Simrad to help with their dealers and techs

What would you suggest, should I have said,....Simrad is excellent, their dealers and their dealers techs suck and you will suffer???? You tell me???
So you spend good money and in the manufacture to customer chain breaks, as a customer I am responsible to investigate, find the break and inform the interested parties as to the fault.........nope, this falls on Simrad to defend and keep their reputation

That is one reason I just love Volkswagen, they do not pass the buck.

 

[Mule]

It is my understanding that Simrad autopilots are repackaged Nav-Com units, at least some units, that Simrad, with the older ones have dried up the parts while Nav Com still has in inventory and supplies support.... I do not know if that is true...any one out there know?

 

[Moonstruck]

If you are the manufacturer, your dealers are your face to the customer. If the dealer comes with a good reputation, their word is accepted. They really should know. Thanks to Jeff at AC Simrad was exonerated. However, keeping dealer networks together is no easy task. I bet they had a very tactful heart to heart chat.

I had a problem with a high end, expensive appliance in my home. When I called the manufacturer's customer service line and explained the problem, they acknowledged the problem. Then they said it was there policy not to do anything about it. So, I called our supplier that we bought loads of that product from. They got in touch with the manufacturer. The marketing director called me, and said the appliance would be exchanged. Guess what? I would not buy anymore. Because that manufacturer was the face of our product. I would not have my customers treated to the same response. So, it works both ways. My supplier kept the business with another high end manufacturer getting the sales.

One of the things that appears on our advertising brochures is, "We are known by the companies we keep". Then we list the brand name products in our homes. We can't have shoddy products or customer service. Neither can a manufacturer have a shoddy dealer.

 

[drmnj]

So it was an HST issue, not really Simrad?


Wrong Wrong Wrong

1. This was not an incomplete internet post. HST is one of Simrad's recommended dealers. I was sold brand new equipment that did not have proper updated software. The new radar unit was also not working properly and had to be replaced.

2. The only reason I purchased Simrad was because I didn't have much of a choice. When I purchased my vessels it came with Simrad electronics. After a few months my Simrad CX44 quit working. It was only 5 years old with hardly any use. I contacted Simrad and they said that they discontinued that unit and did not carry parts for it, so it could not be fixed. No customer support at all. They had me contact HST. HST said they were going to give me credit for the CX44 and other Simrad electronics if I upgraded with Simrad. I believed I was in good hands. What HST did was give me some credit for my old Simrad electronics and then charged me higher than Simrad's discounted rate. The invoices were so ridiculous to figure out you would need an accountant. So basically it ended up I didn't get much of any discount. Buyer be ware.

3. I charter my vessel and did not have use of my Simrad sonar for 6 months. When I finally got a hold of the head honchos at Simrad, they said they were going to get things straightened out. They did finally get my sonar operating properly. They said they were going to look into the amount I was charged for my Simrad refit. I never heard back from them regarding that.

I will never purchase any Simrad products again nor would I ever recommend them to anyone. Also there operating manual for the sonar is a joke. Good luck trying to figure out how to use there sonar with there manual.