Love my current HAAS mill but recent bad experience from a condescending salesman. Can I purchase a new haas mill from a different HFO or do I just need to shop for a different machine?
Love my current HAAS mill but recent bad experience from a condescending salesman. Can I purchase a new haas mill from a different HFO or do I just need to shop for a different machine?
It is better to have the same brand machinetool in the workshop. Before deal with another brand check service feedback at your region first.
Staying with one brand was the initial plan. We experienced a fire and lost 5 machining centers, explained to Haas that we were rebuilding and would be buying all new machinery and I guess at 4 hours away they cant be bothered to drop by. Don't know what to think most bizarre interactions I believe I have ever had with a company I am trying to give my money to.
Really just need to know If I can deal with another HFO.
I guess I would call Haas Corporate and have a chat with them about the sales treatment.
Jim Dawson
Sandy, Oregon, USA
Based on this page:
https://www.haascnc.com/whyhaas/whyhaas.html
. . . . Haas Factory Outlets (HFOs) employees are not employees of Hass. What Haas says about HFOs is "through a network of more than 170 locally owned and operated Haas Factory Outlets".
On the page linked below, underneath where a couple of HFO (Phillips) offices are shown, is bunch of Sales and also Service people (names, email addresses and phone numbers) who are employees of Hass.
https://www.haascnc.com/about/contact.html
I think I'd start with one of the Hass "Customer Advocates", and if you don't get answers you like, go up the food chain!
10-4 Contacted HAAS thru their "contact us" page on Wed guess I will patiently wait to hear back.
And in no way knocking Haas, just curious
But, the OP's problem is not lack of contact from the HFO, the problem is a negative experience with the HFO response. Quoting the original post:
Contacting Haas Corporate to relate his negative experience with a HFO should get some action.
You cannot really practically buy a HAAS from another HFO.
Yes, You can do it, out of area sales, but most don´t want to do it.
BUT ..
Call the manager of the HFO where you had the bad experience.
His contact details will be on the haas website or his webpage, usually both.
Tell him you want a better experience.
Don´t be nasty or vindictive.
Be professional.
It will happen.
REALLY, it will.
If it does not, I know how to make it happen.
But I don´t want to get involved, much less for low $$ items.
I appreciate all the responses. Been a week since I used the Contact Us link on the Haas page requesting someone contact me with no response. Time to move on, just was hoping to stick with Haas since their control is familiar and I could use my existing rotary.
I am in North Florida, The HFO in Al is closer but am included in the Tamps HFO. Not that it matters but for reference when someone has the same question down the road. apparently you cannot choose who you purchase a HAAS product from.
I have made a complaint twice thru the HAAS online submission form and once to the Tampa HFO and I have never heard a single word from anyone at HAAS , corporate or the HFO. You have lost a customer and I enjoy telling my story of being treated like a common criminal to every single person I meet in our industry.
Western Canada has one distributor who covers at least 2 provinces . They sell machines , tooling , measuring equip etc . A lot of haas sales are lost because so many shops refuse to buy anything from that company . I suppose it boils down to the same mentality as with vehicles and their dealers
Yes they have lost me as a customer. Do not like being referred to as a liar and a thief just because I live in Florida, actually quite amazed they would employ such a rude arrogant person as a representative. Pretty telling when you are assured both the HFO manager and a rep from HAAS corporate will contact you the same day and you hear nothing for 5 months. I think its quite interesting a company convicted of tax evasion and ITAR violations would have the balls to refer to an entire state as being full of nothing but liars and crooks, while actively lying to a customer trying to hand them cash. 56 years old and still the most off putting experience of my career
I am absolutely not excusing what has happened to you. In fact, I read this whole thread because I'm looking to move and the local HFO weighs heavily into my relocation decisions. I can cross Florida off my list. Thank you.
But to be clear: the factory outlets are not at all tied to Haas. This is like having a problem with your Ford truck and your local Ford dealer. The salesman you talk to inside the showroom, their manager and the owner(s) of the dealership are not controlled by Ford. Maybe they if they get enough complaints, they might lose their dealership arrangement but, that's a legal nightmare and not likely.
To make matters worse, some of the HFOs assign territories to particular sales people. If you have a lazy, dumb, dishonest or just don't-like sales rep assigned to your area, the entire ownership experience can go sour and there isn't anything you can do. You can't 'fire your sales person' short of going to a different brand. That may not work either because the HFO is very possibly owned by a multi-brand machinery seller.
It could go this way with service as well. They might also have a remote service tech for "your area" with a lightly stocked van and tools. That's the person you'll get every time you have a problem, unless they send another van from the mothership. Be kind to your service people. You never know when you'll need them.
It's important to build and maintain a positive relationship with these people because they are your advocates when something is needed or goes wrong. I've been extraordinarily lucky with both sales and service people but, I can also see how it could go very wrong and leave a business hanging.
I have nothing to suggest with your current situation, except wanting to explain how it works so you understand the rules you're playing within.
Greg
It seems like a modern day business model among most industries . Who cares about the customer , there will always be another one right behind .
Haas price point is what makes them desirable but there are so many better machines out there . I hope you find something that will suit your needs