A quick WHY question?

[RetiredLawman]

Opinions, please!

Question: What is the problem with Benelli's customer service?

Benelli is a high priced shotgun. It is beloved by many. I have one of their products and am satisfied with it. I have not yet required their customer service but many have and complaints are common about the lack of quality control and customer service.

Since they bought out Franchi, they now have several brands that at one time, maybe even now, were great brands. I will include Benelli, Beretta, Stoeger, and Franchi in my question for thought. They all are in the same office now and have been for over ten years, so they have the means to be on the ball with CS.

Their aftermarket service is a common complaint. Their US headquarters are in the same building in MD, with one front door facing one street and the other facing the other street on the corner. Thus two different addresses for the same office. In the back room, they have some workbenchs and a few employees working on defective guns. Their turnaround time is not good. It takes a while to get through to them. Parts are not available and are very expensive. A barrel for one of their guns cost about as much as a used gun of the same model.

Their customer service answers the phone from 8:00 until 5:00 five days a week. Many other gun makers have around the clock customer service. The two telephone answering employees are polite and will put you through to a gunsmith. Give them credit for that.

I think that with the prices they charge, they should have around the clock CS and parts available for quick shipment. Their economy guns, the Franchi I-12 and the Stoeger 2000 have spotty quality control. Some of these guns give problems that should have been caught at the factory, thus they need satisfactory customer service. All guns, even economy guns, should work as advertised, or the factory should pick them up and repair them at no cost to the buyer.

Comments? Thanks for your patience.

 

[Badger Arms]

You'll find that if you look hard enough, you can find somebody to criticize EVERYTHING. I don't take stock in anecdotal evidence, spotty stories, etc. I like to get a consensus as to the overall quality of service. I believe that Benelli produces top-notch products and stands by them to a level acceptable to the vast majority of users.

The problem is with the whiney few, I believe, that would complain no matter what level of service they got. I had customers bring back firearms for petty and stupid things. One complained that his "new" gun had been fired and almost came to blows acusing me of shooting HIS GUN! When I explained that the factory test fired the gun, he called me a liar! I'll be this same ******* would have complained if his gun had malfunctioned because the company didn't test fire it

One retard (and I use the term with all apologies to the genuinely retarded) could not fathom that his safety would not cause the gun to go off when the hammer fell. I had to put a pencil down the barrel and he watched, really confused, as the pencil shot across the room propelled by the firing pin. Then I did the same when just lowering the safety and he was SURE he saw the pencil budge a little. Anyway, the retard walked away with a revolver (try decocking that safely!).

What I'm saying is that you should expect a reasonable level of service from Benelli and that's it.

 

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

Maybe they have some HK blood running through them.

Because you suck and we hate you.

 

[throdgrain]

Mad that they're from the same company that make Benelli motorcycles, and as a motorcycle dealer of 13 years experience I can confirm they are some of the most unreliable things around, in direct contrast to the super-reliable shotguns.

 

[oneounceload]

Benelli is owned by Beretta, and Beretta's CS has a lousy reputation. YMMV

 

[Virginian]

Anything associated with Beretta is perfect. The corrct answer to any gun related question is Beretta/Benelli/Stoeger or to a much lesser extent, Franchi. All the Customer Service you will ever need was built into the gun at the factory.

In point of truth, their customer service has been sabotaged by those of us tired of hearing about the perfection.

 

[Milkmaster]

The easy solution is not to buy the brand if you don't like the customer service they offer. The market will take care of the rest!

 

[chas08]

In point of truth, their customer service has been sabotaged by those of us tired of hearing about the perfection.

AMEN!!! after falling for the hype and being vastly disapointed. I will never own a benelli product again. Perhaps if I would have sent it back to benelli for repairs the first time it broke I would have gotten rid of it sooner and not ruined the hunt that was the final straw. There are good and bad in all products. How the manufacturer stands behind them,for me, is the deciding factor.

