Has Weber outsourced its customer support?

[LMichaels]

I certainly wouldn’t fly on an airline that I couldn’t call and speak to a human

You're not the average traveler and even then I bet if your job needed you somewhere and XYZ airline was all you could use your butt would be on that seat. Though sure I know you'd try to avoid it at all costs. But, bottom line we as consumers are over a barrel so to speak

 

[JSaus]

Just had a Delta faucet start to drip. Called them up, talked to a human and the parts are on the way. Some companies still do it right. Some make it virtually impossible to talk to a real person.

 

[Jay D in Jersey]

Maybe. I think I read you worked for an airline at one time.

My previous job I was a frequent flyer.

I certainly wouldn’t fly on an airline that I couldn’t call and speak to a human.

Lucky for me, I don’t fly for businesses anymore. I got out around 2010, and most of the people I worked with told me how air travel went downhill after that time,

About the same for me. I had my last business flight in 2012. It wasn't a pleasant experience to fly as a rule then but Business class lounges at the airports took some of the edge off...especially for European trips.

 

[Kevin L (NKY)]

Not all people work as well from home as they do under the watchful eye of the supervisor.
Working from home has advantages from both sides, short commute,and you get to pick your choice of morning drink.the bad is if family at home distractions,noise, and equipment short comings.
Employer:
Low over head for the company( lower need for office space,and equipment). Hard to oversee employee work metrics from afar.
But in truth of where our world is going, get use to it the days of Sears, Montgomery Wards are gone as the full service gas stations.
Some of the people I talk to are very good, fast pleasant to talk to.
Some we just will go there.

 

[Kevin L (NKY)]

Same here Bruce. It is bad enough when we HAVE to talk to someone under those conditions, but what about almost ALL of the spammers that call everyday are the same way.

The people being hired for this job should be interveiwed by a person from that country where it's company is from.
My wife is S.Korean and retired IRS person, she can email,or TTy you all day but speaking as a hearing impaired person would be very hard for both sides. I am use to it but I see the issue when I talk to someone doing CRS from another country.
A year ago I call Weber CSR and complained about the new style ash catcher handle is hard to squeeze to release it, I wanted a older style. The said they would send me one, well I got three of the new style ones, and when I tried to return and get the correct one they did not want the parts back, and said I could only buy items for that model. I found the parts I needed at a garage sale, a few months ago now I am in ash catcher over kill.

 

[JSaus]

But in truth of where our world is going, get use to it the days of Sears, Montgomery Wards are gone as the full service gas stations.

I remember saying I would never pump my own gas, then that I would not ring my own groceries. I am waiting for the day that I pay McDonalds to let me make my own burger. Wait- Fudruckers is pretty close.

 

[Dave in KC]

I remember saying I would never pump my own gas, then that I would not ring my own groceries. I am waiting for the day that I pay McDonalds to let me make my own burger. Wait- Fudruckers is pretty close.

I worked for McD's back when I was 16. I wouldn't mind being
able to go back and make my own sando again occasionally.
Double 1/4 lb cheese burgers made w/ big Mac fixings
are AWESOME. As well as a triple Filet 'O Fish.

 

[JSaus]

I worked for McD's back when I was 16. I wouldn't mind being
able to go back and make my own sando again occasionally.
Double 1/4 lb cheese burgers made w/ big Mac fixings
are AWESOME. As well as a triple Filet 'O Fish.

Employee inspired

 

[Michael Iron]

ZenDesk is a web-based CS software solution, not a subcontractor CS staff provider. In its bare-bones form, ZenDesk is a web-based event/problem/query ticketing system, and a very decent one at that.

It is more than that and do provide full services. Like many they have moved to SaaS (Software as a Service) and have also partnered with CloudTask to provide CS support to organizations. CloudTask has offices in Miami, Colombia, London, and the Philippines.

Talked to Weber CS this morning for the 4th time in 3 weeks. All 4 people were different and had the same accent. I asked the lady today where she was located and she said Colombia. If not outsourced then they are certainly off shored now. My money is on full outsourced through ZenDesk and partner CloudTask.

