My problems with Kamado Corp.
David S
return phone calls?
Here is a little history and recap of my problem. I received my #7 in
July 2001. About July 2005 it started cracking. August 8, 2005 I
e-mailed customer service about the cracks. The two people in customer
service have responded quickly to e-mails and returned my phone calls.
After many e-mails with pictures of the cracks on November 19 I was
e-mailed that I would get a replacement top and bottom under warranty.
I would have to use all my old hardware and pay the freight charges.
The order was sent to the factory for the replacement parts on Nov. 19.
The only contact from the sales office has been an invoice dated
December 16, 2005 for the items I ordered to be shipped with the
replacement parts. I have e-mailed and called the sales office several
times about shipping dates. They have not answered any e-mails or
returned any phone calls. If sales would have just answered a simple
question this post would not have happened and I would not have the bad
feeling I have.
It is now March 16, 2006. About 8 months since the first e-mail and I
am still waiting for an answer. When will Kamado ship the replacement
parts?
David Spradling
Stan (the Man)
Have you tried posting this to the Kamado forum?
<http://www.kamado.com/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi>
--
Stan
David S
Tania
that out for everyone to see! I've had problems with their service --
but nothing like yours. Even so, I completely had lost my patience
with them. Can I make a recommendation?
Call EVERY day. Sooner or later they will get tired of talking and
actually do something... maybe!
Kevin S. Wilson
Yes, they'll do something. They'll rummage around in the shoebox that
passes for a filing system and re-open your "trouble ticket," placing
you more or less back where you were to begin with.
They're hopeless. You're hosed. They still owe me $156 after
double-charging my credit card and charging me for stainless-steel
bands that were supposed to be included for free. That was at least
two years ago.
I could've sold a dozen Kamados for them by word of mouth since buying
mine, but I no longer recommend them simply because of abysmal
customer service and flaky quality control.
As for the cracks: Is your K a textured model? All of my textured Ks
have numerous cracks running through the bottom half. They're
unsightly, and they annoy me because they shouldn't be there, but they
don't seem to have any effect on the K's functionality. I've seen
another textured K with ginormous, flaking cracks that still works
fine. The owner gave up on trying to get Kamado to replace it.
David S
is completely thru from top to bottom. Bottom has 2 all the way thru.
Had an e-mail from Richard and he will let me know later today about the
shipment date.
Stan (the Man)
Yeah, I read their posting guidelines after I offered you my suggestion.
Apparently, they want only a happy little group with no hint of any
visible dissatisfaction with their product.
You might consider sending them one more letter telling them that if you
don't get a response and some resolution to your problem you'll send a
complaint to your state's Attorney General. Then, if they don't respond,
follow through and send the complaint.
I can tell you this: Based on your and other posts I've seen about
Kamado's poor response to complaints, I'll never buy one of their units.
They charge too much money for them to treat their customers like crap.
--
Stan
Kevin S. Wilson
<skNO...@optonline.net.INVALID> wrote:
>David S wrote:
>> Stan (the Man) wrote:
>>> David S wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Have you tried posting this to the Kamado forum?
>>> <http://www.kamado.com/cgi-bin/discus/discus.cgi>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Stan
>>>
>>>
>> Yes the post plus responds were removed.
>
>Yeah, I read their posting guidelines after I offered you my suggestion.
>Apparently, they want only a happy little group with no hint of any
>visible dissatisfaction with their product.
Their server, their rules.
Default User
> I can tell you this: Based on your and other posts I've seen about
> Kamado's poor response to complaints, I'll never buy one of their
> units. They charge too much money for them to treat their customers
> like crap.
It does sort of boggle the mind a bit. Contrast that with Weber. You
can buy a $69 bottom-line kettle from them, and they treat you like
royalty when you contact them. When a bunch of us were buying WSMs
through Amazon, some had theirs arrived damaged in one way or another.
Weber didn't pass the buck to the shipping company (although probably
their fault) or the retailer, they just shipped out whatever parts were
needed to make it right.
Brian
--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)
Denny Wheeler
wrote:
>They're hopeless. You're hosed. They still owe me $156 after
>double-charging my credit card and charging me for stainless-steel
>bands that were supposed to be included for free. That was at least
>two years ago.
Did you contact the CC-issuing bank and contest the charges? "Merch
paid for but not received" is the #1 contesting issue--and the one
most likely to go in your favor.
