Marineland Customer Service = Horrible!

[MVPaquatics]

I feel I need to rant about my latest battles with Marineland Customer Service.

 

Background:

I have a new customer that called me regarding a leaking canister filter. It was dripping around the head unit. My action: I cleaned everything, replaced the medias, cut new hose-to-valve connection, cleaned the main o-ring really well (I have seen a small piece of carbon cause a pinhole leak), even added a little silicone GREASE (doesnt dry) to the o-ring because it felt a little older/stiff...boom worked...for 2 days. I get a call, it started again...much smaller but its there.

 

This time I bring a replacement canister filter (FLUVAL) and take the old one with me to diagnose. I get it home and hook it up and see, yes it is still there, small leak around the handle. I ask how long they have had the filter and they say like 15 months or so...out of any warranty, so I recommend replacing the o-rings.

 

Let the trouble begin:

Monday 11/21 10AM: I call everywhere local to see if they stock them...nope. Gotta order. I call marineland and let them know what is up, they recommend the gasket kit. I go to marineland.com and see they have it. might as well right? I spring for the next 2day shipping hoping to get it wednesday (thurs is thanksgiving). Thanksgiving comes and goes...no o-ring. Friday comes, the weekend goes...

 

Monday!!!! 11/28 3PM Fedex left it by my door even though I was home...ashamed(scratch)?

 

I see on the packing label they didnt ship it until 11/22 4ish PM. A little different from my email shipping info from marineland saying it shipped on 11/21, can you say lack of communication?! Kinda making it hard on fedex to get it there. Soooo I have it, I see there are 7 o-rings. The main one, 2 smaller ones, and 4 mushroom shaped ones? I take this thing apart and replace the main o-ring and 2 smaller ones that go on the valve stem. I cannot for the life of me figure out where the mushroom shaped ones go, and I am very mechanically inclined, I looked at every schematic of the filter I could find. I think "oh well, all the water-air o-ring are in so we are good. I hook it back up..STILL LEAKS!

 

I am pissed now(flame)(nutty), I get microscopic with it, it is leaking around the handle. So I track it backwards, it is not the case that's leaking now, its the valve stem! by the barbed plastic fittings at a very small rate and partially filling up the little cup area that the plastic valve stem jobber fits into and THEN it leaks down the handle. I examine the valve stem and yes sure enough one barb is much tighter than the other. I see the bottom has four screws...could it be the mushroom o-rings? I WISH. I open the valve stem and see one o-ring is shot. But noooo, they arent the mushrooms, they are like little innertubes.

 

Dang!DOH! I give up (not really!) and email marineland that monday with some pics and ask whats up? Website says they will get back to you in a "timely" manner...which is?(scratch) By wednesday I cant wait anymore, and call before taking off to do some tank maintenance. I hear "your expected wait time is greater than 25 minutes" well I gotta go so I take advantage of the "push one to leave a voicemail that will be returned within 1 day." Left a message for callback.

 

Today was 2 days later, no call, no email back. So I call and wait on hold this time. Finally get through and you can tell they hate their job already. I dont even get into the shipping mess. I just say I may have gotten the wrong kit because I dont know where some gaskets go and it is still leaking...She informs me that I will need to buy a whole new valve stem, and also that removing ANY screws from the canister filter voids the warranty (that I don't have) WOW. Also, the mushroom shaped o-rings are for the newer model, for the baskets to prevent filter bypass...

 

Now I inform her of the issues:

First off, I spoke to someone and they assured me that the o-ring kit was the only thing to buy as far as parts for a leaking head unit. So I did it. I even asked if this could be an older unit that was different, and he said they haven't changed anything in the model. The kit came with no ID or instructions or anything...just in a blank plastic bag...then we go into the shipping disaster. She informs me to check out local stores if I want to avoid shipping because they make their parts available to retailers as well as consumers....trying to pass the buck...I remind her that I am a business and tried that route and no one has the parts. Then she gets sassy with me and asks why it is her problem they choose not to stock their parts, they have plenty. So I inquire, has this been an issue for the company, why the need for so many replacement parts. She asks if I want to buy a new valve stem or not? I say it is not something I am ready to do at this time, is there someone else who I can speak with about the issues I am having. No response just dialing...."You have reached such and such from customer relations and I am out of the office until December 5th...voicemail left...

 

Luckily my customer is being patient and understanding while enjoying the nice reliability and silence of a FLUVAL!

 

TO BE CONTINUED....

[Hewey McLovit]

I have been using AquaCave and really do like their costumer service. They never seem in a rush and will get me in touch with someone that understands my problems, being mechanical or chemical.

[Electrokate]

I've had horrible experiences with marineland too... better off trying to use duct tape and superglue to make something up yourself than utilize their customer service reps. Seriously sad, useless and pathetic people they got there, and it's a long term problem going back years. For future parts orders Big Al's online has pretty much every part you could possibly order if you can navigate their website, and they have both a US and Canadian site to pour through. Locally there are also tons of parts at Wet Spot (but apparently noone on staff who understands a thing about them) plus Jerry at World Of Wet Pets is good at puzzling out these deals.

Canister filters are the enemy IMO. But I do use an HOT magnum which I spent more on parts fixing than it would have cost to get a new one at full retail. It makes a lot of noise and takes about half an hour to start. Never Marineland again.

Kate

[MVPaquatics]

Unfortunate but expected that I wasn't the only one experiencing the problems. I too hate marineland but in this business I have to deal with whatever the customer has, but I will definitely bring up the option to change filters, I will even do it for no charge, it will make my life easier in the longrun. I have been doing this for years and am not new to the game, but they treat you like an idiot and that there must be something I am doing wrong that their filter is leaking.

 

I tried all local routes...most retailers choose not to carry this brand, except big box stores. Smaller ones go more quality like eheim and fluval. I thought world of wet pets might have it cuz they have a ton of parts but they did not. I will try aquacave and big als. Dont get me started on magnums and hot magnums...I worked at a store in college that was pretty much run off of those disasters.

 

I will not spend another dime with marineland themselves, but will hear any offers they have, if not we will go another route, but not before they get an earful, it is the least I can do...

[pnkrcklives]

Thanks for the heads up. I have not had to deal with their customer service. I have had too many problems with their problems with their products. So I try to stay away from them if possible.

[Nate213]

I hear "your expected wait time is greater than 25 minutes"

 

I bought a couple of Maxi-Jet Pros a few months ago. (Not sure why, they are junk) Both of them were missing parts. (One of them was missing an impeller.) Anyway I have called their customer service number about once a week since then and the expected wait is never less than 25 min. I don't have time to hang on the phone that long for a $5 part.