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I'm a big supporter of going local, and keeping the smaller businesses running to let the Corporations fend for themselves. Recently I had an experience with an area gunsmith shop and was encouraged by my shooting buddies to put the word out.
I wanted a new trigger installed on my SA 1911A1. After doing a bit of research on CG, 1911 Forum, ect I contacted a smith down in the Monterey Bay area. The price was agreeable and the turn-around was 'an easy 2-3 weeks'. I boxed the unit up, and shipped it along with a letter identifying my needs.
After one month I called the smith asking for an update on my pistol. Response 'It is here and hopefully I'll get to it next week'. I believe I even asked if I should have him return it to me if he is too busy. 'Na, I'll look at it'.
After two months I emailed asking for an update, which seemed reasonable as I had not been contacted or notified of a delay, as I had been told 2-3 weeks. Smith emails a day later to identify he had finally looked at the unit and found a crack in the slide. I then coordinated a warranty return to Springfield Armory which the smith had volunteered to facilitate.
After 3 months I contacted SA hoping for an update on the warranty work. SA identified the unit had not yet reached them. At that point I called the smith and asked WTF. "Oh yeah, I shipped the unit last week". I confronted the smith on his bull-chit statement and stated I knew he hadn't. "Oh, no, your right, its still here in my safe. My mistake". At that point, I was totally floored. I asked why, after being told 2-3 weeks to do a SIMPLE trigger swap that it took 2 months for him to even look at the unit, lie about shipping it out, then not even be able to box it up and ship it out to SA for warranty work within a MONTH of my request. His response, was basically 'I'm busy. There are guys here to have waited 6 months to a year for their stuff. I am understaffed and don't have the ability to send emails out to every one of my customers on everything I do'.
I understand shops are busy. TRULY. However, if you tell a customer its an easy repair then take 2 months (after calls and emails) to even look at it: take the hint to get the work done. Better yet, COMMUNICATE to the customer the delay and say "Actually, I am swamped, this may take 3 months (because THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN OK HAD YOU TOLD ME UP FRONT). Finally, if told by the customer to ship the unit (at NO COST) SHIP THE fookin UNIT. Don't sit on it for another MONTH
With that, after 2 months of waiting for him to 1) install a new trigger, and 2) another month to SHIP the UNIT he shipped the unit back to me, I shipped it to Springfield and WITHIN 21 DAYS DOOR TO DOOR the slide was replaced and I had a new trigger. Springfield kept me in the loop (unit arrived, slide repaired, trigger done, unit shipped) the WHOLE time.
Cheers to Springfield for completing a simple task within a very reasonable time frame and for keeping the customer informed at only $10 above the quoted price of the smith.
BOOO's to the Independent who overbooks his workload, can't keep up with his promised obligations, and provides ZERO information for the customer who is patiently waiting.
Three Cheers for bewbies!
I wanted a new trigger installed on my SA 1911A1. After doing a bit of research on CG, 1911 Forum, ect I contacted a smith down in the Monterey Bay area. The price was agreeable and the turn-around was 'an easy 2-3 weeks'. I boxed the unit up, and shipped it along with a letter identifying my needs.
After one month I called the smith asking for an update on my pistol. Response 'It is here and hopefully I'll get to it next week'. I believe I even asked if I should have him return it to me if he is too busy. 'Na, I'll look at it'.
After two months I emailed asking for an update, which seemed reasonable as I had not been contacted or notified of a delay, as I had been told 2-3 weeks. Smith emails a day later to identify he had finally looked at the unit and found a crack in the slide. I then coordinated a warranty return to Springfield Armory which the smith had volunteered to facilitate.
After 3 months I contacted SA hoping for an update on the warranty work. SA identified the unit had not yet reached them. At that point I called the smith and asked WTF. "Oh yeah, I shipped the unit last week". I confronted the smith on his bull-chit statement and stated I knew he hadn't. "Oh, no, your right, its still here in my safe. My mistake". At that point, I was totally floored. I asked why, after being told 2-3 weeks to do a SIMPLE trigger swap that it took 2 months for him to even look at the unit, lie about shipping it out, then not even be able to box it up and ship it out to SA for warranty work within a MONTH of my request. His response, was basically 'I'm busy. There are guys here to have waited 6 months to a year for their stuff. I am understaffed and don't have the ability to send emails out to every one of my customers on everything I do'.
I understand shops are busy. TRULY. However, if you tell a customer its an easy repair then take 2 months (after calls and emails) to even look at it: take the hint to get the work done. Better yet, COMMUNICATE to the customer the delay and say "Actually, I am swamped, this may take 3 months (because THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN OK HAD YOU TOLD ME UP FRONT). Finally, if told by the customer to ship the unit (at NO COST) SHIP THE fookin UNIT. Don't sit on it for another MONTH
With that, after 2 months of waiting for him to 1) install a new trigger, and 2) another month to SHIP the UNIT he shipped the unit back to me, I shipped it to Springfield and WITHIN 21 DAYS DOOR TO DOOR the slide was replaced and I had a new trigger. Springfield kept me in the loop (unit arrived, slide repaired, trigger done, unit shipped) the WHOLE time.
Cheers to Springfield for completing a simple task within a very reasonable time frame and for keeping the customer informed at only $10 above the quoted price of the smith.
BOOO's to the Independent who overbooks his workload, can't keep up with his promised obligations, and provides ZERO information for the customer who is patiently waiting.
Three Cheers for bewbies!
I, also, want to make sure local businesses stay around, and I give them my custom whenever I can. It's too bad this Monterey fellow didn't do the job you needed done.
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