Red Dog Diver
Registered
Just wanted to let all of you know about a very positive experience I recently had with Mares. About 2 years ago I purchased a used Syncho Power BC. I got a great deal and it worked very well for me. In December, I had my gear out and I was checking out the BC. I inflated the wing and went away for about 5 minutes. Imagine the explitives that came from my mouth when I returned and the wing was FLAT! I filled it again and 5 minutes later flat again. So I fill the tub inflate, the wing and dunk it in. Again imagine the explitives as I see bubbles coming from the seam all along the right side and bottom of the wing! At this point I think I'm screwed and I curse myself for ever buying a used BC with no warranty. So I packed it up and off I went to the Mares dealer here in town. I tell them about how I purchased it used (not from them), how it's out of the warranty period, how I maintain my gear and how this whole situation came to be. I'm not expecting them to do much given how I came to own this BC but I have to make the effort. So, they look at the BC, inflate it and sure enough 5 minutes later flat. They spray the seam with soapy water and sure enough here come the bubbles. This is where I nearly snapped! The one owner says to me "Well it doesn't leak that fast, I think it would be alright" I replied with a "WHAT?" Then the co owner says "Ya know I wouldn't dive with a BC like that, I'd buy a new one!" I reply "Of course YOU would you own the shop, Mares likely gives you stuff to test out all the time!" He laughs and says "Ya I guess they do!" Then owner number one says " Well you could put some Aqua Seal on the seam and hope that holds it together" I shake my head, pick up the BC and walk out using every ounce of restraint I have not to choke the life out of these two Chuckle Heads. I admit I wasn't expecting a lot given the circumstances but I didn't expect Jupiter and Stupider the Dive Shop owners, I mean not even once did they mention sending it to Mares for repair, (they did recommend getting one of those tire sealing spray can kits from the nearby hardware store)! As you can imagine I am not satisfied with this and I head home and send off an email to Mares America looking for some idea on how I can fix this BC, or if need be send it to them to fix. The next morning I get an email in return. It instructs me to call the head office and talk to the Mares America Service Manager and explain the situation. So I call him up and he says right away send it to me and I will check it out, I think this is cool, its a step in a better direction than anything previous to this. He directs me to call another person at Mares to arrange the return. So I call her up. After a moment of brief confusion over the warranty period expiry and "we will not take that item back" and having to explain that I just spoke to the Service Manager who asked me to send it to him we get things rolling only to reach a stone wall when I tell her " I live in Canada!" Oh no she says we can't take it here you have to deal with Mares Canada. OK I say, lets do that. So she puts me on hold and after a few minutes she tells me the Mares Canada Rep will call me. After about 5 minutes I get the call from Mares Canada. I explain the situation and tell him where I live. He then tells me to take it to the local Mares dealer in town. (remember Jupiter and Stupider in chapter 1). I explain to him the less than happy time I had with them and after he says his "What the HE** is with them!" He says mail it to me and I will get it checked out, it may take a bit he says it's just before Christmas! So I box it up and 3 days later I mail it off. I wait through January and I hear nothing back so I call up to find out what the deal is, only to find out the Mares Canada Rep is away at a sales meeting. OK I can wait a bit longer, I call again a week later when he was supposed to be back only to find out he is very sick and Mares America is handling his business while he is off. I call Mares America and speak to the same girl I spoke to before. After about 5 minutes on hold she came back on and says " Can I get your address sir we will be sending you a NEW Synchro Power Tech BC!" I nearly dropped the phone. After all that I went through. I gave her my address and 2, yes 2 days later the Purolator truck rolls up out front of the house and drops off the new BC, they even let me change the size from a large to a medium. (I lost weight with all the stress)
The bottom line in all of this is, I can not tell you how great it is to be treated that well by Mares.(Just the company itself) Obviously it would have been very easy for them to tell me I was out of luck and I know here are a lot of comanies out there who would have. (Not just in the dive industry) I mean I fully believed I was screwed, and would l have had to purchase a brand new BC. (of course I could have conned the wife into a new BP/wing setup but thats money I just don't have right now.) To me that is exceptional customer service, wether you like Mares products or not I think you have to agree. I personally do like many of their products and this is just another reason why I would not hesitate to recommend them!
Dive Safe
Paul
The bottom line in all of this is, I can not tell you how great it is to be treated that well by Mares.(Just the company itself) Obviously it would have been very easy for them to tell me I was out of luck and I know here are a lot of comanies out there who would have. (Not just in the dive industry) I mean I fully believed I was screwed, and would l have had to purchase a brand new BC. (of course I could have conned the wife into a new BP/wing setup but thats money I just don't have right now.) To me that is exceptional customer service, wether you like Mares products or not I think you have to agree. I personally do like many of their products and this is just another reason why I would not hesitate to recommend them!
Dive Safe
Paul
