Bad experience with coastal tech

[dmckinstry]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(aaf709 @ Feb 19 2007, 02:13 PM) [snapback]392979[/snapback]</div>

Nope, I ordered an Auto-Lock and NAV kit (pre-Lockpick) in April '05. I knew the NAV kit wasn't out yet, but expected the Auto-Lock to come sooner. Nothing told me whether it was out of stock or not. It arrived in September '05, after a couple of phone calls and an email on one of the Prius Yahoo sites. The NAV kit arrived in January '06. On the other hand, I ordered their EV kit in February '05 and it arrived a little over a week later.
[/b]

I'm talking about current procedure. Someone (elsewhere) indicated that if an item is indicated to be in stock there was no problem getting it in a timely fashion.

I did the same thing with ordering the NAV kit as you, but didn't order it until later in the years (I got my car in August). Ttheir web site indicated that the ordering information had been lost. Since I never got them to reply to my email, I didn't follow through on a reorder. I did get the EV kit about a week after I ordered it though.

I'm still thinking about getting the basic Lockpick though. However, not unless I can find an indicator that it's in stock.

Dave M.

[efusco]

I simply can't understand why Coastal can't/won't improve their customer support...a high school kid for 2 hours a day could improve it 1000% to make the customer support as good as their products. But instead they've repeatedly responded defensively and somewhat rudely once people are pushed to the point of going through an exchange like this.

They really are good people, but this is just not a way to run a dignified business.

[jlchellman]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RaleighMatt @ Feb 19 2007, 01:46 PM) [snapback]392854[/snapback]</div>

Just want to let people know customer service with Coastal e-Tech is severely lacking. I ordered the lockpick last Monday and paid for 3 day shipping. I received notification the following day that included the UPS tracking. As of noon today, 1 week later, the UPS site shows NO update , from what I can tell the package hasn't even been shipped. Furthermore, I wrote to Coastal 4 days ago about this and have not received a response.

Why pay for 3 day shipping? Waste of money! I'm probably going to cancel my order completely.
[/b]

I had a similar experience with Coastal's 3 day shipping but they responded to my email and phone message. The LOCKPICK arrived and works absolutely great on my 2006! If you're smart you won't cancel your order...Coastal is the only company aroud that makes this product! Just relax and be patient. The LOCKPICK is worth the wait!

[Trevor]

Wow, I've been thinking about ordering, but I don't think it's worth the risk of an order falling through the cracks or having a technical issue. There are much nicer ways to tell a customer that they are full of it if that is what they believe. But the better way to get a repeat customer and gain the trust of potential customers is to treat everyone with respect.

[AnOldHouse]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RaleighMatt @ Feb 19 2007, 05:23 PM) [snapback]392987[/snapback]</div>

wow I didn't realize they were this obnoxious. I don't know about you guys but I think we should demand they change their non-existent customer service or we stop buying from them. Period.
[/b]

I've ordered three separate times from Coastal and had one time where I had to have product replaced because it didn't function.

I've always gotten my products in a reasonably timely manner (standard ground shipments only, I'm clearly not as impatient as many are around here) and have been thoroughly satisfied.

I will definitely order from them again in the future when they have something new that I want to add to my car, without hesitation.

[RaleighMatt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Feb 19 2007, 09:25 PM) [snapback]393058[/snapback]</div>

I simply can't understand why Coastal can't/won't improve their customer support...a high school kid for 2 hours a day could improve it 1000% to make the customer support as good as their products. But instead they've repeatedly responded defensively and somewhat rudely once people are pushed to the point of going through an exchange like this.

They really are good people, but this is just not a way to run a dignified business.
[/b]

You pretty much nailed it in my opinion. They clearly ignore e-mails - and do so purposefully. Consider: I wrote them Thursday and was ignored for 4 days. I wrote them again today and was again ignored for about 4 hours, until I posted about them on here and then voila, they immediately write me a rude e-mail. Well, they gave themselves away. They told me someone e-mailed them a link to my post on here. By responding so quickly once I posted on here, they proved to me that they read e-mails VERY promptly (because they wrote to me within an hour of my post on Priuschat.com and they "claim" they were notified of my post by....drumroll please...someone e-mailing them and telling them about it!) So basically they read your e-mails right away, they just don't bother doing anything about it.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dmckinstry @ Feb 19 2007, 09:18 PM) [snapback]393057[/snapback]</div>

I'm talking about current procedure. Someone (elsewhere) indicated that if an item is indicated to be in stock there was no problem getting it in a timely fashion.

I did the same thing with ordering the NAV kit as you, but didn't order it until later in the years (I got my car in August). Ttheir web site indicated that the ordering information had been lost. Since I never got them to reply to my email, I didn't follow through on a reorder. I did get the EV kit about a week after I ordered it though.

I'm still thinking about getting the basic Lockpick though. However, not unless I can find an indicator that it's in stock.

Dave M.
[/b]

Hey here's an idea, just e-mail them and ask them if it's in stock. I'm sure they'll get right back to you.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(dmckinstry @ Feb 19 2007, 09:18 PM) [snapback]393057[/snapback]</div>

I'm talking about current procedure. Someone (elsewhere) indicated that if an item is indicated to be in stock there was no problem getting it in a timely fashion.

