I bought a set of battery power tools to use in locations that were more likely to have theft and/or bad conditions. I seemed to be well pleased with the Ryobi tools I bought except for their batteries. However, after calling Ryobi, I found that I'd been lied to by my local Home Depot store again! (In another thread I spell out precisely how Home Depot changed their computer that mixes Behr paints and it cost me well over a thousand dollars. Almost all paint crews do their job and then have their 'boss' go back and inspect the job before it's finished. Several places in each room needed to be touched up and the exact brand, color, series paint was purchased from Home Depot to do this. Much to my dismay, the colors were several shades different and weren't close to matching and we were never told the colors were changed. Home Depot's official response was "Yes, we changed the colors. No, we will not do anything to help you in the expenses we caused you to incur.)
This time, Ryobi corporate told me that all my batteries were still under warranty. I've already taken 5 or 6 of them in for warranty exchange only to be assured by the Home Depot store manager that "NO, you have NO warranty". To finish a job, I bought one new P104 Ryobi 18v (their higher capacity 18v LiOn battery) to finish. That battery lasted 6 months. The store manager told me that they only replace them for 90 days; after that I have to take it up with Ryobi, which I did. Ryobi's upper management assured me that their contract with Home Depot was for Home Depot to handle these issues at the store level for customer convenience and better customer support. I literally had to get flat rude to the store manager in front of the rest of his management team as he was telling me off and make him call Ryobi headquarters while I was standing there.
Of course the ass made me wait an hour before he "had time" to make the call. I could clearly see him sitting in his office bullshitting with other managers tossing a ball around. Their reflective glass wasn't working as they expected because they had too much light on their side of the glass and I could see them. After discovering that I wouldn't leave or even leave the customer support desk, telling each customer my story, he finally called Ryobi. I stood there and listened to him tell them "No way! I've NEVER replaced a single Ryobi battery!" Of course, he wouldn't help me after he was enlightened. He sent me to see the 'Rental Manager'. WTF?!! I didn't rent the damn battery! Of course the rental manager had no clue and I had to wait another 45 minutes while he was brought up to speed.
Finally, after wasting at least 3 hours of my time, Home Depot agreed to send my battery to Ryobi and then 'call me if they got a replacement'. They had dozens on their shelves and Ryobi told me as well as the store manager that I was to receive a replacement on the spot while under warranty. So, Home Depot opted to simply dick with me because I forced the issue. I'm really pissed because of the 5 or 6 other 18v P104 batteries I tossed because their store manager assured me that they wer NOT under warranty. The 'rental manager' let it slip that my treatment is not any different than what customers who buy 18v Ridgid batteries get. He said he ships off "six or eight" Ridgid batteries per day to get replacements. I'd bet that Ridgid has a similar contract agreement with Home Depot for their lifetime replacement for their higher priced batteries.
So, if you wonder why Home Depot lots always seem empty now, you should have a little insight as to why. With a downturn in business, their first cut has been in customer service. After what I've been through, I'll laugh when they begin closing stores. I admit that I'll feel bad for most of their non-management employees for losing their jobs, but their managers seem to all follow the "screw the customer" philosophy.
This time, Ryobi corporate told me that all my batteries were still under warranty. I've already taken 5 or 6 of them in for warranty exchange only to be assured by the Home Depot store manager that "NO, you have NO warranty". To finish a job, I bought one new P104 Ryobi 18v (their higher capacity 18v LiOn battery) to finish. That battery lasted 6 months. The store manager told me that they only replace them for 90 days; after that I have to take it up with Ryobi, which I did. Ryobi's upper management assured me that their contract with Home Depot was for Home Depot to handle these issues at the store level for customer convenience and better customer support. I literally had to get flat rude to the store manager in front of the rest of his management team as he was telling me off and make him call Ryobi headquarters while I was standing there.
Of course the ass made me wait an hour before he "had time" to make the call. I could clearly see him sitting in his office bullshitting with other managers tossing a ball around. Their reflective glass wasn't working as they expected because they had too much light on their side of the glass and I could see them. After discovering that I wouldn't leave or even leave the customer support desk, telling each customer my story, he finally called Ryobi. I stood there and listened to him tell them "No way! I've NEVER replaced a single Ryobi battery!" Of course, he wouldn't help me after he was enlightened. He sent me to see the 'Rental Manager'. WTF?!! I didn't rent the damn battery! Of course the rental manager had no clue and I had to wait another 45 minutes while he was brought up to speed.
Finally, after wasting at least 3 hours of my time, Home Depot agreed to send my battery to Ryobi and then 'call me if they got a replacement'. They had dozens on their shelves and Ryobi told me as well as the store manager that I was to receive a replacement on the spot while under warranty. So, Home Depot opted to simply dick with me because I forced the issue. I'm really pissed because of the 5 or 6 other 18v P104 batteries I tossed because their store manager assured me that they wer NOT under warranty. The 'rental manager' let it slip that my treatment is not any different than what customers who buy 18v Ridgid batteries get. He said he ships off "six or eight" Ridgid batteries per day to get replacements. I'd bet that Ridgid has a similar contract agreement with Home Depot for their lifetime replacement for their higher priced batteries.
So, if you wonder why Home Depot lots always seem empty now, you should have a little insight as to why. With a downturn in business, their first cut has been in customer service. After what I've been through, I'll laugh when they begin closing stores. I admit that I'll feel bad for most of their non-management employees for losing their jobs, but their managers seem to all follow the "screw the customer" philosophy.
