Horrible Customer Service Experience

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Apparently it is for many people participating in this thread. What you guys are asking Tobin to do is to give away all of his profit just because you say he should. Tobin (DSS) should back their product and repair or replace said product when the issue was cause by themselves. They should not be asked to give away free products and services whenever a customer does something to ruin their product.

My statement was ".... He does not need to capitulate and keep sending replacements, not does he need to continue to be combative with the customer in a very public forum. There are a number of diplomatic options he could have taken to address this on the 1st page to contain it." I am not sure how you twist this to asking someone to give away free products.

We must be reading different threads because Tobin has been anything BUT combative. He has been stating facts and/or opinions in a calm and polite manner. That does not translate into Combative in my opinion.

Actually, Tobins second post was combative: "Why do you need so many wings? 4 DSS wings and OMS and Halcyon wings. That's at least 6 wings and maybe more. Why so many?". This set the tone, first implying that since the diver owns 6 wings he was possibly abusing them (or renting or whatever) and second, when he added "and maybe more" he was implying the OP was lying.

This was the critical post where he could have turned the tide with a diplomatic gesture. Even an offer to look at the wing, line it up with a plate and take a picture. The time lapse would have diffused the thread. One picture showing alignment with the plate edge would prove to the OP it was his issue. If the thread came back from the grave, he could post it and stop the discussion dead flat <pun intended>

 

[bobthegoalie]

This whole thread comes down to either you believe DSS or the OP. There is no right answer because this is an ethics issue and everyone has a different ethics. This thread will continue as more and more people defend there ethics and what they believe. Leave it alone and move on. Buy from DSS or not that is your decision. The number one marketing for a business is word of mouth.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Actually, Tobins second post was combative: "Why do you need so many wings? 4 DSS wings and OMS and Halcyon wings. That's at least 6 wings and maybe more. Why so many?". This set the tone, first implying that since the diver owns 6 wings he was possibly abusing them (or renting or whatever) and second, when he added "and maybe more" he was implying the OP was lying.

Ya see....this is where it shows the people that want to paint Tobin in an evil light and those that do not. I saw absolutely nothing wrong with his question. After all, that was all that it was. You are CHOOSING to see it as an evil statement. You are adding an inflection that was never there IMO.

 

[cool_hardware52]

My statement was ".... He does not need to capitulate and keep sending replacements, not does he need to continue to be combative with the customer in a very public forum. There are a number of diplomatic options he could have taken to address this on the 1st page to contain it." I am not sure how you twist this to asking someone to give away free products.

Actually, Tobins second post was combative: "Why do you need so many wings? 4 DSS wings and OMS and Halcyon wings. That's at least 6 wings and maybe more. Why so many?". This set the tone, first implying that since the diver owns 6 wings he was possibly abusing them (or renting or whatever) and second, when he added "and maybe more" he was implying the OP was lying.

I've explained why I asked that question at least twice already. Have you not read my responses? I was trying to determine if the OP was personally using all of the wings in question, turns out he was not the only diver using the equipment.

This was the critical post where he could have turned the tide with a diplomatic gesture. Even an offer to look at the wing, line it up with a plate and take a picture. The time lapse would have diffused the thread. One picture showing alignment with the plate edge would prove to the OP it was his issue. If the thread came back from the grave, he could post it and stop the discussion dead flat <pun intended>

We have done exactly that. We did inspect the wing. We did communicate our findings to the OP. I do have pictures of the damaged bladder with respect to an outline of the plate. Do you really think the OP, who continues to assert that he is 100% certain that he is not responsible, would accept this as proof of anything?

Let's see, I'll post them in about an hour when I get to the shop.

Tobin

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I've explained why I asked that question at least twice already. Have you not read my responses? I was trying to determine if the OP was personally using all of the wings in question, turns out he was not the only diver using the equipment.

"The equipment" is not the same as "the wing", just because the OP and his wife own a few sets of gear does not mean other people are using his wing. I have a similar situation (4 BCDs plus a BP/Wing) with 3 divers in the family. Yet I can assure you my son's don't ever use my BP/Wing.

We have done exactly that. We did inspect the wing. We did communicate our findings to the OP. I do have pictures of the damaged bladder with respect to an outline of the plate. Do you really think the OP, who continues to assert that he is 100% certain that he is not responsible, would accept this as proof of anything?

Let's see, I'll post them in about an hour when I get to the shop.

Tobin

Great! I agree it probably will not change the OP's mind and you don't have to change the mind of your loyal customers. What is does is prove to your future / potential customers that you are correct beyond a reasonable doubt and more importantly drive home the potential of a pinch flat to all of us.

 

[cool_hardware52]

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/data/500/medium/P10102261.JPG

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/data/500/medium/P10102271.JPG

The impact damage is easily seen just below the lower left corner of the plate. This is typical damage of the damage done if the plate is dropped vertically and the lower corner of the wing wraps back under the plate. Also possible if the "rig" is jammed into a tank holder on a boat.

This just doesn't happen when packed in a box during UPS shipments. It doesn't happen in a suit case, unless perhaps the wing was wrapped around a back plate. It happens when a back plate is dropped vertically on the wing.

We usually cut out the a section of the damaged bladder and return it with the repaired wing to the customer so they can see what happened.

In this case the OP demanded we return the wing without repairing it, so we documented it with photographs before we returned it.

Tobin

 

[ScubaSteve]

What is does is prove to your future / potential customers that you are correct beyond a reasonable doubt and more importantly drive home the potential of a pinch flat to all of us.

I still fail to see "unreasonable" in Tobin's approach. And FWIW, I have no DSS product.


Yet. Seeing Tobin's approach to problem solving here tells me I will definitely own his product in the future. He has been thorough and level in the face of adversity.




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[GrumpyOldGuy]

http://www.scubaboard.com/gallery/data/500/medium/P10102261.JPG

That is beautiful and completely self explanatory.... the value of one picture > 1000 words. No reason to discuss any further.

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I still fail to see "unreasonable" in Tobin's approach. And FWIW, I have no DSS product.

Yet. Seeing Tobin's approach to problem solving here tells me I will definitely own his product in the future. He has been thorough and level in the face of adversity.

The problem was not how/when/who damaged the bladder. Tobin's experience nailed that one up front.

The problem is how to defend your company when someone complains on a public forum about bad customer service. Arguing in public looks bad no matter how well you handle yourself. Some companies give away freebies to avoid this. Some companies just don't respond. The picture Tobin published gives a very solid response without the need for more than a cursory explanation, no questioning needed, no arguing and could have stopped this train wreck about 170 post ago......

 

[ScubaSteve]

Some companies give away freebies to avoid this.......

And some people will complain in a Public Forum just to get free stuff. I am, FTR not saying that is what the OP is doing. I do not think he is. I think he genuinely believes Tobin/DSS were in the wrong. But throwing free stuff to everybody that complains just perpetuates the cycle and guarantees that eveery customer expects the same.

The power to stop this thread lay ONLY with the OP and they gave up that control when they made the first post. Tobin is powerless to stop it. He can either participate in a professional manner (which he has) or ignore it and look guilty. I respect him for his participation.

I simply do not see Tobin's posts as arguing or combative or anything else. Others do. I will buy from him. Other's won't.