--
-denny-
"Do your thoughts call ahead or do they just arrive at your mouth unannounced?"
"It's come as you are, baby."
-over the hedge
Denny Wheeler
wrote:
>>Yeah, I read their posting guidelines after I offered you my suggestion.
>>Apparently, they want only a happy little group with no hint of any
>>visible dissatisfaction with their product.
>
>Their server, their rules.
And SUCH a good way to build customer satisfaction and get some
word-of-mouth advertising. Except they ain't getting the kind most
companies want.
I might want a ceramic-type one day--it won't be from Kamado.
Kevin S. Wilson
<den...@TANSTAAFL.zipcon.net.INVALID> wrote:
>On Thu, 16 Mar 2006 09:03:01 -0700, Kevin S. Wilson <res...@spro.net>
>wrote:
>
>>They're hopeless. You're hosed. They still owe me $156 after
>>double-charging my credit card and charging me for stainless-steel
>>bands that were supposed to be included for free. That was at least
>>two years ago.
>
>Did you contact the CC-issuing bank and contest the charges? "Merch
>paid for but not received" is the #1 contesting issue--and the one
>most likely to go in your favor.
Nope. I was still working with them to get the matter straightened out
when the time limit for contesting the charges passed. If I had it to
do over again, I wouldn't mess about with butterflies or daffodils. It
would have been charge-backs and lazers, eight o'clock, day one.
Joshua
considered buying their product can tell them exactly why we won't be doing
so in light of their "customer service"
"David S" <dspra...@cox.net> wrote in message
news:SGeSf.249743$oG.127248@dukeread02...
tom
"Joshua" <Jos...@Jericho.net> wrote in message
news:r6ednWylq-t...@adelphia.com...
Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time
2375 Paseo De Las Americas #3310, San Diego, CA 92154
Phone 877-257-6871 or 619-819 5120 Fax: 270-518-2962
East Coast Office Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time
Phone: 804-915-7411 or 877-627-2549
For more information, email questions to: sa...@kamado.com
Please email all service issues to: ser...@kamado.com
Kevin
David - I think I could have written that email. I'm only 5 months into it.
The base of my K has actually crumbled. The top has cracks all the way
through - so much that smoke comes out. Or did the last time I used it
before the bottom started crumbling.
I **supposedly** have a ship date of the first week of April. I don't
believe it though because they haven't been responding (again). I just
need them to correct the address. Their latest email said it would take 6
weeks because they had to order the green tile. Huh? Their second most
popular tile color and they have to order it?
I'm thinking to file complaints with the AG and the BBB. Not that it will
do any good, but it will make me feel better.
I also posted on their forum and it also got deleted. I understand their
server, their rules, but they don't follow their own rules. It's not
supposed to be "business" on the forum, but yet new product announcements
and sales announcements are posted - that's "business".
I love the cooker, hate the company. When I first contacted them, with
pictures of it crumbling, they wanted to SELL me a replacement. It was
around Thanksgiving and I was in the holiday mood so I called several times
(not the actual holiday of course) and was going to pay. Then sanity set in
and I realized how stupid it was of them to ask for payment to cover the
warranty. If they had just answered the phone. How can they even make new
sells when no one ever answers the phone? I've called at least 40 times and
never got a live person.
Un friggin believable.
Kevin
TFM®
I used to work for Kamado and while there, drunken lunch hours and naked
women were the norm.
It's a wonder anything at all gets done there.
These people spend more time on the bong than on the phone.
I was actually fired for suggesting someone take a call rather than let
it go through the 'automated' process.
If you do actually get contact with a human, don't expect much. These
people are seriously stoned.
Seriously, I've never even seen a Kamado in person.
That story was all bullshit, but it does ring true from what I've read.
Somebody said they were getting better on the customer support end.
Evidently that's all bullshit too.
From what I know from friends that have them, they're wonderful cooking
machines. From what I know from same said friends, they move *way*
slower than a snail.
Patience and persistence my friend.
--
TFM®
Chef Juke
>Seriously, I've never even seen a Kamado in person.
>
>That story was all bullshit, but it does ring true from what I've read.
>
>Somebody said they were getting better on the customer support end.
>Evidently that's all bullshit too.
