ComplaintsforBob's Clock Shop

• Initial Complaint

  10/20/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Brought in cuckoo clock to have cleaned oiled and repaired. None of this has been completed other than she wiped a little dust off claimed there was a plastic part that she had to send it out for to be repaired there are no plastic parts inside this cuckoo clock.

  Business response

  11/02/2023

  I received the BBB notice of complaint on October 30, 2023.  I am very surprised to receive this complaint.  When the customer picked up his ********************, he indicated that he was satisfied with the service.  The only negative interaction I received was from the customer's girlfriend. I have not been contacted by the owner of the clock since he picked it up to advise me that he had any concerns about the work performed.  Bob's Clock Shop has operated in this location since ****, and this is the first complaint the business has ever received.  When the customer delivered the ******************** for repair, he indicated that it belonged to a family member and he wanted it repaired.  Upon initial examination, it appeared to only require a cleaning.  I provided an estimate based upon that assessment.  That estimate, as the client submitted, was between $150 and $175.  We have to provide a range estimate because until the clock is disassembled, the repairman can not know how many bushings might need attention.  To clean the clock it must be dismantled piece by piece, the majority of the clock movement is placed in a hydro sonic cleaning machine, and then removed to dry.  The clock is reassembled and oiled with a very specific oil.  When the repairman disassembled this clock, he found that the plastic gear was cracked.  Contrary to the customer's assumption that the ******************** has no plastic gears, please be advised that all of these cuckoo clocks manufactured during the same year as the customer's ******************** has this plastic gear.  *************** of this crack is a common problem with these clocks as the plastic will crack from years of running which puts stress on this plastic gear.  This plastic gear cannot be repaired, and parts are no longer available.  Consequently, the repairman had to have the gear specially made.  This added $50 to the bill for the repair of this clock.  When the customer arrived to retrieve his ********************, I offered to knock off $25 because it was an unanticipated expense, and he declined.  Relating to the report that the clock didn't work after it was retrieved, as the receipt indicates, we offer a year warranty of our work.  I stand by that warranty and am more than happy to honor it despite this complaint. After being repaired, the cuckoo clock ran for over 2 weeks at the repairman's location and ran for a number of days longer at my location.  There are a number of very simple reasons unrelated to the actual repair work that could explain why a clock might not function properly in an owner's home.  For example, if the nail/screw upon which the clock is hung is not inserted in the wall at the correct angle, the clock could tilt forward which would cause the pendulum to rub against the slot through which it hangs and swings, which will prevent it from running.  I have had customers to whom I had to instruct them to actually give the pendulum a little swing to get the clock started.  These clocks do not just start on their own.   I would be happy to assist the owner of the clock to get his clock running in his home. This is covered under the warranty we offer to all of our customers. I encourage the owner of the the clock to take advantage of our warranty.  I am confident we can rectify this problem easily.

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