Unusually rude treatment by a Firearms Manufacturer

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Maybe I've got a different idea, but I get the "send it in" thought. They have no way to tell over the phone it it's a manufacturer's issue or an "operator" that's taken it upon himself to try to fix things then, when he fails, wants the manufacturer to make it right. Not suggesting that's the case here, but, at least to some degree, shouldn't a manufacturer have a right to evaluate the issue and take a position on it, and, if it's their issue, fix it and refund the shipping, and if it's not, offer an estimate for repairs?
 
daniel craig said:
Remember. Just about every business is struggling and stretched thin. They don’t have time for phone Karen’s or entitlement on something that will make them no money.
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Boo Hoo. Whatever happened to "the customer's always right", even if he's a jerk? The op wasn't asking for much and he did so politely and reasonably. I have no sympathy for companies who seem to forget what customer service means and how important it is to the consumer. I don't care how stressful and busy a business is; no excuses for bad manners-if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen and let someone else wear the apron who knows how to at least be civil to their patrons.
 
I find myself treading very carefully about making as few inquiries into customer service as possible, of course nobody wants to find themselves in the position of needing CS, the customer or the company, but the last thing I want is to be put off of a company that I like, depend on or trust because of poor conduct.

It'd be like walking into your favorite LGS and having the owner tell you to get bent or insult you. Of course it could just be a one off occurrence and you could have 99 out of a hundred interactions go right, all it takes is one bad one to walk away on principle. Anybody having interactions with a customer should always know this and be on top of it.
 
ALWAYS, no matter what industry, government agency, business or retail store, if you have a customer service issue and the first person that answers the phone can't resolve your issue, then ask for their supervisor. Often customer service reps have a script that they stick to and are told to only forward to a supervisor if the complainer asks.

Also, if you get no joy with that rep.....call back. You night just get another rep who's more eager to help.

Utilize multiple customer service contacts, not just phone calls, but email, text, on line chat, and social media if they have that.

Above all.....stay nice. Those reps are likely recording your call and taking notes on the complaint or service issue.


None of the above applies to me or my business btw. When you call to complain I'll forward you to that killer pit bull pictured on the left who is my supervisor.
 
The manufacturing industry has had trouble finding good workers for a while now. Now that demand is sky high and people are getting paid to stay home, I don’t see it getting better.

The way I see this particular incident, the OP was given “yes” for an answer. There’s nothing to complain about at that point. Accept “yes” for an answer, send the part back and wait. Maybe there will be something to complain about later, but zero to start a thread about at that point.
 
dogtown tom said:
ALWAYS, no matter what industry, government agency, business or retail store, if you have a customer service issue and the first person that answers the phone can't resolve your issue, then ask for their supervisor. Often customer service reps have a script that they stick to and are told to only forward to a supervisor if the complainer asks.

Also, if you get no joy with that rep.....call back. You night just get another rep who's more eager to help.

Utilize multiple customer service contacts, not just phone calls, but email, text, on line chat, and social media if they have that.

Above all.....stay nice. Those reps are likely recording your call and taking notes on the complaint or service issue.


None of the above applies to me or my business btw. When you call to complain I'll forward you to that killer pit bull pictured on the left who is my supervisor.
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I had 4 instances in one store, Runnings, over the course of about a year, 4 separate times I got to the register and noticed that they charged me significantly more than the advertised (sticker) price. The first time the clerk was helpful and just re wrang it up for the advertised price, the following 3 times they were pretty unsympathetic about advertising it for a certain price and charging another.

The 4th time that really got my panties in a bunch was when I asked for something from the display case in the sporting goods section. A buffer tube marked $16. The woman who retrieved it from the locked case told me she typically has to walk things from the locked display up to the register but since it was such a low dollar item ($16) she told me to just take it up myself.

