Matco Customer Service

[Farmrod]

To start with I have 3 88 tooth ratchets in need of repair two skip and one is just locked up tight I dont have a matco dealer I bought the ratchets through a friend who has since moved to a different job where he now doesnt have a matco driver either the nearest dealer offered to let me come meet him 60 miles away and in between my work and kid and running a farm i just dont have time to go drive 120 mile round trip for a few ratchets so I called matco sat on hold for 36 minutes and 22 seconds before a kind lady answered the phone I tell her my situation and she says she can give me the number to my regional manager well I talk to the regional manager and hes a total jerk says no way to get me any service unless i meet the dealer so i call matco back and ask the lady if there is any way to just get some ratchet kits sent out she is a rather hateful older lady and tells me there is no way to send me a kit I can send my ratchets in for complete exchange or see a dealer but no kits available now maybe im being too picky but for the price I paid you would think they would be more than happy to send me a kit for my broken ratchet thats the least they can do I mean heck its what snap on does for anyone who calls.. my biggest problem is the older lady told me the turn around time for sending in my 3 ratchets would be 6-8 weeks and i need to pay postage both ways thats just crazy am i being unfair is there any way to just get the kits and not be out weeks for new ratchets? and please by all means tell me if im way out in left field with this one but if this is the kind of service matco puts out ill go back to buying snap on only

 

[Seanbev24]

I don't think you're being out of line at all. To me, that kind of service is complete ********.

 

[freeskier]

oh customer service people...... call back every hour on the hour

 

[jjjrmx5]

I don't think you're being out of line at all. To me, that kind of service is complete ********.

^^^^^^
I agree 100%.

Easy fix is to talk to and work thru your local driver. Obviously, that is not gonna work.

With the regional mgr. being less than helpful, your options are limited.

Send broken tools in, one at time to ensure they are sending you back either repaired or new and equal product, or hunt down a closer Matco dealer or a dealer that is willing to work with you on the sly and via e-mail.

I;m not a big fan of sending off a valuable item in the "hopes" of it being repaired, replaced or even sent back. I've been there, done that and have the t-shirt.

FWIW, I even delight in paying for rebuild kits if I sent my tools in--as long as I GET MY SH%T BACK. That's not always happened.

A nice old-fashioned letter off to Matco may help clarify procedeure ( can't be deleted or unread a'la e-mail) and then a request to help solve your problem.

A local driver and really, only a good driver, may have made your plight easier. Now, not so much.

Best of luck.

 

[scott37300]

Did you try calling the driver that is 60 miles away? Maybe he will work with you. Could send you the kits, you might have to pick up shipping but that shouldn't be more than 5 bucks or so. It's not the ideal way but might be the easiest way.

 

[ibedayank]

you pay a premium for that warranty and then its made a hassle to use...
COMPLETE ********
at least with crapsmans you dont get a hassle just another ratchet
or rebuild kit

 

[fatboy99]

You must have talked to the same Regional Manager that our Matco dealer brought with him a couple of weeks ago! I told my dealer if he brings that Jackass back again id throw them both out !!

 

[mrshaun]

just call back and see if you can get another customer service person.

 

[Farmrod]

Did you try calling the driver that is 60 miles away? Maybe he will work with you. Could send you the kits, you might have to pick up shipping but that shouldn't be more than 5 bucks or so. It's not the ideal way but might be the easiest way.

Tried calling him to work something out I was told the only way he could and would warranty my ratchets is to physically do the replacement himself...I think I'm gonna try calling back a few more times before I trade these in to my snap on guy

 

[MoToys]

That's some crappy customer service.
Not sure if it will work but what about a rebuild kit for the new craftsman premium ratchet. Interchangeable?

 

[Wrenches of Death]

I talk to the regional manager and hes a total jerk says no way to get me any service unless i meet the dealer so i call matco back and ask the lady if there is any way to just get some ratchet kits sent out she is a rather hateful older lady and tells me there is no way to send me a kit I can send my ratchets in for complete exchange or see a dealer

It'd be ashamed if the telephone number for the jerk regional manager ended up on the bathroom stall walls of every public crapper you visit.

Did you try to buy the kits? They can't be that expensive. Buy three and rebuild your ratchets and then send the kits in to exchange for new kits at a later date.

Over the years, I've mailed dead kits back to Snap-on, Mac, and Proto.

WoD

 

[Farmrod]

It'd be ashamed if the telephone number for the jerk regional manager ended up on the bathroom stall walls of every public crapper you visit.

Did you try to buy the kits? They can't be that expensive. Buy three and rebuild your ratchets and then send the kits in to exchange for new kits at a later date.

Over the years, I've mailed dead kits back to Snap-on, Mac, and Proto.

WoD

$22 a kit plus shipping I thought it was kind of crazy

 

[Wrenches of Death]

$22 a kit plus shipping I thought it was kind of crazy

That's totally ridiculous. I'd end up costing you probably seventy five dollars to rebuild the three of them. Pricing like that makes me wonder about their current financial state.