I did the same thing with ordering the NAV kit as you, but didn't order it until later in the years (I got my car in August). Ttheir web site indicated that the ordering information had been lost. Since I never got them to reply to my email, I didn't follow through on a reorder. I did get the EV kit about a week after I ordered it though.

I'm still thinking about getting the basic Lockpick though. However, not unless I can find an indicator that it's in stock.

Dave M.
[/b]

Or! You could check their website and see if it says "backordered". Because from what I can tell, MAN THIS WEBSITE IS UPDATED LIKE, ON THE HOUR! JUST CHECK OUT WHAT IT SAYS RIGHT NOW:

Our offices will be closed Jan 8th 9th and 10th to attend the CES show in Las Vegas. See you there !!
The Happiest of Holidays from our family to yours!!





They have messages on there that are 2 months old and I'm supposed to take their word for it when a page says an item is "backordered"??? lmao. What a joke. The front page is no where near current and does not have any relevant information but I'm supposed to believe the page that said "backordered" is ? No way Jose. :P

Oh wow, this just keeps getting better. Here's my last update for the night. So check this out, now their website says this:

PLEASE CHECK YOUR
SPELLING WHEN
EMAILING
US.
IT HAS COME TO OUR ATTENTION THAT
CUSTOMERS ARE
EMAILING
US FOR SUPPORT AND THROUGH A SIMPLE
TYPO MAY BE
CONTACTING A
SIMILARLY SPELLED
WEBSITE.
THEY DO NOT FORWARD
YOUR EMAILS AND MAY RESPOND
INAPPROPRIATELY, RUDE,
OR NOT AT ALL.
PLEASE CHECK THAT
YOU ARE USING COASTALETECH
FOR SPELLING IN ALL CORRESPONDENCE.


Are you freaking kidding me!!??? Oh my god. People seriously, we need to stop sending this fly-by-night operation our money. They send me a rude e-mail and now they're trying to cover by lying about it and making up stories on their website. Wow. This is really blatant and obnoxious. Just to set the record straight, b/c I really hate liars, Their system sent me an automated e-mail response when I placed the order initially. It is that e-mail that I replied to and that went to them. There was no typo involved because I never typed their e-mail address. Not to mention they RUDELY e-mailed me directly and signed it with their name and website URL. Not to mention that the e-mail I received came from "support@coastalEtech.com" !!

What's next Coastal? Someone hijacked your website and stole your e-mail password???

[RaleighMatt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Trevor @ Feb 19 2007, 10:30 PM) [snapback]393085[/snapback]</div>

Wow, I've been thinking about ordering, but I don't think it's worth the risk of an order falling through the cracks or having a technical issue. There are much nicer ways to tell a customer that they are full of it if that is what they believe. But the better way to get a repeat customer and gain the trust of potential customers is to treat everyone with respect.
[/b]

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

I thought I would update everyone. I have e-mailed Coastal 3 times since their rude, obnoxious e-mail yesterday. Since that time:

(1) Not one response

(2) My credit card has not been credited/refunded for any amount

(3) They changed their website to claim that if you get a rude e-mail from them it's your fault because you sent your e-mail to the wrong place and that "other company" sent you a rude e-mail. Unfortunately, this is a bald faced lie. Unfortunate, but not unexpected. In fact, I replied to their e-mail to me, so I know I sent the e-mail to the right place, and I know the rude e-mail I received was from Coastal.

[MPG > HP]

I've had several hundreds of dollars waiting to send to Coastal Tech for their products for about 6 months. However, I am fine to wait longer, until the positive to negative comments on PC start trending more from 1 to 8 to 8 to 1. Makes one wonder if there isn't someone else out there with similar engineering skills who could do a better job at customer support. I guess the market just isn't large enough. I keep hoping, though! Meantime, I'm sure the rest of us appreciate those who support these guys, helping them get their act together, and all. Seems like the geek appeal of their products (yeah, they really seem great!) might not be able to sustain their customer base.

[hobbit]

.
_H*

[RaleighMatt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(MPG > HP @ Feb 21 2007, 01:50 AM) [snapback]393791[/snapback]</div>

I've had several hundreds of dollars waiting to send to Coastal Tech for their products for about 6 months. However, I am fine to wait longer, until the positive to negative comments on PC start trending more from 1 to 8 to 8 to 1. Makes one wonder if there isn't someone else out there with similar engineering skills who could do a better job at customer support. I guess the market just isn't large enough. I keep hoping, though! Meantime, I'm sure the rest of us appreciate those who support these guys, helping them get their act together, and all. Seems like the geek appeal of their products (yeah, they really seem great!) might not be able to sustain their customer base.
[/b]

I'm thinking about that too, I'm a computer programmer and my dad is an electrical engineer. From what I see they've got a couple wires and piece of plastic that they're charging $99 for. The no response/no customer service/rude response if any comes free with any purchase.

I might have to talk to dear old dad about a little doohickey we can put togther and sell for $50 bucks. Way I see it all we have to do is make the Prius think it's moving.....