Problems With PMB Performance, Anyone Else?
 

I sent my calipers in last October 2015 and received a confirmation that they were received shortly after they were sent. I was sent an invoice but was told not to pay until they were ready to ship. I sent an email on 2/1/16 to inquire on the status and received an email the next day that they were almost done. I then emailed on 2/17/16 to see if they were complete, since then I emailed on 2/26, 4/12, 5/9 and 5/11 with no response back. I have also left numerous voicemails with no call back. At this point, I would just like my calipers back regardless if they have been completed or not. I had used PMB before with good results, it is too bad that they are not being at all responsive. Also, they must have lots going on at the shop since they have Facebook and Twitter posts every other day on all the activities going on.

Any one else having similar problems? Another person posted on Facebook and Google about the same issue. Both of our posts were deleted from their Facebook page, so they are reading and monitoring what is going on.

Thanks

Chuck

Suggest you keep calling them on the phone.
There will be a logical answer for all this, as they are too good of a shop to leave you hanging.
Continue with the phone, you'll get them eventually.

Any explanation or response would be welcome, but I have nothing from them. I have called about 20-30 times in the last couple months and left messages, no one ever picks up. My next step is to make the drive to Sandy, UT.

Thanks

Chuck

My only recent experience was, a couple weeks ago I ordered front calipers from them that the website said were in stock. The next day I got a voice mail from them saying they were actually out of stock and it would be a couple weeks until the calipers they got at Hershey would be ready. I called them back last Thursday to cancel my order and they answered on the first ring. They apologized for the inaccurate website info and that they are a little overwhelmed because there are only 3-4 of them there. I guess I really don't have a point here, just relating my experience.

Sorry to hear about this experience. PMB generally has a good reputation from what I know, and my limited experience with them has been good. Not sure how to reconcile this with your experience ...

I have gotten a few emails from Eric recently on some calipers I'm waiting on -- he's swamped/they're swamped. I spoke with him a few weeks ago but since then it's just been short emails, I think they're just too busy...too many of us want calipers!

I had exchanged a set of calipers with them back in February and had no issue whatsoever. I got my new ones quickly, and got a refund for my cores following their return.

I had two problems but both were rectified. Twice I ordered and never got a response from them, 5-6 weeks went by, no response to calls or email, then responded "for some reason we didnt see order". I got parts a week later.

Very happy with parts, just lacking on customer service

Quick update, Eric gave me a call today and we discussed the situation. He offered (and I accepted) his apology for the delay. He proposed a path forward and to get things moving. Hoping things work out.

Regards,

Chuck

Friends,

Chuck's a very gracious and good (repeat) customer.

His calipers are, at best, odd-ball VW Scirocco rear calipers. We tend to specialize in odd-ball calipers (914 rears, Alfa GTV, Ferrari 308, RSR, 908 etc.) so, that's not the real issue. These calipers were seized internally. They required special attention which, around here means... "me".

The calipers came in as I was dealing with the end of life with my father. As he passed, it took my attention away from the business and on to handling his estate. At the same time, I was dealing with 18-20-somethings that I had hired to handle shipping, receiving and tear-down. One had to find employment elsewhere as he was watching cartoons in the media blasting room... :rolleyes:

Now we're in the thick of our spring rush (I need to train ya'll to send these in Q4). We are "always" busy this time of the year. Everybody wants to get in their cool old Porsche and drive. We have to maintain our presence at the LA Lit Show and the Anaheim show. We have tried every year to maintain our presence at Hershey but... I'm only one guy. Those events take me away from the everyday workings and goings on here at the shop. Bottom line: This year has simply been "OFF THE HOOK"!!!:eek:

Our problem now is very simple:

1) It's growing pains as I try to run a lean business and keep costs down and then use today's money to pay for tomorrow's 50% plus growth.

2) An OCD owner that is kind of a perfectionist which can lead to procrastination when everything isn't going as planned (E.G. Chuck's frozen Scirocco calipers). I want to be able to answer every question with a reasonable and well educated answer. I want to make every experience a positive one. SOMETIMES THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE "ERIC" (he says to himself as he types in the third person).

3) Cores. We are behind because cores have not come back. We've lost over 200 calipers in the last 365 days to Pelican customers alone who have not sent cores back in. This means we can "basically" only build customer calipers. It take much more time and makes it more labor intensive as we have to manually track each piece and make sure "Joe Smith's" calipers get back to "Joe Smith". Late 914 rear calipers, as an example, are non-existent.

