Gerbings non-responsive-connection with buyout?

[Ohio_Danimal]

I have been trying in vain for days to get in touch with Gerbings to have warranty work done on my jacket liner (wire brke going to gloves, and junction area falling apart)

I looked and looked for alternate contact info (all their phones are permanently busy, and no reply to emails) and found this news from 12/5 that Gerbings has been aquired:

http://gerbing.com/news/recentNews.php

I just sent an email to Mr. Nolan as per that posting, and will report back if/when I do hear something.

Hope this isn't the beginning of the end....

[Ohio_Danimal]

WOW...that was a fast reply from CEO Tom Nolan. Here is the email below, posted with Mr. Nolan's permission:

Yes of course. Feel free to post Daniel.
Brandon/Denney, can you get Daniel the info he needs please?

Daniel, we just transitioned new ownership and moved customer service from WA to NC, its been a bit disruptive as you can imagine, but we are full steam ahead and should be fixed asap. Timing isn't great in season with holidays, etc.

Keep me posted, we will address your issues and all.
Thomas J. Nolan
President & CEO
Gerbing's, LLC
mobile: 336-613-6101
www.coreheat.net

---

From: Daniel Byers
Date: Wed, 12 Dec 2012 21:11:47 +0000
To: 'Tom.nolan@gerbing.com'<Tom.nolan@gerbing.com>
Subject: FW: Warranty issues, cannot get through

Mr. Nolan,

Please see below concerning a warranty issue I have, and the problems I am having getting in touch with Gerbings. Perhaps all phones are disconnected??

Per your post on Gerbing’s website, can you assist?

Can I post your response online on Adventure Rider? I am sure there are others with problems that are having difficulties getting in touch.

Please advise,

Daniel Byers
AMRESCO LLC Purchasing Agent

[bomber60015]

Given that the new owers had to know of the manufacturing shift back to the states, this might be the exception that proves the rule wrt companies being purchased and and becoming less than they were . . . .

Active month . . . Klim, Gerbings . . . .

[dmftoy1]

Well I've been through the venture capitalist thing and I have to say it made our company stronger. Hopefully same will happen for Gerbings. Absolutely love my gear from them.

[jbhawley]

I had a similar issue just this week. Here is the email string. NOTE: I received a near immediate reply from Mr. Nolan.

:::Begin Email String:::

Guys please confirm.

Very welcome John, again I am sorry. Its completely unacceptable for a customer to be unhappy because we don't answer phones, its embarrassing, I sincerely apologize.

Thanks.

Charles, again only as an fyi.

Tom Thomas J. Nolan
President & CEO
Gerbing's, LLC
mobile: 336-613-6101
www.coreheat.net

---

From: "Hawley, John" >
Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:54:24 +0000
To: tom.nolan@gerbing.com; denney@gerbing.com; Angie Purgason; Brandon Breeding
Cc: Charles Cronn
Subject: RE: Gerbings Warranty Work - Stoneville


Wow, Thanks for the very prompt reply.

Yes, a permanent mounted dual controller (TCPTD). I purchased the controller I currently have from Capitol BMW in Raleigh NC on 1/27/2011 as they are one of your resellers. See attachment for invoice.

I will gladly elaborate on the issue I am having with the control unit if needed. Let me know.

My mailing address:

Many thanks!

Thank You!
John Hawley, Jr

---

From: Tom Nolan [mailto:tom.nolan@gerbing.com]
Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2012 6:45 AM
To: Hawley, John; denney@gerbing.com; Angie Purgason; Brandon Breeding
Cc: Charles Cronn
Subject: Re: Gerbings Warranty Work - Stoneville




John,

I am certain we have a controller in the store or our warehouse outside the store. No need to come in. Let me know what you need is it a dual controller? I will send you a new one. Unacceptable, I agree. We are fixing it.

Get us your address and I'll send you one today.

Angie/Brandon/Denney,

Why on Earth are phones never answered? If its too much trouble, have the calls transfered to my office or my cell phone, because I'll make the time to answer the phone if I need to.

Brandon/Angie, leaving it to you guys to sort out the phone nonsense by weeks end. No reason a call should never be answered by someone!

Thanks, John, again I am very sorry. We will send you a new unit.

Tom Thomas J. Nolan
President & CEO
Gerbing's, LLC
mobile: 336-613-6101
www.coreheat.net

---

From: "Hawley, John" >
Date: Thu, 13 Dec 2012 11:40:40 +0000
To: Tom.nolan@gerbing.com
Subject: Gerbings Warranty Work - Stoneville


Mr. Nolan,
Please allow me to elaborate a bit on a Gerbings product issue and customer service with your company.

On Tuesday 12/11/2012 I contacted your Washington office (customer service) and spoke with Linda about an issue I am having with my Gerbings Permanent Mounted Dual Heat Controller. I will avoid going into detail on the actual issue with the controller.

Linda said that Gerbings was out of stock on a replacement controller and would not have any available until late January 2013. She then suggested contacting the Stoneville NC facility, of which she gave the phone number, and set up an appointment for me to visit the Stoneville facility and have those folks look at the faulty controller and possible repair on site. I live near Wilson NC, some 2 hours or so from Stoneville, so a short ride would not be too much trouble if I could get the controller repaired sooner than January. I ride my motorbike everyday, year round and heated gear is a tremendous asset that keeps me on the road.

