An annoying customer service experience

[etoncrow]

Huh???? This sounds like "the opposite of blue is brown". yeah I know it doesn't make sense either.

They have a saying around here, "If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch."

 

[T-MOST]

They have a saying around here, "If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch."

Ok..... I see staying on topic isn't your strong point.

 

[funkometer]

I emailed him once about a crack in my BSR5J headstock and received a similiar sarcastic reply.

 

[Strangeglow]

John Turner is right Ken can set what ever policy he wants for his business. But I didn't see this listed on his website.

I wonder if that means I can't buy the $6 bottle of Smith Classic Polish because it's under the minimum?

What is the actual minimum? Perhaps the OP could buy a T-Shirt and polish and get his pots. Maybe the strings haven't been selling well and Ken's trying to clear out inventory

 

[T-MOST]

John Turner is right Ken can set what ever policy he wants for his business. But I didn't see this listed on his website.

I wonder if that means I can't buy the $6 bottle of Smith Classic Polish because it's under the minimum?

What is the actual minimum? Perhaps the OP could buy a T-Shirt and polish and get his pots. Maybe the strings haven't been selling well and Ken's trying to clear out inventory

I may have missed it but what is the $$$ min??

 

[82Daion]

I may have missed it but what is the $$$ min??

Beats me. All I know is that I was under it.

 

[JmJ]

This episode does not qualify as customer service as you were not "allowed" to make a purchase. Without publicly stating his "minimum shipping charges" on his website he really has no business saying there is a minimum of any kind. He should have apologized for that omission & updated his website. I guess if you own the company you can make up the rules as you go. This is an example of how not to do business.

 

[MakiSupaStar]

Then again, Ken Smith could have easily said something like, "These parts are available but the cost of shipping and handling is going to put the final price at about $40. Tell you what, I'll throw in a free set of strings to make it worth your while."

Customer service is all about perceived value. The original poster probably wouldn't have batted an eye on a reply like the above and yet the end result is the same.

BINGO! This is totally the better way to handle it.

I've had good customer service with a few companies.

SK8 - the shipped the wrong cords for their pedal board and sent to them to me right away. Had it within a couple of days of calling.

Carvin - Can't sing enough praises about Carvin (perhaps their mail order business is different but I live close enough to stop by their Santa Ana shop). They completely replaced a PA we had free of charge. We were just looking for a basic fix on a couple of the channels. I also have an LB75 that I replaced the pick_ups on. I messed up the job with the wiring and brought it in. They fixed it right there on the spot and redid my crappy job free of charge.

GHS - I bought some of those stupid red colored strings. I played one gig and snapped my A string. I can count on one hand how many times I've snapped strings. I called them up to see if this was a normal complaint and the sent me two packs of different strings they made. I thought that was cool, although I don't like GHS strings that much.

Guitar Center - I know everyone bags on Guitar Center, but I've had some good experiences with this store. When I bought my Warwick Corvette $$, I got it through a buddy who worked there. He ordered it for me. Well my order was put on the floor as a demo model. They gave it to me to use, until they could reorder another one. I had that first bass for a good couple of weeks and was a little hesitant to give it up. When I got my new bass, they let me keep the gig bag and all that other stuff that comes with a Warwick from the first one, as well as giving me the brand new one. I used the gig bags a lot. It's what I store my Carvin in. Anyway, I was just expecting an even swap. I thought the way they covered their mistake was very professional.

 

[Eric Perry]

I think Ken Smith has proven time after time in this forum that he's condescending, narrow, abrasive, hard-headed, etc, etc, etc. . . in other words, not a nice person.

So, no surprise here.

This, IMO, sums it up nicely. For me, it's not about this one episode, but a culmination of all of the crappy things Smith is famous for. I can name several blatantly nasty and condescending ones I witnessed myself on these boards years ago.

 

[davec]

ok to anyone who took offense to my He is a New Yorker, sorry.

Not everyone fits a stereotype, but many do and thats why some stereotypes exist.

Ken fits the type, Rodger doesn't, Stewart Spector doesn't

I really like the bass, but I will not be going to Ken if it ever needs fixed, now or in the future. I know too many luthiers who could fix it just as well without the side of a*shole that Ken seems all too willing to provide.

great, I refinished my bass because I could do it cheaper and faster, and almost as well.

You owe Ken NOTHING, He owes Nothing as well.

Carvin - Can't sing enough praises about Carvin (perhaps their mail order business is different but I live close enough to stop by their Santa Ana shop). They completely replaced a PA we had free of charge. We were just looking for a basic fix on a couple of the channels. I also have an LB75 that I replaced the pick_ups on. I messed up the job with the wiring and brought it in. They fixed it right there on the spot and redid my crappy job free of charge.