4) Time. I thank you all as you've helped to grow my business. I'm only one, normal, pant legs one at a time guy. I'm getting 100+ e-mails per day. I'm now training a new employee (making 5 of us, plus Diane who really tries hard to help when she can). I'm working on Chuck's Scirocco calipers. I'm finishing up the RSR calipers. Yes, trying to keep up on social media and things like this. I'm the only one here who can answer the technical questions, the "where's my order" questions, all of the e-mails etc. I'm "about" the only one who can do all of the receiving making sure things like rare, Wide L-Calipers are received as such.

I'm VERY thankful for you all and your business. It KILLS me not to be able to answer every single question, every single e-mail, every single day. I love nothing more that to sit around talk calipers and vintage Porsches with everyone. We are simply buried right now trying to crank out calipers as fast as we can.

Moving on, I eventually purchased another caliper for Chuck hoping to compensate for the seized caliper. After tearing it down I went back and moved forward with his original calipers today (I had to make sure I was missing something with his frozen/rusted adjusters). Chucks calipers have some pretty serious issues which I'm basically now devoting 100% of my time to so, I'm very sorry... I can't get to the phone or deal with the 50 e-mails still unanswered today. Diane is working hard to try to contact those who are calling and asking about order etc.

Again, I thank you all for your patience and your support.

P.S. As I told Chuck this morning; I don't want these to be construed as excuses... just bringing ya'll up to speed.

Eric is a great guy with a great company. I just sent my cores back and received a credit to my CC.

The restored calipers I now have on my car are perfect. If you're thinking about rebuilding your own calipers with new seals spend a few extra bucks and get parts from PMB.

Eric~

Thank you for posting that. I am one of your customers, and have been waiting for some of your excellent calipers. I'm sure most here can relate to things not always going according to schedule/plan. Stuff happens. I'm just glad it isn't something seriously bad [you could be ill, or the shop could have burned down, etc.] I'm relieved to hear you are working through the issues, and hopefully in the not too distant future you will get caught up.

I have to admit, I called and left a message for you last week and this morning, but only because it's been significantly longer than your original estimate of turnaround, with no communication from you as to when the new estimated completion would be. After hearing someone else had been waiting 7 months I got a little concerned. I wouldn't have bothered calling had I known your current situation, and that you were working on it. [it'll be done when it gets done]

You might be able to cut down on the quantity of calls and emails you receive by doing a mass email of your above explanation to your current waiting list as to why its taking longer than expected. I'm sure most would understand that you only have 2 hands. They wouldn't have to call or email you to find out what's going on. Could save you a lot of time and work, and your customers are kept in the loop. Communication goes a long way.

Looking forward to getting those works of art on my car, and trying them out.

I'm trying but, even a blanket statement can take a couple of hours to merge, purge and post accurately. I "think" I saw your order today (A-Calipers? Illinois?). You ended up in our A-Caliper core void. I left Hershey at 3:00PM and drove to Charlotte, then Atlanta Sunday morning so I could meet Martine to pick up 30+ A-Caliper cores. These are all coming back from plating as we hash over the drama on the Interweb thingy so, you're in the on deck circle.

Thanks for your patience.

Eric,
I feel your pain. Been there. Stay the course and you'll dig out. I've been behind schedule on LSD production for the better part of a year. Growth is good but it can be a great challenge.

Regards,

Matt

I am sorry about your loss. I just closed my Grandmo's estate, which was a 4 months ordeal all together. Between January and the end of April, I could only assign myself 30% to my job. And that 30% was I am sure not satisfying to anyone (I work on cars).

I am lucky I trained one guy over the years, so he could fill in the space while I was absent. He did a decent job, but it is never the same as me being there. But what can you do?

My "7 months????" comment was out of the line, I retract it, and publicly apologize from you.

:eek:

Matt, I thought only marijuana was legal in Colorado?!?!

Now impactbumper is definitely moving there . . . me too!!!!

Customers will usually accept out of the ordinary delays as long as they are not kept in the dark. Communication is key to keeping customers happy. Customers do not respond well when work is not done on time AND the company doing the work does not respond when contacted about the delays.

What Scott says. We're an incredibly forgiving lot, until we get the idea that we're being had (even if we're not) Just ask Bill Clinton...
Might be necessary to require receipt of cores before shipping re-builds.
My PMB restored calipers are outstanding. Well worth the cost and wait.
-C

Guys... we have multiple wives here! :D

That's my (personally) biggest problem. I'm just swamped so the not so peachy news ends up back burner and, I need to be better and more expedient at that. We all have our little issues... that's mine.