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Discount for inconvenience?

sirhc16 | Posted in General Discussion on October 27, 2011 08:11am

Looking for opinions from some outsiders on a recent service call that I had…

I recently had my boiler serviced – nothing special, just routine cleaning.  However, after cleaning the unit and reassembling the heat exchanger, one of the internal gaskets failed to seal properly and the technician told me it would have to be replaced.  The only problem was that he did not have a replacement.  

He called around to a few supply houses in the area and wasn’t able to locate one in stock locally.  They were able to order one and have it shipped overnight and it was installed the next day.  However, I was without heat that night and the boiler is my source of DHW, which meant a cold shower the next day.  Also, I had to miss some unexpected work time while the technician visited my house the second time.  

My question is simply this – am I out of line to request some sort of compensation (discount or otherwise) for the inconvenience?  I got their bill today and they charged me full price for the service and the part.  I’m not suggesting it should be free, but I’d like to believe that if it were my company, I would have taken a little something off the bill as a gesture to the customer.

Part of my frustration is due to the fact that the service manual for my boiler states that this part should be inspected and replaced if necessary.  One of the reasons I chose this company is their claimed expertise with this manufacturer, including factory training. However, I feel as though they were unprepared for one of the likely scenarios, and that I suffered (albeit not greatly) as a result.  

Am I way off-base here?  What would you suggest as fair compensation for my troubles?

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Replies

  1. User avater
    MarkH | Oct 27, 2011 09:59pm | #1

    Well, I think you are off base.  It sounds like they did everything possible to get you up and running as fast as possible.  Overnight shipping is expensive, so I think you probably got as much as you could expect.

  2. DanH | Oct 27, 2011 10:27pm | #2

    You can always ask.

  3. calvin | Oct 27, 2011 10:39pm | #3

    I agree.......

    with Mark, they cannot be expected to stock all parts for all makes.  They also did find the problem and evidently a poor fit of this seal was deemed unsafe and you were aware of the need to shut it down (heat exchanger/CO emissions).

    Your inconvevience was just bad luck.

  4. User avater
    xxPaulCPxx | Oct 28, 2011 01:20am | #4

    I would call the manufacturer and ask "How often does part #34S457J-7 go bad when undergoing normal cleaning service?"

    If they say something like "Oh, that needs to be replaced after 5 years" or "It needs replavcement 50% of the time", then yes you should ask for a discount for a part the should have had on hand... you can soften the blow by asking fo a 20% discount on the price of your NEXT cleaning.

    I look at it this way, an oil change place does a $20 oil change to your car - it HAS to have a crush washer to replace the one it pulls off your car.  If not, they better pay for a tow to a garage the DOES have a crush washer, or rent you a car while they order the correct $.10 part.

  5. DaveRicheson | Oct 28, 2011 09:12am | #5

    Discount?

    Mark and Calvin are correct.

    Have you used this service for sevral years? If so, the failed gasket doesn't sound like it falls into the commonly seen problems that the tech would expect to find. Techs commonly carry  parts that routinely fail and the same for parts suppliers. If they both had to carry every concievable part to every system they serviced, you couldn't afford the service fee. All tha eventory has to be paid for when it is ordered from the manufacturer. His cost would be astronomical for parts that might lay on a self for years before being used.

    Inconvenient for you yes, but worth a discount, no.

  6. cussnu2 | Oct 28, 2011 09:59am | #6

    I'd give you a gesture.

    1. DanH | Oct 28, 2011 09:36pm | #7

      A gesture of good will, no doubt.

    2. davidmeiland | Oct 29, 2011 04:22am | #8

      Same here

  7. User avater
    kurt99 | Oct 29, 2011 11:46am | #9

    They could automatically replace it.

    One way for a service company to eliminate the problem you had is to automatically replace parts like the gasket everytime they do service.  Chances are, you wouldn't know that it isn't needed to be replaced everytime and end up paying to replace the gasket every year.  The fact that the local suppliers did not have the gasket tells me that either either your boiler is not very common in your area or the gasket doesn't need to be replaced very often

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