Keystone Customer Service

[bigfish3]

I thought that I would take a few minutes to relate an incident which occurred a couple of weeks ago.
I wrote an email to Keystone Customer service. I provided the year, model and vin number of our trailer. The question was: can you please tell me what model/part number of axles were installed on our trailer.
The answer: No we cannot tell you that information. You can find a sticker on your axles if you crawl underneath your trailer.
I thought that the response was really an insult to a valid question. With all the information I provided, one would think that a manufacturing company would have records which indicate such things.
Needless to say, I was VERY DISAPPOINTED with the reply by customer service!

[Escs36]

I think RV's are essentially one off units built in a mass assembly method. I think these things are simply thrown together with what junk they have sitting around. You would think they could easily answer a simple question like axle model numbers. I personally think the RV industry is going to hit a wall where stop buying them because of the poor quality of everything. That includes some higher end units. The RV industry certainly needs a major intervention!

[Bob Landry]

That makes a good argument for keeping a trailer, because when I replace something it's with a better grade product, and when I do a repair, it's better work than the dealer would do. But then, there's little on my trailer that i can repair or replace except brakes, and with a little reading, I could probably do those. That allows you to know every inch of your trailer and you know the quality of what's in it.
I have called Keystone CS only a couple of times, but the result was no real usable information from them. I don't know if they just stay in CYA mode or they just don't know. In most cases, it's an exercise in futility to just get past the girl who answers the phone. Although I'm reasonably happy with my trailer, that will certainly make me check out some other manufacturers on my next trailer(If there is a next trailer). Before you know it, we'll be talking to "Ralph" in India instead of someone at the trailer plant.

[therink]

I agree that they may have no specific record of which axles you have. Last year I needed my axle #'s for a mod I was doing. I simply crawled underneath with my phone and took a pic of the decal. Mine was located centerpoint on the frontside of the axles.

Steve

[SteveC7010]

Originally Posted by Bob Landry

That makes a good argument for keeping a trailer, because when I replace something it's with a better grade product, and when I do a repair, it's better work than the dealer would do. But then, there's little on my trailer that i can't repair or replace except brakes, and with a little reading, I could probably do those. That allows you to know every inch of your trailer and you know the quality of what's in it.

Bob, you've said it about as well as can be said. I have always believed that a trailer owner needs to learn everything they can about their rig and learn to fix or at least diagnose problems with everything in it.


(BTW, brakes are easy. It's all 1960's stuff - shoes and drums. )

[SAABDOCTOR]

WELL Said Bob! There is something about diy That is the crazy fun part of owning a camper. and if you can fix all that stuff on yours the brakes are a walk in the park. the brakes on our campers were on step after the caveman dragged a rock to stop

[fla-gypsy]

Frankly I don't think they record any more information than is required by law. I was pleasantly surprised when I crawled under mine to assess the axle rating after reading horror stories of barely adequate axles. My dry weight was 7k and it had dual 5200 lb axles by Al-Ko on a 10k GVWR frame.

[eanddrice]

About eight weeks ago, I emailed Keystone to find out where I needed to go to get new decals for the front of my 2007 Passport 280bh. About two weeks later, after not getting any response from them, I emailed them again, and to date have still heard nothing. I am in customer service myself, in retail. I guess I expect too much?? Like a simple response..."no we cannot help you, this is where you can find them, kiss our foot"...something. But no response at all...WOW! It tells me that the Keystone Company doesn't give a rip about the people that have put them where they are today...

[Bob Landry]

Originally Posted by fla-gypsy

Frankly I don't think they record any more information than is required by law. I was pleasantly surprised when I crawled under mine to assess the axle rating after reading horror stories of barely adequate axles. My dry weight was 7k and it had dual 5200 lb axles by Al-Ko on a 10k GVWR frame.

I think that keystone and all of the other builders keep better records than what you might think. I can guarantee there is a BOM containing every item that went into the building of that trailer right down to the last screw and they know down to the dime how much it cost to build it. That's what corporations do, if for no other reason, to show expenses at tax time. With computerized record keeping being what it is, I can also guarantee they know where every item came from so the buyers can keep up with who sells the cheapest parts. Again that's what corporations do.

I have had pretty decent luck getting info from Keystone, but I think the key is that you have to make it past the girl who answers the phone, screens the calls, and shoots whatever answer from the hip that she thinks is going to get you off the phone.

[Bob Landry]

Originally Posted by SAABDOCTOR

WELL Said Bob! There is something about diy That is the crazy fun part of owning a camper. and if you can fix all that stuff on yours the brakes are a walk in the park. the brakes on our campers were on step after the caveman dragged a rock to stop

A marine surveyor who is a colleague of mine once told me that in order to own an maintain a boat, you needed to set aside 10-15% of the cost of the boat annually for maintenance. He also told me that unless you were flush with money, you needed to be able to fix 80z of the equipment on it, and I'm sure some variation of that also applies to RVs. I have customers who call me for everything regardless of how simple the fix is going to be. I don't see how they can afford it.

[AnolaBob]

I too contacted Keystone over two issues.