>
> From what I know from friends that have them, they're wonderful cooking
>machines. From what I know from same said friends, they move *way*
>slower than a snail.
>
>Patience and persistence my friend.
Dang.
I seem to have had only good luck with them. Okay, so my first
Kamado, a #7, ordered back in...dang, when was that? 2003? Yup,
2003. Anyway, it was about 3 weeks late. That was WAY AHEAD of
schedule for them back then.
In 2004 I ordered another K, A #9 that would be coming from their new
Mexico facilities. It came on time as I recall. Both work great.
Only issues I've had have been replacing the gasket on the #7 after 3
years and just recently the handle of the #9 cracked a bit after a
cold spell (but the unit is fine).
Met Richard and family at a brief stop at the Kamado picnic a few
years back. Was kinda cool to see all the different models from many
different years.
From my interactions with Richard (a few phone calls around the time
of my first Kamado purchase and meeting him at the picnic) he seems to
be a nice guy, with a decent IDEA and product (sometimes) but seems to
suffer from SEVERE Business myopia. Can't seem to organize his
business to perform the basic logistics. I don't know if it's a
cash-flow problem or what, exactly, but he simply can't seem to be
able to run his business well.
To be honest, the best move he could make would be to let a person or
company who is effective at marketing and logistics take over and keep
him on as president emeritus on a guaranteed income. As many decent
business analysts will tell you, more often than not, the Entrepreneur
who starts a business can only take it so far, then you need another
kind of manager to take it to the next level. Kamado Corp. will ALWAYS
be stuck at the same level until they either die or find a person or
company to help take them to the next level.
Right now the market seems to be growing for high-end outdoor cookers,
kitchens, etc. Seems like every month I see a new addition to the
upscale cookers lineup. Kamado could be riding on top of that wave,
but will probably never do the kind of biz it could because it refuses
to acknowledge the aformentioned problems in it's business structure.
Too bad. Bet you if I took a few of my companies lower echelon sales
reps, biz analysts and marketing folks (and maybe throw in a little
bit of my Support savvy) in one year we could turn that puppy around.
Increase sales, profits AND customer satisfaction.
It could happen....
(Hey, after the Red Sox won the series, ANYTHING's possible)
;-)
-Chef Juke
"EVERYbody Eats When They Come To MY House!"
www.chefjuke.com
Steve
incompetent and ignorant family management. They rarely meet their
commitments, don't pay their vendors, and have a worthless 'guarantee'
as has been mentioned by others. Nothing but excuses ad nauseam and a
bunch of rah-rah cheerleader forum fanboys enabling their pathetic
service. Pile on their ForumNazi killing any message that remotely
calls Johnson out and you have a perfect pile of crap.
Check out http://www.komodokamado.com/, http://www.biggreenegg.com/,
http://www.grilldome.com/, or http://www.primogrill.com/ if you still
want a ceramic cooker. But remember the Kamado Corp. mantra
everyone else stole Richard, The Great's idea. They all seem to be
doing much better than he, it seems.
Denny Wheeler
wrote:
>On Thu, 16 Mar 2006 14:09:11 -0800, Denny Wheeler
><den...@TANSTAAFL.zipcon.net.INVALID> wrote:
>
>>On Thu, 16 Mar 2006 09:03:01 -0700, Kevin S. Wilson <res...@spro.net>
>>wrote:
>>
>>>They're hopeless. You're hosed. They still owe me $156 after
>>>double-charging my credit card and charging me for stainless-steel
>>>bands that were supposed to be included for free. That was at least
>>>two years ago.
>>
>>Did you contact the CC-issuing bank and contest the charges? "Merch
>>paid for but not received" is the #1 contesting issue--and the one
>>most likely to go in your favor.
>
>Nope. I was still working with them to get the matter straightened out
>when the time limit for contesting the charges passed. If I had it to
>do over again, I wouldn't mess about with butterflies or daffodils. It
>would have been charge-backs and lazers, eight o'clock, day one.
For a double-charge, you should still be able to get some help from
the CC co. And if you have documentation on the "working with them"
that time limit may be waived. I'd at least try.
kilikini
"Chef Juke" <ju...@NOTQUITEchef.net> wrote in message
news:d8fk1294rhctb5p92...@4ax.com...
Shoots, they can hire me and I'll take care of their business for them.