I've heard more stories like this than I have like my experience and tend to think this is more reflective of the company

 

[20db pad]

In the "man, I'm getting old" department, the OP's story doesn't come as a shock - I've heard stories like this regarding this builder for nearly 20 years. It's the reason I don't own a Smith bass.

They're great instruments, without a doubt. However, I'd have a big problem spending thousands of dollars on a bass expecting to be thought of as a bother or berated by the people that built it if I needed their help at some point.

I dunno - color me spoiled by Lakland and Sadowsky, even though I've never needed either of them to sell or give me replacement parts.

 

[Bass Viking]

I don't really like the Smith strings, and I don't see why I should be forced to buy a pack of them that I have no use for, wasting $32, when I could just get the pots.

+1. Despite what Ken may think, his strings aren't necessarily the best, even for his basses. I replaced the original KS strings on my Smith with another set and much preferred the feel and sound, plus the B string sounded clearer.

If he hasn't been mentioned already, you can add Sheldon Dingwall to the list of great customer service oriented luthiers. On 2 occasions he's sent me replacement knobs at no charge.

 

[Bass Viking]

Have you yourself dealt with Ken?
That's a bit of a slanted take if you have not, especially to a person that cannot retort in this forum.

Well if Ken hadn't gotten his ass banned from TB he wouldn't be in that predicament. Seriously, how many builders can you think of that have been given the boot from Talkbass? Sure doesn't make them look good.

 

[rob2966]

Roger sent me a new jack for my 24F5 at no charge. Dropped it in the mail, arrived in about a week.

Later
Rob

Name three companies that would send out small parts to someone owning one of their instruments?

Easy.


Sadowsky (I've never needed anything, but I have NO doubt Roger would take care of something like that

Carvin (direct experience)

Ernie Ball (direct experience)

Zon (direct experience)

DR Strings (direct experience)

 

[Jeff K]

I had an Epiphone Jack Casady bass one time that needed a small round plastic piece that goes under the selector switch. G.C. ordered the part for me. After about 4 months, I still didn't have it. I wrote a letter to Gibson Guitars CEO, Henry _____, explaining my frustration. (I can't remember his name off hand, but it's a long name that starts with a J., and I don't want to butcher it by misspelling it.) About 4 days later, I received the part, free of charge, along with a letter of apology from Mr. J. He also sent me a beautiful coffee table book about Gibson guitars. Now THAT is customer service!

Another time, I bought a Sadowsky Metro UV70 from Bass Central. It did not have a string tree. I sent an e-mail to Sadowsky Customer Service asking if there is a reason the bass did not have a string tree. Roger Sadowsky wrote back personally to apologize, saying that it was an oversight, and SHOULD have a string tree. He sent me one immediately, free of charge.

Personally, I will always remember those two incidents where the CEO and business owner went well beyond what they had to do to keep a customer happy. Conversely, I thing the O/P will remember the curt reply he got from Mr. Smith...

 

[MatticusMania]

To me it doesnt matter that you're in business, throwing a customer of your product a bone every now and then IS standard practice, and to me is expected. What better way to retain loyal customers and gain new ones than with a little polite courtesy and occassional freebe?

EXACTLY.

I have a Digitech BP-200, first effect I ever got. About 4-5 years later one of the footswitches stopped working. I opened it up and found that the switch had burnt out. So I started to look online for a replacement. Didnt find a good enough match, so I contacted Digitech customer service. They sent me 2 replacement switches free of charge. I fixed it and havent had a problem since. I posted an honest review of the product at harmony central (before I found talkbass) and left a good, detailed review of my customer experience, basically what I just told you guys. I got an email from Digitech a few months later, a guy in CS read my review and thanked me. He asked my address and shirt size and I got a free t-shirt! THATS customer service!

 

[Eric Perry]

Name three, ...

Looks like way more than three have been mentioned... All are great examples.

 

[MatticusMania]

which will turn off lots of potential customers - like me.

and me as well

 

[MatticusMania]

Not a big deal IMO. Obviously his management skills has not hurt his reputation or sales.

Yes it has, there are now 7 pages in this thread, with a lot of potential customers now turned off. That is a hit to anyones reputation.

 

[strummer]

Name three, ...

No, seriously, I'm not being condescending or sarcastic, name three. Or two.

Three from personal experience: Ernie Ball (Sent me a whole preamp foc), TonePros (unslotted saddles for a wraparound for a LP JR foc), Peavey (sent me new knobs for my old preamp foc)

I have no issues with paying for stuff, but I'll be damned if I'll buy strings I don't like to meet minimum order requirements.

Edit: So I didn't read the whole thread before replying, guess KS is in a rahter small minority...

And for those defending KS: Sure he's allowed to behave like he does, but that does not mean it's ok, it simply means that there are a lot of ppl (myself included) who will never ever consider buying one of his basses, even though I will admit the ones I have played have been real nice.