Discussion:
Can things get any worse for Linde?

I have just returned home from a fab holiday with the girls to find an email from one of my colleagues saying that we (Linde) have just lost one of our major accounts, 400 + trucks to Jungheinrich and Mitsubishi, and by the sound of it deservedly so!. What the **** is going on? And more importantly what's next?
 Lifty xx
  • Posted 4 Jul 2009 16:33
  • By Msliftyloader
  • joined 4 Jul'09 - 8 messages
  • England, United Kingdom
Showing items 21 - 35 of 35 results.
Hi guys not exactly the same subject but near enough earlier this year jungheinrich took the contract at dhl in doncaster from still not because of the poor service from the on site engineer because that was excellent but because of poor management from the dac managers that still took on and the cost cutting excercise was to get rid of the contracts managers so no more customer service.
No better way to tell your customer he is special.
  • Posted 12 Sep 2009 01:31
  • By daryl_j
  • joined 12 Sep'09 - 46 messages
  • manchester, United Kingdom
it happens then you die
Well MsLifty, Basingstoke hasn't been the same since Linde bought it. In my not so humble opinion, it would have been better if Lansing had of remained independent.

Of course I thought the same about Automatic, Lewis Sheppard, Conveyancer, Henley, Shawloader, etc.
  • Posted 12 Sep 2009 00:12
  • By Wayne
  • joined 7 Jul'07 - 5 messages
  • Ontario, Canada
Hi Wilton, Thanks for the offer but i am all done with guys at the moment, i just cant seem to find a fella who takes me serious! - i guess i must stop telling them who i work for! lol
My lot are very bitter over the Dairy Crest thing and if it wasnt so serious it would be quite funny, i dont think the news has hit the MH press yet but i guess thats just a matter of time?
I just knew all of this having to make profit stuff was going to cause trouble one day!
Anyway gotta go and put some lippy on, got a few nearly new three-wheelers to shift, any takers?
Play nicely - Love Lifty xx
  • Posted 5 Sep 2009 15:36
  • By Msliftyloader
  • joined 4 Jul'09 - 8 messages
  • England, United Kingdom
you sound a bit tasty msliftyloader any chance of a date or can i come away with you and the girls next time
not seen anything in the news about your revelation yet are you sure
has anyone else heard anything
sounds from the comments that linde are losing ground but dairy crest is a big one and they have had it for a long time
  • Posted 28 Aug 2009 07:14
  • By wilton
  • joined 9 Jul'09 - 13 messages
  • manchester, United Kingdom
From my understandings Dairycrest and Carlsberg are not the only long term Linde accounts to have been broken by Jungheinrich recently - at least one more I know again due to service support and complacency
  • Posted 9 Jul 2009 00:55
  • By howhigh
  • joined 6 Jul'09 - 2 messages
  • Bedfordshire, United Kingdom
Dairycrest are shutting sites and really struggling i would be surprised if they have 400 trucks left to replace,not a good customer,but all the same better to have it than not.
  • Posted 7 Jul 2009 04:03
  • By Herald
  • joined 3 Jan'07 - 128 messages
  • lancashire, United Kingdom
Havent Carlsberg gone to Jungheinrich
  • Posted 7 Jul 2009 03:21
  • By DAVE160
  • joined 7 Jun'08 - 147 messages
  • yorkshire, United Kingdom
I think Linde will continue to lose good customers in this way, until they realise the error of their ways and start giving better customer service.

This account was lost over a very long time, due to patchy national delivery by the local service teams.

The recent changes in Linde's style since their purchase by Kion have only served to increase latent dissatisfaction within the Linde customer base. Carlsberg went the same way last year but it was kept very quiet by Linde.
  • Posted 6 Jul 2009 20:47
  • By jon_b
  • joined 10 Mar'06 - 17 messages
  • Cheshire, United Kingdom
Dairy Crest is the customer, i understand that Jung and Mit will share the deal 50/50 which is a new one on me! I am told that the chaps fronting the deal for them are ex Toyota National Accounts. Have A Nice Day - Lifty xx
  • Posted 6 Jul 2009 18:09
  • By Msliftyloader
  • joined 4 Jul'09 - 8 messages
  • England, United Kingdom
It won't be down to B'stoke they are only closing the production line,Parts,service,sales+training will still be there,does anyone know who the customer is?
  • Posted 6 Jul 2009 02:39
  • By Herald
  • joined 3 Jan'07 - 128 messages
  • lancashire, United Kingdom
this just goes to show no mater how good your trucks are if the service is not there than you are out and one of your competitors are in. Downtime is the killer customers wont accept that a truck is going to be out of service no more. Manufacters have just hoped this will go away now they are going to lose customers. 400 trucks is a lot i bet jungheinrich and mitsubishi are lauthing all the way to the bank.
  • Posted 5 Jul 2009 23:37
  • By DAVE160
  • joined 7 Jun'08 - 147 messages
  • yorkshire, United Kingdom
Dont worry msliftyloader il employ ya if linde go down, im looking for a good P.A or spanner carrier xx.
  • Posted 5 Jul 2009 05:35
  • Modified 5 Jul 2009 05:38 by poster
  • By powerlifter
  • joined 17 Mar'09 - 306 messages
  • united kingdom, United Kingdom
A good engineer is a helpful engineer
Often one in sales hears the following statement. Once the first sale is made to a customers, it is the service departmemnt that keeps them coming back for more.
Well, there needs to be an add on statement. "If the customer does not get the service he deserves & should expect, for what ever the reason, he will go away for sure & probably for a long time." Customers have memories like elephants for certain & they would rather not have forklifts a frequent issue at their management meetings.
  • Posted 5 Jul 2009 01:23
  • By johnr_j
  • joined 3 Jun'06 - 1,452 messages
  • Georgia, United States
"Have An Exceptional Day!"
Poor service probarbly. We took at 25+ truck contract off Linde due to lousy service, trucks being left down for days pm,s not beinng carried out etc.
Another site we will be taking from them is having the same probs as well they hired a Linde VNA on lth over 2 yrs ago and its still not had a service carried out.
  • Posted 4 Jul 2009 21:54
  • By lifter01
  • joined 4 Jul'09 - 461 messages
  • West Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Difficult to know why you lost a major account. One could argue that with the closure of Linde's Basingstoke manufacturing plant most spares will have to come in from abroad which could cause delays during downtime, but then Jungheinrich and Mitsubishi do not produce in the UK either and they don't seem to have much trouble with spares, etc. I do believe that Linde hurried the formation of its contract management department, which ran out of control, leading to heavy losses and staff defections.

As to what is happening next, it was only in the last few weeks that Linde reported that it was increasing its UK market share. Others, including Jungheinrich, expect some job losses this year so it is likely that the entire industry will have lean times for this year and next, not just Linde. Those remaining in the Linde servicing department may have to take pay cuts because for years they have paid well above the industry average.
  • Posted 4 Jul 2009 21:36
  • By bill_reimundus
  • joined 1 Dec'06 - 18 messages
  • Essex, United Kingdom

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