I called today to check the status of 2 items that have not been delivered yet to get my E330 back up and running. She had to put me on hold then came back and said the burners will be in stock on June 14 but there is no date for the manifold. Zenworks (oh wait that was Novell) erh, ZenDesk has the ability to tie into inventory to provide automatic customer order status and updates. They are not doing that as the inventory management system is likely on premises and don't have integration between it and the ZenDesk cloud. Yet.

Looking like I better work on repairing the manifold the best I can. And now I'm not in any hurry to get everything back together it is going to be awhile yet before the burners get here.

Been debating between picking up the Traveler vs. the Q2200 for the last couple of days. Would be handy for some of the SxS shoots I attend and at the cabins I stay at in the fall grouse hunting. So after talking to them this morning went to look at both once again and on the way stumbled across the Napoleon TravelQ 285 in blue for $250 from Scheels. Would have preferred red for the obvious reasons but for the price I can live with blue. And to get separate double burners now can also live with a Napoleon.

 

[Joe Anshien]

It is more than that and do provide full services. Like many they have moved to SaaS (Software as a Service) and have also partnered with CloudTask to provide CS support to organizations. CloudTask has offices in Miami, Colombia, London, and the Philippines.

Talked to Weber CS this morning for the 4th time in 3 weeks. All 4 people were different and had the same accent. I asked the lady today where she was located and she said Colombia. If not outsourced then they are certainly off shored now. My money is on full outsourced through ZenDesk and partner CloudTask.

I called today to check the status of 2 items that have not been delivered yet to get my E330 back up and running. She had to put me on hold then came back and said the burners will be in stock on June 14 but there is no date for the manifold. Zenworks (oh wait that was Novell) erh, ZenDesk has the ability to tie into inventory to provide automatic customer order status and updates. They are not doing that as the inventory management system is likely on premises and don't have integration between it and the ZenDesk cloud. Yet.

Looking like I better work on repairing the manifold the best I can. And now I'm not in any hurry to get everything back together it is going to be awhile yet before the burners get here.

Been debating between picking up the Traveler vs. the Q2200 for the last couple of days. Would be handy for some of the SxS shoots I attend and at the cabins I stay at in the fall grouse hunting. So after talking to them this morning went to look at both once again and on the way stumbled across the Napoleon TravelQ 285 in blue for $250 from Scheels. Would have preferred red for the obvious reasons but for the price I can live with blue. And to get separate double burners now can also live with a Napoleon.

That is a great price for the TravelQ! They are usually around $350. If you do get one please post a review;-)

 

[Michael Iron]

That is a great price for the TravelQ! They are usually around $350. If you do get one please post a review;-)

Scheels still has them with the blue for $249 but says only a few left

If you are considering one I highly recommend after using mine. It was the right choice, for me. The Q2200 was just too large and Napoleon makes the Pro version which because of the higher lid is as large as the Q2200 . The standard height TravelQ 285 will fit my requirements. I spatchcock chicken anyhow and don't do whole birds unless they are spinning on a stick.

Both burners on low occasionally taking a peak kept it at ~300° for crispy skin. The grillgrates at least one side and center panels from the 22" kettle fit well, there is room for a 2" gap panel if I push them forward all the way for full coverage so I ordered it.

First cook was pork sausage medium spice patties. Seasoned the cast iron grates with the burn in and grapeseed oil as. Fatty food to continue seasoning them.

Without grillgrates it gets to 650° with no problem with both burners on high. I prefer to use GG to help prevent grease building up plus they add that grilled flavor with fat burning off in the Valleys

But with the GG best I could do on the steak sear was 500° I know many steak experts for competition claim that is the perfect temperature. But I don't and prefer around 600 deg. on my sear. So the next night ran it without the GG and just the cast iron grates which broke 600 deg. Turned out perfect Medium Rare just the same as on the Genesis with GG above the sear station.

If you are thinking of getting one highly recommend it. I'm no longer in a hurry to get the Genesis back up and running and have a feeling I will be using it a lot more once it is. I ordered a pizza oven cart for it on the deck. But can throw it in the back of the truck and will take up a lot less room than a Q2200 (even with wings folded in) and has the same amount of grilling surface

 

[Joe Anshien]

Great pictures. It looks like a really nice grill and I can definitely see some advantages over the Q. The only thing I would miss would be the fold out side shelves. Maybe the dual burners and carry handle would compensate for that.