Monday morning Spyderco CSR Blues

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Sharps

Sharps

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First let me contrast this with Boker's customer service. Recently bought a mess of a Boker Exskelibur off the exchange, screws stripped, pivot washers messed up, etc... Called Boker, talked to a friendly gentleman, told him what I needed, he said np! Asked how I make payment for screws, pivot pin, pocket clip replacement. I told him up front it was a second hand purchase, and original owner damaged it, No problem parts are FREE, no cost. A week later I had everything in hand, plus a bunch of extras I had not requested.



Now my Monday morning post holiday Spyderco experience.

I knew in advance Spyderco "policy" on shipping parts :thumbsdown:

I explained to the young man I spoke with that I had disassembled my 2 month old Smock to replace the scales. I told him during the process I noticed one of the captured balls in the caged pivot bearings was not present. Pretty much word for word. I asked what my options were.

I was told send in the knife with $25 and it would be taken care of. I questioned this as the missing captured ball was clearly a manufacturing defect. He then went on a tirade about how they had ways to tell it was taken apart and that was how one of the two "balls" was missing.

He either didn't listen to a word I said or could not differentiate pivot bearings from detent balls. He also went on to accuse me of losing the single ball. And told me that you could tell without taking it apart that it had one missing. I think he was still? stuck on detent ball loss? I made an additional attempt to explain the difference between the detent balls and pivot bearings. I was greeted with an additional argumentative statement supporting the $25 fee and how they could tell it was taken apart.

VERY combative response, and very frustrating experience. I'm not quite sure how the bearings are captured by the race (just pressed or peened after insertion?) , but clearly they should not simply fall out and go missing. I always use a plastic serving tray to capture any stray parts, during maintenance. But yes either way, if somehow I lost it, or MIA from assembly, falling out freely is a defect.

I really don't have a problem covering shipping cost but being told up front it will cost me $20 for this issue without inspecting the problem, is a bit of a kick in the pants.

Sure wish Spyderco would rethink policy on parts, and that this specific rep I spoke with would either be a better listener, or learn a little more about the products he represents.

So with that rant being made, I will spec the bearings myself and hunt up a replacement and not bother dealing with Spyderco's "warranty" or lack of!

I certainly enjoy the product, customer service not so much.



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You know how unhappy you are right now? Multiply that by the number of people who think they can take apart their knives just as well as the factory and that's how unhappy the guy you talked to is.
 
Well I certainly know the difference between a detent ball and pivot bearing, not to mention he is being paid to do it. might also mention how many knives I've purchased new with easily corrected issues that should have never passed the CQ department, though that is a minority of Spydercos. Excuse crappy customer service all you want, I won't.
 
I am confused. You said you knew their policy but went ahead and tried to convince the rep to change company policy and expect a receptive response? Sounds like you were badgering him to do it. I can see both sides of the policy and they both have their merits but it is their policy to make. Most companies warranty is voided upon disassembly. Wish you good luck with fixing it though.
 
nephron said:
I am confused.
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Yes, you are.

Was no badgering, was no attempt to "change company policy". I asked for my options, he gave it to me, what I object to is dismissive attitude when he clearly did not know what I was talking about, and did not want to bother taking the time to figure it out.

Edit: I also object to to the $20.00 fee when he has neither taken the time to learn what the problem actually is, or actually examined the issue.
 
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It is pretty standard for companies to have a fee to examine an item, but if it was a manufacturing defect it's usually waived. I also thought Spyderco allowed disassembly without voiding the warranty. This seems like an odd case, maybe you just got a disgruntled CS rep. I'd call and try again.
 
I may call again tomorrow, you are correct that disassembly no longer automatically voids warranty. It is part of the reason I'm a bit upset, tacking a fee on before the issue is seen or diagnosed is unreasonable.

Spyderco’s knives are assembled to exacting tolerances by trained technicians, so we discourage end users from disassembling or adjusting our knives. If a knife has been disassembled and reassembled correctly—so as to maintain its proper mechanical function—this warranty remains in full effect. However, if a knife has been disassembled and reassembled in such a way that, in Spyderco’s sole determination, the proper mechanical function of the knife has been compromised, it is no longer covered by warranty.
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Hi Sal, I did not speak with a female rep. It was a man, and sounded fairly young as stated in my original post. He also stated it had been months since he had taken a Smock apart.
 
