after sending several emails, the owner (Mr. Lawson) has NEVER responded to my request for information about upgrade front anti-roll bar for our XK8 / XKR as he advertised on his website:

Powerhouse Automotive | Jaguar Roll Bars

"and in conjunction with other Jaguar trading partners can offer an uprated front anti-roll bar for the X100 with stiffness comparable to that of the newer X150 models."

I think it is at least polite to answer at questions, but I think that courtesy is not part of the DNA of PowerHouse!

 

Why not phone them rather than complaining on here? Emails really aren't a serious way of making enquiries - too much junk mail, too many timewasters, most of them are just noise.

 

Opinions and results vary. I use email all the time to establish fundamentals and make inquiries....and sometimes even to finalize transactions...with perfectly good results



Yes, but the vendor's webpage, under "Contact Us", has a inquiry form specifically for emailing. If the vendor can't or won't be bothered with replying....too busy, too much junk mail, too many time wasters, whatever the reason.....then they should remove it from their webpage rather than ignore the requests.

It is a poor business practice to outright ignore a potential customer.

Cheers
DD

 

That's certainly true, Doug, but I've found that a number of businesses ignore their e-mail. Lately, our local Jaguar dealership parts department even ignores their voicemail....

 

I agree there are times where I just want email contact and not hand out my phone # or even address that some ask for. I have 5 emails out right now to local shops that replace convertible tops, NON of them have replied. Most them want to you to come to their shops. Well I don't want to drive all over town, just reply to a basic email, aint that hard.

 

To be honest, I've generally felt that I've been doing the vendor a favor by emailing first. Less of an interruption to their day than a phone call. I email the basics of my request, give my number, and ask that THEY call ME.

By giving the preliminary info regarding the nature of my inquiry the phone call can then be much more productive.

In most cases this method works well for me. Sometimes, though, a vendor does not call back. That means that I take my business elsewhere. Unless, of course, the vendor has the market cornered on something that I really need....in which case I have little choice but to tolerate poor service.


Cheers
DD

 

As a previous customer of Powerhouse and having carried out those transactions by email, deuce2000 has a perfectly reasonable expectation of a response from them in this instance.

You may be fluent in all European languages but I wouldn't immediately consider telephoning an Italian supplier with a technical enquiry so it's understandable Luca in Italy is similarly reluctant to telephone an English supplier.

Graham

 

Aren't powerhouse the people that service and upgrade superchargers. I'm thinking of getting my XKR supercharger checked over and upgraded.

Rocky

 

I think deuce2000 is right to be concerned.

If you read the page that was linked the final thing is

"Find Out More:
Telephone or email us to discuss your requirements or place an order."


So they have invited email enquiries.

 

More of a generalisation from me......


I find when dealing with suppliers, or anything for that matter, that if I'm not hearing the right things being said, If I don't feel I'm being taken seriously or given the right level of attention / service I'll be taking my business elsewhere.


My gut reaction has been 99% effective over the years, very rarely being proved wrong. You can almost guarantee that if you're not getting quick replies, attentive service etc at this stage that it will follow if you become a customer, or perhaps be even worse, strange but true.


I have no experience of Powerhouse

 

you are definitely right Graham! my main language is Italian and I've never had trouble scivere email. All answer me! but talking at telephone (and especially understand) technical terms with pronunciations variables for me it is very difficult to understand. I tried a few times but when you write, there are tools (like google translator) to help you understand if the speech is not clear, ... the phone, sometimes it is impossible for me!

 

I've recently been in contact with Powerhouse as I was trying to solve a rattling supercharger at tickover. I emailed and spoke to Lawson several times and always found him to be extremely helpful and pleasant to deal with.

However, there were a couple of emails in my dealings that went unanswered that I had to follow up on a week or so later. He always responded the second time. I assumed he was either on holiday or just snowed under.

I did have to chase up on an exchange refund a couple of times, I don't think they were trying to avoid it, just a a bit disorganised. I got £50 more back than I was expecting so worth the wait anyways!

If you're uncomfortable phoning, just keep emailing, he should answer in time.

 

It dawns on me that, unlike real world interactions, it's impossible to tell from a webpage whether you're dealing with a thriving business with store-front facilities, management, staffers, and salespeople versus a 'one man show' operating out of his back-yard workshop as a hobby-business ....or something in between.


Cheers
DD

 

Yep, I agree entirely. If I'm spending anything above a few pounsd on the internet I always check whether the seller has their own website with real world address and land line phone numbers, and if it's a lot of money then I'll usually phone and speak to 'someone' before buying to try and get a feel for the type of company I'm dealing with.

Anything uncomfortable and go elsewhere, the world is a big place with many people selling everything and I'd rather spend a few pound extra and buy from a 'proper' company than the 'cheapest'.

 

fine. then I ask your help! I want to know the price and availability of INCREASED FRONT ANTI ROLL BAR for our xk8 / xkr

Powerhouse Automotive | Jaguar Roll Bars

If anyone gets to know about this, I am grateful!

 

Just for the record, at Powerhouse we do answer emails.

In this case, I was subjected to multiple 'marked urgent' messages which were repeated ad nauseam because I wasn't replying out of work hours, repeated Facebook instant messages which continued after I asked this individual to stop pestering my personal Facebook account with work messages, and eventually had to unfriend and block him there just to stop my personal mobile phone from constantly pinging. From that point I chose to ignore emails and 'block sender'.

There's only so much pressure and hassle I'm willing to take from a drama queen before I've had enough and want no more to do with him as a customer - if that makes us unprofessional, I'll wear the badge with pride.

 

to be objective and make a judgment all must hear both sides, right?
fine. I was a customer powerhouse (I have lowered springs by powerhouse, the small pulley compressor by powerhouse) and for several years was a friend on facebook of Lawson.
Since I could not get an answer to email, after having written (serious offense for a client) on facebook, instead of answering what makes Lawson? stopping me!
He NEVER responded to my request for information and perhaps because he only wrote in the site that has the anti roll bar but actually did not have it (for this you can contact Norman Durban).

to make one more attempt, wrote an email TO HIM also my friend GGG (Graham) MODERATOR OF THIS FORUM .... and ALSO HIM NOT OBTAIN RESPONSE ! WHY ??

if you want to be professional, answer the email otherwise change jobs because you are not fit to have international relations.
I regretted being your client but now everyone will know even my version

 

Oh dear Luca, you are precious aren't you?

I had send you a holding reply to a weekend email, then chose to stop replying to you because of the intensity of your communications. I just found you to be annoying and hard work.

We do have the roll bars, as I ordered the batch jointly with Norman.

Interestingly, another Jaguar specialist (in Italy) warned me about you. He said he'd had problems with you, and afterwards you had tried to damage his business on a forum.

It would seem there is a pattern here.

 

I'd just like to add a voice to those defending powerhouse here. I've never experienced anything but friendly, helpful advice when I wasn't even a client, and fast efficient service when I was.

Powerhouse are well known here in the UK and well respected at that. I'm sorry to hear that deuce has had a hard time getting what he wants but I don't think his experience is typical at all.

 

The thing is, we rely on companies like Powerhouse to keep our cars on the road, at reasonable prices. I suppose they could take someone else on to deal with these kind of enquiries and pass the extra cost on to us, the customer, but to me this is a storm in a tea cup. If a company doesn't reply to your email enquiries, take your business elsewhere.

It would be different if this was a post-sales enquiry, or claim for a refund etc, but it's not.

BTW I have no connection with Powerhouse, but have been thinking about buying their supercharger oil change kit on eBay. It would be a shame if suppliers like this put their prices up or left the market due to hassle like this.