Greg, I'd tell 'em to get it right the first time so the folks who buy their knives won't be saddled with the hassle of sending knives back and forth to work out the kinks.
It's good PR for their company and product on the forums and saves money in the long run. (I know this last part is debatable since they may feel that a significant segment may not be bothered to send a knife in.)
I'd also tell them (speaking from my own point of view) that many of us would be willing to pay a few dollars more if they would take the time to get it right. This means sharp blades, quality scales, good fit, finish and action.
If they want customer and brand loyalty, it needs to be earned by addressing these issues and building the best knife they can for the money...not with the least they can offer and still get away with.
Well said, and very true. I know in the Buck s/f just for example (not singling out Buck) , there have constantly been comments when someone asks about a quality issue, to the fact that, Oh well, Buck has great service... Send it in.
Well, they do have great service, but I think thats a terrible way to look at things. Sure there are going to be the ones that slip through, we are all human, but take the time and make it right the first time. How disappointing to get something new, only to find out it has to go back, or just be satisfied with sub par quality. In most instances, we pay the shipping to send the item back, so add on the extra 5 bucks we would spend for shipping, and take an extra few minutes checking the final product.
The sad part is that, all the older guys who took a lot of pride in their job, retired or died. The younger generation doesn't seem to have the same pride.
They just do enough work to keep their job. BUT, there are a lot of people looking for work, so they have a big pool to select from
Sorry for the mini rant, the coffee hasn't kicked in yet
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