 

[huntsman]

think that with the prices they charge, they should have around the clock CS and parts available for quick shipment. Their economy guns, the Franchi I-12 and the Stoeger 2000 have spotty quality control. Some of these guns give problems that should have been caught at the factory, thus they need satisfactory customer service. All guns, even economy guns, should work as advertised, or the factory should pick them up and repair them at no cost to the buyer.

Good customer service is a thing of the past it seems.
The economy guns are just that, but you are correct they should at least be functional when they leave the warehouse.

 

[RUT]

>>Mad that they're from the same company that make Benelli motorcycles, and as a motorcycle dealer of 13 years experience I can confirm they are some of the most unreliable things around<<

Ah yes, brings back memories of my Benelli "SEI". Toward the end, the exhaust system was worth more than the bike!

 

[sohcgt2]

What I'm saying is that you should expect a reasonable level of service from Benelli and that's it.

I'm not complaining, I have several of their products and will buy more, but I have ordered 4 catalogs from them, 3 online and 1 by phone as well as a replacement manual for a 48 AL shotgun. Its going on 2 years since my last contact and I don't think any of what I wanted is "in the mail". Does that sound like good customer service to anyone here? The only saving grace is their product is pretty much trouble free.

 

[DeepSouth]

I believe that Benelli produces top-notch products and stands by them to a level acceptable to the vast majority of users.

Top-notch I'll give you, but if you believe there CS will stand by with a level acceptable to the vast majority of users, You believe a lie.

Good customer service is a thing of the past it seems.

I would also have to disagree with this statement. Some people still care, probably less and less everyday. But call Charles Daly with a problem, a much cheaper shotgun with many more problems and with ten times better CS. Call Remington, never heard of any complaints from them, call Springfield Armory, not a shotgun manufacture but still, never heard anything but good about them.

The FACT is that the Benelli, Beretta, Stoeger family has lousy CS, by choice.

Fortunately their products are good enough to get people (like me) to buy them.

 

[Snarlingiron]

Quote:
What I'm saying is that you should expect a reasonable level of service from Benelli and that's it.

Ha Ha Ha. We Americans that know what customer service is, either because we still provide it, or because we remember when it was the norm, have to find this hilarious. Most of us today have lived so long without any true customer service we can't even recognize that we aren't getting it!!

 

[Badger Arms]

Ha Ha Ha. We Americans that know what customer service is, either because we still provide it, or because we remember when it was the norm, have to find this hilarious.

Again, having been on both sides of the fence, this is a subjective observation. One person thinks that if they shoot their "special" reloads in a Glock 22 and it blows up, it's Glock's fault and Glock should pay for it. Some people think that a rub mark on a magazine follower is a factory defect and they deserve a new magazine. Some people think that if the trigger isn't exactly 4 pounds and breaks like glass on their Lorcin .32, they are due compensation. These are unreasonable. What do you consider reasonable? I think Ruger's got EXCELLENT service and every time I've dealt with them over the years, I've come away happy. Some people think Ruger's service SUCKS because they expect too much. I frankly have little use for the people who think Ruger's service sucks because I know better. I have ZERO experience with Benelli so I don't say one way or the other how their service is.

 

[chuckusaret]

Glock 22 and it blows up

Wrong, they blow up with US manufactured ammo also.

I think Ruger's got EXCELLENT service and every time I've dealt with them over the years,

I agree, they do, but two new guns and two recalls in a row and I lost the trust of their manufacturing and most of all their testing and QC. I no longer own a Glock or a Ruger.

 

[inSight-NEO]

Look at it from another perspective...

Just ask yourself "why not?"

Keep in mind, Benelli is essentially an import, along with every part labeled as factory "Benelli." So, Im thinking that their CS department could very well be somewhat "out of the loop" or on "hold/delay" status when dealing with USA customer relations. Who knows...

Basically, I tend to think of "Benelli USA" as more of a distributor than a manufacturer. Hence, this could lead to CS issues IMHO.

I have the Benelli SNT and so far, I have only needed to deal with Benelli CS via e-mail. In terms of this avenue, they have been decent. Only time will tell how well their CS department functions, should I ever need to actually send the weapon in for service (God forbid).

