Halcyon & Santi's policy: we perform drysuit repairs "even without prior approval"

[Effervescent]

I sent my Santi drysuit to Halcyon (Santi's US service center) to get my boots fixed under warranty and they ended up putting in a new $400 zipper without my permission.

I asked Halcyon why I was never notified about the zipper. I never had a problem or leak with the zipper before so I was surprised when they replaced it. Here is the response I got from Mark Messersmith, COO of Halcyon, about their official policy:

"As a Premium Brand company I empower our team members to solve problems and increase customer service everywhere possible. Sometimes this includes performing needed services without prior approval."

I told both the COO of Halcyon and the CEO of Santi that I believe that this is an unethical and illegal business practice. Mark Messersmith disagreed and stated that he believes that "most [customers] will choose to pay us for this added level of care".

Mark never apologized for the mishap. Instead, he said "enjoy your new zipper at no charge" insinuating that I perhaps am the one conning them.

I am currently in the process of disputing the unauthorized zipper replacement charge with my credit card company.

I completely disagree with their policy and was wondering if this was an acceptable business practice for Halcyon and Santi.

Here is a link to my emails between myself an Halcyon (I have redacted my personal information): Halcyon-Santi Drysuit Emails.pdf


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Update 8/22:

Halcyon has addressed this issue and I appreciate Mark's assistance on the matter. I have included a summary of the outcome in this post. Thank you everyone for the feedback.

 

[C Dub]

Interesting.

I think a $400 repair, that they expect to be paid for, should be authorized in advance.

 

[2airishuman]

What a stressful and frustrating interaction. It seems to me that an unexpected $400 repair is the sort of thing that has to be communicated and authorized in advance.

The question I would ask myself before disputing a charge under those circumstances, is whether I would have authorized the repair had they asked. If the answer is no, for whatever reason, it is appropriate to dispute the charge. I would think it important to communicate the fact that you would not have authorized the repair if asked, and the reasons why, to the card issuer as well as to Halcyon, should the dispute continue.

 

[Effervescent]

No, I never had a problem with the zipper. I even had Steve Gamble, a reputable and experienced drysuit technician, inspect my suit before he personally handed it over to Halcyon. He did a full leak test and inspected the zipper properly and confirmed that there were no leaks.

 

[Effervescent]

Yes, I agree. It is definitely an illegal practice in the auto industry for the state of Florida if it's over $10 or 10% of the original estimate, whichever is greater: Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine

When I said Halcyon's official policy is unethical and may be illegal, here is the COO's reply: "Thank you for candidly sharing your thoughts along with your understanding of business practices and the law. Your opinion is noted."

I'm disappointed that we even need to stoop so low to the boundary of legal vs. illegal when talking about customer service...

 

[James R]

IMO the COO's (Mark) reply was professional and addressed your concern. He took ownership for the problem. An apology is what you're upset about, I get it, but ultimately he did take care of the issue fortunately.

I expect there's a legal reason he didn't apologize.

 

[Effervescent]

IMO the COO's (Mark) reply was professional and addressed your concern. He took ownership for the problem. An apology is what you're upset about, I get it, but ultimately he did take care of the issue fortunately.

I expect there's a legal reason he didn't apologize.

My primary concern is that their official policy is to perform drysuit repairs without asking for prior approval. Even repairs that cost hundreds of dollars do not require approval. I do not think that this is an acceptable business practice.

 

[kelemvor]

Steve Gamble has a godlike reputation when it comes to drysuit repairs. If he said your zipper was fine, then it was fine. When it comes to the word of the only "famous" drysuit repair guy I've ever heard of vs some employee at a large corporation... The choice is obvious.

Mark never apologized for the mishap. Instead, he said "enjoy your new zipper at no charge" insinuating that I perhaps am the one conning them.

I am currently in the process of disputing the unauthorized zipper replacement charge with my credit card company.

So... Halcyon said they were giving you the zipper for free but charged you anyway?

Insult on top of injury, I guess.

Yes, I agree. It is definitely an illegal practice in the auto industry for the state of Florida if it's over $10 or 10% of the original estimate, whichever is greater: Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine

When I said Halcyon's official policy is unethical and may be illegal, here is the COO's reply: "Thank you for candidly sharing your thoughts along with your understanding of business practices and the law. Your opinion is noted."

I'm disappointed that we even need to stoop so low to the boundary of legal vs. illegal when talking about customer service...

It's a pity that statute specifically says motor vehicle repair shop. I thought we had other consumer protection laws similar to this for "everything" in Florida on account of all the elderly retirees but maybe I'm mistaken.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

A $10 repair that was not in the original quote and that you did not authorize is BS. A $400 one is outrageous and completely uncalled for. Guess who just went on my list of vendors to tell my students to avoid?

This is why I have used Superior Drysuit Repair since 2006. They don't do anything without my OK.

 

[boulderjohn]

His reply may or may not have been professional, but we still have the issue of a company performing an unasked for $400 service without approval. I have a Santi suit, and if they did that for me, I would be furious.

We had a recent thread on ScubaBoard about zippers. My Santi has the TiZip zipper, and that appeared to be the third choice of the most knowledgeable people in the thread. Some preferred the older metal zippers. Others said the YKK plastic zippers are superior to the TiZips. If my TiZip zipper ever needs to be replaced, I want to be the one who makes the decision as to how it is replaced, not someone who sells me the replacement without even asking. I should also have the choice to keep it as is.