Customer Service expectations

[johndiver999]

Good customer service might have involved notifying the customer about any expected service delays when the return authorization was requested/issued. The Dema show is scheduled a year or more in advance. It is not like their shop was destroyed in a wild fire or a flood. They must have been planning for the show for months or weeks.

I would think that good customer service would have included an upfront notification of expected service time. If the company knew there was going to be delays (due to other priorities) which were establlshed months in advance, then they could have set aside some loaners, to be sent out for customers who returned product under warranty and after they made a 30 second diagnosis that the flashlight doesn't work and the product was actually covered by a warranty.

This does not require a huge corporation or an undue amount of forethought. That's my opinion. I have no idea what company the guy bought the light from and I have no prejudice toward any high end flashlight maker.

 

[markmud]

@markmud do you really think that's a fair comparison?

Yes I do. A contract is a contract. The warranty contract was unilaterally negotiated by the company and now they are not honoring it in a timely and professional fashion. A dichotomy appears, a good company who honors their contractual commitment and stands behind their products in a timely way; and one who does not!

We are talking about a flashlight, aren't we????????????????

Yes we are. A high-end flashlight. Diagnosing the problem should take a few minutes--literally, a few minutes.

When the guy who runs Dive Tronix was gong on vacation, he was very clear that any computers would need to arrive a couple of days ahead of time to be repaired before he left. Now Shearwater said loaners were available if I couldn't make the cut off.

The key difference was the communication, I knew full well when that was happened from the moment the RMA was with Shearwater and Dive Tronix.

My point exactly.

Mind you, it was not DEMA season as far as I can recall.

Should not matter, DEMA or not.

Would you consider it poor customer service if the company had given you a specific date that was after DEMA?

Not poor customer service. That is big step in the right direction, good customer service is about communication and honoring a contractual commitment. Most people will gladly allow extra time and will be understanding if communication is forthright.

Do you have a written binding contract from the company explaining they would or would not look at or fix your light before prepping and attending DEMA?

I doubt their warranty contract states that--but Caveat Emptor if it did--that would be on me!

I worked in boat sales. We fulfilled our contractual obligations whether or not we were in boat show season--it was our job. We worked longer hours and hired more help.

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

You all seem to have skin in the game--are there personal relationships involved here or are you fan-boys of this company?

markm

 

[BackAfter30]

Yes, but only for the timing.
DEMA is a huge PITA to get ready for, especially for manufacturers.

I quoted Wookie 'cuz he was the first in with the "Tradeshow Disclaimer." I gotta respectfully disagree with everyone claiming "DEMA ate my homework." I've worked for manufacturers who exhibit at tradeshows for over three decades (I exhibited at five Las Vegas shows last year alone). Billion dollar companies, Mom and Pop companies, and in between. Tradeshows ARE a PITA but no company should ever be so covered up in prep that they can't service their customers in a timely fashion. Sorry, not a GOOD excuse (maybe the truth, though).

 

[Brian G]

My requirements for customer service are multi-faceted. They do not change based on industry shows.
1. I expect an email confirming that an RMA has been received, with information about the timeline for the next step within 48 hours of receipt. An example would be "Thanks for sending your item. We will start diagnosing the issue on the 13th and will contact you then."
2. I expect emails replied to within a day, or within 4 hours if I email first thing in their morning (wherever they might be).
3. For simple things, like an item that will simply be replaced with a new one, I expect a 1 week turnaround if an item is in stock. For more complicated stuff, like a repaired computer, I just expect regular and accurate communication. I am not sympathetic to service that is slow because staff is overloaded

So, for the most part I expect to be disappointed. Leisurepro has been good. Other online scuba retailers have not had a chance to be tested by me. Costco has never failed to make me happy, but that's because I go to the store. Atomic was able to fix my out-of-warranty problem, but after a lot of waiting with little or no communication.

 

[runsongas]

do y'all complain on thanksgiving the turkey doesn't come out as fast as the 5 dollar roast chickens at costco too?

 

[johndiver999]

do y'all complain on thanksgiving the turkey doesn't come out as fast as the 5 dollar roast chickens at costco too?

No but if I get invited to Thanksgiving dinner, I would be disappointed that there was no food because Christmas shopping has been especially hectic this season.

Besides, a turkey is a lot more complicated than a battery operated flashlight.

 

[runsongas]

if they are that simple, why send it in for repair then? just fix it yourself with some duct tape

 

[outofofficebrb]

I used to work for a large company that had and still has a warranty for their products. Typical turnaround is 4-6 weeks and whether you mail it yourself or go to a store to have it sent on your behalf doesn’t matter. They are owned by a gigantic public corporation that owns a bunch of other very well known brands. There is no one that logs your item in then emails you a confirmation of receipt then gives you an estimate of time. It was a standard 4-6 week quote and it is sometimes sooner which is great. Obviously, someone does log it so it’s tracked internally, but that’s it.

As long as it is not something that is important or something you really need, why worry about it?

It's a non-essential, toy right?

If you took a car into a dealer under warranty (after you scheduled the appointment several days in advance) and after drop off, they indicated that they don't have time to look at it for a few weeks.. that should be fine as well, I guess?

Not a good comparison as a car dealership provides a service on an everyday basis. Standard procedures like oil changes are a few hours and more complicated labor is scheduled and planned for. It is an entire business unit that has revenue. They expect customers to come in and call with issues everyday. It is a business unit you can plan for. Warranty and quality issues for a dive company are different, not to mention there are so many locations that you can go to for an oil change or an auto mechanic and not just where you originally bought your car. If you have an issue with a LM product, only LM can look at it and fix your issue. That means everyone that has issues is sending their item into LM, not just you.

I think the expectation is unreasonable, DEMA or not, and I say that as someone who has been on the warranty side as a business as well as being the customer who has sent in product for a warranty.

It’s not what you want to hear....sorry.

 

[Brian G]

used to work for a large company that had and still has a warranty for their products. Typical turnaround is 4-6 weeks and whether you mail it yourself or go to a store to have it sent on your behalf doesn’t matter. They are owned by a gigantic public corporation that owns a bunch of other very well known brands. There is no one that logs your item in then emails you a confirmation of receipt then gives you an estimate of time. It was a standard 4-6 week quote and it is sometimes sooner which is great. Obviously, someone does log it so it’s tracked internally, but that’s it.

Would you call that "good" customer service? It sounds like the extent of the communication is a warrantied product shipped back after 4-6 weeks?

 

[JackD342]

@RandomGuy1
As this thread goes on, I have less and less understanding of what the objective is. You asked for other opinions in a way that suggested you were open to modifying your expectations, but your subsequent replies seem to describe a fairly specific and firmly held viewpoint with no chance of changing it.
So whether any stance is right or wrong, neither of which will likely achieve broad consensus, why did you even ask the question if you only wanted to hear agreement?