GP wild goose chase

[redrustyhill]

Hopefully what I have to say will save someone a lot of time and frustration in the Future. I was sent on a wild goose chase this week because of bad info from GovernmentPlanet customer care, wrong info on sale item location, and incompetence/someone not paying attention to detail at the DRMO. To make a long story short I went to Minot ND to recover a M295a1 trailer, I called and scheduled a pickup for friday but when I got there and called to give an hour notice like the guy asked, he then told me he doesn't work in Minot! This is the same guy I called Wednesday to schedule a pickup who failed to mention then that he was in Minneapolis, not Minot. So I had to call GovPLanet customer care and they gave me a different number for the Minot POC. When I called him, he said they were not open and that the trailer wasn't even in Minot, it had came from there but it was sent to Devil's lake for the auction, even though the auction site said it was in Minot, the paperwork said it was in Minot, GovPlanet customer care said it was in Minot, but Minot sends it to Devil's lake without telling anyone??? The gut in Minot was helpful though and got me in touch with someone in Devil's lake (120 miles back the direction i had come from and 120 miles the opposite direction of where i was headed for a total of 240 miles extra driving in a M931a2 tractor) The devil's lake POC said come on over they would be there until 4. I got to Devils lake around noon, they took me out to the yard and the trailer is not there. Almost 2 hours on the phone standing out in the 90 degree heat, they find the trailer, back in Minot, come to find out it had been sent to the scrap yard the week before the auction. The DRMO people who handle that stuff were all gone and the guy helping me out in Devil's Lake worked in a different department. At first they were saying that trailer was sent to scrap because it was not supposed to be released to the public, but after more phone calls the guy finds out that my trailer was not the one supposed to be scrapped, they had sent the wrong one. I did make it to the scrap yard in time before they closed and the people there were helpful getting me hooked up, but I was not a happy camper being sent 240 miles out of my way. GovPlaney and DRMO need to get their act straightened out as far as Item locations, it is not cheap to drive that far extra in a large truck and lucky for me I got to Minot early enough in the day to get things all sorted out, If I had got there any later I would have been stuck 250 miles from home, either have to spend the weekend there or drive home and come back the following week for the trailer. It was a lot of lost time and money because of one person's stupid "mistake"

 

[redrustyhill]

I guess the only thing a person can do to avoid all this trouble is to verify with the POC when you call to schedule a pickup that they are at the location on your paperwork. (his cell phone # was a local ND number so I didn't think anything of it) And secondly, ask if the POC can go out to the yard and physically verify that your item number is sitting there. I don't know if it is of any use to call GovPlanet and make a complaint about items not being where the paperwork says and where it is listed on the auction as being. I probably would not have bid on the unit if I had known it was at Devil's lake because that is another 240 miles, not just extra fuel expense but the 5+ hours driving a noisy uncomfortable 5ton.

 

[gimpyrobb]

Don't they have some kind of BS iron clad guarantee? I'd call and raise Cain.

 

[redrustyhill]

I do plan to call on Monday. It was too hectic of a day on Friday to call GovPlanet and was too late after everything was sorted out. I did not have time nor the frame of mind to talk to a customer service rep and be put on hold for hours.

 

[General Hood]

There were several of us at Fort Riley last week unable to get the POC to answer a call once we arrived. We had all spoke with him 1-2 hours before arrival, but apparently in that 1-2 hr period the man became "no longer employed by GP". After a couple hours of calling various GP contacts by the lot of us, GP came up with a new on site contact and we were loaded in short order. It was no more than an inconvenience of time, but I was quite concerned after making the 500 mile drive for pick up

 

[fnpurist]

Hopefully what I have to say will save someone a lot of time and frustration in the Future. I was sent on a wild goose chase this week because of bad info from GovernmentPlanet customer care, wrong info on sale item location, and incompetence/someone not paying attention to detail at the DRMO. To make a long story short I went to Minot ND to recover a M295a1 trailer, I called and scheduled a pickup for friday but when I got there and called to give an hour notice like the guy asked, he then told me he doesn't work in Minot! This is the same guy I called Wednesday to schedule a pickup who failed to mention then that he was in Minneapolis, not Minot. So I had to call GovPLanet customer care and they gave me a different number for the Minot POC. When I called him, he said they were not open and that the trailer wasn't even in Minot, it had came from there but it was sent to Devil's lake for the auction, even though the auction site said it was in Minot, the paperwork said it was in Minot, GovPlanet customer care said it was in Minot, but Minot sends it to Devil's lake without telling anyone??? The gut in Minot was helpful though and got me in touch with someone in Devil's lake (120 miles back the direction i had come from and 120 miles the opposite direction of where i was headed for a total of 240 miles extra driving in a M931a2 tractor) The devil's lake POC said come on over they would be there until 4. I got to Devils lake around noon, they took me out to the yard and the trailer is not there. Almost 2 hours on the phone standing out in the 90 degree heat, they find the trailer, back in Minot, come to find out it had been sent to the scrap yard the week before the auction. The DRMO people who handle that stuff were all gone and the guy helping me out in Devil's Lake worked in a different department. At first they were saying that trailer was sent to scrap because it was not supposed to be released to the public, but after more phone calls the guy finds out that my trailer was not the one supposed to be scrapped, they had sent the wrong one. I did make it to the scrap yard in time before they closed and the people there were helpful getting me hooked up, but I was not a happy camper being sent 240 miles out of my way. GovPlaney and DRMO need to get their act straightened out as far as Item locations, it is not cheap to drive that far extra in a large truck and lucky for me I got to Minot early enough in the day to get things all sorted out, If I had got there any later I would have been stuck 250 miles from home, either have to spend the weekend there or drive home and come back the following week for the trailer. It was a lot of lost time and money because of one person's stupid "mistake"

I can't begin to imagine how pissed you were

 

[Recovry4x4]

Sinners can repent. Stupid lasts a lifetime! Glad you got your chassis out of hock.