Hard to say whos at fault here without hearing the conversation. Having worked in customer service for the past 10 years i understand that both sides will have their opinion. I can say that attitude goes a very long way with both parties. I sure hope however that what OP is saying about Spydercos CS reps attitude isnt accurate being that they have increased the prices on their products consistently (some would say significantly) over the past couple of years which was suppose to go in part directly to their employees, which should mean happier (and more qualified) employees. Hope it gets resolved in a reasonable manner, which certainly doesnt mean Spyderco kissing anybodys ass for the incident, but honoring their faults if it was defective which seams exactly what Sal said they will do.
 
Hi Sharps,

I spoke with Charlynn today about your thread. These kind of threads are always important for me to follow up as we take our customers very seriously. I shared the thread with upper management as well as customer service. Maybe she sounded like a guy to you, but she did tell me that she told you she hadn't taken apart a Smock in months. She also said that she may have misunderstood you because washers hadn't come up in the conversation. She did say she thought you were angry, which she was sorry for. So I would ask that anyone contacting customer service, please try to understand that we understand, and especially Charlynn understands, as she has been with us for a decade, that you may be disappointed in whatever the situation is, and that she/we will try our best to make you happy.

sal
 
Well first off I would have had more patience with a female, secondly I was quite jovial, until probably about round two on trying to explain it was not a detent ball issue, and after hearing twice how you had ways of determining someone had disassembled a knife even after I stated this I did get upset. After that I just wanted to bail on the call, I don't think I was rude, perhaps unfriendly would be appropriate, however after hearing what I felt were improper accusations that I caused the DETENT ball loss which was not even mentioned by me I think my annoyance was not unjustified.

But again it was not a female I spoke with.
 
Hi Sharps,

Probably best to let it go. If you'd like to send the knife in, we will fix it for you.

Hi Jack,

We always extend our best effort to conduct business in an honest, fair and proper manner. When we're wrong, we own up. We don't kiss ass, but we do try to always please the customer so they stay as customers.

sal
 
Sal, washers never came up because the knife in question has none? I did clearly mention captured ball bearing and pivot. Perhaps this is not the term you use internally so maybe some confusion?

Either way after trying to explain the exact issue a couple of times and failed I was frustrated, and yes at that point probably unfriendly, but the conversation just seemed to keep going south.

The point at which I did start to feel pretty angry was about the second mention of you had ways to detect what happened to the knife.

I still feel I'm not wrong in the fact that the captured ball bearings within the race should remain captured, and if they do not = factory defect. Nothing was stated about a fee that would be refunded if covered via warranty.


regardless of the above I apologize if I took some of the conversation in the wrong way, but she? was defensive and I feel multiple mentions of tamper detection was uncalled for and seemed accusatory to me.
 
Hi Sharps,

thanx for taking the time for the the honest communication. Especially so late in the day. It's always best. And believe me when I say that I too have been pissed off a time or two by customers service I felt I received. In the end, it's best for all to chill and try to solve the problem. None of us is perfect. She did say that she felt their was confusion in the conversation. Send it to us and we'll make it right.

sal
 
Sal, thanks for your time, I appreciate it! Please relay my apology to Charlynn, I would have certainly been more patient had I realized, not that I feel a gal is less capable, but simply I'm a little old school that way. At this point I'm sure it was a two way misunderstanding, sometimes it can be difficult to communicate without visual cues to help interpret what is being said.

I will attempt to be more patient and friendly in any future interactions with your support staff even if they happen to be men :D. Hope you and your entire staff have a great Holiday season.
 
You took apart a knife not designed to be disassembled by amateurs. No wonder you had difficulties. You lost a part. Looks like a "one way" misunderstanding...
 
brownshoe said:
You took apart a knife not designed to be disassembled by amateurs. No wonder you had difficulties. You lost a part. Looks like a "one way" misunderstanding...
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If your ignorant of what the issue is why bother to comment. any idea what ball bearings captured in a race are. go troll another thread this one has run its course.

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