When I went to pay they charged me $39.99 and I was like whoa whoa, this is the 4th time here, what's the deal, yada yada. The woman tells me she doesn't know what to tell me, etc... so I'm usually not inclined to argue with people but this was 4 times and I felt like complaining to a supervisor. Well, the supervisor and cashier seemed to form a theory that I had placed the sticker there myself...... Uh huh, :fire::thumbup:. They didn't say this to my face but they said it loud enough when they stepped away to "assist me". I told them I didn't think much of their theory and that there was a girl in the back who fetched the item out of the case for me that noted the price on the package that wouldn't think much of it either.

Long story long, I wrote a complaint to Runnings via email and the person who emailed me back was the person involved in the conflict, I told her I thought it was extremely inappropriate that she, knowing she was directly involved in the incident would be the one handling it and to hand me off to her superior so I could discuss it with an impartial party. She never did and I guess I lost interest in following up with somebody else. Now I might just revisit it even though it's been some time. I don't shop at Runnings Sporting Goods anymore...
 
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SwampWolf said:
Boo Hoo. Whatever happened to "the customer's always right", even if he's a jerk? The op wasn't asking for much and he did so politely and reasonably. I have no sympathy for companies who seem to forget what customer service means and how important it is to the consumer. I don't care how stressful and busy a business is; no excuses for bad manners-if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen and let someone else wear the apron who knows how to at least be civil to their patrons.
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The customer is NOT always right and hasn’t been since before I was even born. What I can’t stand is laziness. OP is mad because he’s to lazy to box and print a label for his own crap. In fact, the amount of time he spent dealing with them he could have shipped his part to them many times over. Hell, it would have taken less time to do than even creating the original post. They were perfectly civil in the first interaction and it wasn’t until the OP got demanding that they got frustrated with him. I don’t know what you do for a living but I bet you e been there. Someone getting frustrated at you trying to help them because you’re not doing it “their way.”

A lot of people confuse civility with catering to their whims. Sometimes you need help from others, sometimes you gotta help yourself.
 
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To be fair it sounds like he made repeated attempts to get in touch with them and was having poor communication. I could see myself wanting to know an estimated turn around time, will they troubleshoot and repair or replace, etc... with the poor level of service he received I'd not have much confidence in sending it in although it's probably what I would have done. With no RMA or whatever who's to say he sends it in and they say they never got it and blow him off. Idk. These things run through your mind when you have poor communication with somebody. It's possible he was just looking for someone, anyone else to communicate with that may have given some assurance that things would be taken care of, etc. I don't know if the OP is lazy, or just a lil bent about being treated rudely and hung up on. Not people I'd be eager to do business with. At the very least as someone else posted, I would have asked for her name so as to not have to communicate with that person again, and ask to speak with somebody with 60 full seconds to discuss my problem.
 
In todays instant info world manufacturers and sellers live or die by reviews and comments. Many never get a chance to redeem themselves even if reviews are completely false. Those with poor customer service are just asking to be run out of business. Going overboard to satisfy customers may cost but better than alternative. Bet every one who has read this thread may consider avoiding the company in question.
 
vintovka said:
Bet every one who has read this thread may consider avoiding the company in question.
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Not for those of us who are super objective.....and I mean really objective. I think there is such a thing as being overly objective, like to a fault. I get it, nobody likes a "whiner", but in some cases I think it's just a desire to vent a lil, but we always have someone come to the defense of the perceived target. In this case it would be the company rep.

vintovka said:
Going overboard to satisfy customers may cost but better than alternative.
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And is a winning business model and always has been and always will be, I've observed people are just as much if not more enthusiastic to report stellar customer service, where the customer reflects on their positive experience and enthusiastically goes around recommending that company or business, even if it started out with a defective product, positive interaction can restore your faith in their product.
vintovka said:
In todays instant info world manufacturers and sellers live or die by reviews and comments.
Click to expand...