 

[dmetalmiki]

Wow, that was a bad experience, but you(at least) have a result. sounds like it could have been (a lot) worse. Now to enjoy the ownership and use must be (somewhat of) a relief.

 

[goldneagle]

I would try to bill GP for the FUEL used for the 250 additional miles. Since you are bidding based on of item and recovery cost. (I know I skip bidding on items that are too far away to be cost effective to recover.) Maybe toss in some extra $$ for your time loss too. You bid and paid - so you lived up to your end of the contract...

 

[fuzzytoaster]

There were several of us at Fort Riley last week unable to get the POC to answer a call once we arrived. We had all spoke with him 1-2 hours before arrival, but apparently in that 1-2 hr period the man became "no longer employed by GP". After a couple hours of calling various GP contacts by the lot of us, GP came up with a new on site contact and we were loaded in short order. It was no more than an inconvenience of time, but I was quite concerned after making the 500 mile drive for pick up

Who was the POC? I sure hope not Craig, he's been nothing but awesome.

 

[General Hood]

Who was the POC? I sure hope not Craig, he's been nothing but awesome.

Yep, it was Craig, and he was very accommodating on our previous pick up at Ft Riley. At first, GP told all the folks waiting on location for our purchases that he was on base, just not answering his phone. Eventually, after a couple hours, we were given a new contact. I used the down time to stroll though the rows of trucks that are awaiting future auction. Some good ones there, but mostly trucks requiring extensive TLC

 

[quickfarms]

The cost to move a commercial tractor is over a buck a mile. The should pay you at least $250 for the 250 mile detour

 

[General Hood]

The cost to move a commercial tractor is over a buck a mile. The should pay you at least $250 for the 250 mile detour

Agreed

 

[Monkeyboyarmy]

$3.00 a mile. I say $750.

 

[Jwade]

Who was the POC? I sure hope not Craig, he's been nothing but awesome.

craig was promoted to a regional manager. Brian is the new contact, I am not aware of us letting anyone go.

 

[fuzzytoaster]

craig was promoted to a regional manager. Brian is the new contact, I am not aware of us letting anyone go.

****, that's TWO guys I enjoy working with now promoted.

 

[3dAngus]

I was given a wrong name and wrong phone number last time I drove 150 miles to fetch a trailer. They set up the appt at HQS of GP and told me I didnt need to call the local POC until I was there. Drove the distance and the phone didn't work. The local POC was changed out and they didnt update their records.
Dont know about you folks, but I just love driving a couple hours, and having a 7 hour day on the road, just to have to sit and wait and get the run around.
No, Zi was not a happy camper with GP on this occasion either.
You know what those idiots are saying when their computers get overloaded when you bid?
Oh, its a competing bidder hacking your system so you cant outbid them. We get that all the time.
Whaaaaaaaaa??????? Dumbest thing I ever heard. Very unprofessional people.

 

[Jon Giovani]

Yep, it was Craig, and he was very accommodating on our previous pick up at Ft Riley. At first, GP told all the folks waiting on location for our purchases that he was on base, just not answering his phone. Eventually, after a couple hours, we were given a new contact. I used the down time to stroll though the rows of trucks that are awaiting future auction. Some good ones there, but mostly trucks requiring extensive TLC

I just spoke with Brian (lot guy) at the Fort Riley lot, Craig actually got a promotion and is now running some bases west of Kansas. New POC is Brian Babst.
They are all great guys at the Fort Riley yard. Once you have been there a few times it becomes second nature.

 

[redrustyhill]

I was given a wrong name and wrong phone number last time I drove 150 miles to fetch a trailer. They set up the appt at HQS of GP and told me I didnt need to call the local POC until I was there. Drove the distance and the phone didn't work. The local POC was changed out and they didnt update their records.
Dont know about you folks, but I just love driving a couple hours, and having a 7 hour day on the road, just to have to sit and wait and get the run around.
No, Zi was not a happy camper with GP on this occasion either.
You know what those idiots are saying when their computers get overloaded when you bid?
Oh, its a competing bidder hacking your system so you cant outbid them. We get that all the time.
Whaaaaaaaaa??????? Dumbest thing I ever heard. Very unprofessional people.

Thats the same thing that started all my trouble; GP customer service gave me the number for a POC that no longer worked there and when I called the POC to schedule pickup he never informed me that he doesnt work there, not until I showed up for pickup!

 

[redrustyhill]

The cost to move a commercial tractor is over a buck a mile. The should pay you at least $250 for the 250 mile detour

How do I go about billing GP? Nobody there is going to take reaponsibility. Mistakes are NEVER GP's fault and any mistake they make is at OUR expense. Kind of how any government type agency works, their motto is: your mistake, you owe us pay up or else; our mistake, you owe us pay up or else.