But, I imagine they are not the worst nor the best when it comes to CS; they are probably average. Every CS department, for the most part, always seems to have at least one or two unmotivated and/or lazy yahoo who refuses, or is incapable of, offering any help or alternatives beyond what he or she is seeing on their computer screen. Thats life.

 

[Snarlingiron]

Again, having been on both sides of the fence, this is a subjective observation.

Absolutely correct. I have spent over 40 years in customer service. Does that mean that I always give the customer what they want? No. Is the customer always right? NO. But they are always the customer and deserve to be heard and treated professionally and politely.

Service doesn't mean that you are going to get every desire. It means that someone is going to courteously talk to you, give your complaints serious consideration and when warranted take care of your problem in a timely manner. It means that they are not going to dismiss you like the villiage idiot. It means that they are going to have competent staff to service you. It means that they are going to maintain a reasonable inventory of parts.

What it really means is whether you give a flying damn about your products and how they are represented or not. Apparently Ruger does. I personally don't care for most of their products, but I laud them for providing good service. I expect that Badger Arms provides good service too, and thus smarts at the general indictment.

I re-iterate, most of us no longer know what service is. We spend hours on the phone with AT&T trying to get the simplest of problems resolved by someone continents away. We stand in line for hours to get a drivers license renewed. We order cable service only to be told that we have to take a day off work to wait for someone that will be there between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.

In short we have been so brainwashed that we now believe that even a very moderate level of service is the greatest thing since the percussion cap.

Your experiences may be different. I grew up in a time when getting gas meant you got your oil level checked, your radiator topped off, your windshield cleaned and the air pressure in your tires checked. This came with a tank of gas that cost $5.00, not $75.00. Yes, I know that times change. Sometime for the better, but often not.

 

[JohnBT]

Good customer service =>

I called Guerini USA about changing my father's new O/U from ejectors to extractors. The person who answered the phone said that the person I needed to talk to was busy with a customer and would call me back. <We've all heard this one, right?>

About an hour later a Mr. Lang called back and solved the problem by offering to either talk me through the conversion or have the dealer ship it back. Seeing that it was my elderly father's new gun, I shipped it back and it was returned in ONE WEEK at no cost whatsoever.

Mr. Lang is the President of Caesar Guerini USA.

Now that is customer service.

John

P.S. - I had a good experience with Beretta/Sako parts guys. I needed a trigger screw for a Stoeger-imported Finnfire as part of a deal I was working on to buy 2 Jewell triggers. They kept me on the phone and kept looking until they found one that would work, but wasn't listed in the their system. I was also buying some Finnfire mags, so I wasn't just begging for free stuff.

 

[huntsman]

Service doesn't mean that you are going to get every desire. It means that someone is going to courteously talk to you, give your complaints serious consideration and when warranted take care of your problem in a timely manner. It means that they are not going to dismiss you like the villiage idiot. It means that they are going to have competent staff to service you. It means that they are going to maintain a reasonable inventory of parts.

+1 Buying a product doesn't guarantee you keys to the company, but it should give you simple access to the company.

 

[gunsandreligion]

If you want good customer service buy henry products they have the absolute best customer service you'll find anywhere.

 

[dflorida]

Quick, name one gun manufacturer that actually went out of business because of poor customer service. I can't even begin to think of an industry with a bigger black eye on customer service than PC manufacturers. They invented the parking lot guarantee. You know, it's guaranteed until you get out of the parking lot, then it's yours. Manufacturer's who actually budgeted for a high level of customer service have watched their competitors introduce product after product and give zero customer service and still be highly successful. I'm sure that they quickly redrew their plans to downsize CS. The management at Benelli isn't all that stupid. They charge more for their products, buy up the competition, and give little if any after sale support and service. I'm pretty sure that their investors and stock holders aren't the least put out with them. Folks, until we begin to speak in a language that manufacturers understand, namely by keeping our wallets riveted shut, they truly have no incentive to change the way they do business. Why in the hell would they?
Don