Watchdog tonight 19/04/12

mike_the_bike_2

ollski wrote: »

Not sure why you've never got that information. When the manufacturers stop producing or supplying a part for one of their boilers they inform bg and I guess other major parts suppliers and the boiler is then listed 'reduced parts availability'. Bg then just pass on that information to the customer so they can make further enquiries with the manufacturer as to what parts are still available and to decide if they want to remain on a contract or not.

Really? So you if I understand what you are saying Olski anyone that is on a BG contract will receive a notification via letter that the manufacturer has ceased producing the parts for the boiler they currently have installed?

ollski

Should do, if the details are correct on the system, but if they don't the engineer should point it out on the annual visit.

mike_the_bike_2

ollski wrote: »

Should do, if the details are correct on the system, but if they don't the engineer should point it out on the annual visit.

Ok so take me through the process where say someone has a BG contract on a boiler .. It's all been purring along nicely, been under BG service contact for many years but unfortunately loads of rattling, bang. Customer calls out BG engineer who correctly diagnosis heat exchanger kaput and new one required. Manufacturer has not made part for a number of years, not available from BG central parts warehouse but readily available using simple google search from numerous heating and plumbing suppliers. What are the customer options?

Terrylw1

ollski wrote: »

Not sure why you've never got that information. When the manufacturers stop producing or supplying a part for one of their boilers they inform bg and I guess other major parts suppliers and the boiler is then listed 'reduced parts availability'. Bg then just pass on that information to the customer so they can make further enquiries with the manufacturer as to what parts are still available and to decide if they want to remain on a contract or not.

But given the engineers are getting commissions for sales leads, why would they let the customer do their own searching at the cost of their commission?

I'm not questioning your integrity, but if you place a commission on something it attracts a self serving nature. Most customers are going to be easily persuaded by an expert instead of doing the searching.

If the engineer is simply doing his job by informing the customer and trying to help them by suggesting their company could do the upgrade...why is there a need for commission based sales leads? To me it suggests a senior management led policy only aimed at getting more revenue...helping customers 2nd.

ollski

mike_the_bike wrote: »

Ok so take me through the process where say someone has a BG contract on a boiler .. It's all been purring along nicely, been under BG service contact for many years but unfortunately loads of rattling, bang. Customer calls out BG engineer who correctly diagnosis heat exchanger kaput and new one required. Manufacturer has not made part for a number of years, not available from BG central parts warehouse but readily available using simple google search from numerous heating and plumbing suppliers. What are the customer options?

It's really unlikely as bg's national distribution centre is one of the biggest stockists you will ever see, but if it does happen then bg can order from all the big suppliers and most of the small ones. They won't purchase off one man bands or ebay. The other option is to buy it yourself and as long as the part is unused bg will come out and fit it under contract. I imagine this is all currently under review though to be clarified.

ollski

Terrylw1 wrote: »

But given the engineers are getting commissions for sales leads, why would they let the customer do their own searching at the cost of their commission?

I'm not questioning your integrity, but if you place a commission on something it attracts a self serving nature. Most customers are going to be easily persuaded by an expert instead of doing the searching.

If the engineer is simply doing his job by informing the customer and trying to help them by suggesting their company could do the upgrade...why is there a need for commission based sales leads? To me it suggests a senior management led policy only aimed at getting more revenue...helping customers 2nd.

It's such a paltry sum it's neither her nor there for most engineers. Bg have a reward scheme for positive customer feedback too, but that never seems to get picked apart.
It's a big business, needing to cross sell as much as any other. However boilers tend not to be a luxury purchase so can only really be sold on an 'as required' basis which is easiest at the annual visit. As much as everyone likes to think joe bloggs plumbing is helping you out from the kindness of his heart, he's only waiting to sell you the same a year or two down the line.

mike_the_bike_2

ollski wrote: »

It's really unlikely as bg's national distribution centre is one of the biggest stockists you will ever see, but if it does happen then bg can order from all the big suppliers and most of the small ones. They won't purchase off one man bands or ebay. The other option is to buy it yourself and as long as the part is unused bg will come out and fit it under contract. I imagine this is all currently under review though to be clarified.

Ok thanks for that.. And I don't doubt your integrity.. This is where it gets interesting. I assume you work for them..I've been told yesterday that a BG are saying to a customer under contact that a heat exchanger for a worcester highflow 3.5 b/f is obsolete/unavailable from central warehouse and that a replacement boiler is required as the boiler cannot be repaired. Could you maybe look this up under your system and confirm this?

Terrylw1

ollski wrote: »

It's such a paltry sum it's neither her nor there for most engineers. Bg have a reward scheme for positive customer feedback too, but that never seems to get picked apart.
It's a big business, needing to cross sell as much as any other. However boilers tend not to be a luxury purchase so can only really be sold on an 'as required' basis which is easiest at the annual visit. As much as everyone likes to think joe bloggs plumbing is helping you out from the kindness of his heart, he's only waiting to sell you the same a year or two down the line

But that's the point, Joe Bloggs Plumming has to be treated as potentially dodgy until you trust them, like all tradesmen. Bgas engineers are expected to come and service the boiler so we expect any info they provide to be in our best interests...but when commissions are involved that can't be guaranteed.

Do Bgas openly publicise the commissions? If not (and I didn't know and we are with them) it can only be viewed as a bad thing. The sales people are less likely to give a monkeys about the customer so its a system that could be manipulated since customers trust the engineer...many probably don't even know.

ollski

mike_the_bike wrote: »

Ok thanks for that.. And I don't doubt your integrity.. This is where it gets interesting. I assume you work for them..I've been told yesterday that a BG are saying to a customer under contact that a heat exchanger for a worcester highflow 3.5 b/f is obsolete/unavailable from central warehouse and that a replacement boiler is required as the boiler cannot be repaired. Could you maybe look this up under your system and confirm this?

Fully service listed mate so unless it has been taken out of production and all stock used in the last 3 months shouldn't be a problem. If you need to check best to ring worcester parts.

Lgas

prosaver wrote: »

they are scum....
watch it and see...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00r98js

Scum? Really? Watchdog managed to find 3 complaints out of 7 million visits a year, this programme really got my back up. What's more disgusting is that BG engineers have sent in letters from their employers to Watchdog, so they can pick it apart some more on tonight's programme.

As has been previously said, BG use 3 major suppliers, and have over 30,000 parts in stock in the distribution centre, which the customer can have fitted the next day 9 times out of 10 (more in my experience). Anyone who thinks an engineer would go to the trouble of cutting off a boiler, capping off, tightness testing, and upsetting a customer for a paltry £15 before tax is misguided.

Most customers get letters when their boiler goes on the reduced parts list.