Kit pricing like that will keep me from ever buying one of their ratchets. New or used.

WoD

 

[wrenchr]

Go thru the website, you have to setup an acct but it does not cost anything and then you go thru the process to get a RMA# and then you send it in per matcos instructions and they cover postage back to you. Should take 2 weeks but it is painless.

 

[czgunner]

I had a set of their rounded bolt extractors.
Several of the bits were pretty rounded out.
I went to their webpage and requested a warranty exchange, explained that of my SET, 3 were useless. I printed out the authorization page and sent the set in.
One week later I had a COMPLETE brand new set at my door.
That's what I recommend doing.....

 

[Even 11]

I am with Wrenchr and CZ gunner, I have mailed in a few tools to the big 3 tool companies and Matco was the quickest easiest and most painless of the 3. Since it sounds like none of these ratchets are in heavy rotation, mail in all 3 in a FRB for $5-15 and get brand new ones back in 7-10 days! I haven't had a Matco dealer in years but I still think they are high quality tools and its worth my time to mail them in.

-Dane

 

[Eagle Point]

Call the "Boss" of the regional manager and inform him that a "Nice" letter is being mailed out to upper management to explain the situation which will include his manager starting at the very top and watch what happens. The **** will run down hill and I'll bet that your problem will be handled.....

 

[hammergodthor]

Go thru the website, you have to setup an acct but it does not cost anything and then you go thru the process to get a RMA# and then you send it in per matcos instructions and they cover postage back to you. Should take 2 weeks but it is painless.

This is the way to do it, it's worked good for me.

http://www.matcotools.com/registration/register.jsp



I was about to post a Matco rant out here as well when I read yours. I live in a metro area of 2.2 million people and last time I called Matco, (last November) they told me there were no dealers in my area (ANYWHERE!!!), and they gave me the number to a knucklehead rep who hadn't been on the job more than a month, and never called me back. I need some toolbox parts (ballbearing slides exploded, wheels broke) and can't get ANY help from the buttheads at Matco. (have to talk to a local distributor, can't order any parts over the phone) I finally gave up and bought another toolbox.

Good luck, keep us updated.

 

[briggsguy17]

There is a lesson to be learned in this situation. That is: When making a tool purchase decision, make sure that there is enough local support for service after the sale.......

 

[dsan]

Call the "Boss" of the regional manager and inform him that a "Nice" letter is being mailed out to upper management to explain the situation which will include his manager starting at the very top and watch what happens. The **** will run down hill and I'll bet that your problem will be handled.....

And include a printout of this thread.

 

[freeskier]

maybe some one on here does live near a matco guy and could do the exchange through the mail and in person for the OP? shipping might be rough and i know its the principle that counts but its a suggestion

 

[Farmrod]

I'm not against shipping the things in but I was raised not to waste and sending in a perfectly good ratchet that just needs new guts for an all together new ratchet just seems very wasteful and I feel as if society accepts it way too much all I want is new kits I have an email sent to a higher up we will see where it goes..

 

[DodgeZ]

I'm not against shipping the things in but I was raised not to waste and sending in a perfectly good ratchet that just needs new guts for an all together new ratchet just seems very wasteful and I feel as if society accepts it way too much all I want is new kits I have an email sent to a higher up we will see where it goes..

Was this the Matco you just bought?

 

[tonydanzah]

wow your parents were very specific in raising you about proper ratchet warranty edicate

 

[Farmrod]

Was this the Matco you just bought?

No the ratchet I just bought is a 60 tooth I've heard good things about them so I thought id snag them for my brother in law as a graduation present

And my parents raised me to not throw anything out that can be fixed not just ratchets

 

[Wrenches of Death]

And my parents raised me to not throw anything out that can be fixed not just ratchets

Mine did the same.

Sadly, the prevailing attitude in this country for the last twenty years or so has shifted into more of a "disposible" mindset.

"Oh, the xxxxxxx is broken, throw it away and buy a new one."

The other quote that the average consumer will parrot is, "It's cheaper to buy a new one."

Yeah, if you're a klutz, it probably is.

Hopefully they'll get a chance to reflect on all of the useless consumer junk they pissed away their life's earnings on while they rot away from leprosy, while living in a big cardboard box, next to an old burnt out van down by the river.

WoD

 

[Farmrod]

well for an update ive sent 5 different emails to the matco team and have not one response these ratchets will be going to the snap on truck this coming wednesday to trade for something i can actually use

 

[DodgeZ]

well for an update ive sent 5 different emails to the matco team and have not one response these ratchets will be going to the snap on truck this coming wednesday to trade for something i can actually use

what kind are they?

 

[Farmrod]

Just received an email from matco saying they will send me the kits asap I'll post back if I receive the kits