Camillus Customer Service?

Slatts

Slatts

Joined
Feb 16, 2005
Messages
1,549
I sent a Fisk Bubinga into Camillus for some repair work in early May. I've sent a couple of emails to the lady that I was initially in contact with and inquired about the repair status but haven't had an email returned yet.

Is this typical of Camillus? and should I have anything to worry about?

Thanks
Shawn
 
I received a phone call from Camillus Customer Service yesterday saying that their Bowie expert would refurb my knife next week.
 
I think if a customer buys a knife in that particular price range, he deserves a much, much more timely response. This is kinda disappointing.

Camillus continues to ignore their forum here, which is also ignoring their customers. I suppose a factory guy will pop in once they have another high priced shiv to peddle to us. What will the response be from the faithful here? Further: I see that there is a link to here from the official Camillus site. Does that not imply a certain responsibility?

If I didn't care about Camillus-- a very fine American made brand-- I wouldn't even bother posting this. And as I have written here before, if the factory guys are too busy-- multi-tasking and such, as is the norm in American manufacturing anymore, I understand and deeply sympathize. But maybe a once a week visit? If I were one of the factory guys, I'd take it upon myself to do so on a weekend, as if my job depended upon it.
 
The lady from Camillus customer service called me yesterday to say that their bowie expert has re-etched and scotchbrited the blade. It will ship via UPS back to me on Monday. She seemed concerned about my satisfaction too. She even mentioned that one of their guys monitors this Bladeforums Camillus forum that could provide answers regarding knife storage, etc...

Even thought the initial lack of response was a little concerning, but since ths was the first knife that I've ever sent back to a manufacturer for repair service I didn't really know what to expect. I am a relatively patient guy so to me it seems like a good deal to have a no-charge repair made and my only cost was shipping to the plant.

I'll let you know how the blade looks when I receive.
 
I have yet to receive the knife. I was expecting it today since UPS ground should have delivered to me if it was shipped on Monday as the CS lady promised. I've sent her an email and asked what the DC is. We'll see.
 
Last week I sent the customer service person (I will not name her yet) an email requesting an update on my package and received no response. I then left on vacation for a week. I returned home today from a vacation and was sure that the knife would be here. NO knife.
I'm embarrased that an American knife company could have such horrible customer service. Good quality knifes for the most part, but miniscule communications or concern for the customer as far as I can tell.

Man, I am steamed! :mad: If there are any Camillus reps on this board, please send me an email.
 
Slatts,
I feel your pain .
As I remember that the Camillus Factory shuts down for a vacation week around this time of the year. Could they be on shutdown ?
Good Collecting !
JOCKO
 
It's been a lot longer than a week or two since anyone from Camillus participated here. :rolleyes: :(
 
Disgusting. I would think that any knife manufacturer would feel lucky to have a spot here at BFC. Compare this to the Buck forum, which has the great Joe Houser and I don't know how many other Buck reps posting, answering questions, making comments. Including Chuck and CJ Buck. Apparently, those pros feel that there is a positive side to participating here, intimately interacting with their customers. American knife companies are at war, with the orient, and it seems to me that any tool-- weapon-- that could be useful, should be used.

I continue to wish the best for Camillus, but as an economics professor told my class in college, spending money on a product is 'voting with dollars'. Camillus won't have my vote in the future.

There have been a couple of comments that kinda raise the issue of whether Camillus is OK.. or is doing a 'Schrade'. I've exhaustedly searched the web, can find no answer to that, which is usually good news. Companies tend to make headlines when they go under. Oh, Camillus is a privately held company, $182 million in annual sales, 195 employees, good for a knife company, miniscule for most American industry.

Phil

PS,... I note that Ethan Becker and Jerry Fisk and whatever other Custom makers Camillus has teamed up with, have also failed so show up for a long, long time. I made mention in post number 4 in this thread that the factory guys will be back once they have a new product to peddle to us. I suppose the above named makers will also grace us with thier presence at that time.
 
You know this is really ridiculous. Every company, even Camillus, has management. If their management is worth a hoot, it will care deeply about the concerns of their customers. I'm a manager and I know that my client's satisfaction is my number one priority and if I had a peeved customer, I would want to know about it ASAP.

Since I can't seem to get the attention of their Customer Service Department, I think it's time for me to write a letter to someone up the chain of command.

My internet searches have yielded nothing regarding the Camillus hierarchy. I imagine it's because they are a small, privately held company. Does anyone have contact information for someone in Camillus management whether it be a President, VP, Operations Director, etc... or better yet an organization chart?

I want my knife back!

Thanks!
 
Well, should be easy to find the head honcho in management. Browse some of the knife rags, sometimes they mention whoever it is in the company they talk to.

Or for that matter, email Jerry Fisk. If he is connected in any way, like designing the knife, maybe he oughta try and help ya out a bit, after-all he is making money on the knife is well.

If you elect to contact Camillus management directly, try a registered letter with return receipt. Tell them you want your knife back and if they keep it and continue to ignore you, then you must consider it stolen. Also contact the BBB.

I think another person in this forum said it best, next time Camillus and one of the makers has someting to push on you, then you will see them in here, other than that, they probably dont care.
 
I sent Tom Williams (aka CAMCO) an email about my difficulties in getting my knife returned. All I was asking him to do was to give me the contact information of someone in management. As a retired Camillus employee and still living in the local area, Tom decided to make a visit to the plant on my behalf. Turns out that Camillus was on turnaround (plant shutdown) during this period. He called the customer service rep who was on vacation to inquire about my knife. She said that it went to the shipping dept on the same day she told me it would. Tom discovered that is where it has sat ever since. He called me (I assume he got my number from Camillus) to let me know that he had the knife, he apologized for the delay, and said he'd make sure it shipped.

He personally saw to it that it was shipped to me priority overnight and I received it on Friday (coincidentally my birthday). I was pleased to see a bonus Cartridge knife and a handwritten note from Tom in the package. The quality of the repairs done on the OVB Fisk Bowie were very good.

On advice received here, I also traded a couple of emails with Jerry Fisk. Jerry made some inquiries on my behalf as well and he was told that the knife had shipped (while it was really still sitting in the shipping dept.) I thank you Mr. Fisk for taking the time to help me out.

I think we have a real benefit in having CAMCO here on the forums with us. He went above and beyond in helping me out and shows a great amount of loyalty to the company where he worked for 30 years.

CAMCO, I salute you!

Slatts
 
I'm glad all worked out Slatts. I wonder if Camco might be willing to look into the problems of the Collectors Club as well? Or at least maybe give someone over there a heads up that people are getting very angry.

Dan
 
Camco, YOU ARE THE MAN!!!
I urge you to ask someone at Camillus to take a peek here on a regular basis.
In the meantime, I'm going to shoot you all the greenies I can.
 
I agree. It seems Camillus lost a very important asset when CAMCO retired. Enjoy your retirement CAMCO! :D
 
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