Guaranteed I can do a better job than they seem to be doing.
kili
J.P.
your own server and posting rules. Sure, it wouldn't be linked on
kamado.com but in this day and age it's extremely easy to setup and
promote a forum site without spending a lot of money.
I assume you post on other BBQ forums/sites/user groups? Darn easy to
put the forum's URL in your posting signature.
Just a thought...
JP
Kevin S. Wilson
wrote:
>Bet you if I took a few of my companies lower echelon sales
>reps, biz analysts and marketing folks (and maybe throw in a little
>bit of my Support savvy) in one year we could turn that puppy around.
>Increase sales, profits AND customer satisfaction.
No doubt. And then -- in the words of a Kamado owner, former CEO of a
major computer manufacturer, and present board member of a
venture-capital firm who has talked at length with Richard about his
business -- you would hand them the keys and in six months they'd be
right back where they started.
Kevin S. Wilson
>They rarely meet their
>commitments, don't pay their vendors, and have a worthless 'guarantee'
>as has been mentioned by others.
You can back up that second claim, right?
Buck
>cheerleader forum fanboys enabling their pathetic service.
>Pile on their ForumNazi killing any message that remotely
>calls Johnson out and you have a perfect pile of crap.
Go to ANY ceramic BBQ forum and you'll find just as many cheerleaders
mixed in with good useful information. Kamado has far more latitude on
their forum than most. Making an effort to explain the forum rules is
hardly Nazi tactics. Breath a word about support issues or god forbid
a competitors product on any of the other forums and see how quickly
you get dog piled by the members before your post gets pulled. People
love their grills and show it with fierce brand loyalty.
Based on information I found on Kamado's own forum (that is still there
today) I knew there were customer service issues. I weighed that
against the product and it wasn't a difficult choice to go ahead with
a purchase. At the end of the day their mission in life is NOT to rip
you off.
Spend any time interacting with Kamado and it becomes obvious they are
a small quirky family business that happens to produce an amazing
product. Part of the allure is that they are NOT Weber. There's no
question a good manufacturing / distribution company could come in and
clean things up. Watch the price go way up in the process. It's not
the "fanboys enabling their pathetic service", it's their sales.
People are lining up to have their hand tiled cooker built to order and
shipped.
To the guy who compared their service to Weber.....do yourself a favor
and stick with Weber.
Buck
BOB
:: On 16 Mar 2006 07:22:10 -0800, "Tania" <tan...@earthlink.net>
wrote:
::
::
:: They're hopeless. You're hosed. They still owe me $156 after
:: double-charging my credit card and charging me for stainless-steel
:: bands that were supposed to be included for free. That was at least
:: two years ago.
If I remember correctly, you entered a contest with specific prizes
offered. After winning, you chose to ask for an upgrade/downgrade
(whatever). I'm guessing that an agreement was made. Considering the
way you twist facts (google is everyone's friend), I'll assume that
you've munged at least a fact or two in your version.
I, also, entered this same contest. I also asked to change the prize
offered. I was given the price increase, agreed to it, and my order
was shipped some time later, at my decision.
Now, maybe we can all understand why most contests will *NOT* let the
winners change and/or substitute the prizes offered.
BOB
who is sure KSW will twist a thing or 2 in my post
--
Raw Meat Should NOT Have An Ingredients List
Default User
> To the guy who compared their service to Weber.....do yourself a favor
> and stick with Weber.
What's your problem with Weber, exactly?
Kevin S. Wilson
>Kevin S. Wilson wrote:
>:: On 16 Mar 2006 07:22:10 -0800, "Tania" <tan...@earthlink.net>
>wrote:
>::
>::
>:: They're hopeless. You're hosed. They still owe me $156 after
>:: double-charging my credit card and charging me for stainless-steel
>:: bands that were supposed to be included for free. That was at least
>:: two years ago.
>::
>If I remember correctly, you entered a contest with specific prizes
>offered. After winning, you chose to ask for an upgrade/downgrade
>(whatever). I'm guessing that an agreement was made. Considering the
>way you twist facts (google is everyone's friend), I'll assume that
>you've munged at least a fact or two in your version.
That's an awful lot of words just to call me a liar, you insufferable
putz. Go do your own homework, Sparky, if google is your good friend.
