Screwed by CR Spotless/Simple Chuck?? VERY poor customer service??

**TTBear** · 10-02-2020, 09:08 PM

Hi guys,

Just looking for some feedback or perhaps, someone might have some further information. Sorry for being long-winded.

Background story - I purchased one of CR Spotless` newest water deionizers, the Simply Chuck system, as an early adopter, through their "Plank User" program, back in 2017.

At the time, I confirmed through John at CR Spotless, that I would be able to avail of their Plank User program for resin exchange, "for the life of the system", at $69 for each exchange. I still have the confirmatory email. I specifically asked about the program to Canada, and they confirmed that the program also applied to Canada, only I would have to pay for shipping and any customs/duty, crossing the border, which I was very OK with.

I also had one of their earlier systems, the DIC-20, and had two giant 1-cubic-foot drums of replacement resin, so I didn`t need a new Simple Chuck replacement for a couple of years. Several times along the way, however, I checked to make sure that I was still a recognized Plank User - a couple of times, I was unable to sign in as a Plank User, but a quick email to CR Spotless had me re-entered (and confirmed) as a Plank User.

Fast forward to late September - I tried to order replacement resin through CR Spotless. I couldn`t sign in again, so I contacted them through their web site, assuming that it was simply a glitch, just as had happened several times in the past. No go. They inform me:

"Thank you for your email. We can`t do the resin exchange going to Canada. Your only option is to buy a new set of cartridges for $245.95 plese (sic) shipping and any customs/duty fees that may apply. Please let me know if you want me to place a new order for you. "

At no time did they email me to let me know that they were stopping the program to Canada (although I note from their web site that they are stopping the program to Hawaii and Alaska, but no mention of Canada).

WOW. US$249 is a far, far cry from US$69, which is what their initial agreement entailed - "FOR THE LIFE OF YOUR SYSTEM". If I ordered this, by the time I paid shipping, customs, brokerage, duty, etc etc etc, I might as well buy and entirely new Simple Chuck system every single time I need new resin! Ludicrous!

I have emailed them back, but unsurprisingly, they have not replied. I am so, very, VERY disappointed in their service. Prior to this, their service really has been exemplary. John at CR Spotless was always amazingly helpful, and seemed genuinely to care about his customers.

Does anyone have any further information about why they would turn their backs on one of their biggest advocates? Literally, I extolled their virtues to ANYONE that would listen, for over 15 years, resulting in at least 20 people purchasing their product. I am crestfallen. At this stage, I would be happy enough with a refund for the Simply Chuck system, and I would simply purchase a new DIC-20 system (I gave mine away when I used up my two drums of resin, thinking I would just avail of the exchange program with my Simply Chuck), and I can readily obtain this resin in Canada without the exorbitantly expensive alternative that they have proffered.

Not to mention, they wax lyrical about how their exchange program is so amazingly environmentally friendly, saving thousands of tons of plastic, but now, they are insisting that the only way of obtaining new resin is to buy a completely new cartridge system, and throw away the old ones? Yikes.

Is anyone else here a Plank User on the Simple Chuck system?

Anyone in the USA want a Simple Chuck system? LOL.

Thanks for reading, and apologies for the long-winded rant!

Cheers.

Allan

**Stokdgs** · 10-03-2020, 01:20 AM

Allan !
I hope this finds you and your family all safe and well up there!
I have never lived where I needed to use filters for the water, until I moved into my present and last location in the Northern California Farmlands.. And at this stage, I just use my Metro Master Blaster to get as much water quickly off the vehicles, and that seems to work fine for me..

Sorry, that this experience with those people from - San Diego - is it ? is such a disappointment..
Perhaps find the number for the Owner and call him direct ????

Hope this gets resolved for you..
Take care, you guys !
Dan F

**John U** · 10-03-2020, 08:59 AM

Wow, I use their standard system with the refillable resin.

Can you take the tops or bottoms off the bottles and use a bag of resin refill?

**William_Wallace** · 10-07-2020, 02:27 PM

You need an autopian to buy the Resin and meet you at the boarder

.....or ship it. There are some great smugglers on here that would love to beat that system.

**TTBear** · 10-07-2020, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by Stokdgs

Allan !
I hope this finds you and your family all safe and well up there!
I have never lived where I needed to use filters for the water, until I moved into my present and last location in the Northern California Farmlands.. And at this stage, I just use my Metro Master Blaster to get as much water quickly off the vehicles, and that seems to work fine for me..