Ah yes, one bad review can set off a domino effect, I'm sure in some cases businesses were unjustly impacted by unreasonable customers, business rivals, etc... but for the most part I think it probably provides a good balance, in a day and age where most purchasing being done involves no human interaction of any kind and the sheer volume of sales and making their product available anywhere in the country through the use of 3rd party hosts, e-sales, Amazon, etc makes one customer seem pretty insignificant, but those reviews do a pretty good job of keeping people in check whereas people think CS in this country has tanked, I include myself in that camp as well, but imagine how bad it would be without the ability to publish your feedback or 1-5 star rating. Alot, if not most make their decisions based on those ratings.
 
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At age 74, I had decades of dealing with service of all types; gun stores, auto repair, home service, medical, insurance, etc. And I promise you, service in all of these sectors has improved dramatically in the last few decades. Of course you'll find duds now and then, but overall, we are way better off these days. My suggestsion to our OP, send the item in and make the most of it. And take your business elsewhere if you do not get adequate service. There are dozens of other companies eager to serve you. As my dad would say, "Don't get your bowels in an uproar over it. Life to too short." :)
 
"Ah yes, one bad review can set off a domino effect, I'm sure in some cases businesses were unjustly impacted by unreasonable customers, business rivals, etc... but for the most part I think it probably provides a good balance, in a day and age where most purchasing being done involves no human interaction of any kind and the sheer volume of sales and making their product available anywhere in the country through the use of 3rd party hosts, e-sales, Amazon, etc makes one customer seem pretty insignificant, but those reviews do a pretty good job of keeping people in check whereas people think CS in this country has tanked, I include myself in that camp as well, but imagine how bad it would be without the ability to publish your feedback or 1-5 star rating. Alot, if not most make their decisions based on those ratings.[/QUOTE]

Forgot to add the seemingly frequent and wide use of paid/false reviews to boost company and product ratings.
 
Holy c
sempai9 said:
Has anyone dealt with Standard Mfg out of Connecticut? I purchased a BCG from them a few months ago and used it in a custom build for a friend. We went out to the desert to test the AR-15 and had short stroke, single fire issues. First time ever to have any issues with one of my builds. It turned out to be the BCG. I put another manuf. BCG into the gun and it runs like a dream now. I have measured and compared this BCG with others and the Gas Key seems undersized and not staked well. Otherwise I don't see any differences. I contacted them on their website, got no response. contacted them again and got a short reply of "send it back and we will check it out". Really? No RMA? I have never dealt with such casual attitudes like this. I was a materials analyst for most of my 40 year career and know proper dealings with Supply Chain issues, warranties, return authorizations, etc.
I made a few phone calls and the same woman answers the phone, told me to send her an email. That didn't work well....no replies to my emails. Finally after weeks of this silliness, I called again this morning. I asked why they are avoiding me. She got rude and told me to send the item in, angry voice, with "Have a good day!" and then hung up on me. Wow! I am not going to purchase any products from Standard Mfg ever again. I have dealt with many and most Firearm Manufacturers and have never ever been treated rudely by any of the customer service or technical people. Lessons learned.
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If I was that lady I would have told you to quit harassing her so she can take care of other customers . She told you to send it in, that should have been the end to you calling her . Why you started this thread to complain over something so petty has me shaking my head .
 
sempai9 said:
contacted them again and got a short reply of "send it back and we will check it out". Really? No RMA? I have never dealt with such casual attitudes like this. I was a materials analyst for most of my 40 year career and know proper dealings with Supply Chain issues, warranties, return authorizations, etc.
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So they offered you a reasonable solution to your problem which you chose to not accept. Then you choose to complain about your unwillingness to accept their reasonable solution on the internet. Standard Mfg doesn't sound like the problem here.
 