I'm not here to reprise for you what's already been covered, just
because you're a slow learner, but here's the Cliff Notes version:
1. Stainless steel bands were included as part of the prize. I was
charged for them.
2. Accessories ordered as part of the same shipment were charged to my
card twice.
You think you could maybe remember that much for a day or two, just to
save us some time and effort in explaining it again?
>I, also, entered this same contest. I also asked to change the prize
>offered. I was given the price increase, agreed to it, and my order
>was shipped some time later, at my decision.
Then you ought to know that from a paperwork/processing point of view,
there was nothing whatsoever special about those shipments. They were
handled as standard orders. You would know this, that is, if you
weren't a moron.
>Now, maybe we can all understand why most contests will *NOT* let the
>winners change and/or substitute the prizes offered.
>BOB
>who is sure KSW will twist a thing or 2 in my post
Why bother? You do a fine job of looking like a putz all on your own.
Red
"Steve" <timefo...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1142578176.8...@e56g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
> Kamado Corp. has been a disaster for years. Nice cooker with
> incompetent and ignorant family management. They rarely meet their
> commitments, don't pay their vendors, and have a worthless 'guarantee'
> as has been mentioned by others. Nothing but excuses ad nauseam and a
> bunch of rah-rah cheerleader forum fanboys enabling their pathetic
> service. Pile on their ForumNazi killing any message that remotely
> calls Johnson out and you have a perfect pile of crap.
Can't say in the five years I've been dealing with Kamado I've had any of
the issues raised here. Everything has been roughly as promised, and the
quality of the K is unbeatable.
My problem is, that even though it'll be 25 degrees with a stiff wind
tonight, once I start the lump and load the 2 pork butts and 14lb brisket
I'll have nothing to do all night except watch a little B-ball and enjoy a
few beers.
Sorry if my fanboying is enabling this Nazi regime, but I think it's okay to
be happy about a smoker that'll run 16 hours on one load of lump at 230 in
these conditions.
If you're looking for the perfect pile of crap, try congress.
Red
Steve Calvin
> Buck wrote:
>
>
>
>
>>To the guy who compared their service to Weber.....do yourself a favor
>>and stick with Weber.
>
>
> What's your problem with Weber, exactly?
>
>
>
> Brian
Don't know either. I've had nothing but exceptional service
from Weber. Everyone should stand behind their products like
Weber does.
--
Steve
BOB
Ahhh...the personal attacks. Typical usenet (or as you tend to spell
it, usernet) response for "you got me there".
Kevin, you are lower than low. Go back to your kibology group where
you still have a friend or two. Adults are trying to have
discussuions here.
HAND
and BITE MY ASS
BOB
Buck
> Brian
--
Steve
Guys! I don't have a problem with Weber; they make a fine grill and
have the best service in the business. Kamado is on the opposite end
of the bell curve from Weber in the service arena. They are a
completely different animal which is why if service is your top
priority I recommended you stick with Weber. See what I mean about
rabid brand loyalty...gotta love it.
Kamado does stand behind their product; they are just a little further
behind it than a large corporation with a finely tuned service center.
If I wanted a gasser I'd get a Weber. For ceramic I would recommend
Kamado to anyone willing to have some patience and understand that you
are dealing with a very small Mom and Pop operation (literally). This
appealed to me and now I have a cooker that above all is ceramic, is
bigger than (most) anything else out there and is also a conversation
piece. This is defiantly a "you only go around once, might as well
get the best" type of purchase.
No disrespect to those having real service problems. I wish you luck.
Buck
(woops did a reply to author by accident)
Duwop
news:r6ednWylq-t...@adelphia.com...
previously
> considered buying their product can tell them exactly why we won't be
doing
> so in light of their "customer service"
I had $$$ to spend on a cooker, they were in the running because of the
cooker itself, but didn't get out of the starting gate because of too many
problems like this. At least before they moved from around Sacramento I had
the option of driving to them and getting personal service as a last option.
Now with them down in the Nafta zone? Hell no.
D
CB
just out does metal. No elaboration needed.
We just finished a great meal from our beautiful Oyster Blue K7.
Baked chicken thighs!
Can't believe there are so dang many whiners out there in BBQ land.
I have had nothing but GREAT service. Bought 7/2/04, delivered
9/12/04.
Many Turkey's, Ribeye, T-Bone, TriTip steaks, briskets, Pork Shoulders,
Ribs, chickens, sausauges, pizzas since then. No complaints.
