Atomic Blade Fins - FAIL; Atomic Customer Sevice - FAIL

[Rockne]

Dude, You aren't even attempting to communicate with Atomic on their own forum here on SB!!! Try that and see what happens. Atomic has one of the BEST customer service in the dive business.

I emailed them directly, isn't that better than chasing them on a forum? They failed miserably there (with an email addressing (someone else's) mask problem). Why is tracking them down my job?

There is a company in a completely unrelated industry that also has a reputation for customer service, and someone posted a really interesting question about the company that I'll paraphrase here: One has to wonder about the quality of a company's products if they have a widespread reputation for good customer service. If everyone seems to know about their customer service, does it follow that a significant number of people have had issues with that company's products? In my limited experience with Atomic, it seems that this is very much so the case. Except, lucky me, they are now mediocre with customer service, too.

 

[buddhasummer]

Just because it's made in China doesn't mean it's necessarily low quality. They will make to what ever spec is requested, any quality issues are the fault of the ordering company not ensuring good QC. In my life I can't say I've had more failures from China than any other country and I'd hazard I own more things from China than anywhere else. Sure, I too would rather buy local if possible but this is becoming more difficult.

Things break, stuff fails out of the box, it's a fact of life. Just because someone has a failure I don't think it's necessarily indicative of poor quality across the board.

In the days of spam emails, mails get lost. If you're in the U.S. I would have thought a phone call might be easier, not excusing possibly bad service but if you want an immediate reply or resolution a phone call is faster. As another poster mentioned I'd be contacting the dealer who sold them to you if possible as they will be able to deal with the issue saving you time and stress. Good luck I hope you get it sorted.

I too would post this over on Atomics forum, if you haven't already done so, as that's where they will likely see it.

---------- Post added April 29th, 2015 at 01:07 AM ----------

I emailed them directly, isn't that better than chasing them on a forum? They failed miserably there (with an email addressing (someone else's) mask problem). Why is tracking them down my job?

There is a company in a completely unrelated industry that also has a reputation for customer service, and someone posted a really interesting question about the company that I'll paraphrase here: One has to wonder about the quality of a company's products if they have a widespread reputation for good customer service. If everyone seems to know about their customer service, does it follow that a significant number of people have had issues with that company's products? In my limited experience with Atomic, it seems that this is very much so the case. Except, lucky me, they are now mediocre with customer service, too.

I don't think so. There are lost of reasons besides problems for contacting a company.

 

[BoltSnap]

I emailed them directly, isn't that better than chasing them on a forum? They failed miserably there (with an email addressing (someone else's) mask problem). Why is tracking them down my job?

There is a company in a completely unrelated industry that also has a reputation for customer service, and someone posted a really interesting question about the company that I'll paraphrase here: One has to wonder about the quality of a company's products if they have a widespread reputation for good customer service. If everyone seems to know about their customer service, does it follow that a significant number of people have had issues with that company's products? In my limited experience with Atomic, it seems that this is very much so the case. Except, lucky me, they are now mediocre with customer service, too.

If you just want to score debate points and get into a "tit for tat" arguments and make philosophical statements without resolving your issue, you can post anywhere you want no problem. If you want to resolve your issue, I'd put this thread in the Atomic vendor forum for you will have a much higher chance of them seeing it and taking care of the issue much faster.

 

[buddhasummer]

If you just want to score debate points and get into a "tit for tat" arguments and make philosophical statements without resolving your issue, you can post anywhere you want no problem. If you want to resolve your issue, I'd put this thread in the Atomic vendor forum for you will have a much higher chance of them seeing it and taking care of the issue much faster.

...and once aware of the issue I guarantee they will move heaven and earth to fix it.

I don't think at this stage the issue has yet warranted the heat it's getting. Give them a chance.

 

[Rockne]

...and once aware of the issue I guarantee they will move heaven and earth to fix it.

I don't think quite, please read below.

Status update: I took my fins to a local shop (after calling them to explain). I used up a couple of hours of my Saturday, which I was not happy about doing. The shop owner was very surprised to see what had happened to the fins since he has dived atomic split fins (mine are blades, remember) for years (of course, Atomic may have moved manufacturing many times since then). Between when I had called and showed up to the shop, the owner had contacted the Atomic representative. The reps proposed course of action was to "take a picture" of the fins and send it to him and then they would replace them (when they confirm that this is a problem, which the owner said they would). Here's the two problems with that: (1) I plainly don't want another set of Atomic Fins. Like I said before, I liked these before the foot pocket split, but I'm not interested in having another pair of liabilities stuck to my feet. (2) I have a $70.00 pair of spring straps now that have no place (I think I said $80 before, but that was wrong).

