Lennox Industries gave our business the business.

[cbmechanical]

My company in Farmingdale NJ was approached by Lennox industries late summer last year. We were signed up as a "Lennox Dealer in Sept of 04. We spent a lot of money and did a lot of advertising of Lennox products.

According to my Lennox salesman, they began to got a lot of heat (threats and complaints) from my neighboring dealers. In January they sent us a letter asking us to restrict our advertising to more distant areas (which believe it or not we did). In March they sent us a letter that would no longer sell as after April 16th. The reason is "not a good relationship for Lennox."

We spent close to $60,000 or more on advertising to date and are pursuing legal means to recover our loss. Lennox, it seems to me, caved in to dealer complaints. We now are selling Trane and doing just fine, but Pee Od at Lennox.

[Panama]

You probably were taking business from Service Experts!

[dmoneyc22]

SERVICE EXPERTS LENNOX'S HIGH COST HIGH PRESSURE FORE LMAO

[cbmechanical]

Artic Air in Marlboro complained the most. Brown and C & C may have complained.

[Toolpusher]

Don't the other companies advertise as Lennox dealers ?

If not then, they are the ones to blame.
All you did was take advantage of the package from Lennox to help with advertising.

Seems to me that, if your spending more with Lennox then they should back you.

[tinknocker service tech]

artic gave the most complaint and most pressure
they dont want any one in thier turf
the rest of us can handle another co and even help sometimes with parts

[aircooled53]

Post a sign on a major street in your area,don't buy from Lennox because they choose to deceive dealers..

[Swampfox]

Why would you spend money advertising for them? Advertise your business not their's, we dont put any brand advertisements on our vehicles or ads for that very reason

[mr big]

If what you say is true, you will will win in court. There will be no defense for Lennox. They are in violation of anti trust laws. You can sue for triple of your damages plus punitive damages plus possible prison time for the conspiring parties involved. When your lawyer contacts them; lennox will probably come sucking up to you. Sock it to em!!

[majormickey]

I was never a lennox fan. I wish more people could see threads like this. In my area, lennox has an extensive ad campaign so needless to say alot of customers think the lennox brand is the cadillac of furnaces. I'm busy enough so their ads don't effect my work at all, it's just that the opinions of the public are a little misguided {that bugs me a little}. Having said that, I guess I get alot of call outs for lennox which is OK {sort of}.

[dash]

Mr big is correct,if it's as you say and they have no valid reasons.Go get them.

[cbmechanical]

Thanks for you encouragement. I do believe we were unfairly treated. We were excited about a new Brand and wanted to advertise to our cutomers the fact that we now had Lennox. I would think that Lennox would at least let us go through the spring summer season. They really don't have the integrity they seem to claim. I sold several high end systems... but they didn't seem to care. The Lennox salesman said to me directly "We are doing over a million wholesale with Artic Air and he is threatining us."

[dash]

Conversation is one thing,not doubting he said that,but did they put anything in writing?

[cbmechanical]

Nothing in writing. Probably have some sort of legal out. Thanks

[mr big]

The only legal ways to cease doing business with a dealer that a distributor or manufacturer has set up previously are {1] unsolved service complaint & unwilling to try to resolve, {2] inability to pay the bills. This is why it is so very important to decide who to set up to be a dealer if the manufacturer is trying to build a protected dealer network. If you can prove Lennox cut you off & not for one of the above reasons , you are in the money. Hopefully, you have something in writing that shows where they wanted to limit where you can advertise. As a dealer, you can advertise where ever you want . If you have good law firm, they should be licking their chops. The courts take anti competitive cases very seriously & are usually biased in your favor.Unless Lennox legal department knows something I do not know, I still believe they will be back as your "buddy" in the near future. Cases like this scare manufacturers to death. Believe me, I speak from experience!

[dash]

Originally posted by cbmechanical
Nothing in writing. Probably have some sort of legal out. Thanks

So if you want,just keep advertising,might want to buy a system first,force their hand,see what they say.

[mr big]

You said you received a letter from Lennox saying they were not going to sell you anymore. If you have paid your bills & have no unsolved service complaints------you are in the money! Do like Dash says, order a unit & see if you get it. Did Lennox Co-op the $60,000.00 worth of advertising with you? If so, you have that evidence in the form of credit memos. I would not let Lennox get off easy. Instead of saying "attaboy Dave", I would be saying "whose your daddy now, Dave?" I would make em sweat. Don't get me wrong, you are better off with Trane anyway, but I would get me some spending money from Lennox.