Oh well..........
I need another 30 boxes of K koal! That is my only problem, I'm
running low on that excellent koal!!!
CEB
Kevin S. Wilson
>Ahhh...the personal attacks.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>Kevin, you are lower than low.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Unfamiliar with the concept of irony, PKB-boi?
Zookeeper
e-mail telling them that my 6 ft. 6 in. 275 lb cousin lived only 10
miles away from their office and that if I didn't receive my check
within 72 hours, he was going to come over and pick up the check in
person...and I also told them that he would be very irritated for
having to fight traffic because of them!
I received the check the next day!
Steve
>You can back up that second claim, right?
Ask Topu in Indonesia. Ask their investor in Atlanta. Ask around the
BBQ industry.
Matthew L. Martin
I take it then the answer to the question is "no".
Matthew
--
I'm a contractor. If you want an opinion I'll sell you one.
Which one do you want?
Dan Krueger
> Steve wrote:
>
>> Kevin S. Wilson wrote:
>>
>>> You can back up that second claim, right?
>>
>>
>>
>> Ask Topu in Indonesia. Ask their investor in Atlanta. Ask around the
>> BBQ industry.
>>
>
> I take it then the answer to the question is "no".
>
> Matthew
>
Nice try. What the hell is wrong with you? Did you get hit on your head?
Matthew L. Martin
What's the matter, dank? can't find KevinS leg?
Kevin S. Wilson
>Kevin S. Wilson wrote:
>
>>You can back up that second claim, right?
>
>
>Ask Topu in Indonesia. Ask their investor in Atlanta.
I was asking you.
> Ask around the BBQ industry.
The what?
Kevin S. Wilson
<not...@notnow.never> wrote:
>Steve wrote:
>> Kevin S. Wilson wrote:
>>
>>> You can back up that second claim, right?
>>
>>
>> Ask Topu in Indonesia. Ask their investor in Atlanta. Ask around the
>> BBQ industry.
>>
>
>I take it then the answer to the question is "no".
>
You are correct, sir.
I can't help but notice that he snipped out the second claim. Here it
is again:
Kevin S. Wilson
Dank is having some trouble again with the English language. Sad,
really, considering that there were only two words in your entire post
that had more than one syllable.
Kent
Kamado. He has been castrated. Now he is screaming and hollering in his
usual fashion.
Note, however, that this is something we have all enjoyed; we all used to
log on every day to find out what that itty bitty brain's synapses are
spewing about now.
Since he has been lying low the "energy" of this NG has decreased. People
are writing more about gas grills, "my god".
Quite frankly, I must say I miss him.
Welcome back Kevie, get off the john, wipe your inferior orifice and join
in!
Kent
" BOB" <d...@ghij.com> wrote in message
news:TlISf.97$zt1...@bignews3.bellsouth.net...
Denny Wheeler
<davebigg@comcast<nospam>.net> wrote:
>Sorry if my fanboying is enabling this Nazi regime, but I think it's okay to
>be happy about a smoker that'll run 16 hours on one load of lump at 230 in
>these conditions.
NObody said the Kamado units are bad cookers. Au contraire--they've
been praised here for their cooking. But if you have bad quality
control, a cavalier attitude toward customer service, and the other
problems described here, your business is a hobby, not a business.
Red
"Denny Wheeler" <den...@TANSTAAFL.zipcon.net.INVALID> wrote in message
news:mf3q1254vjv5ie1a6...@4ax.com...
>
> NObody said the Kamado units are bad cookers. Au contraire--they've
> been praised here for their cooking. But if you have bad quality
> control, a cavalier attitude toward customer service, and the other
> problems described here, your business is a hobby, not a business.
You're right that the Kamado itself wasn't named as the problem, however
it's aggravating to hear a few squeaky wheels call this family run business
an evil empire for the occasional mess up.
I can understand one's frustration when a problem is slow in being dealt
with, but they certainly aren't out to screw people. Could improvements be
made?
Of course, perfection should be every businesses goal, but I've yet to find
one.
I'd dispute the bad quality control label, judging by my own and others I
know experiences. I'd venture to say the vast majority of their customers
are satisfied with the service as well as the cooker otherwise they'd be
history no matter how good the Kamado is.
