Wait….I’m the Customer…the one who buys your Products.
Normally I don’t try to rant and rave about poor customer service on here, but I have been holding off on this one for months, and quite honestly, I can’t take it anymore. I just can’t believe the treatment that I am getting from this company in particular, and it’s too bad, because they make some excellent products.
Last year a few of us were out shooting my Taurus PT 24/7. We were just target shooting, having some fun, and my brother’s girlfriend decided that she wanted to shoot the gun. Of course I let her, because any girl shooting a gun is okay in my book. She finishes unloading the clip, hands it back to me, and as I bring the gun back up to start my shooting sequence I notice something is missing……the front sight!
Now don’t think that I am blaming her, because I’m so not doing that at all. I was just completely shocked that it was gone. After looking into the matter a little farther, and doing some searches on the interent, I found that this was quite a common problem with this particular gun. The sight is held on by a set screw and apparently over time this screw has a tendency to come loose. Some guys were even applying locktight to the screw to keep it from coming loose, and I was just one of the unfortunately ones who didn’t see the problem happening before it actually occurred. We searched the area around where we were shooting to no avail. I figured I would just call Taurus and have the issue resolved. Man was I ever wrong.
My first call went very well, and they assurred me that they would replace the sight free of charge. There was just one problem–they didn’t have any sights in stock. I can live with that, but the problem really started when they instructed me that I would have to call back in 3 weeks because this particular part was on back order. At the time it was the middle of deer season so everyone knows that in 3 weeks my mind was not on my pistol and I didn’t think about it again until around January or so.
To make a long story short, I have called 3 times now and every time they tell me that the part is out of stock. They are always very polite, and always dig real deep to figure out if the sight is available or not, but in the end they always resort to the “can you call us back” routine. I have asked if I could just be put on a list and have the part sent to me once it comes in, but that doesn’t work either. They claim that because of the part ordering system, that the part number changes periodically, and so having me on a list will not work. I am getting so frustrated by this, but to buy an aftermarket sight is just not in the budget right now so I have to live with it.
So what do you folks think about all of this? How would you handle it? I have done just about everything I can think of, even being down right rude at times, and it has no effect. I gave up the last time I called because this gentleman said he needed a serial number, and of course I didn’t have it, and of course they didn’t need it the other times I called, but now they do? Whatever. The other kicker is that they are only open during the week so trying to call them is nearly impossible if you have to work for a living.
So, if anything, this rant made me feel a little bit better, and maybe, just maybe, one day the stars will align when I call them and I can get my front sight ordered and shipped so that it can arrive by Christmas. And Mr. Taurus rep., if you’re reading this, you could throw me some free stuff as well. I would quiet down then!
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I always ask to talk to Management. I seem to get better results that way.
Demand that they let you talk to the management and go from there… I hate it when things turn out this way…
Shoot, that’s too bad. I agree with the others, though. Management should get you much further – and better results.
I hate dealing with poor customer service – especially when it’s a company I’ve grown to like over the years – it almost feels like you’ve been hurt by a good friend.
I hate situations like this, because you feel pretty helpless.
Still, this whole thing about YOU calling THEM back is bass-ackwards from a customer service perspective. They should take your name and information, hold you in a service queue, and take the time and effort to contact YOU, the CUSTOMER, when the part is in stock.
I also agree with the folks who’ve suggested requesting to speak directly to a manager, to someone who has the authority to resolve your problem right then and there. If they can’t provide a Taurus sight, you can demand that they provide an aftermarket alternative.
Of course, this is all easy to say from where I’m sitting… good luck with it.
And keep us, as well as the World Wide Web, posted on your experience.
That sucks big time. It seems to right along with the times we live in, nobody seems to care about professional pride, workmanship and customer service.
I agree with the other posters here and would say take it right to the top and let them know that you have the ability to go public (blog) with it. A little treat can work wonders sometimes.
Hope it all woks out for you.
-ov-
I might even mention that you write for an outdoor website on a daily basis, and that you would hate to have to mention this on the blog! I would also keep going up the chain of command until I got something resolved. I checked their web page and could not find an email link anywhere! In today’s world you MUST have an email link if your doing business with the general public. Come on Taurus get into the 21st Century! They did mention a lifetime warrenty on their firearms, so I would assume they would take care of this for you. Be persistant!
I can’t say I have had the same problem with this type of company. However, I have had some problems with our propane delivery service in the last 3 years; when they had a change in personnel.
Spoke with the main office yesterday and the co-owner was interested in getting things changed. We have been a customer for 16 years.
Customer service in general has declined and then they get testy when you try to get help for problems with their product, or service. Frustration of frustrations!
Waiting to hear how things turn out for you.
Man, what a pain in the ass. I can barely hit anything with my .45 with the sights, so I don’t know how you are doing without them… LOL
My buddy is also going through the same thing with a rifle of his. He actually lost his bolt while crawling around trying to find a lost hog in a bunch of briers. Now the company tells him that it will be $200 for a new bolt since he must send the rifle in and have one made for it… and the rifle brand new at Walmart is only $250!!!
He has tried getting one online, but with no luck. Hope you do better.
As someone who runs customer service for multiple companies, all I can say is this is seriously screwed up. They can’t put you on a list because the part number changes? That’s ridiculous. Also, why does that particular part seem never to be in stock. Apparently this is a pretty common problem. I’d also have to ask why they didn’t notify their customer base that the gun had this problem when it was first discovered.
Talking to management may help, but customer service policies are set by management. I’d say your best shot is what you’re already doing, which is letting potential customers know they don’t want to do business with this company. The only way to get a company to change is to hit them in their profits.
Basically what it sounds like they are doing in a round about way is refusing to replace the part in my opinion. You can start by asking for management and if that don’t work than I would contact your local “Better Business Bureau” and report them.
I had to do that once with a similiar situation and the end result was a total replacement because I assume the company did not want a mark against them.
[...] wrote a post awhile back about my struggles with Taurus, and the difficulty I was having getting my front sight [...]