God rest her soul, my mother was a customer service reps worst nightmare. She never gave up when in the right, and was not afraid to go above heads to get her due. There is one phrase that all folks should know, “I would like to speak to your supervisor.” Those are the magic words when an underling doesn’t give you the right answer or attempts to give you the run around. She never got nasty, always remained cool and collected, and always, ALWAYS got the right solution in the end.
I bring this up, because while on the UP trip back in August, my uncle’s muskie rod blew up on him. Just splintered into pieces, and not at the tip where a lot of wear and tear occurs from slinging muskie sized baits. So he tells me about it when we get to the cabin a few days later, and I see the mess and the splinters of carbon fibers in the boat. It was a house brand rod from one the big retailers.
Now, the rod was bought in 1996, but at the time of purchase I told him that the rod had a lifetime warranty. So when you get back to Illinois, I tell him, give them a call and get the warranty issue solved. He got home, and called, they say mail in, and we will get things settled. Sounds good, so he spends money to get the rod shipped off west.
They call back to my uncle with this response, the rod with those serial numbers is no longer made and they only offer a two year warranty now. Best we can do is give you a check for 31 bucks. “Unc”, says I, “its the old run around”. The product line is still being offered, the model number of the rod is still being produced, and where you paid $115 back then, its now being offered for $80 now. Also told him, the lifetime warranty was still being offered as recently as four years ago. He asks how I know all this, the answer was, I have the same rod!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This comapny, went public (as in on the stock market) and changed all their warranties, and in how they handle their returns. I had to tell him, you aren’t the first person who has brought this up to me, and I am sure he will not be the last.
So I get this email back a few days ago, I “x” out the brand of the rod and company, but you get the idea of how to handle situations. If you are right, don’t give up the just fight, that’s why you buy certain items and pay the extra money, for the extra quality:
Charlie, good news! After 1 1/2 hours on phone, xxxxx finally agreed to send me a new xxx xxxx xx Muskie rod! I kept asking for other supervisors. until I could break through the red tape. Kept repeating that the current 2 year warranty did not apply to my life-time warranty. Also they kept insisting that my original stock number was no longer in stock. BUT I found the xxxx xxxxx xx that was ecactly in everthing including the model number. They finally caved. Thanks for the advice. Kept telling people that SOMEONE in xxxxxxx could be found including current sales people that can recall the lifetime warranty. Should be here in a little over a week. Will let you know when it shows up. Later, unc
