Microtech Excessive Delay For Warranty Service

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robcelani

robcelani

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The Facts from my point of view:

Purchased new Microtech (MT) Mini Matrix from a dealer, 4th Quarter 2014. Was missing a pocket clip screw. The pocket clip was slightly tilted with a poor fit. I believe it needed to be replaced as well as a new screw.

I attempted to work with the dealer without satisfactory resolution. My next step was MT warranty service.

I contacted MT by phone and email. Received email Return Authorization # and instructions which I followed.

MT received my knife 12/4/14.

I emailed MT on 3/2/15 and received a response that Customer Service Representative (rep) would check on my knife and get back to me. I received no follow up.

I emailed MT on 4/9/15 asking for follow up from rep. I received the following on 4/17/15:

"Good Afternoon,

Your knife has been sent to the Service Department and it is currently in line to be repaired. Please keep in mind that we are at @ an 8 week turnaround time. When the knife is due to ship back to you, we will email you the tracking information.

Thank you,"
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I requested clarification from MT rep by email same day. Still waiting on a response. My knife has been there since 12/4. That's way over 8 weeks already.




My gripe:

My issues are poor communication and excessive delay in fixing my knife. In my opinion it's a five minute fix. Let me do it if it's gonna turn into a 5 month project!


Please keep comments relevant, clear, concise and appropriate. I collect and carry MT knives so I'm not out to bash them. I simply want my knife fixed and shipped back.
 
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Had the same issues of too long wait times, interestingly enough on a Mini Matrix as well. Sent mine out around 7/14 and got it back around 11/14. Too long just to swap out the steel insert and backspacer.

For those experiencing issues with side-opening SA autos, and SA / DA front openers, an option is to try to send your knife to a dealer for repair instead. I am very grateful to Dave at the Hollow Grind for taking care of my Ultratech VI in a couple of days - I had it back within the week. I also had my Halo III (which needed a new button, spring and blade) fixed by a third party within a week.
 
I used to defend MT based on my satisfactory experience with them in the past, but this is just getting out of hand. I made a video about my experience and I've gotten at least three comments in the last month from people who have had their knives sitting at MT for months now as well. Unbelievable that a company that supposedly opened a second location just to handle warranty service still can't get it right. I pray nothing goes wrong with my Anax.
 
I think Misanthropia and I both dealt with Laurel regarding our issues. Mine was a good experience and the communication was prompt when I would send an email. Granted no one was emailing me every month giving me status updates or anything, but it was taken care of within the quoted time frame. Hope you get your knife back soon Rob.
 
Why I dont have any Microtechs left, nice knives. But good luck if you have to use warranty service. If they had good timely warranty service I would buy, carry and use their knives again.
 
MT has had my Socom Elite since 8/13/14. I was told in February 2015 that it was going to have to go to Tony personally for repair. I sent an email for an update a month ago...no response...still waiting.
 
m woodley said:
MT has had my Socom Elite since 8/13/14. I was told in February 2015 that going to have to go to Tony personally for repair. I sent an email for an update a month ago...no response...still waiting.
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If any member's are considering jumping off the MT bandwagon, & have any Socom Elite/Delta's you are considering selling, please let me know! ;)

On a serious note: this seems to be a recurring theme with the MT warranty department. Hopefully because of link's like this, it will be an issue that they will start taking more seriously, & correcting. These exceedingly long wait times, are simply unacceptable!
 
If I ever get this CF Clip Point back...you are welcome to it! Not kidding. I just went to their website and sent a message with my RA#....maybe I can sneak in the back door.
 
Is Laurel still handling communications? I found she was very helpful and to the point. I hope things get resolved for you guys.
 
Laurel has not responded to my last three emails...I am wondering if she is still there. That's why I sent a message thru their website in case her email was not good anymore. I will let everyone know when I get a response.
 
Here's my email communication with MT rep yesterday. The last few emails I received were from Christina through Laurel's email account.

These are posted most recent on top. The bottom email was what I sent to MT rep after receiving the email I quoted in my first post. Probably clear as mud right. The point is it's taking way too long for them to fix a simple problem!




"Hello Christina. Thanks very much for getting back to me.

I know you believe what you wrote. I know it's not true however. Check here- http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...h-service-report?highlight=Microtech+warranty.

MT received his knife on 1/20/15 and customer received it back fixed on 2/17/15.

I'd love to be that guy. I could have fixed my knife easily in 5 minutes if you guys would ship a simple pocket clip, screw and the bit. It shouldn't take the manufacturer half a year to fix should it?

I dealt with a crappy dealer (Butch, told me friend of Tony's, Florida gun and knife is his company) purchasing the knife. I called Laurel and talked with her about him. A very poor representative of MT in my opinion.

Please take a personal interest in my problem and speed up my repair. It's the right step at this point.

I appreciate your assistance, best regards.

Rob Celani
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On Apr 23, 2015, at 11:34, Laurel Scafidi wrote:

Hi Rob,

I do apologize, and certainly understand your frustration. I have looked into this, and I would like to reiterate that we are backed up in that department, and the knives are repaired in the order in which they are received.