I called Stoneville (336-573-1210) Tuesday after speaking with Linda. The automated greeting said to press 313 for the retail store. I did. I was disconnected without ever getting to a person or a voicemail box. I called three times with the same results. I called back yesterday, Wednesday, and decided to just start randomly entering extensions hoping to speak to a real person. I did get to a voice mail, but cannot remember the person or extension. I explained my issue and gave my name and number for a call back. I figured that if that was not the correct person that I needed to speak to then surely my message would get routed to the proper person. No reply.

Thus my email to you today.

Could you have one of your team members contact me so I can set up an appointment as stated to have the controller looked at by your repair team. My home number: . Cell number:


I look forward to a reply from you and/or your company representative. Thank you for your time.

Thank You!

John Hawley, Jr
BB&T Web Support
Web Engineer III
Assistant Vice President

[jbhawley]

A short follow up to my issue and communication with the New Gerbings.
After my email communication with Mr. Nolan I received no less than 5 phone calls from various Gerbings employees. These calls were to get my mailing address for a replacement part...to make sure I got the part...to make sure the part worked...to make sure my issue had been addressed completely. I think I had the replacement controller within a couple days.
I was nearly overwhelmed. I think Mr Nolan has cracked the proverbial whip in Stoneville NC, where Gerbings products are now made. Kudos for him "doing the needful" and providing great customer service. My only issue is that I had to go to the TOP man at a company to get any action, this is a bit disappointing with the "underlings" he has on the payroll. But I digress...

[Ohio_Danimal]

Not sure if Mr. Nolan has got things in order yet. someone posted on ADV yesterday a similar tale of woe about gerbings customer service.

I gave that person Tom Nolan's email address to contact.

Now the entire thread has been deleted

[Tsotsie]

Tom Nolan is very responsive, but his team is letting him down badly.

I am still waiting for an appropriate response to my questions from them. Going on 2 weeks now.

[Ohio_Danimal]

Originally Posted by Tsotsie

Tom Nolan is very responsive, but his team is letting him down badly.

I am still waiting for an appropriate response to my questions from them. Going on 2 weeks now.

Here are the email addresses for the underlings:

denney@gerbing.com

bbreeding@gerbing.com


Make sure to email them directly, ccing Nolan.

[Mr. B]

I had a problem with a heated liner. The local vendor told me to contact Gerbings for a warranty repair and ship it back. He did warn me that they are going through a big move and that my repair might take a few months. He suggested that because it could be a while, that I should wait until I was done riding for the season before sending it in.

Anyway when I called, I got a helpful human being right away. It did take about 3-4 weeks, but my liner came back yesterday.

[Nophix]

The gent has one hell of a background in sales&marketing, so he should know how to treat a customer. Looks like he's working his tail off to get Gerbings transitioned.

Hopefully his team doesn't let him down, because what he's doing can be a daunting task. Looks like he's got his head on straight, though.

[barbos]

I've had a jacket liner backordered since the beginning of November. There was no indication it was backordered, until I received everything else and checked the packing slip.

I emailed them in November asking when I could expect the liner. I was told they were backordered and it would be weeks, but could not get any realistic timeline.

I've been trying to follow up with them lately to see if I could get an updated timeline, or if maybe I won't need it anymore once winter is over.

So far I have yet to receive any response.

[barbos]

I found an email for Greg on Gerbings facebook page. I emailed him directly and they overnighted my missing jacket liner to me. Not sure what happened during the transition, but hopefully they will get their issues ironed out. They at least appear to be working on it.

[fractalsource]

Just sayin.
Mid December my Gerbing Jacket was malfunctioned.
A 4XL.
FOUR months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Still waiting for my replacement on a faulty jacket!!!! -
It is almost summer now and no one thinks that is strange?
Hello Gerbing !! You owe me!!

More later; - Just ask "BMW Boise" about China. They all have a lame excuse. Meanwhile I have been lighting matches in my North Face Parka- and it's almost April.

[URAL CT]

Originally Posted by fractalsource

Just sayin.
Mid December my Gerbing Jacket was malfunctioned.
A 4X.
FOUR months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Still waiting for my replacement on a faulty jacket!!!! -
It is almost summer now and no one thinks that is strange?
Hello Gerbing !! You owe me!!

More later; - Just ask "BMW Boise" about China. They all have a lame excuse. Meanwhile I have been lighting matches in my North Face Parka- and it's almost April. :

Good luck on that bud..I gave up. My Jacket liner & gloves crapped out, extension cords from jacket to a glove melted...just poor quality, workmanship, & material. That is what we're getting by shipping our products to be manufactured in China, BTDT. I used to have great respect for gerbing products but no more. Customer service flat out denied my request to have it repaired cuz I did not have the receipt...understandable...but I wasn't returning it asking for my money back, I just wanted it repaired, not even replaced...basically the wiring. It frays easily & that was the issue plus the glove to jacket wires are too short, could have been 3" longer. It was a gerbing product, the logo says so. I was bummed out when their customer service did not do any service to the customer. I beached at the dealer I bought it from...they had a record, so off it goes to get repaired...came back still sheitey. Now I'm looking at W&S, maybe they will better treat their customer....dunno. Rant over.