TonyRumore said:
+1

Businesses that cater to "hobbiests" (this one), come with brutally time consuming customer service requirements. The customer wants to burn hours of time discussing the most tiny detail like "I saw a scratch on one piece of ejected brass. I think there is something wrong with my gun".....stuff like that. And they want to spend an enormous amount of time on each and every detail of their hobby. But it's not a hobby to the merchant. It's a business. They need to take care of the issue promptly and move on to the next one. In this case, the lady doesn't want to screw around burning time talking about the bolt carrier or creating an RMA. Just send the part in with a note explaining the issue and leave it at that.

Tony

Edited to add - I was in Aerospace Supply Chain Management for 20+ years. I can't ever imagine telling American Airlines, United, etc that they needed to get an RMA to return a product. That would be quite an insult to the customer.
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It is good to get all this feedback. I was providing material support for 15+ years before becoming a technical advisor and a materials analyst. We literally flew to Puerto Rico to audit the factory processes for a switch used in our Hydro Generation Control panels, because of continued failures and loss of revenue and reliability for our customers, so that we could discover what the issue was with this ISO 9001 company. I personally discovered the weak link in a small aux switch that they were selling to us, since I am fluent in Spanish and talked to one of the workers who produced that part. It was being processed outside of the ISO process, and they were gracious to have the issue pointed out to them. In all my dealings with manufacturers in my days of business, I discovered the importance of customer service and clear communication, with good paper trails, and such. I don't mind paying for postage, people. The issue, as most of you would feel for yourselves, is lack of professionalism, politeness, self control by the CS person, and on and on and on, with no security of which address, attention to which department or individual and all the professional related business procedures that should accompany communication with a customer who bought something in good faith and just wants to reasonably have the situation resolved. Money is secondary, as I am sometimes just tempted to take the part out and use it as a target for a high powered round and put in on my youtube channel. "Just send it in..." is a poor and insecure manner of dealing with failures. I don't know about Karens but I know about American attitudes and quality of product and I know when I am being treated with proper respect and when I am being given professional options. I know where to spend my money in the future also.
 
kidneyboy said:
So they offered you a reasonable solution to your problem which you chose to not accept. Then you choose to complain about your unwillingness to accept their reasonable solution on the internet. Standard Mfg doesn't sound like the problem here.
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So you are saying that a short and curt "Just send it in..." with no return address given or security of who will receive it or process it is just acceptable to you. I have learned from those types of casual dealings that they often lead to "Lost" parts, no chain of custody, etc. I find it unacceptable for dealings through the mail or remotely. Its not like going to my local machinist. Yes, I am using this platform to gain information, and you may choose to call it complaining, because it is your right.
 
jmorris said:
That was your career, with the business you worked for. They make be a smaller “hand shake” type of business vs a “let me transfer you to...” type.

If they said, “send it in.” So they can make it right, send it in. No need to keep asking the same question to the same person.
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thanks for the input
 
Well, this has been a great experiment. I appreciate all the feedback and the varied opinions. I can see how customer service can vary as well, as I see the attitudes of people reflect personal values. We all have personal values. Every person has a place in life to keep the wheels turning.
Thanks everyone.
 
dogtown tom said:
ALWAYS, no matter what industry, government agency, business or retail store, if you have a customer service issue and the first person that answers the phone can't resolve your issue, then ask for their supervisor. Often customer service reps have a script that they stick to and are told to only forward to a supervisor if the complainer asks.

Also, if you get no joy with that rep.....call back. You night just get another rep who's more eager to help.

Utilize multiple customer service contacts, not just phone calls, but email, text, on line chat, and social media if they have that.

Above all.....stay nice. Those reps are likely recording your call and taking notes on the complaint or service issue.


