Customer service expectations

[Jlsoip]

In my experience all these knife companies have slightly different bussiness models. For example Benchmade has a pretty hefty price tag on their knives but should you break a pocket clip they'll send one out no charge. Spyderco on the other hand prices thier knives more reasonable and should you need a new clip one will be shipped for a modest fee. So when you get right down to the nut cuttin , when all's said and done it's a wash.

See, it was this line of thought that prompted my post. The more the cost of the knife, the less you should have to pay, if anything, for replacement components, especially if lost through a defect or QC issue.

 

[brownshoe]

A screw falling out of a new knife is a factory defect, it should have been sent out for free with an apology.

Per CRK on my TiLok screw, they APOLOGIZED, said it was their fault and that screws shouln't fall out of a knife. They said a worker probably got distracted and forgot the locktite. They told me to use locktite when I put in the replacement screw.

 

[Peter Hartwig]

Got in contact with Hinderer, and they agreed to ship me replacement screws, provided I pay the shipping. Really?

Just to make sure we get the whole story-Did they pick the shipping method or did you-as in some form of expedited shipping.
If it was just 1st class, no matter who paid for screws and shipping, it is so low cost it isn't worth worrying about. If I were Hinderer and decided to give you the screws, I would have thrown in the shipping(1st class). No point in giving 1/2 a gift and only getting 1/2 the credit IMO. That doesn't make it poor customer service, but they could have shown exceptional customer service for very little-and that likely would pay off down the line.

As for the screws falling out, I am afraid that falls under maintaining your knife-and this may be why they took the position they did on a 2 mo. old knife. I haven't owned a load of flippers(4-6), but every one of them the screws(especially pivot screws) would back off. The violence of the flipping action takes its toll on a knife. I Teflon taped the screws and moved on with no problem.
Clip screws backing off I have had on most my folders over time.

 

[Jlsoip]

Just to make sure we get the whole story-Did they pick the shipping method or did you-as in some form of expedited shipping.
If it was just 1st class, no matter who paid for screws and shipping, it is so low cost it isn't worth worrying about. If I were Hinderer and decided to give you the screws, I would have thrown in the shipping(1st class). No point in giving 1/2 a gift and only getting 1/2 the credit IMO. That doesn't make it poor customer service, but they could have shown exceptional customer service for very little-and that likely would pay off down the line.

As for the screws falling out, I am afraid that falls under maintaining your knife-and this may be why they took the position they did on a 2 mo. old knife. I haven't owned a load of flippers(4-6), but every one of them the screws(especially pivot screws) would back off. The violence of the flipping action takes its toll on a knife. I Teflon taped the screws and moved on with no problem.
Clip screws backing off I have had on most my folders over time.

I wasn't given a shipping option, so it was whatever their default was.

I could understand the pivot screw becoming loose through use, and needing to maintain that. However, the screws that were coming loose/falling out were the standoff screws, which don't move at all (or shouldn't, unless you move them), and the clip screws (which I can understand).

 

[JohnWE]

For the cost of a stamp, an envelope, and a couple screws the manufacturer loses a potential future customer(s).

No matter who's right or wrong, it's an incredibly bad trade-off and a very poor business decision.