Hi all Due to the fact that (dispite numerous emails and telephone calls ignored, broken promises, and total contempt for the customer) the Soliel Royal is permanently shelved, They ignore all methods of communication, blatant lying about parts being sent. this is not the first time either on the La Reale De France there were parts missing which took weeks to sort out for the same reasons they just wont answer emails and lie on the phone. Its not just me either, since I’ve finished the La Reale I’ve had four people contact me and say they had it in their stash and after checking they are missing the exact same parts, and at least one of those is having the same trouble I had getting the parts (don’t know about the others maybe they haven’t tried yet)
I would be interested in whether anyone else on here has had the same problem with them, would be quite nice to compile a list of any and if I got enough maybe send the list to trading standards.
Yes.I had the same problem.Thats why you should turn to Tamiya, Kitty Hawk,Hasegawa,and Trumpeter.Thats the good quality kits.Heller is a very stuck in the past model company.Just like Revell/ Monogram.
Unfortunately that seems to be the norm with a few manufacturers out there. Academy is another with atrocious customer service. Trumpeter is another with poor service.
On the other side of the coin you have Tamiya, Revell USA and ROG with outstanding customer service.
Oh no, I bought a Heller 1/72 L 49 Constellation in hopes of converting it into the first AirForce One someday. I better have a look in the box…to be continued.
I visited one of the Heller plants in Europ and they wee very small and old fashion mold machine manual operations .I barely got through the front door without being restrained and questioned.Hate to break hearts but Tamiya is the best .I visited the Tamiya plant in Japan , and they gave me a memorable great tour.
Just goes to show you . In 1995 I bought a Double Decker bus in 1/24 scale at a rare book and oddities store . It was a Heller kit too . Now the Decals were just plain gone .
I called the number on the instructions and the very sweet lady on their end heard me out . I asked her how much the decals would cost being as how I had bought it second hand .
Her reply , " Well sir , being as how it is our product there will be no charge " You could’ve knocked me over with a feather ! ! Nine days later they arrived nestled between two heavy cardboard sheets .With a " Thank You " note for my interest in their product .Go Figure ! Tanker - Builder By the way here’s a totally rotten Customer story . I bought a 1956 AMT 1/25 Ford , Crown Victoria kit at Walgreens . When I got my prize home , the steering wheel was only partially molded .When I called their number ( AMT ) , they told me and I quote ." Take it back where you bought it and have them give you another one " "We don’t keep those parts anymore since we started having them molded in China " Needless to say I found a wheel in good shape in a Garage sale glue Bomb ! .
I guess it depends who handles the phone call Or email. A while back I got really bad experience from Eduard while others here had excellent dealings with them.
I agree PJ. That’s why these kinds of threads are not real great. These guys are the best…well no Tamiya is certainly not if you want a good Tiger 1 kit. Heller is the worst. Well no they are not if you want a great plastic HMS Victory.
I do not think the OP was stating anyone was the best. From what I read, the OP expressed displeasure with customer service from the Heller Corporation. The OP simply asked if anyone else found the service less than professional and if so please post your expeirence. I do not see anything wrong with a thread discussing customer service from manufacturers in the modeling business. Customer service is HUGE, and in my opinion customer service can make or break a company. It’s nice to have a heads-up on problems such as this and I appreciate the shout-out to others.
Nope the OP didn’t go for “best”, a member going by “Silver” did. The OP served up “worst”.
Here’s my take. You have a bad experience with something. Is it all the other parties fault? Maybe you are partially at fault too. But we will never know because we only get to hear, anonymously, your side of it. Which is unfair.
And now for a pleasant story about GOOD service…Last Wed at noon, I ordered a kit from Squadron. It was delivered to my house by FedEx at 8 AM today.
This is with the premium shipping option, FedEx home delivery. If you want to save $3 and use the economy option, FedEx drops it off at your local post office and the USPS delivers it to your house. This usually takes about 10 days total and that is ridiculous. The only one who saves $ on that deal is the shipper!
Everything I stated was, is true, even looked at from any perspective being ignored is being ignored, which amounts to contempt when you phone them they say the part was shipped 2 days after you’re comunication, this is after weeks of "what’s happening " being ignored I prefer emails as you have written proof of what’s been said which you can fall back on. The last one I sent said I was suing for my money back (that was last week) no surprise, no reply to that either.
No one is disputing your story. It simply depends on who handles your complaint. Sometimes you get someone who cares and wants to help. Or you may end up with a total jerk that just tells you want you want to hear and does nothing else.
Understood G, but thats not the OP’s fault. We need to read the OP statemnet and stick to the topic, in other words “dont derail the thread”.
And I completely disagree with your statement about customer service. The customer is right and you operate your business in pleasing the customer. No if’s, and’s, or but’s about it. If you want to stay in business, you eat crow when necessary. I wont even argue this statement, I’ll just stand by it and know it to be true.