None of the above applies to me or my business btw. When you call to complain I'll forward you to that killer pit bull pictured on the left who is my supervisor.
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Good thoughts, Yes I did finally ask to speak with someone at a supervisor level, but the woman refused that option and became irate and rude, but I don't know her personal or work life. I cannot judge beyond what I experience. I rather take a slap in the face than give one, even though I was raised by an army sergeant who wasn't very tolerant, I find that being kind often pays off with a good feeling at the end of the day.
 
jag22 said:
I understand your dislike in the way the discussion was handled. On the other hand, you want to talk
about something they can't see, touch or handle. They don't know you or what capabilities you may have. You may have much greater knowledge about the product than the person you end up talking to, but they don't know that. What's wrong with just sending it in with a note detailing what the problem is and what you tried. Is this all because you don't want to pay for the postage? Send it in.
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A hamburger meal costs more than the postage. The money is minor in that aspect. A proper reply of "Here is the address to send it in to"...and such other business type of information is what I was hoping for, I obviously expect too much from this business.
 
Hartkopf said:
I really don't like new members (of any site) griping about a business or manufacturer. In this case we don't know how reasonable or reputable the member is. He might be a great guy who got mildly screwed or he might be up tight and complain about everything under the sun.
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Sir, I believe this to be my first post in my 20 years of firearms dealings to have posted a "complaint" or concern about a company or product. But I may be rather particular about quality and customer service to the degree that I seek a reasonable resolution. I do complain if my reloads don't get me MOA or better and I do complain if the wind is blowing cold on a day when I pick to go out to do some long distance load testing. So I admit to some complaining in my life. Usually no one hears me; this is my first post of such issues.
 
I'd go thru the minor expense of sending it Certified, and making them sign for it. What's the purpose, at this point, of having therir little turd sitting around, stinking up your shop? Maybe it will get rectified, and you'll wind up with a usable bolt. Either way, post how they handle the warranty return.
 
I work in CS, so, this is just my experience.

1. Without an RMA or Case number, it is difficult to track the issue, show they received it, repaired it and shipped it back etc. At a minimum, they should have asked for you info, and given you a case number to include with your package. You can RMA without paying shipping, here is your number ship it in and we will look at it.

2. The customer may not always be right, however, you as a service provider are expected to always be professional and courteous.

3. Reviews tend to be about 10% of all service orders, people rate you if you are in the extremes, or they ignore the request for ratings. They will complain and rate you low if they get poor service or they will praise you and rate you high if they get good service, the folks who feel they got average service generally don't respond.

4. it cost 5x as much to find and cultivate a new client than it does to keep an existing one, same goes for a new staff member

5. Yes there are those who will buy only based on price, and yes, there are businesses that use price as the major selling point. My experience has been that good customer service will keep or lose a client faster than a slightly more or less expensive product. YMMV

6. We are only hearing one side of this story.
d
 
Dale Alan said:
Holy c

If I was that lady I would have told you to quit harassing her so she can take care of other customers . She told you to send it in, that should have been the end to you calling her . Why you started this thread to complain over something so petty has me shaking my head .
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Yes, I can see you shaking your head. You didn't have to deal with the failure, the lack of response and the rudeness. Well, some people yell at each other in their families and call it love, some people never raise their voices at each other, some people are rough and some are more refined. Everyone has a different talent to add to society. Thanks for your input.
 
vintovka said:
"Ah yes, one bad review can set off a domino effect, I'm sure in some cases businesses were unjustly impacted by unreasonable customers, business rivals, etc... but for the most part I think it probably provides a good balance, in a day and age where most purchasing being done involves no human interaction of any kind and the sheer volume of sales and making their product available anywhere in the country through the use of 3rd party hosts, e-sales, Amazon, etc makes one customer seem pretty insignificant, but those reviews do a pretty good job of keeping people in check whereas people think CS in this country has tanked, I include myself in that camp as well, but imagine how bad it would be without the ability to publish your feedback or 1-5 star rating. Alot, if not most make their decisions based on those ratings.
Click to expand...

Forgot to add the seemingly frequent and wide use of paid/false reviews to boost company and product ratings.[/QUOTE]
I appreciate your input. I dislike fake reviews as well. I usually read a few 1 star and a lot of 3-4 star reviews before purchasing a product. There is a balance in there somewhere, but there are not many Rolls Royces coming out of manufacturing these days.
 
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