Dittel - Great Customer Service (UPS - not so much)

I think companies should get credit for good customer service and
should suffer the public consequences of poor service. In my recent
experience, Dittel gets top marks, UPS flunks.

I returned my FSG2T Dittel radio from the US to Germany for the
service bulletin repair (details discussed on r.a.s in recent months).
To make a long convoluted story shorter, UPS damaged it on the return
shipment to me (obvious shipping damage), whereupon I entered into a
seemingly endless series of phone calls, emails, delays, and visits to
UPS to try to resolve the situation. One of the problems was the
sometimes bizarre statements and totally conflicting directions
between the German and US sides of UPS (left hand had no idea what the
right hand was doing).

Throughout the process, Dittel stayed in close touch with me and
worked diligently on their end to get a resolution. In the end, UPS
refused to ship the unit back to Dittel for inspection/repair (Dittel
was willing to pay the return shipment, it appeared to me clearly
repairable) and instead insisted on a settlement with Dittel on a
damage claim. They only paid a fraction of the radio's cost, so Dittel
absorbed the majority of the cost to ship me a brand new radio at no
cost to me.

Dittel demonstrated outstanding support for their customer despite
problems that were not of their making. As to UPS, their ability to
deal with problems with international shipments was, at least in this
case, terrible. While I've had reasonable experience with UPS locally
(within the US), I'd offer this as a cautionary tale for anyone
thinking of using UPS internationally.

- Frank

Dittel really does deserve kudos! As for UPS, I learned back in the
1980s that if you really, truly wanted something to arrive without
damage, FedEx was the way to go. The only damage I ever had with
literally thousands of shipments of high dollar, heavy equipment was
when the customer put a fork lift through one of my boxes.

-John

On Mar 21, 8:04 am, V1 wrote:
I think companies should get credit for good customer service and
should suffer the public consequences of poor service. In my recent
experience, Dittel gets top marks, UPS flunks.

I returned my FSG2T Dittel radio from the US to Germany for the
service bulletin repair (details discussed on r.a.s in recent months).
To make a long convoluted story shorter, UPS damaged it on the return
shipment to me (obvious shipping damage), whereupon I entered into a
seemingly endless series of phone calls, emails, delays, and visits to
UPS to try to resolve the situation. One of the problems was the
sometimes bizarre statements and totally conflicting directions
between the German and US sides of UPS (left hand had no idea what the
right hand was doing).

Throughout the process, Dittel stayed in close touch with me and
worked diligently on their end to get a resolution. In the end, UPS
refused to ship the unit back to Dittel for inspection/repair (Dittel
was willing to pay the return shipment, it appeared to me clearly
repairable) and instead insisted on a settlement with Dittel on a
damage claim. They only paid a fraction of the radio's cost, so Dittel
absorbed the majority of the cost to ship me a brand new radio at no
cost to me.

Dittel demonstrated outstanding support for their customer despite
problems that were not of their making. As to UPS, their ability to
deal with problems with international shipments was, at least in this
case, terrible. While I've had reasonable experience with UPS locally
(within the US), I'd offer this as a cautionary tale for anyone
thinking of using UPS internationally.

- Frank

On Mar 21, 6:04*am, V1 wrote:
I think companies should get credit for good customer service and
should suffer the public consequences of poor service. In my recent
experience, Dittel gets top marks, UPS flunks.

I returned my FSG2T Dittel radio from the US to Germany for the
service bulletin repair (details discussed on r.a.s in recent months).
To make a long convoluted story shorter, UPS damaged it on the return
shipment to me (obvious shipping damage), whereupon I entered into a
seemingly endless series of phone calls, emails, delays, and visits to
UPS to try to resolve the situation. One of the problems was the
sometimes bizarre statements and totally conflicting directions
between the German and US sides of UPS (left hand had no idea what the
right hand was doing).

Throughout the process, Dittel stayed in close touch with me and
worked diligently on their end to get a resolution. In the end, UPS
refused to ship the unit back to Dittel for inspection/repair (Dittel
was willing to pay the return shipment, it appeared to me clearly
repairable) and instead insisted on a settlement with Dittel on a
damage claim. They only paid a fraction of the radio's cost, so Dittel
absorbed the majority of the cost to ship me a brand new radio at no
cost to me.

Dittel demonstrated outstanding support for their customer despite
problems that were not of their making. As to UPS, their ability to
deal with problems with international shipments was, at least in this
case, terrible. While I've had reasonable experience with UPS locally
(within the US), I'd offer this as a cautionary tale for anyone
thinking of using UPS internationally.

- Frank

It is unfortunate that many vendors use UPS exclusively. I have many
UPS horror stories, but no Fedex or USPS problems.
I shipped two FSG2T radios to Dittel via the USPS, and except for a
small hangup, due to a Customs requirement, (my fault, I think) had no
issues. As you said, Dittel was tops in their handling of the 'issue'
and the radios.
- Jim

As in "If it Ain't Boeing, I Ain't Going"
My experience over 20 years of shipping is;
If it Ain't FedEx, It Ain't Going"

Sounds like Dittle is a great vendor.

Wayne