Again - I apologize,

Christina Paul Cobb
Customer Service-Dept.
Microtech Knives
300 Chestnut Street Ext.
Bradford, PA 16701
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From: Rob Celani [mailto:robcelani (at) hotmail (dot) com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2015 10:58 PM
To: Laurel Scafidi
Subject: Re: RA # 7509

Hello Christina, again I appreciate your response below but I asked for clarification and have not heard back. It's turning into a very frustrating experience getting my knife fixed. The dealer I purchased it from was totally unprofessional. I'm hoping for better from Microtech.

Your email says 8 weeks, I'm sitting at over 18 weeks. Is a 5 minute job really going to turn into a 6-7 month wait.

Why is it taking so long?

I've posted feedback about the delay and poor communication on BladeForums - http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...-Microtech-Taking-Too-Long-Repairing-My-Knife. It would be great for a Microtech representative to post in the thread and explain what's going on with the company.

I look forward to hearing from you. Best regards.


Rob Celani"
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Also, thanks to all who've posted. Good information and comments so far! [emoji4]:)
 
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This is sorta the thing with microtech. Not all models and all situations but its far from a rare case. To their defense we have to remember that many times they use proprietary hardware. And if the exact part is not in stock it may have to be on the backburner until another run of knives with that exact part is made. We cant really expect them to make or have a made a single screw as a company can go out of business relatively quickly custom making one off replacement parts. I used to get on companies for things like this. But in my older age I am trying to have a little more compassion even if the company has a particular reputation as many of us probably dont have all the information needed to judge and I simply cant see a company delaying warranty service for anything other than a good reason. On another note this is a rather special time for them right now as they have liquidated their gun manufacturing and have recently made some huge investments in new machinery for making knives. If I remember correctly other instances of poor time frames with its warranty turn around times also coincided with either factory moves and expansions, as well as a time when they didnt make any knives at all. Still I think anyone sending a knife to microtech sorta needs to be the patient type. The only times I know of quick turn arounds are on their most popular OTF models that get pumped out with greater regularity.
 
Microtech has had this problem for years. Proprietary hardware? Whose decision was that?

First they get your money, then you send in your knife for repairs, then you w a i t.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Microtech has had this problem for years. Proprietary hardware? Whose decision was that?

First they get your money, then you send in your knife for repairs, then you w a i t.
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I read somewhere that Tony said "it adds to the aesthetic, makes it feel like a custom knife"... Right... I just started calling them "WTF screws". I might end up buying myself a thread checker/screw gauge and chance them out on my knives.
 
As a collector, I am glad to not send many of my Microtechs back because they are not users. But I have sent several back that were and I have had mixed results including Microtech "losing" one of my rare dagger logo Chameleons. The simple truth is that MT's customer service just has never really been that good EVER. Not bashing, just the way it is. You want stellar customer service? Send something back to Protech and Dave will get you handled in record time.

What can I say? Microtech, the company you love to hate. But they do make some nice stuff
 
Regardless of how "nice" their stuff might be at the time of sale, this type of service repair response is inexcusable. 18 weeks between receipt of the item to be repaired and still no repair??? Totally unacceptable.

This sequence of events has placed Microtech on my "Never buy a knife made by this company" list. Warranty??? The warranty in this case is not a "warranty". It should be on NY Times Best Seller Fiction List.
 
Esav Benyamin said:
Microtech has had this problem for years. Proprietary hardware? Whose decision was that?

First they get your money, then you send in your knife for repairs, then you w a i t.
Click to expand...

Oh, Im not saying anyone should be happy or like it. I was simply trying to say in the nicest way possible that its simply to be expected from them citing a few reasons why it is so. Not making excuses for them by any means. I just feel that by now it shouldnt really be surprising to anyone.


dvrdown01 said:
As a collector, I am glad to not send many of my Microtechs back because they are not users. But I have sent several back that were and I have had mixed results including Microtech "losing" one of my rare dagger logo Chameleons. The simple truth is that MT's customer service just has never really been that good EVER. Not bashing, just the way it is. You want stellar customer service? Send something back to Protech and Dave will get you handled in record time.

What can I say? Microtech, the company you love to hate. But they do make some nice stuff
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Let me guess dual action chameleon with a broken sear? I have heard many horror stories about that knife. Right down to some actually having their knives returned converted to manual with no explanation. I know certain employees of that company hate it when I speculate but my guess is "lost" was a term used very very loosely.
 
Speaking of Mt's getting "lost" my one and only MT service experience was with a GP knives limited edition socom delta with aluminum handles. The knife was virtually brand new, probably carried it twice. I sat down on the back porch and the clip got hooked on the patio furniture. As I stood up it bent the pocket clip out like crazy. So I packed up the knife and mailed it according to their requirements and all. I shipped it fedex and it was delivered. I got an email from Laurel saying that my knife was not in the box. I believe I called them as well and they said they accepted the package because it did not appear to be damaged and that there was no knife inside. Nothing much more to tell. I guess MT lays the blame with the shipper but I personally feel like a mailing guy on a regular route would figure that knives going in to MT were broken, coming out in tact. Of course that's just speculation. I don't know who has the knife now but it can't me much use to them with a 90 degree bent pocket clip and no way to take off the screw. Fedex did pay me a whopping $100 from their automatic insurance, needless to say I now ship all of my items fully insured.

I hope you guys get your knives back ASAP, but from my standpoint getting them back at all might be a blessing.
Best of luck.
 
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