Sorry, that this experience with those people from - San Diego - is it ? is such a disappointment..
Perhaps find the number for the Owner and call him direct ????

Hope this gets resolved for you..
Take care, you guys !
Dan F

Hi Dan! It has been a long time since I visited Autopia - way, WAY too long! We have been crazy busy, with moving cities - we moved just an hour away - made a lifestyle change! No more ER or in-patient hospital care - we can "just" be family docs, like we have wished for, for over two decades! So far, so good - except we kind of sit at our new home and look at each other, because we have too MUCH free time, compared to last year

.

You know, I have LONG been a VERY strong proponent of CR Spotless - they have been AMAZING with their service.....until now.

However, I sent them another message, stating that what they had suggested was not acceptable, and mentioned that we should try and resolve this amicably, before I resorted to other avenues... and I finally got a reply saying "we never realized that you were a Plank Owner - we will try and sort something out". I wait with bated breath! (And I did, in no uncertain terms, emphasize that I was an early adopter/Plank Owner, in my original message to them!).

I will keep you all posted. Hope you are well, Dan. Good to "see" you, hahaha.

Originally Posted by John U

Wow, I use their standard system with the refillable resin.

Can you take the tops or bottoms off the bottles and use a bag of resin refill?

I tried, hard! Those canisters are sealed up REALLY well. If I were to go that route, I would lose the colour-changing indicator for resin depletion, I think (I REALLY miss the TDS meter that they include on their original DIC 10/20 systems!). What`s more, one of the canisters has just now failed. There seems to be some kind of white wadding/filter material that has separated from the top of one of the canisters, and now, no water will flow through the system at all. Ugh.

Originally Posted by William_Wallace

You need an autopian to buy the Resin and meet you at the boarder

.....or ship it. There are some great smugglers on here that would love to beat that system.

Hahahaha - I would SO love to do a work-around like that. It wouldn`t feel right, though, considering they entered into a contract to sell their exchange canisters for $69 each time, forever. For me, it is as much the principle of the matter. (Well, that and the fact that who can, in good conscience, spend US$400+ just to change the RESIN, each time they need replenishment? Crazy.

Thanks, everyone, for your input. As always, it is greatly appreciated! I`ll keep you posted as to developments, should there be any.

I was going to say Happy Thanksgiving, but for most of you guys, that won`t be a for a while, yet! It`s our Turkey Day up here in Canada, this weekend.

Take good care, everybody.

**John U** · 10-08-2020, 10:07 AM

Plan B

Do you have a water softener in your house? Run a pipe to the garage.

**Accumulator** · 10-08-2020, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by John U

Plan B

Do you have a water softener in your house? Run a pipe to the garage.

IME, the softened water is *much* easier on the resin too, mine lasts forever.

If considering this, I`d run the $ numbers to compare having a separate softener for the garage/shop, which has worked out great for me.

**bodidly22** · 10-08-2020, 05:36 PM

what do you classify as soft over in the States 50ppm or less??

**TTBear** · 10-21-2020, 02:00 PM

Quick update! After getting nowhere with the Sales Department at CR Spotless, I emailed the head honcho, Chuck, who was AWESOME. He did say that he wanted to do the right thing, and went out of his way to make things right. They actually considered trying to open channels with detailing supplies stores up here in Canada to try and get a resin exchange program going, as he said it was important for them to not throw it away, for environmental purposes. Kudos, for that, but in the end, for me, it made more sense for me to accept his offer of a DIC-20 system. I agreed to accept a returned system (used, but functionally perfect), which I can easily obtain new resin for, up here in Canada.
Faith in CR Spotless restored! I am a happy camper.

**Accumulator** · 10-22-2020, 01:09 PM

TTBear- Hey, that`s *GREAT* news, so glad it`s turning out OK after all!

bodidly22- I`m not sure *what* the objective measure for "hard/"soft" is, but the *subjective* measures are, well...subjective. Our neighbors have the *exact* same hardness that we do, but they consider it "soft" and don`t run softeners; my wife thinks it`s "a little hard but OK"; I, OTOH, think it`s quite hard and can immediately tell when we run out of softened water.