Harry Demidavicius
I think K's , adventure into Indonesia in order to expand production
was a bloody disaster - they should have gone to Mexico into one of
those 'preferred tax treatment' businesses, where they find themselves
now, 10 years ago. Most of their problems [delivery & quality] seem
to relate directly to the Indonesian era. This of course does not
excuse poor customer communication, but when you are not sure if you
are fighting a raging forest fire or trying to get out of the swamp,
you tend to concentrate on those things first, I guess. Their [much
belated] Mexico move, seems to have been good for them as they are at
least, and at last, meeting delivery promises.
I think, [shit, I *know*!], I can GM that ship better, but then I
haven't been invited, have I? ;0)
Harry
"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."
-- Duncan Hines
"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."
-- Duncan Hines
Chef Juke
wrote:
>Spend any time interacting with Kamado and it becomes obvious they are
>a small quirky family business that happens to produce an amazing
>product. Part of the allure is that they are NOT Weber. There's no
>question a good manufacturing / distribution company could come in and
>clean things up. Watch the price go way up in the process. It's not
>the "fanboys enabling their pathetic service", it's their sales.
>People are lining up to have their hand tiled cooker built to order and
>shipped.
>
>To the guy who compared their service to Weber.....do yourself a favor
>and stick with Weber.
>
>Buck
To tell the truth, if I find myself in the market for another Kamado,
I will seriously consider the KomodoKamados.
The main reason for this is that everything that I can glean about the
company and their product seems to indicate that they are doing
EXACTLY the kind of things that Richard and Company should have been
doing. Building a better moustrap. And improving the service to go
along with the moustrap.
Don't get me wrong, I love my Kamados. However, I HAVE seen, heard
and experienced enough issues surrounding Kamado corp, AND all the
info on the KomodoKamado looks like it may be a better smoker,
especially in fit and finish, than Richards.
Just my 2 cents worth.
-Chef Juke
"EVERYbody Eats When They Come To MY House!"
www.chefjuke.com
BOB
No, I understand irony perfectly. Why do you think I used one of your
tactisc?
Oh, and you didn't respond to any of my claims that proved that you
are full of shit, and you used your famous bait-and-switch replies.
Nothing new here.
To the rest of you, I'm out of this "discussion" with
"hooray-for-me-boiŠ" 'cuz you asked me so nicely not to quote him.
Sorry for the confusion
BOB
:: Bob, Kevin S., is a Kamado "Fag" who has been dumped by his lover,
:: Kamado. He has been castrated. Now he is screaming and hollering
in his
:: usual fashion.
:: Note, however, that this is something we have all enjoyed; we all
used to
:: log on every day to find out what that itty bitty brain's synapses
are
:: spewing about now.
:: Since he has been lying low the "energy" of this NG has decreased.
People
:: are writing more about gas grills, "my god".
:: Quite frankly, I must say I miss him.
:: Welcome back Kevie, get off the john, wipe your inferior orifice
and join
:: in!
:: Kent
Kent,
You'd add a little more credibility to your posts if you wouldn't
top-post and full quote.
BOB
::
:: " BOB" <d...@ghij.com> wrote in message
Full quoting just to piss off the Idaho Potato
Edwin Pawlowski
"Red .net>" <davebigg@comcast<nospam> wrote in message
> it's aggravating to hear a few squeaky wheels call this family run
> business an evil empire for the occasional mess up.
> I can understand one's frustration when a problem is slow in being dealt
> with, but they certainly aren't out to screw people. Could improvements be
> made?
> Of course, perfection should be every businesses goal, but I've yet to
> find one.
They may not be out to screw people, but they have been doing a bad job of
customer service for a long time. At least as long as thin NG has been in
existence. Sure, stuff happens, but poor service, lack of response has
been a fault and reason for complaints for some years. Progressive, growing
businesses recognize their faults and try to correct them. Maybe they don't
want to grow, sell the business for retirement, or care about their
reputation. Their choice to make.
Kevin S. Wilson
>To the rest of you, I'm out of this "discussion" with
>"hooray-for-me-boiŠ" 'cuz you asked me so nicely not to quote him.
>Sorry for the confusion
Don't hurt yourself backpedalling like that, spank-boi.
Kevin S. Wilson
>Kent wrote:
>:: Bob, Kevin S., is a Kamado "Fag" who has been dumped by his lover,
>:: the Kamado.
