Hobart Corporation

Final Consumer Response / [redacted] (2000, 9, 2016/04/11) */ We have received the refundPlease close our claim with satisfactory result Thank you, [redacted] ***

We recently had major repairs done on our Hobart HCM 450 mixer. The motor needed a rebuild. After waiting nearly 3 months for the parts to fix, we finally had our work done. The original quote was $2200, but when it came time to fix, the price went to $3800 due to a component not matching the parts. Instead of Hobart doing what's right, and honor the original quote, Hobart said they would knock $500 off. That I felt was ridiculous. If I quote a customer a price for food, I stick to it, no matter what the circumstances. So, after phone calls to the service manager, and the district manager, no progress was made. But it gets better...the brake cover cracked the day after our machine was repaired. Luckily, this was under warranty, and was fixed.
We noticed the loudness of the machine returning a couple weeks ago. Then, the plastic brake cover cracked again. The tech told us it cracked because of the brake carrier. I told him we recently had our brakes repaired, but he said it wouldn't be warrantied because it is the brake carrier, not the brakes. Hobart wants about $1200 to fix this. I find this to be Hobart simply taking advantage of a situation...why wasn't the carrier diagnosed earlier, either when the brakes were repaired, or when the cover cracked the first time? Also, we cannot find another machine with a cutting blade currently, so we are at the mercy of Hobart. My owner and myself, along with many people in the know I have talked to, feel this is gouging, plain and simple. We are prepared to contact attornies on this situation. It's amazing to me that with all of the mis-diagnosed issues and mistakes on Hobarts end, and the business we have done with you for so many years, along with the thousands of dollars we have used on repairs on this machine, that Hobart would treat us in this manner.
Regards,
Jimmy Lyons, District Manager, Gus's Carry Out Brighton, MI
810-227-6003 (store number)
810-923-1635 (my cell number)

Final Consumer Response /* (2000, 9, 2016/04/11) */
We have received the refund Please close our claim with satisfactory result
Thank you,
*** ***

Padding the bill on first visit Disregarding customer comments, not correctly assessing problem and selling us an unnecessary, expensive part
The complainant is Fig Garden Woman's Club We are a non-profit that raises money for local community charitiesWe are not active during the summer months In June 2015, our Hobart commercial dishwasher was leaking and flooding the floor We called Hobart service and their technician said it was a leaking intake valve We were billed $for this service and were charged hours of time for a 4-hour job(We understand technician attended to personal business during the hours) After complaining of the overcharge, the manager did credit us for $ We next used the dishwasher one time each in September and December, In December, the dishwasher repeatedly flooded our large kitchen to point it reached carpeted areasHobart was called and a different repair person requested due to prior bill padding We were assured thei

Final Consumer Response /* (2000, 9, 2016/04/11) */
We have received the refund. Please close our claim with satisfactory result.
Thank you,
[redacted]

I purchased a gas value from Hobart for my fryer for $251.06. The problem with the fryer was the gas wasn't coming to the Pilot line. After instaling the new part the problem was still not resolved. I took the fryer to the Hobart for service and after two weeks they stall 2 more parts which are burner pilot and thermopile and also charged me for 2.5 hrs labor totaling $473.21. After picking up the fryer the problem was still there. Hobart sent a tech out to my location to test. The same problem is still there. The tech told us the part (gas Valve)I intially purchsed from Hobart is defective and the reason they could'nt check it is because the building office does not allow the Gas connection. Hobart agreed to replace the part (gas valve) but the parts they installed (burner pilot and thermopile)were not needed. The proble was misdiagnosed on the Hobart tech 071 and the labor charged was unnessary and I request that total amount of $473.21 should be refunded to me since the problem still has not been resolved with the parts replced and labor charged by them.Product_Or_Service: pilotOrder_Number: XXXXXXXXDesired SettlementService order XXXXXXXX tech [redacted] 071 replace the parts that were not needed. My credit card was charged in the amount of $473.21 which needs to be refunded back to my card. I live 80 miles round trip away and made 3 unnecessary trips to Hobart and wasted 2 weeks and the problem is still not resolved. Business Response This letter is in response of complaint case # XXXXXXXX. Let me begin by saying that the business we are in is very competitive. We welcome any and all new customers, as they are the reason we all have jobs. We try very hard to completely satisfy all of our customers, new and old. In fact, our company's mission statement is "Customers For Life." We try to do whatever it takes to achieve this, so I was extremely concerned when I was informed of this complaint. Here at Hobart Corp. all of our technicians are factory trained on all of the equipment we service. All technicians have several years of experience and are professionals in their field.Most of the equipment we service have unique characteristics associated with the environment in which they operate in. If at all possible, these units should be serviced in their operating location. There are many variables that effect the operation of gas supplied equipment. 1. Incoming gas pressure.2. Is there other equipment connected to the same gas supply?3. Does each piece of equipment have a regulator to distribute correct gas pressure?4. Exhaust requirements. Although we do have the resources in our office to troubleshoot gas equipment, it is not our preferred way of diagnosing a problem with gas operated equipment due to all of the variables listed above that will be different at the operating location. Hobart, as well as many other service companies, has a non-returnable policy on any electrical part not installed by our trained technicians. This is due to the possibility of damage to part if not installed correctly. All this being said, it brings us to our response to your letter. On March 18, 2014, a customer came into our office and purchased a gas valve .On March 25, the customer called and asked if we serviced gas fryers. We said yes, but we prefer to troubleshoot at your location. He brought his fryer to our office for repairs. The fryer had a new gas valve on it, but the customer stated that the unit was not working. One of our technicians began to troubleshoot the fryer and noticed some wiring issues going to the gas valve. He repaired these wiring issues and continued checking out the unit. He found the problem with the fryer to be two parts that were faulty, a pilot assy. and a thermopile. He estimated the repair, quoted the estimate to customer, and was told to repair the unit. Our technician replaced the two parts, connected unit to our gas supply, and tested the operation of the unit. The fryer worked correctly and was witnessed by three of our employees. After picking up his fryer from our office, the customer called and stated that the fryer was not working at his location. We dispatched a technician to his location, at no charge, to service the fryer. During this service call, our technician damaged the pilot assy. while testing and determined the gas valve had gone bad during transportation. Our technician told the customer we would return and replace the pilot assy. and gas valve at no charge. Our technician was told by the customer to just send the part and he would install. Our parts department delivered the two parts to customer. This is where we are at with this issue at this time. It is my belief, that the original problem with the fryer was not the gas valve, but in the two parts our technician replaced in our office. I also suspect a gas pressure issue at the customer's location. In any event, the customer was only charged for the original gas valve he purchased himself, the two parts he approved to be replaced in our office, and a discounted labor charge for troubleshooting the unit and replacing the two parts mentioned. I feel we went the extra mile by allowing him to return the original gas valve, discounting the labor charges to repair the fryer, and dispatching a technician to his location at no charge. Once again, we at Hobart Corp. try as hard as we can to make sure every customer is happy with our service and truly regret this customer is not pleased, but feel we did everything possible on our part to resolve this issue. If you have any questions or concerns, please call me at my office XXX-XXX-XXXX or on my cell at XXX-XXX-XXXX. Sincerely,[redacted]Service ManagerHobart-Memphis, TN.