anonym wrote on 12-03-2013

Disappointing service

Below is a copy of the email I sent to Coates hire regarding a bad experience I had with this store. I never received a reply and have never been back. On Saturday 4th April I went to the Wanneroo Coates Hire depot to hire a hammer drill and generator for some work we are doing installing monitoring equipment. Although I have used Shorco-Sykes in Perth for heavy equipment, I had not used Coates Hire before. I hired a hammer drill and generator from ‘Mark’ (stocky, dark hair) who was unnecessarily abrasive and rude from the outset. The other two male staff there were, however, courteous and professional. When I asked if I could also hire 10 m and 12 mm drill bits for the drill, Mark went over to a shelf inside and replied that they didn’t have any, but that the drill would take normal (i.e., Jacobs chuck) bits. I thought this was unusual, hiring a drill but no bits, but took his word for it as he should be more knowledgeable about the equipment. I also noted there were masonry drill bits in the loading bay, but he didn’t mention these. When I unpacked all the building gear at the site I found that he was wrong, and that the chuck would only accept quick change bits. We then had to pack all our gear back up again and head to Bunnings to buy a new 12 mm drill quick change bit so that we could finish the job we had hired the equipment to do. When I returned the hire equipment this morning I explained to Mark that the drill bit did not fit as he said it would. He did not believe me and opened the drill case to find that I was correct and that a normal Jacobs chuck bit would not fit as I had said. I asked him if it was possible to have a credit or similar for the drill bit I had to buy ($25-). He replied, “Nup” and then proceeded to ignore me. I stood there for a few minutes before I realised that this was the best I could for from this branch and left. My concerns are two-fold. Firstly, the service was grossly unprofessional and Mark’s attitude was entirely uncalled for; both before and after the equipment was hired. Secondly, Mark did not understand a basic item of hire equipment. He gave incorrect advice that cost our business both time and money. We did not even receive an apology or acceptance of fault after he found he was at fault. I have used Kennards and other hire franchises for most of my small equipment hire in the past but chose to try this Coates branch as they were closely located to sites where we have worked over the next few years. However, if this is an acceptable level of service that we can expect from this branch then I will instead be returning to the previous hire centres where my work is supported in a cost-effective and professional manner.