Firstly we are looking for the name of the pin box as we want to a replace it with a MOR/ryde pin box. I phoned and asked the person who answered to put me in touch with someone who would know. She took my VIN and said "hold on". I waited for 10 seconds and she comes back on the line and says its a model that doesn't even come close to the measurements on the MOR/ryde identification guide. Not even close. I say nothing.

Then I ask NICELY about the possibility of getting a replacement decal for the front of our 2008 Sydney and get "That trailer is way beyond warranty so we wont offer any assistance". I comment NICELY that some customers who have 2005 trailers are getting fresh decals and is there some criteria for obtaining a decal? "No one gets free decals after there warranty is over"

Well there you go.

[JRTJH]

Call back and talk to someone else. Also, there's a lot to be said about leaving a "trail" When you call on the phone, nobody hears the response that employee gives you,

Better yet, when you send an email with a picture explaining your problem, when you get the response, there's a signature at the end of the email and a way to trace it back to that employee. Usually if someone signs their name, they are more prone to give the "company's acceptable response" rather than just shuffle you off with a "No, we don't do that."

Hang in there and try again.

[Festus2]

Anolabob -

I would guess that your pin box could be manufactured by Lippert. There are different model numbers for this but 1621 is a fairly common one.

[ewkearns]

The fact that nobody from Keystone Corporate posts in this form says a lot about their view and energy level relating to customer service.

True, they don't have to. They aren't associated with this board. They can just continue to do what they have been doing.

But what a great way to learn how to improve the product and create brand loyalty.

Technically, I own a Hornet, not a Keystone. Should we ever commit to an upgrade, I won't be looking for a Keystone because I know they stand behind their product. Should we elect to go with a Keystone, it will be with the knowledge that customer service is probably not going to happen after the sale and there will be something exceptional about the product to offset that liability.

Just my $.02.....

[Bob Landry]

Originally Posted by ewkearns

The fact that nobody from Keystone Corporate posts in this form says a lot about their view and energy level relating to customer service.

True, they don't have to. They aren't associated with this board. They can just continue to do what they have been doing.

But what a great way to learn how to improve the product and create brand loyalty.

Technically, I own a Hornet, not a Keystone. Should we ever commit to an upgrade, I won't be looking for a Keystone because I know they stand behind their product. Should we elect to go with a Keystone, it will be with the knowledge that customer service is probably not going to happen after the sale and there will be something exceptional about the product to offset that liability.

Just my $.02.....

And you are unlikely to find much difference in quality or construction except for the very low end and the very high end, if then. All use the same quality appliances, and fixtures and I'm unable to understand why, but they all seem to be happy with one time buyers. If I were running it, I would probably most RV owners are going to trade up at some point, and I would be looking at that next sale. But then, who am I?

[Bob Landry]

There is one company that is aware of the customer service issue and has been pretty vocal about correcting those issues. That is Prime Time. As I understand it, some of the top executives of several rV manufacturers split off for that very reason and formed their own company with one of the main intentions being that of addressing customer service. From what I have heard and read, they seem to be doing pretty well with that concept. When I bought my Keystone at the Houston RV show, I went with the full intention of looking at Prime Time's products. The model I was interested in wasn't being shown, the DW wanted to look at the OB 227RL, we both liked it and the rest is history. We've had minimal issues with it and most I've opted to fix myself because I think I do better work than the dealer. I'm very happy with my Keystone trailer, but having said that, if there comes a time when I'm considering a trade, I'm going to seriously look at Prime Time's products again based solely on what I have heard about their attention to customer satisfaction.

[cabinfever]

Originally Posted by Bob Landry

There is one company that is aware of the customer service issue and has been pretty vocal about correcting those issues. That is Prime Time. As I understand it, some of the top executives of several rV manufacturers split off for that very reason and formed their own company with one of the main intentions being that of addressing customer service. From what I have heard and read, they seem to be doing pretty well with that concept. When I bought my Keystone at the Houston RV show, I went with the full intention of looking at Prime Time's products. The model I was interested in wasn't being shown, the DW wanted to look at the OB 227RL, we both liked it and the rest is history. We've had minimal issues with it and most I've opted to fix myself because I think I do better work than the dealer. I'm very happy with my Keystone trailer, but having said that, if there comes a time when I'm considering a trade, I'm going to seriously look at Prime Time's products again based solely on what I have heard about their attention to customer satisfaction.

Prime Time is a division of Forest River..... I think the biggest problem with customer service starts at the bottom. Seems many employees at the beginning points of customer service and quality don't seem to care. Usually the further up the ladder you can push a legitimate issue, the better response you will get.

[Bob Landry]

Originally Posted by cabinfever

Prime Time is a division of Forest River.....

I don't think that is correct. I looked at Forest River's website and browsed by brands and did not see anything that referenced to Prime Time or any of their models.

[cabinfever]

http://www.primetimerv.com/

Read at the very bottom... a division of Forest River

[AnolaBob]

Originally Posted by Festus2

Anolabob -

I would guess that your pin box could be manufactured by Lippert. There are different model numbers for this but 1621 is a fairly common one.

Thanks for the replies guys, I will continue to my quest for a new front decal. I contacted MorRyde and spoke with James. After a few measurements he determined it was a Venture brand with similar bolt holes and such. So I ordered it out of Texas. Can't complain about the price from Tweetys
Bob