>Kent,
>
>You'd add a little more credibility to your posts if you wouldn't
>top-post and full quote.
>
Credibility, huh? From a half-literate bozo who thinks that "fag" is
an insult to anyone outside of a 4th-grade playground? And all it
takes is to post properly, huh?
Simple minds think alike, I guess.
Jack Schidt®
"Edwin Pawlowski" <e...@snet.net> wrote in message
news:QqpTf.22199$tb3....@newssvr24.news.prodigy.net...
Feh, we've dumbed down so much that we accept crap service damn near
anywhere we go. Kamado is no exception. They don't perform after the sale
and that makes them a poor business model, not a good one. To be fair, in
business, success breeds failure and failure breeds success so I'll give
them the benefit of the doubt in the improvement department. I've had my
share of delays and bullshit with them and am unimpressed with their lack of
support. I don't hate them or wish them out of business, but they are
killing the sale in this hombre's homestead. And for the naysayers, I've
been in business for 14 years and know a thing or two about how to treat the
customer and not kill future sales. As you say, Ed, it's their (Kamado's)
choice.
Jack
JD
When you sell all you can make and the demand still exceeds your ability
and/or desire to make more, there really isn't any reason to invest in
customer service, is there? Were Kamado a publicly held company with
stockholders to appease, there'd be increased production and better
customer service.
JD
Edwin Pawlowski
"JD" <jdblac...@gmail.com> wrote in message
> When you sell all you can make and the demand still exceeds your ability
> and/or desire to make more, there really isn't any reason to invest in
> customer service, is there?
Bullshit. Pride, self esteem, courtesy to others, probably 500 other
reasons to be good at what you do. Anyone that is an asshole, intentionally
or from lack ethics, is, well, an asshole. I have much more respect for the
person that wants to be the best dishwasher, garbage man, sewer cleaner or
any other low paid job than I do for a well to do business owner that
settles for poor customer relations.
Jack Schidt®
In the short term, probably, but that's not a good long term strategy.
Repeat business is every bit as important as new business, if not moreso.
Jack
JD
You're right as far as conventional business wisdom goes for most
businesses but now and then you find someone who makes a unique widget
that no one else does and everybody wants them. I'd bet that over 70% of
their business is already repeat customers. Until someone beats Kamado
at their own game, they'll continue to sell all they make without much
concern whether you had a warm and fuzzy buying experience. My business
would go T.U. in a heartbeat if I adopted that practice but it's
obviously working for Kamado.
JD
Jack Schidt®
> Jack SchidtŽ wrote:
>
>>"JD" <jdblac...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>news:lLITf.10808$bu.843@trnddc04...
>>
Likewise, were I to adopt that business idea, I'd be TU, too. Works for
them, I guess, but still hits me sideways.
Jack
JD
>"JD" <jdblac...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>news:p54Uf.4774$hC.40@trnddc08...
I feel your pain. It bites my butt too but I put up with it from folks
like my guitar builder. I know what I want, he's the only one that
"gets" what I want, he's very expensive and has a very long waiting
list. At least he's a nice guy about it.
JD
Kent
"Kevin S. Wilson" <res...@spro.net> wrote in message
news:r3dt129tfprf3vjaa...@4ax.com...
Steve
>> Kevin S. Wilson wrote:
>>> You can back up that second claim, right?
>> Ask Topu in Indonesia. Ask their investor in Atlanta. Ask around the
>> BBQ industry.
>I take it then the answer to the question is "no".
Ignorant is a great way to go through life, eh Matthew?
n_cram...@pacbell.net
I would give that appellation to Kevvie way before Matthew!
Self-will is ignorance, because it is blind to the truth that the world is
a relative existence, that the self separated from other fellow-selves is
non-entity, and that individuals acquire their reality in proportion as
they penetrate the foundation of existence. This truth is ignored by the
principle of self-assertion. A man who is self-assertive pushes himself
forward without any regard to the welfare of his brother creatures; he
hails himself when he reaches the heights of self-aggrandizement; but
unfortunately he fails to perceive that his success is but the road to his
final destruction.
Wake up, Kevin! I love you, even though you are kill-filed,
--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!
Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
Kevin S. Wilson
I take it then that the answer to both that question and the original
question is "no."