Buddhasummer, I think "moving heaven and earth" would be to provide a refund for the fins AND the Spring Straps. Well, as I suggested above, it would have also consisted of them sending me a label to just send them the fins so I didn't have to screw up my Saturday fixing Atomic's problem. Otherwise, you all can keep your eyes out for a brand new set of fins and VERY lightly used set of Spring Straps on eBay, though I wouldn't suggest you buy the fins!

Atomic most certainly does not Rock.

---------- Post added May 4th, 2015 at 01:34 PM ----------

I don't think quite, please read below.

Status update: I took my fins to a local shop (after calling them to explain). I used up a couple of hours of my Saturday, which I was not happy about doing. The shop owner was very surprised to see what had happened to the fins since he has dived atomic split fins (mine are blades, remember) for years (of course, Atomic may have moved manufacturing many times since then). Between when I had called and showed up to the shop, the owner had contacted the Atomic representative. The reps proposed course of action was to "take a picture" of the fins and send it to him and then they would replace them (when they confirm that this is a problem, which the owner said they would). Here's the two problems with that: (1) I plainly don't want another set of Atomic Fins. Like I said before, I liked these before the foot pocket split, but I'm not interested in having another pair of liabilities stuck to my feet. (2) I have a $70.00 pair of spring straps now that have no place (I think I said $80 before, but that was wrong).

Buddhasummer, I think "moving heaven and earth" would be to provide a refund for the fins AND the Spring Straps. Well, as I suggested above, it would have also consisted of them sending me a label to just send them the fins so I didn't have to screw up my Saturday fixing Atomic's problem. Otherwise, you all can keep your eyes out for a brand new set of fins and VERY lightly used set of Spring Straps on eBay, though I wouldn't suggest you buy the fins!

Atomic most certainly does not Rock.

Forgot to mention, I also have their Titanium Knife.

 

[BoltSnap]

I don't think quite, please read below.

Status update: I took my fins to a local shop (after calling them to explain). I used up a couple of hours of my Saturday, which I was not happy about doing. The shop owner was very surprised to see what had happened to the fins since he has dived atomic split fins (mine are blades, remember) for years (of course, Atomic may have moved manufacturing many times since then). Between when I had called and showed up to the shop, the owner had contacted the Atomic representative. The reps proposed course of action was to "take a picture" of the fins and send it to him and then they would replace them (when they confirm that this is a problem, which the owner said they would). Here's the two problems with that: (1) I plainly don't want another set of Atomic Fins. Like I said before, I liked these before the foot pocket split, but I'm not interested in having another pair of liabilities stuck to my feet. (2) I have a $70.00 pair of spring straps now that have no place (I think I said $80 before, but that was wrong).

Buddhasummer, I think "moving heaven and earth" would be to provide a refund for the fins AND the Spring Straps. Well, as I suggested above, it would have also consisted of them sending me a label to just send them the fins so I didn't have to screw up my Saturday fixing Atomic's problem. Otherwise, you all can keep your eyes out for a brand new set of fins and VERY lightly used set of Spring Straps on eBay, though I wouldn't suggest you buy the fins!

..

If this is what they are going to do, I don't see what makes you so unhappy with their service. They are replacing the fins with new ones. It appears that the problem isn't a huge problem since you are the first one to have this issue and they are doing the right thing and sending you a new pair at no cost to you. If you are still unhappy (I have no idea why you would be however), I'd offer to the dealer that he keeps the new pair when they arrive and give you a refund on the fins.

 

[Wookie]

Warranty says repair or replace within the period of one year for any manufacturers defects. Doesn't say anything about refunds. I would say without seeing them myself that they are certainly a manufacturers defect. They are obligated to repair (can't repair a fin) or replace them. Now, you can complain and carry on all you want that you want a refund, but they are not obligated to give you one, which is something you could have easily found out with 2 minutes of research like I did on the Atomic website. You were welcome to find this out long before you bought the fins, which is why companies like this post their terms and conditions on their website.

So, if you want to get them replaced, Atomic is happy to do so. If you want a refund, Atomic is well within their rights to tell you to go spit. If you continue to ask for a refund for a full year, you are unlikely to even get a replacement set of fins.

This is the dive business. You are very unlikely to get a refund. For anything.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

This is the dive business. You are very unlikely to get a refund. For anything.

Realistically speaking, that more depends on how much his credit card company likes him. Otherwise agree that AA's only obligation is to give him a new, non-defective pair of blade fins--which would also solve his 'what do I do with this overpriced, proprietary connection spring strap' issue.

 

[Wookie]

Sorry, but I believe that the dive shop he bought the fins from would win a chargeback. He bought a pair of fins. They were defective. They would be replaced if he would allow it. So he would still have a pair of fins. There is no cause for a chargeback here. Chargebacks only work if he didn't get what he paid for, but he did. He's just unhappy with the terms for which he bought them, but the terms were available before he ever spent the money, if he read them.

 

[ams511]

Warranty says repair or replace within the period of one year for any manufacturers defects.

Seems a bit short for a company that prides itself on quality, doesn't it?