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reggie
13-06-2002, 01:33 AM
Im currently working for a firm who as i found out recently and to my astonishment dont seem to play a fair game. I have to be careful what i say because as an employee who needs work it is not in my interests to announce this.
We install all the latest japanese inverter driven systems which if anyone has worked on them are very expensive to repair.
I recently found out whilst changing a £5000 compressor that the customer was very annoyed about the fact that it was costing him so much money for parts and labour after only 14 months of useage. Although i didnt speculate on it, i knew myself that we had claimed this item under warranty from the manufacturer as we were given 3 years warranty for parts and labour.
Thus the manufacturer was paying for full parts and labour and the customer was incurring the same cost at his end. This results in my company being paid at both ends and a wapping profit.

It made me shudder to think that i was involved in this. Surely the two injured parties have a case for fraud. Can anyone comment on this as im very sceptical about working for these people and if it isnt legal would sooner find employment elsewhere.

herefishy
13-06-2002, 03:39 PM
I have heard of this activity, here in the Texas, USA market. Companies would install new equipment, and fill out the extended or additional warranty cards in the company's name and in the case of a particular manufacturer remit the $25.00 or some small amount for the coverage, and if some covered failure would occur, the double-dipping would commence. Furthermore, the customer would not be notified of the opportunity to "opt" for the additional coverage.

Aside from any moral aspect of the situation, I would say that you'd best be looking for other employment anyway, because I would be of the opinion that anyone who would conduct business in that manner has other serious problems and probably won't be around long. If the company has such disregard for their clientele and their suppliers, what regard or interest would they have for their employees?

Who knows how it is that you are getting screwed?

I would be of the opinion that your heart-felt discomfort with the situation does not exhonerate you at all from your continued participation in the "scam".

frank
13-06-2002, 07:59 PM
We also install a lot of Japanese kit that comes with a standard 3 years manufacturers warranty - provided that the kit is installed by an approved installer and the customer takes out a service and maintenance contract within 3 months of installation.

If the kit has a warranty failure within this time scale then we can return the failed part/parts under warranty and receive replacement parts. These parts are invoiced to us and if the supplier agrees that the failure is due to manufacturing faults then the invoice costs are credited out - so no charge to us.

We are also allowed a set price to carry out the repair under warranty from the manufacturer along with the credit. If this is not as much as the cost of the repair then we charge the customer the difference. We think this is the fairest way to go and if you advise the customer before you do the job then everyone should be happy!

Sounds like your employer wants the best of both worlds!

Abe
13-06-2002, 08:54 PM
Reggie

Is the customer not aware of his 3 year warranty and did he puchase the equipment on a 12 month warranty only. He needs to study the original sale documents.

Your employer on the other hand is maximising an "opportunity" albeit a short sighted one in consideration of damaging his reputation as an ethical and trustworthy business, by not passing the full warranty to the customer.


I can understand your demotivation and wanting to leave. Your leaving will not however have any impact. Their alleged practices will not simply stop as a result of your departure.

Im not sure what I what do in your situation. I must however point out that I would consider the sale document as an essential component of the sale contract. Whether there was any misrepresentation of fact is an issue which would determine whether your employer is acting out of order.

Dan
15-06-2002, 12:15 PM
Reasonable and sensible responses from all, Reggie. I would love to baste your employer with my moral outrage, but I won't.


I would be of the opinion that your heart-felt discomfort with the
situation does not exhonerate you at all from your continued
participation in the "scam".

That's some "tough love" from Texas. Here's some from Florida:

There really is only one party being cheated. Not two, as you suspect. If you dig deeply enough, I think you understand who that single party is.:)

Tejbir Singh
24-07-2003, 07:44 PM
Reggie are these systems what they call VRV or VRF unit there is few more jap companies making the same type of thing but using three compressors in parallel . We have yet to see one .

I think a lot of companies are doing the same thing what your company did some way or the other