This is going to be a bit long but I need to put my experience in perspective.
Last summer I began looking for a pellet smoker/grill – something to expand my horizons from my single burner table top Weber Q. I researched just about all of the brands (a truly bewildering selection) for something in my price range. In addition to quality I was interested in reputation for customer service. After reading the AR and other reviews of GMG and their customer service I bit the bullet and picked up my GMG Davy Crockett. The unit did everything it was supposed to do and did it very well, until about three weeks ago.
I was attempting my second pork butt, this time in sub freezing weather. I had wrapped the grill in double layers of a fiberglass welding blanket which had worked well earlier but in somewhat warmer weather (low – mid 30's and with less wind). I could not get the grill up to the minimum temp I needed. Since I was only shooting for 225-230F I was thinking that maybe the DC just wasn't cut out for even that modestly cold weather.
I called GMG support to see if perhaps I was expecting too much from my cooker. I got a recording thanking me for my call and telling me a tech support person would be with me shortly. I began to get an uneasy feeling. I cannot remember how many times I have been told that all of the representatives were busy and stuck on hold for longer than I cared to be. Before I decided I had been holding long enough the recording advised that all of the reps were busy and asked me to leave a number for a call back. That one sent a cold shiver down my back which had nothing to do with the weather. I have waited days for call backs from other firms. But I left my number anyway and had I not been on crutches due to a broken ankle I would have gone ice fishing knowing it would be a loooong time before I got my call back.
In less than 45 minutes I got a call from Brett in the GMG office in Reno. I explained my problem and he told me that the DC should be able to do what I wanted, and maybe there was a problem with the grill. He stayed on the phone with me while I hobbled back and forth to my deck as I tried to help him troubleshoot the problem. With his help we found that the pellets were feeding very slowly from the auger. He told me the problem seemed to be a weak auger motor and said they would send me a new auger unit. Sounded fine to me and we ended the call. Then a day or so later I got an e-mail from Brett advising the auger units were on back order and it would be a week or more before they would be available. Nothing I could do about that and I couldn't blame GMG for problems with their suppliers.
This past Monday I got an e-mail advising that the new auger unit had been shipped the previous Friday. I expected to wait at least week or ten days for the new unit to get here (UPS ground, you know). It was delivered early Tuesday afternoon. Except for a problem with the control panel (which I think was my fault) the installation, even in chilly weather, was as easy as heating a cup of coffee in a microwave. I talked to Brett thanking him for the speedy service, that I hadn't expected delivery so soon. He told me that GMG sends all of their repair parts by 3 day priority mail. I talked to another customer service rep (no recording this time - he actually answered the phone) about the control panel problem and told him that I thought it was my fault. That I didn't expect it to be covered by warranty but I would need another one. He told me that it would be covered under the warranty anyway and they would send me a new one.
As I said, this is a long story but I wanted to show the effort GMG made to provide me with what I have to say is the finest customer service I think I have ever received. Since I have many new friends in my neighborhood since I began smoking meat the only complaint I have about my Davy Crockett is that I didn't buy a bigger one.
Thank you GMG, you have a loyal customer.
Last summer I began looking for a pellet smoker/grill – something to expand my horizons from my single burner table top Weber Q. I researched just about all of the brands (a truly bewildering selection) for something in my price range. In addition to quality I was interested in reputation for customer service. After reading the AR and other reviews of GMG and their customer service I bit the bullet and picked up my GMG Davy Crockett. The unit did everything it was supposed to do and did it very well, until about three weeks ago.
I was attempting my second pork butt, this time in sub freezing weather. I had wrapped the grill in double layers of a fiberglass welding blanket which had worked well earlier but in somewhat warmer weather (low – mid 30's and with less wind). I could not get the grill up to the minimum temp I needed. Since I was only shooting for 225-230F I was thinking that maybe the DC just wasn't cut out for even that modestly cold weather.
I called GMG support to see if perhaps I was expecting too much from my cooker. I got a recording thanking me for my call and telling me a tech support person would be with me shortly. I began to get an uneasy feeling. I cannot remember how many times I have been told that all of the representatives were busy and stuck on hold for longer than I cared to be. Before I decided I had been holding long enough the recording advised that all of the reps were busy and asked me to leave a number for a call back. That one sent a cold shiver down my back which had nothing to do with the weather. I have waited days for call backs from other firms. But I left my number anyway and had I not been on crutches due to a broken ankle I would have gone ice fishing knowing it would be a loooong time before I got my call back.
In less than 45 minutes I got a call from Brett in the GMG office in Reno. I explained my problem and he told me that the DC should be able to do what I wanted, and maybe there was a problem with the grill. He stayed on the phone with me while I hobbled back and forth to my deck as I tried to help him troubleshoot the problem. With his help we found that the pellets were feeding very slowly from the auger. He told me the problem seemed to be a weak auger motor and said they would send me a new auger unit. Sounded fine to me and we ended the call. Then a day or so later I got an e-mail from Brett advising the auger units were on back order and it would be a week or more before they would be available. Nothing I could do about that and I couldn't blame GMG for problems with their suppliers.
This past Monday I got an e-mail advising that the new auger unit had been shipped the previous Friday. I expected to wait at least week or ten days for the new unit to get here (UPS ground, you know). It was delivered early Tuesday afternoon. Except for a problem with the control panel (which I think was my fault) the installation, even in chilly weather, was as easy as heating a cup of coffee in a microwave. I talked to Brett thanking him for the speedy service, that I hadn't expected delivery so soon. He told me that GMG sends all of their repair parts by 3 day priority mail. I talked to another customer service rep (no recording this time - he actually answered the phone) about the control panel problem and told him that I thought it was my fault. That I didn't expect it to be covered by warranty but I would need another one. He told me that it would be covered under the warranty anyway and they would send me a new one.
As I said, this is a long story but I wanted to show the effort GMG made to provide me with what I have to say is the finest customer service I think I have ever received. Since I have many new friends in my neighborhood since I began smoking meat the only complaint I have about my Davy Crockett is that I didn't buy a bigger one.
Thank you GMG, you have a loyal customer.
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